Introduction

About Inst8 SMS

Inst8 SMS for HubSpot CRM enables direct SMS communication with your contacts using your Android phone. Send individual or bulk SMS messages directly from your CRM, track message status, and manage conversations all in one place.

Key Features

• Send individual SMS messages from contact records
• Quick SMS button in contact preview panels
• Send bulk SMS to multiple contacts
• View message history and conversations
• Track message delivery status
• HubSpot Inbox integration for centralized communications
• Workflow and automation capabilities
• Uses your own mobile phone and SIM card for cost-effective messaging
• No per-message fees beyond your carrier's standard rates

Installation & Setup

Gateway Integration Setup

1. Install the Inst8 SMS Gateway App on Your Android Device

• Download the Inst8 SMS Gateway app (See Gateway Setup Guide)
• Complete the setup and registration process
• Ensure the device is online and connected to the Gateway

2. Connect HubSpot to Inst8 SMS

Start the installation from your Inst8 SMS Gateway Dashboard:

• Log in to your Inst8 SMS Gateway dashboard
• Navigate to "Integrations" in the left sidebar
• Click on "Set Up HubSpot integration" button
• You'll be redirected to the HubSpot account selection screen

• Choose the HubSpot account you want to connect
• Review and authorize the Inst8 SMS integration

• Click "Authorize" to continue

3. Complete Device Configuration

• Once authorized, you'll be prompted to select your Android device
• Choose the device you want to use for sending SMS
• Select the SIM card to use if your device has multiple SIMs
• Click "Connect to HubSpot" to finalize the setup

4. Verify Connection

• You'll receive confirmation that the initial connection was successful
• Important: Click on "Register SMS Channel in HubSpot" to proceed to the next step

5. Register SMS Channel

• You'll see confirmation that the SMS channel was successfully registered with HubSpot
• Note the next steps to complete the connection within HubSpot

Setting Up the HubSpot Channel

1. Access HubSpot Inbox Settings

• In your HubSpot account, navigate to Settings
• Go to "Inbox & helpdesk" → "Inboxes"
• Click on "Connect a Channel"

2. Select Inst8 SMS Gateway

• In the channel options, select "Inst8 SMS Gateway"

3. Connect Your Device

• You'll see the "Connect Inst8 SMS Gateway" screen (Step 1)
• Confirm the connection by clicking "Connect to Hubspot"

4. Confirm Device Connection

• Verify that the device ID and mobile number shown match your configuration
• Click "Connect to Hubspot" to proceed

5. Acknowledge Success

• You'll receive a success confirmation
• Close this window to continue with the setup

6. Set Up Routing Rules (Optional)

• Step 2 allows you to set up automatic routing rules
• These rules determine how incoming SMS conversations are assigned to users
• Configure as needed for your team or click "Next" to skip

7. Complete Channel Setup

• Confirm that your device is now connected
• Click "Done" to finalize the channel setup

Setting Up the Inst8 SMS Cards

1. Access Card Setup

• Next, you need to set up the Inst8 SMS cards to access features from within HubSpot
• Navigate to "Connected Apps" in HubSpot
• Hover over "Inst8 SMS - New Features"
• Click "Set up Now" to proceed

2. View Card Options

• You'll see the available Inst8 SMS cards and where to add them
• Note that there are two cards to set up:
  • The SMS Messenger card (for Contact Record Customization)
  • The Quick SMS card (for Contact Preview Customization)

3. Set Up the SMS Messenger Card

• First, let's add the Messenger card to the Contact Record view
• Go to your Contact settings
• Select "Record Customization"
• Click on "Default view"

4. Add the Messenger Card

• Click on "Add cards" in the middle panel

• In the "Add Middle column cards" popup, go to "Apps" under card types
• Select "SMS Messenger by Inst8 SMS"
• Close the popup to add the card

5. Position the Messenger Card

• The card will appear at the bottom of the middle column card list
• Drag the card to where you want it to appear in the contact view
• We recommend placing it near the top if you'll be using SMS frequently

