---
schema_version: "1"
id: b744b76809b709d1621eb25858a24686c40ceecf24efea96c52b0e26a25ae415
title: Considerations for Business-Initiated Messaging
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/service/264-0-0/messaging_send_message_considerations.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_send_message_considerations.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: ddebc190b7ed0ef490f4c0187186216af7f61d292fadff35e912a0ad7c10ba8d
description: Several rules determine whether and how service reps can start a messaging session with a lead or customer from Salesforce. These rules protect customers from unwanted messages.
products:
  - Service Cloud
  - Digital Engagement
release: "264"
---
# Considerations for Business-Initiated Messaging

Several rules determine whether and how service reps can start a messaging session with a lead or customer from Salesforce. These rules protect customers from unwanted messages.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition">
      <colgroup>
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        <tr class="">
          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="vertical-align:top;"><a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_editions.htm&amp;type=5&amp;language=en_US" target="_blank">View supported editions.</a></td>

        </tr>
        <tr class="">
          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
            <a name="messaging_send_message_considerations__image_zgw_qgf_5cc"><!-- --></a><span style="vertical-align:text-bottom;display:inline-block;"><img style="margin-bottom:0;" id="messaging_send_message_considerations__image_zgw_qgf_5cc" src="https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/resources-global/_corporate/images/checkmark.png" alt="Checkmark"></span>
            <strong>This article applies to:</strong>
          </td>

          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Enhanced In-App Chat, Enhanced WhatsApp, Enhanced Facebook Messenger, Enhanced
            SMS, Enhanced Apple Messages for Business, Enhanced LINE, and Bring Your Own
            Channel</td>

        </tr>
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          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
            <span style="vertical-align:text-bottom;display:inline-block;"><img style="margin-bottom:0;" src="https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/resources-global/_corporate/images/crossmark.png" alt="X icon"></span>
            <strong>This article doesn’t apply to:</strong>
          </td>

          <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Enhanced Web Chat, Standard Facebook Messenger, and Standard SMS channels</td>

        </tr>
      </tbody>
    </table>

## General Considerations

- Business-initiated outbound messages don't use service rep capacity until the customer responds.
- If the customer responds, the way their response is routed depends on your capacity model.
    - If the service channel uses status-based capacity, the response is routed back to the same rep.
    - If the service channel uses tab-based capacity, the response is routed as a new messaging session and a different rep may pick it up.
- A customer who’s engaged in a live messaging session can’t simultaneously receive a business-initiated message sent from the Send a Message action by a different rep. In this scenario, the new rep trying to initiate the conversation sees an error.
- In all supported channels except enhanced SMS, reps can only initiate messaging sessions with a customer if the customer has a messaging user record that’s linked to the desired messaging channel. Messaging user records are created automatically when customers first message you. If no record exists, you can [create them using Data Loader or a flow](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_import_user_data.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "Salesforce automatically creates messaging user records for customers when they message your business. However, you can also mass-create messaging user records for WhatsApp and SMS channels.") as long as you already obtained your customer’s messaging consent elsewhere. It takes about 10 minutes for a newly created messaging user record to become available in the Send a Message action.
- When a rep uses the Send a Message action to start a session, the session status is New. If the customer doesn’t respond or opt out within 48 hours, the session ends.

## Considerations for Enhanced SMS

- To help sellers or relationship managers kick off conversations with customers and potential customers, reps can send an initial SMS message to a customer from a contact, person account, or lead record, **even if the customer doesn’t have a messaging user record**. Salesforce auto-creates the messaging user record when the initial message is sent. In this scenario:
    - The rep selects + New Conversation from the Conversation field.
    - The rep must check a box indicating that the customer consented to receive SMS messages from your business.
- When an SMS messaging user record is auto-created, it shows a consent status of Explicitly Opted In even if the channel’s Consent Type field is set to a different status.
- To use the Send a Message action to send SMS messages, the messaging user’s phone number field must contain a number that uses the E.164 number format. For example, +12345678900.

## Considerations for Enhanced WhatsApp

- If more than 24 hours have passed since the selected messaging user’s last message, service reps can’t use the Send a Message action to write freeform messages. However, they can send notification messaging components. The component must be linked to an approved WhatsApp message template and can’t contain dynamic content.

## Considerations for Enhanced Facebook Messenger

- If more than seven days have passed since the selected messaging user’s last message, service reps can’t use the Send a Message action.

#### See Also

- [Send a Message to a Customer in an Enhanced Channel](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_agent_initiated_outbound_0.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "To start a messaging session with a customer in an enhanced Messaging channel or Enhanced In-App Chat, use the Send a Message action.")