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Tutorial - Using Zapier and Clio to Create Customized SMS Text Notifications

Zapier's built-in SMS text message application allows you to craft your own notifications from any Trigger application. When paired with Clio, Zapier's SMS app can send a notification to your phone in response to any of Clio's supported Triggers

This tutorial will show you how to set up SMS text notifications when new phone communication logs are created in Clio. 

For general information about getting started with Zapier, please see the Zapier Support article.

Zapier's SMS app is only available for phone numbers in the US, Canada, and the UK.

Contents

Adding the New Communication Trigger
Adding the SMS Action
     Connecting a New Mobile Phone Number
     Constructing the SMS Text Message
Filtering your Zap
Testing your Notification

Adding the New Communication Trigger

In a new Zap, select Clio as the Trigger app, then select "New Communication". 

Next, connect your Clio account and run the "Test" step. 

Adding the SMS Action

In the Action step, select "SMS by Zapier" as the Action app, then select "Send SMS". 

Connecting a New Mobile Phone Number

The first time that connect your mobile phone to Zapier, click the "Connect a New Account" button on the "Select SMS by Zapier Account" screen.

In the new "Connect an Account" window, enter in your mobile phone number including area code and select "sms" in the confirmation field. 

Click "Send PIN".

You should receive a confirmation text message from Zapier within a few minutes. 

Enter the Zapier confirmation code in the "Connect an Account" window and click "Yes, continue".

You will now receive an additional text message from Zapier confirming that your mobile numbers has been successfully connected. 

Back in Zapier, click "Save + Continue".

Constructing the SMS Text Message

In the "Set up SMS" step, you can construct the message that will be texted by typing directly in the "Message" field and/or clicking on the "Insert" button to the right of the field to insert information from the New Communication Trigger in the message. 

Click "Continue" to test the Action step.

The "Test SMS" step will show a preview of the text message that will be sent to you using the sample data taken from the New Communication Trigger. 

Clicking "Create & Continue" will test the SMS Action by sending a sample text message to the mobile phone number that you connected above. 

If the test is successful, you can finish the Zap by giving it a name and turning it on. Finishing the Zap now will send you a text message every time a new communication log is created in Clio. 

To only receive a text message in response to certain Clio communication logs, you will need to add one or more filters. 

Filtering your Zap

Filters can be added to your Zap so that you can specify the conditions that must be met for the Zap to complete and the text message to be sent. 

To add a filter, click on the + button below the Trigger in the left-hand column then click "Filter" . 

In the "Set up Filter" step, you construct a filter by:

  1. Selecting a field of data from the Trigger step
  2. Selecting a condition
  3. Specifying the value that must be matched by the condition

For example, to create a filter that will only send an text message for phone call logs in Clio:

  1. Select the "Type" field from the New Communication Trigger
  2. Select "(Text) Contains" as the condition
  3. Enter "phone" as the value that must be matched

Additionally, you can add a filter that will look for a keyword in the Clio phone communication log (in either the Subject or Body fields) as the condition for the Zap to complete. 

In the example below, the phone communication log created in Clio must have the keyword "SMS" present in the log body for the Zap to complete and the text message to be sent. 

Testing your Notification

Once you have turned on your Zap, we suggest that you test your Zap by creating a test communication log in Clio (or similar test for the Trigger that you have chosen).

If you have added filters to your Zap, create multiple tests:

  • A test that should satisfy the Zap filter (a text message is sent)
  • A test that should be filtered by the Zap (a text message is not sent)

If you are satisfied that your Zap is working as desired, you can delete the test communication logs you created in Clio. 

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