6. Set Up the Quick SMS Card

• Now, let's add the Quick SMS card to the Contact Preview panel
• Go to your contacts list
• Hover over a contact and click on the "Preview" button

• Once the contact preview opens on the right
• Click on "Actions" → "Customize preview"

• In the Contacts customization area
• Click on "Preview Customization" → "Default View"

7. Add the Quick SMS Card

• Click on "Add cards"

• Select "Apps" under card types
• Select "Quick SMS by Inst8 SMS"

8. Position the Quick SMS Card

• The card will appear at the bottom of the preview cards list
• Drag it to your preferred position in the preview panel

9. Installation Complete

Congratulations! Your Inst8 SMS integration with HubSpot is now fully set up and ready to use.

Features & Usage

Quick SMS Button in Preview

• Available directly in contact preview panels
• Single-click access to send SMS
• Pre-filled with the contact's phone number
• Shows character count with SMS part indicator

Using Quick SMS

1. Hover over a contact in any list view
2. Look for the "Quick SMS" button in the preview panel
3. Click the button to open the SMS composer
4. Type your message
5. Click "Send SMS" to deliver your message

SMS Messenger Interface

• View complete conversation history with timestamps
• Real-time message status updates
• Easy message composition
• Character count indicator
• Clear visual distinction between sent and received messages

Accessing the Messenger

1. Navigate to a contact record
2. Look for the "SMS Messenger" tab in the middle column
3. View the complete conversation history
4. Use the text input at the bottom to send new messages
5. Monitor delivery status for sent messages

HubSpot Inbox Integration

• Access all SMS conversations from the HubSpot Inbox
• Centralized communication management
• View and respond to SMS alongside other communication channels

Using the HubSpot Inbox

1. Navigate to CRM → Inbox from the left menu
2. View all your SMS conversations alongside other communication channels
3. Click on any conversation to view and respond

The inbox will display all SMS conversations with your contacts, and you can send and receive messages directly from this interface.

Cross-Platform Synchronization

Messages sent from any feature within HubSpot (Messenger, Quick SMS, or Inbox) are synchronized and will appear in all interfaces. This ensures a consistent view of your communications regardless of which tool you use.

Single Message Sending

• Send SMS directly from contact records
• Pre-filled recipient phone number
• Character count with SMS part indicator
• Simple interface for quick messaging

Sending Individual Messages

1. Navigate to a contact record
2. Use the SMS Messenger card or the Quick SMS feature
3. Verify the recipient phone number is correct
4. Compose your message
5. Click "Send" to transmit your message

Using Inst8 SMS in Workflows

• Incorporate SMS messaging into your HubSpot automation workflows
• Send automated SMS messages based on triggers
• Create sophisticated communication sequences

Setting Up SMS in Workflows

1. Navigate to Automation → Workflows in HubSpot
2. Create a new workflow or edit an existing one
3. Add an action to your workflow
4. Look for Inst8 SMS under the "Integrated Apps" section

5. Select Inst8 SMS as the action
6. Configure the SMS message and settings

7. Set the message text and select the phone number property to use
8. Save your workflow

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Token Refresh Issues

If you experience authentication issues, try the following steps:

1. Go to your Inst8 SMS Gateway dashboard
2. Navigate to "Integrations" > "HubSpot"
3. Click "Refresh Token" or "Reconnect"
4. Follow the authorization steps if prompted

Message Character Limits

Standard SMS messages have the following character limits:

• Single SMS: 160 characters (standard ASCII)
• Messages longer than 160 characters will be split into multiple SMS segments
• Each segment after the first can contain 153 characters
• The character counter in the message composer will show you how many segments your message will use

Support

Contact Information

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://inst8.com/support/

Getting Help

If you experience any issues with the integration, please contact our support team with the following information:

• Your HubSpot portal ID
• Device model and Android version
• Description of the issue
• Screenshots of any error messages
• When the issue started occurring