SMS Messages

The SMS Messages tool allows you to send SMS messages to users in a site. You can select who should receive the message by role, group, name or by pasting a list of cellphone numbers. You can also schedule a message to be sent out at a later date and time.

Setting up SMS Messages in a site

To send SMS messages from Vula, first purchase Vula SMS credits through a SAP Journal Transfer. When completing the FM014 form, please use the completed example (PDF) to add the fields indicated in the form to enable to Vula Team to action your request.

Once completed, email the form to the Vula Help Desk. The Vula team will add the SMS Messages tool to the designated site and allocate the requested number of SMS credits to the site.

For any queries about the ordering or accounting process, contact the Vula team at cilt-helpdesk@uct.ac.za or tel: (021) 650-5500.

Opting out from receiving SMS messages

If you do not wish to receive SMS messages from Vula site:

  1. Go to Home / Profile / Edit My Profile
  2. set the option Allow Vula users to send SMS messages to my cellphone to No
  3. Click Save

Privacy issues and profile settings

Individual cellphone numbers remain private. This means:

  • As a user of the SMS Messages tool, you will be able to select recipients by role, group or name, but you will not be able to see the cellphone numbers of those recipients, either when sending the message or when viewing the delivery report.
  • As a Vula user, your cellphone number is hidden by default, and will not be disclosed to any other users, unless you explicitly make your cellphone number visible by going to Home / Profile / Edit My Profile and set the option Hide my cell phone number to No.

Things to consider

  • At present, it is only possible to send SMS messages to South African numbers. Support for sending messages to international recipients will be added at a future date.
  • Cellphone numbers for some users in a site may be missing or out-of-date, or users may have opted out of receiving SMS messages. An SMS message therefore may not reach all of the targeted users.

Need more help?

For more information, privacy concerns or to report abuse, contact the Vula team at cilt-helpdesk@uct.ac.za