Table of Contents

Message Categories: Overview & Use Cases

Jennifer Trower Updated by Jennifer Trower

Read Time: 6 mins

Messaging Categories help make sure triggered messages are sent to the right account contacts.

A messaging category is assigned to both:

  1. The triggered message
  2. The account contact

When the triggered message is sent, only contacts with the same messaging category will receive it.

Your Sonar instance includes two messaging categories by default:

Financial
General

For example, use the Financial category for payment-related messages, such as refunded payments, failed automatic payments, or invoice reminders. This helps ensure those messages go to the contact responsible for billing.

To learn more, see the Triggered Messages: Setup document.

Creating a Message Category

To create a message category:

  1. Click the Communication Tools icon in the left navigation menu.
  2. Click Messages.
  3. Click Configure in the top-right corner.
  4. Select Messaging Categories from the drop-down menu.
  5. In the Messaging Categories window, click Create Messaging Category.
  6. Enter the category details.
    Click here for an overview of the fields within the Create Message Category window
    Name: Enter the name of the message category. Before creating categories, consider the types of triggered messages you plan to send and which contacts should receive them. This helps keep your categories organized and relevant.

    Default:     Select this option to automatically apply the message category to new contacts. When a new contact is created, this category will appear in the Message Categories field by default. It can be removed if needed.



    Apply To Existing Contacts: Select this option to apply the message category to all existing contacts. To remove the category from an existing contact, go to the account’s Contacts tab, click Edit next to the contact, and remove the category by clicking the x.


  7. Click Create.
  8. The new message category will appear in the table. You can edit or delete it using the Edit button or the downward arrow on the right.

After creating the message category, apply it to the appropriate triggered messages and account contacts. Steps for both are provided below.

Applying Message Categories to Triggered Messages

Messaging categories can be applied from the Triggered Messages screen in two different methods, both of which are listed below – click “Details” to see more information.

  1. During the triggered message creation process
    Details
    The below steps assume familiarity with the creation process for triggered messages. If you are unfamiliar with this process, please refer to the Triggered Messages: Setup article here.

    1. Once you have completed the message setup, navigate to Communication Tools → Configuration → Triggered Messages
    2. Click "Create Triggered Message"
    3. From the Create Triggered Message window, select the desired message category from the "Messaging Categories" list
    4. Complete the remaining required fields and click "Create"
  2. Editing the triggered message, after it has already been created
    Details
    1. Navigate to Communication Tools → Configuration → Triggered Messages
    2.     Click "Edit" for the triggered message you wish to modify
    3.     From the Edit Triggered message window, select the desired message category from the "Messaging Categories" list
    4.     Click "Save"

Once you have applied the message category to the triggered message, the category will be visible from the Messaging Categories column.

Applying Messaging Categories to Account Contacts

Messaging categories can be applied to contacts in a few different ways, all of which are described below – click “Details” to see more information.

  1. During the account creation process, when completing the Primary Contact information
    Details
    1. Navigate to the Accounts screen
    2. Click "Create Account"
    3. When completing the information for the Primary Contact (2nd step in Create Account window), select the desired messaging categories from the "Messaging Categories" list
    4. Complete the rest of the required information and click "Create"
  2. When creating a new account contact, from within the Contacts tab of an account
    Details
    1. Navigate to the appropriate account
    2. Click into the Contacts tab
    3. Click "Create"
    4. Select the message categories from the "Messaging Categories" list
    5. Complete the rest of the required fields and click "Create"
  3. From the Contacts tab of an account, by editing the contact
    Details
    1. Navigate to the appropriate account
    2. Click into the Contacts tab
    3. Click "Edit" next to the appropriate contact
    4. Select the message categories from the "Messaging Categories" list
    5. Click "Save"

Example Use Cases

Below are some commonly used message categories, along with a description of their use:

Message Categories with Multiple Companies

When multiple companies are deployed in a shared Sonar instance, configuring your message settings becomes slightly more complex. Triggered Messages, Message Categories, and Account Contacts all need to be configured for flawless communication to occur. To set things up, do the following:

  1. Ensure each company added to your Sonar instance has a unique domain
    If you plan to share domains between companies, you can still largely follow this section, as the logic applies regardless.
  2. Create your distinct, Company-specific Messaging Categories
    1. For example, you could create two new categories – one for company "A", and another for company "B".
  3. Create your Triggered Message, assigning it to the company's Messaging Category, and Email Domain.
    1. For each company (and domain) in your instance, a copy of the triggered message will need to be created. For example, the first Triggered Message would be set to the "Company A" category and Email Domain. Then, duplicate the Triggered Message and set it to the "Company B" category and Email Domain.
  4. Ensure the Contact on each Customer Account has the Message Category applied to them, when relevant. When a customer account is created in your Sonar instance, they would be assigned a message category based on their assigned company.
    1. For example, a non-billing Contact on the account would not need to receive Company-specific billing emails

This allows your organization to send Triggered Messages using this category, enabling perfect, clear communication every time.

How did we do?

Email Variables & Conditions

Phone Number Types: Overview and Use Cases

Contact