SMS Clocking with Esendex

SMS Clocking with Esendex

Introduction


This guide is intended to help set up SMS clocking on your TMS 8 system. This feature can be used by Employees to register Clockings using their mobile device via SMS messages. This is achieved by using a service called Esendex which will collate incoming texts, match them to employees in TMS 8, and provide clocking direction and times. This information will be delivered via an email (which will be sent when Esendex receives a text confirming the Employee’s Employee number and Clocking direction), which is received by TMS 8.


In order to use the SMS Clocking feature, you will require an account with Esendex, complete with a virtual number and enough SMS credits to cover your business requirements.




Enabling Messaging


To start, you must enable messaging on your TMS 8 system. Open the Header pane, and navigate to the System preferences. Open the Messaging preferences. There will be a preference marked Email source 1 active – enable this preference by ticking the checkbox.














You will then need to set up an email source for your Messages. Open the Messaging email source 1 preferences, and fill out the details:




























Next, you need to set up an incoming server. This is the server that Esendex will deliver emails to. Open the Email preferences in the System preferences, and fill out your email server settings:















































Test that Messaging has been set up correctly by sending a Scheduled message. Once this is verified, return to the System preferences. If Messaging is unsuccessful, check that all information has been entered correctly. 


Enabling Esendex


Once Messaging has been enabled on your system, you will need an Esendex account. An account can be created by contacting Esendex directly. See their website for more information.


https://www.esendex.co.uk/


You will need to create an account that gives you access to a Virtual number and SMS credits. Once created, make a note of your Account reference, User name, Password and  Virtual number. All of these will be necessary to pair TMS 8 with Esendex.


Open the System preferences, then open the Messaging Esendex preferences. On this page, you need to input your Account reference, User name, and Password:
















Note: The Account reference number should be put into the Account box.


Next, return to the Messaging preferences and enable the Message source: Esendex source active (the setting that was previously set to Email source 1 active). 



















Enabling Clocking updates via Esendex


To enable clocking information to be gathered by Esendex, you will also need to select a preference that enables manual updates. 


In the Messaging preferences, in the Actions box, there is a check-box labelled Allow manual updates. Tick this checkbox. This allows you to manually process SMS clockings. Additionally, if you plan to automatically process SMS clockings, tick the Process after polling checkbox that you can tick. When ticked, as long as the Poll interval is set to a value above 0, the Processor will automatically process SMS clockings.





You also need to make a decision on the format of the SMS that Employees will be sending. They can come in two formats:


  1. Employee number, password or PIN, clocking direction
  2. Clocking direction


To enable option 1, tick the Require login credentials in messages checkbox in the System messaging preferences. For option 2, leave this box unticked:










You can also allow Employees to login using their PIN rather than a password, by ticking the Allow employee PIN checkbox.


Enabling mobile clocking for employees


Next, each Employee needs to have a mobile number assigned to them in their Employee details. To do this, open their Employee details page, and click Modify. You will then be able to edit their Mobile field in the Contact points tab:

















Note: your Employee details may be set up differently to the above example. If you cannot locate the Employee’s Mobile field, please contact your system administrator.


To enable automatic processing of the SMS clocking, the Employee will need an API license. Assign this using the Employee licensing page in TMS 8 by ticking the API checkbox:











Now, the employee will be ready to clock using SMS. To Clock using an SMS, the employee will need to send an SMS message to your Esendex virtual number using one of two SMS formats:


  1. Require login credentials in messages ticked:


EMPLOYEENUMBER PASSWORD IN/OUT


e.g. 


12345 pass IN

12345 pass OUT


  1. Require login credentials in messages unticked:


IN/OUT


Note: using the second format, TMS 8 will match the number that the Employee sent an SMS clocking from using the TMSEMP.MOBILETEL data. This is the mobile number set up in the Employee details earlier in the guide.


Processing SMS Clockings

If the employee has an API license, then the SMS clocking will automatically be processed by the Processor. If not, then SMS clockings will be sent to the Messages received page of TMS 8, whereupon you can click the Process button to accept SMS clockings. To process an SMS clocking, select them with the checkbox and click Process:



 

1


Troubleshooting


Clockings not being received for one or all employees


If clockings are not being received via SMS for all employees, please check you have performed the setup instructions correctly. This can be due to incorrectly configured Messaging settings or incorrectly configured Esendex settings.

If individual employees' SMS clockings are not being registered, double check that they are sending a correctly formatted SMS, or that their mobile number is configured correctly in their Employee details. 


How long does it take to process a message?


SMS Clockings should be received and processed in a timely manner. If Clockings are not being registered, you may need to Manually approve them, or your Automated processing may be configured incorrectly.

What happens if I run out of credit?


If you run out of credit, please contact Esendex to extend your credit limit.

Can I use a different provider?


TMS 8 has been configured to work specifically with Esendex, and as a result other providers are unavailable for use with TMS 8.

Do I need a license to use SMS clockings?


You do not need a separate license to receive SMS Clockings. You will need to enable an API License for individual employees to allow for automatic processing of SMS clockings.

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