integration:frontlinesms_integration

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integration:frontlinesms_integration [2019/08/28 23:47] – ↷ Links adapted because of a move operation louintegration:frontlinesms_integration [2021/10/08 11:06] (current) – Gary Willetts
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-===== FrontlineSMS integration ===== +====== 23.02. FrontlineSMS integration ======
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 mSupply has the ability to integrate with your FrontlineSMS installation. This allows you to send your current stock levels to mSupply using an SMS (text) message from any mobile phone. This is particularly useful if, for example, you are a mobile or remote health post or dispensary which doesn't have internet access and only needs to send in information about a few items at a time. mSupply has the ability to integrate with your FrontlineSMS installation. This allows you to send your current stock levels to mSupply using an SMS (text) message from any mobile phone. This is particularly useful if, for example, you are a mobile or remote health post or dispensary which doesn't have internet access and only needs to send in information about a few items at a time.
  
 To get mSupply talking to your FrontlineSMS installation, follow these simple steps: To get mSupply talking to your FrontlineSMS installation, follow these simple steps:
  
-==== 1) Tell mSupply the details of your FrontlineSMS database ====+==== 1. Tell mSupply the details of your FrontlineSMS database ====
    
 You do this on the FrontlineSMS tab of the mSupply preferences page (//File > Preferences//). See [[preferences:frontlinesms|here]] for a detailed description of how and what to set. You do this on the FrontlineSMS tab of the mSupply preferences page (//File > Preferences//). See [[preferences:frontlinesms|here]] for a detailed description of how and what to set.
  
-==== 2) Set the SMS code and pack size of the items you want to receive information about ====+==== 2. Set the SMS code and pack size of the items you want to receive information about ====
  
 Because SMS messages need to be kept short (they are only allowed a limited number of characters), instead of writing the full name of an item in an SMS message you simply write a short code which represents it. It is impossible for mSupply to know the pack size of the items being counted in the remote store so you also need to enter a pack size to be used for calculating item quantities from the pack quantities supplied in an SMS. You set both the SMS code and SMS pack size for an item in the Misc tab of the item's Item details window (via the //Items > Show items// menu). For detailed instructions see the 'The Misc(ellaneous) tab' part of 'The Item Details Window' section on the items basics page [[items:item_basics#the_misc_ellaneous_tab|here]]. Because SMS messages need to be kept short (they are only allowed a limited number of characters), instead of writing the full name of an item in an SMS message you simply write a short code which represents it. It is impossible for mSupply to know the pack size of the items being counted in the remote store so you also need to enter a pack size to be used for calculating item quantities from the pack quantities supplied in an SMS. You set both the SMS code and SMS pack size for an item in the Misc tab of the item's Item details window (via the //Items > Show items// menu). For detailed instructions see the 'The Misc(ellaneous) tab' part of 'The Item Details Window' section on the items basics page [[items:item_basics#the_misc_ellaneous_tab|here]].
  
-==== 3) Add SMS senders as contacts to customers ====+==== 3. Add SMS senders as contacts to customers ====
 mSupply needs to know which of your customers an SMS message has been sent from. To give it this information you simply add each mobile phone number that will be sending messages to mSupply to the appropriate customer as a contact. To do this use //Special > contacts// (see [[names:contacts|here]] for details) or //Customers > show customers//, select the customer, go to their contacts tab, click on the //Add contact// icon and enter the contact's details. mSupply needs to know which of your customers an SMS message has been sent from. To give it this information you simply add each mobile phone number that will be sending messages to mSupply to the appropriate customer as a contact. To do this use //Special > contacts// (see [[names:contacts|here]] for details) or //Customers > show customers//, select the customer, go to their contacts tab, click on the //Add contact// icon and enter the contact's details.
  
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-==== 4) Make sure that emailing is turned on in mSupply ====+==== 4. Make sure that emailing is turned on in mSupply ====
 mSupply will inform the people selected in the preferences (see step 1 above) by email when a message has been received and is successfully processed or has an error. But mSupply can't send the emails if you haven't configured it to. To set up emailing, go to //File > Preferences// and click on the Email tab. See the E-mail section of the general preferences page [[preferences:general#e-mail|here]] for details of the various settings. mSupply will inform the people selected in the preferences (see step 1 above) by email when a message has been received and is successfully processed or has an error. But mSupply can't send the emails if you haven't configured it to. To set up emailing, go to //File > Preferences// and click on the Email tab. See the E-mail section of the general preferences page [[preferences:general#e-mail|here]] for details of the various settings.
  
