Integration
Twilio and Naffes CRM: SMS and calling from inside the CRM
Twilio is the carrier behind SMS, WhatsApp and browser calling in Naffes CRM, using your company's own Twilio account and numbers. This page covers SMS and calls, plus what to know about SMS to Saudi numbers.
What Twilio powers in Naffes
- SMS. Send and receive from the inbox and from a contact's record, with a delivery status on every message.
- Browser calling. A softphone in Naffes places and receives calls. If the browser cannot call, a bridge rings the rep's own phone first and then connects the customer, who sees the workspace number.
- Recording and transcripts. Optional and off by default.
- WhatsApp. Also runs on Twilio; see WhatsApp in Naffes.
A typical flow: a rep opens a deal, clicks Call next to the customer's number, and the call starts in the browser and is logged on the deal automatically. Afterwards the rep sets an outcome, requests a transcript if recording is on, and sends a confirmation by email, WhatsApp or SMS depending on what works in the customer's country.
Setup
Prepare Twilio and your numbers
Numbers are bought and registered in the Twilio console; Naffes does not provision numbers.
Enter credentials
As an admin, go to Settings > Integrations > Channels > Twilio. In step one, Credentials, paste your Account SID and Auth Token.
Finish browser-calling setup
In step two, Phone number, pick the Twilio number for calls. In step three, Application, create the Twilio application that runs the softphone.
Register sending numbers
On the WhatsApp Number tab, click Register number, choose the channel and set a default. Copy the webhook URL from the setup card into the number's incoming-message settings in Twilio; the number and webhook guide walks through this step.
Turn on recording if needed
Under Settings > Records & Fields > Modules > Calls, switch on Record calls, and automatic transcription if you want it.
The number screen shows setup progress: credentials, number registered, webhook wired, ready. If messages arrived before the webhook was wired, Pull messages imports the last 1, 3 or 7 days of them.
What moves between Twilio and Naffes
| Data | Direction | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Inbound SMS | Twilio to Naffes | Accepted only with a valid Twilio signature; new senders become contacts with source SMS |
| Outbound SMS | Naffes through Twilio | Status per message: queued, sent, delivered, failed; one attachment per message |
| Calls | Both ways | Logged automatically on the record they started from, with duration, outcome and notes |
| Recordings | Twilio to Naffes | Both sides from the moment of answer, copied into Naffes for playback |
| Transcripts | Twilio or AI | Twilio's transcript when one exists, otherwise the platform's AI transcription |
In workflows you can send SMS, start on a message received or sent, or react to a missed incoming call with an email or a webhook call. Automated sends are paced at 20 SMS a minute per workspace by default to protect your numbers. The Calls page shows total, completed and missed calls and talk time, with filters and CSV export.
SMS to Saudi numbers: Twilio's own rules
Before planning SMS to Saudi mobiles, read Twilio's Saudi Arabia guidelines. They set what is possible:
- SMS is one-way: Twilio does not support two-way SMS or domestic long codes in Saudi Arabia.
- Alphanumeric sender IDs need pre-registration of about two weeks, and Twilio states it cannot register sender IDs for domestic Saudi brands.
- WhatsApp links and phone numbers are not allowed in the message body, and any URL must be allowlisted first.
- Promotional messages are allowed only between 9 am and 8 pm local time.
- For calling, Twilio's regulatory page lists only toll-free Saudi numbers (starting 800), with business registration documents and a letter of authorization.
In practice: for two-way conversations with customers in Saudi Arabia, WhatsApp is the channel to use; SMS suits one-way notices where a sender ID can be registered. Confirm your account's situation with Twilio before launch.
Integration limits in Naffes
- Twilio is the only provider. There is no other telephony or messaging carrier in Naffes today.
- No SMS bulk campaigns. Broadcast campaigns run on WhatsApp with approved templates, not on SMS.
- No bot replies on SMS. Conversational bots run on WhatsApp only.
- One attachment per message. MMS images up to 5 MB, other files up to 500 KB.
- Recording is off by default. An admin turns it on; detailed call analytics by direction and outcome are API-only.
- Usage runs on your account. Messages and minutes go through your own Twilio account, at Twilio's prices and against your Twilio balance.
Questions
Questions 4
Can our customers in Saudi Arabia reply to SMS?
According to Twilio's guidelines, two-way SMS is not supported in Saudi Arabia. For two-way conversations, use WhatsApp through Twilio in Naffes.
Do we need a Saudi number to make calls?
Twilio's regulatory page lists only toll-free numbers (starting 800) for Saudi Arabia, registered with business documents and a letter of authorization. Whichever number you register is the one customers see when Naffes connects them to the rep.
Are calls recorded automatically?
No. Recording is off by default. An admin enables it in the Calls module settings, and then both sides are recorded from the moment of answer.
Can we import messages that arrived before the webhook was set?
Yes. From the number screen, import the last 1, 3 or 7 days of messages Twilio received before wiring.