---
title: "Rules Library for SMS"
slug: "rules-library-for-sms-1"
description: "Use Rules to automatically reply to or route incoming SMS messages to inboxes or spam folders in Gladly. Learn more."
updated: 2026-03-08T07:28:16Z
published: 2026-03-08T07:28:16Z
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.gladly.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Rules Library for SMS

## Automatically reply to a new SMS

Configure a Rule to reply to new incoming SMSes automatically**.**Like an email auto-reply, an SMS auto-reply will let your Customers know you’ve received their message — along with your [SMS consent language](https://help.gladly.com/docs/sms-consent-and-compliance-guidelines) — and may let them know how long it typically takes to receive a response.****This is particularly helpful if you are experiencing a higher-than-normal volume of SMS requests and need to let your Customers know their message is important to you even if an Agent isn’t available to respond right Away. You can also use the auto-reply message to direct Customers to a different communication Channel.

To configure an SMS auto-reply, [create a Messaging Answer](https://help.gladly.com/docs/create-and-edit-answers). Then, in the [Rules](/docs/what-are-rules-and-its-components), under Actions, select the Answer you just created, then click **Save**.

> [!NOTE]
> Keep SMS auto-reply under 300 characters
> 
> Keeping SMS auto-reply under 300 characters prevents carriers from eventualy blocking your outbound messages if you exceed the number of allowable characters constantly.

![Workflow for SMS communication with auto-reply and conversation initiation conditions outlined.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/How_to-Confirure-SMS-Auto-Reply-in-Gladly-1024x788.png)

## Block messages with specific keywords

Create a Rule to send any messages that contain specific keywords to a SPAM Inbox and automatically close those Conversations.

![SMS communication trigger with conditions for spam messages about drugs and actions taken.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/Screenshot 2026-03-07 at 2.55.49 PM.png)

## Automatically apply Topic

Automatically apply a Topic based on keywords. For example, if the SMS body contains "Masks," apply *Covid-19* Topic.

![Trigger and conditions for SMS communication regarding masks and Covid-19 topics.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/Screenshot 2026-03-07 at 11.24.05 PM.png)

## Routing SMSes to specific Inboxes and apply Topic

Route SMSes to a specific Inbox based on keywords. For example, if the SMS body contains "tracking number," then apply *Order* Topic and route the SMS to the *Order* Inbox.

![Conditions and actions for SMS communication regarding order status and tracking information.](https://cdn.us.document360.io/7047b671-c4f2-4df0-bb0a-b9b511fd2452/Images/Documentation/Screenshot 2026-03-07 at 11.27.40 PM.png)

Remember, you can use the “to” and “from” SMS numbers in Rules. This is particularly handy when multiple SMS numbers are configured in your environment, and each number has a specific function. For instance, if you have one SMS number for sales and another for support, and both SMS Entry Points are kscoming into one Inbox, you can use a Rule like the one below to assign different Topics based on the number the SMS came in on. You can even move the Conversation to a different Inbox if needed.