Understanding Text Message History and Failure Reasons
Summary: When you send text messages, you can review your text history to see which messages were successfully delivered and which failed. This guide explains how to check your history, manage scheduled texts, enable unlimited texting, and decipher the specific reasons why a message might fail to deliver.
Before You Begin
Role Permissions: A user must have the "History" permission enabled to view text logs, and the "Manage Account > General Settings" permission to enable unlimited texting.
How Texts Send: The system uses a highly reputable worldwide texting service called Twilio for US-based accounts (and Nexmo for non-US accounts). It specifically targets the number placed in the "Mobile" field of a person's profile. The failure "reasons" you see are actual messages received directly from the recipient's cell phone carrier.
What Counts as a Text: If the system attempts to send a text, it counts as one text toward your monthly limit, even if it ultimately fails. (e.g., 1 message sent to 30 people = 30 texts).
Failed: The system tried to send the text, so it counts against your limit.
Ignored: The system recognized a duplicate number and did not try to send the text, so it does not count against your limit.
Blocked (STOP): The recipient previously opted out, so the system did not attempt to send it, and it does not count against your limit.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Viewing Your Text History
Navigate to Account Settings (⚙️) on the top right.
Click History in the dropdown menu.
On the left-hand menu, choose Text.
Use the column headers at the top to filter by Dates, Person, or Status.
Click on any specific text to view the message content, who it was successfully delivered to, and who it failed to send to.
Deleting a Scheduled Text Message
Navigate to Account Settings (⚙️) > History.
On the left-hand menu, choose Text.
Locate and select the Scheduled text message that you would like to delete.
Click on the subject to bring up the message details.
Select Unschedule and Remove.
Enabling Unlimited Texting
By default, your account receives 250 complimentary texts per calendar month. If you exceed this and receive a "Depleted Account" error, you must enable overages to continue sending messages.
Navigate to Account Settings (⚙️) on the top right.
Select Manage Account in the menu.
Check the box that says Enable Unlimited Texts.
Click Save Changes.
Deciphering Failure Reasons
If you see a "Failed" status, the reason provided comes directly from the recipient's cell phone carrier. Use this table to understand the specific errors:
| Error Message | What It Means & How to Fix It |
|---|---|
| Blocked | The recipient previously replied "STOP" to a text. |
| Unknown | The carrier has no record of this number existing. It is likely a fake or invalid number (e.g., a 555 number). |
| Destination Unreachable | The recipient may have personally blocked the short-code number, or they no longer own that phone number. |
| Unsubscribed | The recipient replied "STOP". To resubscribe, the recipient must manually text "START" to 874-47. |
| Blocked by Carrier | The recipient has a carrier-level block on receiving texts from all short-code numbers. Advise them to contact their mobile carrier to lift the restriction. |
| Absent Subscriber Permanent | This is a permanent error indicating the number is no longer active. You should remove this number from their profile. |
| Anti-Spam Rejection | An error currently seen for US Cellular customers, indicating the carrier's spam filter is blocking the short-code. |
| Awaiting Confirmation | The message is in a holding pattern. The carrier has received the message from us but has not yet accepted or delivered it to the individual. |
| General Error | A vague error from the carrier. We see this almost exclusively for US Cellular customers when their spam filter blocks the message. |
| Invalid Message | Specific to T-Mobile/MetroPCS. It usually means the prepaid user lacks sufficient credit to receive an SMS, their plan does not allow short-code texts, or they are on a specific MVNO network connected via T-Mobile. The user must contact T-Mobile support. |
| Ignored | A duplicate number was found in the recipient list (e.g., a family sharing one mobile number). The system only sends the text once to save your credits. |
| No Mobile Phone | A landline was mistakenly entered in the "Mobile Phone" profile field, or multiple numbers were entered into that single field. Make sure only one valid cell number is in the Mobile field. |
| Depleted Account | Your account has sent over 250 texts this month. You must enable "Unlimited Texts" (see steps above) to resume sending. |