What this feature does and when to use it?
SMS Sequences allow you to send a series of scheduled text messages to Candidates or Contacts over a defined period. You can combine SMS, Email, Task, and LinkedIn steps into a single sequence to automate follow-ups and improve engagement.
This feature is useful when you want to:
Automate SMS follow-ups with Candidates or Contacts.
Combine SMS, Email, Task, and LinkedIn steps in a single sequence.
Schedule messages for specific dates and times.
Personalize messages using SMS templates.
Build structured communication workflows.
Please note:
SMS Sequencing is available on the Business Plan and above. Users on the Free and Pro plans can create one sequence.
Only Account Owners, Admins, or users with the required Sequences permissions can create sequences.
SMS sequencing is available only in supported regions: USA, UK, Israel, Hong Kong, Canada, and Sweden.
Recruit CRM uses Twilio to power SMS messaging.
US customers must complete Twilio registration before sending SMS.
UK customers must complete and receive approval for the required KYC before texting is enabled. Learn more about KYC here.
SMS credits are required to send messages.
How to create an SMS sequence
Navigate to Admin Settings → CRM Process Customization → Sequences.
Click Create Sequence.
Select whether the sequence is for Candidates or Contacts.
Enter a name for the sequence, add an SMS step, and choose an existing SMS template or create a new one.
Please note: Messages longer than 160 characters are split into multiple segments and charged accordingly, as per Twilio guidelines.
Specify when the SMS should be sent by selecting the number of days and the execution time. Setting the value to 0 sends the SMS on the same day the record is enrolled in the sequence.
It is important to know exactly when the SMS will be sent in relation to the starting date of the sequence. To calculate this, you can use the following formula:
Send Date = Start Date + Specified No. Of Days (Send SMS In)
Here, "Start Date" represents the date when the sequence was initiated.
"Specified Date" or "Send SMS In" is the number of days you have indicated for the SMS to be sent after the start of the sequence.
The resulting "Send date" is the calculated date on which the SMS will be sent.
For example: If you start the sequence on January 1st and specify that the SMS should be sent in 2 days, the Send Date would be calculated as follows:
Send date= January 1st + 2 days =January 3rd.
Enable the Opt-out/Unsubscribe text if required. This is recommended to comply with Twilio's messaging guidelines.
Continue adding additional SMS, Email, Task, or LinkedIn steps as required. You can rearrange the sequence using drag-and-drop.
Please note: A sequence can contain up to 40 steps, including a maximum of 10 SMS, 10 Email, 10 Task, and 10 LinkedIn steps.
Set the execution day for each step (between 0 and 250 calendar or business days) and save the sequence.
Please note: Tasks can be created on the same day as the sequence initiation by setting the day as "0".
When implementing a task on the 0th day, it's crucial to align the step timing with the previous steps or set it for a later time than the preceding step to ensure a seamless workflow.Once the sequence is created, enroll Candidates or Contacts into it.
Refer to the Managing Sequences article to learn how to enroll and unenroll records from a sequence.
Enroll Contacts while pitching Candidates
When pitching Candidates to Contacts, you can immediately enroll the selected Contacts into a sequence.
While pitching Candidates, click Enroll Selected Contacts to Sequence.
After the email is sent or the Candidates are marked as pitched, you'll be redirected to enroll the selected Contacts into a sequence.
Key points to note
1. Low SMS Balance Warning
When the SMS credit balance approaches around 20 credits, a warning message will be displayed, prompting you to recharge. Failure to recharge will result in the sequence being paused.
2. Notifications for Sequence Pausing
You will receive email and in-app notifications when the sequence is about to pause due to a low SMS balance.
3. Enrollment Criteria for SMS Sequences
During enrollment, you can only enroll candidates or contacts who meet the following criteria:
Not enrolled in another sequence.
Have phone numbers on their profiles.
Have not opted out of receiving SMS.
Have a local number.
For the US region, have given consent to receive SMS.
4. SMS Sequence Analytics Limitations
In SMS sequencing, metrics like 'Open rate,' 'Reply rate,' and 'Unsubscribe rate' cannot be tracked.
FAQs
1. What are the time slots/execution times of the sequences?
1. What are the time slots/execution times of the sequences?
SMS/Emails in a sequence are fired in 30-minute slots (e.g. 9:00 AM, 9:30 AM, etc.).
Also, the timestamp is based on the timezone set in the user profile who initiated the enrolment.
Here's how a user can check their timezone:
2. How many prospects can be enrolled in a sequence at a time?
2. How many prospects can be enrolled in a sequence at a time?
The limit on the number of prospects that can be enrolled in a sequence depends on the number of users in the account.
Each user can enroll up to 500 prospects in a sequence at a time.
3. Is there any limit on the number of candidates/contacts that a user can enroll in a sequence?
3. Is there any limit on the number of candidates/contacts that a user can enroll in a sequence?
A user can enroll up to 500 candidates/contacts in either 1 or across multiple sequences at any given point in time.
Once a user reaches the maximum active + paused enrollments i.e. 500, they will not be able to enroll any further records until the active sequence(s) are completed or they manually unenroll some records.
4. How many steps can you have in a particular sequence?
4. How many steps can you have in a particular sequence?
Add steps to the sequence as required, up to a maximum of 40 steps, which includes a maximum of 10 email steps, 10 task steps, 10 LinkedIn steps and 10 SMS steps. You can easily rearrange the sequence steps by using the drag-and-drop functionality.
5. What happens when a user edits a running sequence?
5. What happens when a user edits a running sequence?
If someone edits the sequence that is already running, then the changes will apply only to future enrollments.
6. How many sequences can be created on an account?
6. How many sequences can be created on an account?
In total, you can add up to 1000 sequences to a business plan account.
However, on the Pro plan, you can test the feature with 1 sequence.
7. Can we add a candidate/contact to multiple sequences?
7. Can we add a candidate/contact to multiple sequences?
No, each candidate/contact can only be a part of a single sequence at a time.
8. When does a prospect get unenrolled from the sequence?
8. When does a prospect get unenrolled from the sequence?
1. Whenever someone replies to the SMS sequence, the sequence gets paused for that specific prospect and it gets unenrolled from the sequence.
2. If the candidate/contact chooses to opt out of the SMS they will get automatically unenrolled.
3. If you manually unenroll them from the sequence.
Conclusion:
SMS Sequences help automate follow-up communication by combining scheduled text messages with email, tasks, and LinkedIn steps. With flexible scheduling, SMS templates, and compliance features like opt-out messaging, you can create structured communication sequences while keeping Candidate and Contact engagement organized.