Let's say, you use an issue-tracking system in your business..
It's nice, convenient and well-learned by all your employees. Web interface, mail notifications and the back-end database work smoothly and ensure that no problem is ever missed or left behind. What if we need a couple of new features:
- Some important issues must be noticed by some important people as soon as they appear, even if the recipient is not at his workplace.
- As it's not always possible to access the system via Web when the issue is resolved (or when it should be commented), there must be a way to comment on the issue, alter its status or reassign it to somebody else, without the presence of Internet or Intranet connection. After all, connection problems are issues that have to be resolved, e.g. for system administrators.
In situations like the one described above, SMS Reception Center as a component is one of the easiest ways to add SMS support to an existing system. It's very easy to configure it to do one of the following things:
- When SMS message arrives, post it into a Web form along with its source phone number.
- Just add a handler for this form into the system, and it'll be able to receive SMS messages. Any technology from CGI and PHP to ASPX may then be used to process SMS messages.
- When SMS messages arrives, execute one or multiple SQL queries using the content and source number of the message.
- When the system's logic is implemented mainly in the database, this solution is easier than the previously mentioned one. It can be the case with complex SQL servers like Oracle or Microsoft's one: the power of Transact-SQL and PL/SQL is enough to create very complex functions and stored procedures.
- When an email message is sent using the usual e-mail SMTP protocol, turn it into SMS and resend it further.
- The program contains a built-in SMTP server that accepts short text messages for PHONENUMBER@anydomain.com and sends them through the phone or modem.
- When a new record appears in the OutgoingSMS table of a database, send out a message taking its content and recipient's number from the new record.
- It's the easiest way for the system to send messages on its own initiative and not in response to some SMS request. See the built-in help file to know more about this feature.