Sending SMS texts via Excel (desktop version)

[RawlinsCross]

Good day,

I'm inquiring about anyone's recent experience on the topic of sending SMS texts via a desktop version of Excel. From looking in on it, most vendors emphasize online versions of excel using OfficeScript but I'm looking for a VBA solution from a desktop version of Excel. Does anyone have any advice on what direction I should be pointed in?

John

 

[lrobbo314]

You can send text messages via email. So write up the VBA to send an email, but to send it as a text message, the person you're sending it to needs to be like,

• AT&T: phonenumber@txt.att.net
  
  
• T-Mobile: phonenumber@tmomail.net
  
  
• Sprint: phonenumber@messaging.sprintpcs.com
  
  
• Verizon: phonenumber@vtext.com or phonenumber@vzwpix.com
  
  
• Virgin Mobile: phonenumber@vmobl.com

 

[RawlinsCross]

Hi Iroboo - thanks for replying. I'm doing this for a charity organization that I belong to and it's here in Canada. They want me to build something that can email a few hundred phone numbers they have on file (members of the charity) so I wouldn't know their carrier and of your list we only have Virgin anyhow. So I think I would have to go a vendor for this? Thoughts?

 

[lrobbo314]

I've never used it, but there is an API called TWILIO. You can sign up with them. I think there is a free tier that would possibly be an option. I saw a tutorial on YouTube where they were implementing it with Javascript or Python, but it should work with VBA just the same. Might be worth looking into.

 

[RawlinsCross]

I've never used it, but there is an API called TWILIO. You can sign up with them. I think there is a free tier that would possibly be an option. I saw a tutorial on YouTube where they were implementing it with Javascript or Python, but it should work with VBA just the same. Might be worth looking into.

Hi Irobbo,

So yes, Twilio does support VBA but their VBA library is discontinued or they don't actively promote/support it. Not all is lost, if you add the MSXML2.XMLHTTP60 object which is included in the Microsoft XML 6.0 library and follow the blog instructions (see below) it works quite well. Thanks for your time and advice.

Call Your Spreadsheet, Text Your Database – Using Twilio From Excel and Access

Call Your Spreadsheet, Text Your Database – Twilio from Excel and Access

www.twilio.com