Summary
This article focuses on the required configuration of Twilio to work with ClinSpark.
Twilio leverages web services that are exposed in ClinSpark in order to communicate scenarios when phone calls and SMS messages are sent and received. In order for this to happen, a given Twilio account must have a configured ‘TwiMLApp’. This guide providers a user the configuration settings in Twilio and what must take place in ClinSpark. Configuring Twilio is a shared responsibility where both the customer and the ClinSpark support team are each required to take specific steps.
Twilio Account Setup
These steps assume that a customer has created a Twilio account and has logged in to the management dashboard.
Customer
Reserve a Number
If a new phone number is required for this use case, use Twilio’s admin UI to provision it. Note the number provisioned.
Add ClinSpark Support as a admin user
A service desk ticket should be raised to notify ClinSpark Support of the account setup, and identify an engineering support team member as an admin user in the customer account. We may add additional internal support users as needed, though this is cost neutral. We will use this access only to configure and manage integration with your ClinSpark instance.
ClinSpark Support
Create a TwiML App
A TwiML app binds a phone number to application endpoints such as webhooks. Create a new app or re-purpose another if that’s no longer used.
From the Number menu, click the ‘Tools’, TwiML Apps and then the ‘Add’ icon.
Note the SID, this is the Application SID to be configured in ClinSpark later
Ensure that the ‘optional’ settings are shown
Replace the ‘YOUR_CLINSPARK_DOMAIN’ with the subdomain used to interact with ClinSpark. Ensure the URLs are otherwise the same
Configure Number to Use TwiML App
Ensure that the voice and messaging sections are configured with the configured TwiML App
ClinSpark Instance Setup
Ensure that Twilio Support is enabled in ClinSpark. This can only be done by a ClinSpark Support ‘superadmin’ account.
Twilio Settings in ClinSpark
Apply Twilio account settings. Note, this can only be done by a ClinSpark Support ‘superadmin’ account.
TwiML Application ID from previous step
The default country prefix as defined here: List of country calling codes
A note about Twilio Messaging Services
Messaging Services are Twilio account features that can alter behavior of how messages are handled based on specific use cases. Customers may benefit from exploring these capabilities depending on intended use. Details about these features are available on the Twilio support site and directly within the account console.
https://support.twilio.com/hc/en-us/sections/360005227194-Messaging-Services
https://www.twilio.com/docs/messaging/services
When managing active phone numbers, customers can optionally determine if a messaging service is to be used for that number. By default, active phone numbers are not assigned to a messaging service, and messages route through the account as expected following default behaviors.
When not in use, inbound messages will go through whatever message handler is configured on the individual phone numbers, and route messages accordingly.
However, if an active number is setup to use a Messaging Service, the inbound message handling behavior may change from what is expected and not properly handle the replies. This means that messages can be sent to recipients without issue, but any replies back from those recipients are not properly routed through the Twilio account and back into ClinSpark.
If customers are finding that inbound messages are not being received back into ClinSpark, we recommend to check to see if active numbers in use are configured with a Messaging Service. If so, that Messaging Service Integration settings can be changed to ensure that inbound messages defer to sender’s webhooks. Customers can access and modify these settings in this area of the Twilio account:
Messaging > Services > Select a Service > Integration