  
 OK, that's the setup complete and you're ready to... OK, that's the setup complete and you're ready to...
-==== 5) Send an SMS message to mSupply ====+==== 5. Send an SMS message to mSupply ====
 The text message you send to mSupply must be in the correct format. Any mistakes and the message will be rejected and will have to be resent. The correct format is this: The text message you send to mSupply must be in the correct format. Any mistakes and the message will be rejected and will have to be resent. The correct format is this:
  
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 When an SMS message has been received by mSupply an email will be sent to the recipients selected in the FrontlineSMS preferences (set in step 1 above). It will tell them that it has been successfully processed or that there was an error (and will give details of the error). In the case of a successful message mSupply will also create a reminder (see [[other_stuff:foreign_currency_transactions|here]] for information about reminders) for the recipients selected in the FrontlineSMS preferences. In the case of an error, the e-mail recipient should contact the sender to correct the mistake and resend their message. When an SMS message has been received by mSupply an email will be sent to the recipients selected in the FrontlineSMS preferences (set in step 1 above). It will tell them that it has been successfully processed or that there was an error (and will give details of the error). In the case of a successful message mSupply will also create a reminder (see [[other_stuff:foreign_currency_transactions|here]] for information about reminders) for the recipients selected in the FrontlineSMS preferences. In the case of an error, the e-mail recipient should contact the sender to correct the mistake and resend their message.
  
-==== 6) View and complete the stock history record ====+==== 6. View and complete the stock history record ====
  
 When mSupply has successfully processed an SMS message it produces a Customer stock history record of the appropriate type (imprest or stock history) for the appropriate customer. See [[issuing_goods:invoice_authorisation|Customer stock history records]] for more information on these. The stock history record will have a status of 'suggested' and must be viewed and completed by someone in mSupply before it is turned into a customer invoice. When mSupply has successfully processed an SMS message it produces a Customer stock history record of the appropriate type (imprest or stock history) for the appropriate customer. See [[issuing_goods:invoice_authorisation|Customer stock history records]] for more information on these. The stock history record will have a status of 'suggested' and must be viewed and completed by someone in mSupply before it is turned into a customer invoice.
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-==== 7) If anything goes wrong ====+==== 7. If anything goes wrong ====
 Any errors which occur during the processing of SMS messages are sent by e-mail to the people selected in the FrontlineSMS preferences so that appropriate action can be taken. The error messages detail the problem to make troubleshooting easier. The most likely problems with SMS messages are: Any errors which occur during the processing of SMS messages are sent by e-mail to the people selected in the FrontlineSMS preferences so that appropriate action can be taken. The error messages detail the problem to make troubleshooting easier. The most likely problems with SMS messages are:
   * Sender phone number not added as a contact to a customer in mSupply or not added exactly as it appears in the FrontlineSMS database.   * Sender phone number not added as a contact to a customer in mSupply or not added exactly as it appears in the FrontlineSMS database.
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 Please note that all SMS and FrontlineSMS database error messages are also written to the log: to view them go to //Special > View log// (if you want to display only SMS errors select the 'SMS error' item in the right hand drop down list in the log display window). This can be very helpful for working out if anything's gone wrong, especially if emailing is not working (because you've forgotten to set it up - in step 1 above - or your internet connection is broken or slow). Please note that all SMS and FrontlineSMS database error messages are also written to the log: to view them go to //Special > View log// (if you want to display only SMS errors select the 'SMS error' item in the right hand drop down list in the log display window). This can be very helpful for working out if anything's gone wrong, especially if emailing is not working (because you've forgotten to set it up - in step 1 above - or your internet connection is broken or slow).
  
-// Previous: [[other_stuff:custom_data|Custom Data]]     Next: [[other_stuff:assets|Asset management]]//+\\ 
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 +|  //  Previous:  **[[integration:dhis2_integration:]]** | | Next: **[[integration:elmis_interface]]** //  |
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  • Last modified: 2019/08/28 23:47
  • by lou