This webpage shows answers to some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQ) on our community support forum. We hope that the below information will help provide a useful introduction to FrontlineSMS, and help you with any questions you may have about using our software. For further help you can check out the following resources, too:

• Help files: Comprehensive guidance on how to use FrontlneSMS software, the help files are available online or within FrontlineSMS software via Help option in the top menu bar.
• Welcome video: Talks you through how to download and get started with FrontlineSMS software.
• Step-by-step guide: Takes you through the steps needed for initial download and start-up of FrontlineSMS software.
• User resources: The resources section of the FrontlineSMS website provides a collection of additional free resources to help you get started and manage your SMS system.
• FrontlineSMS Community Forum: If you cannot find the information you need here on the FAQ page or in any other resources then you can try searching the previous discussions on our forum, using the top right search function to find relevant topics. If you have a new question, go to the forum tab, and click Add+ to start a new discussion. The FrontlineSMS team and other users will always be happy to help!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Scroll through the categorized list of questions list below, and click on any question to view the answer. We hope you find this FAQ helpful. We know there may be further content which could be added here, so if you’d like to suggest a question (preferably with your own suggested answer included) about FrontlineSMS to be added onto the below list please email info@frontlinesms.com with details, and our team will get back to you.

About FrontlineSMS

What is FrontlineSMS?

What can FrontlineSMS be used for?

Can I use FrontlineSMS if I am from a private sector, commercial organization?

What do you mean by open-source?

Getting started

How can I download FrontlineSMS?

How long is my download link valid for?

What size is the file I’ll be downloading?

The file I’ve downloaded appears to be corrupted. What should I do?

How much does it cost to download?

How much does it cost to send messages through FrontlineSMS?

How do I keep track of the cost of messages I am sending through FrontlineSMS?

Getting started: phones and modems

Getting started: operating systems

Getting started: what do I need to run FrontlineSMS?

How do I connect my phone or modem to my computer?

How do I configure my phone or modem?

How do I set up a Bluetooth device?

How do I back up FrontlineSMS data?

I am concerned about the integrity of the data I plan to send and receive through FrontlineSMS. What should I do?

Using FrontlineSMS

Importing and exporting data

How can I upgrade my version of FrontlineSMS?

How do I import my existing data to FrontlineSMS?

What format can I import contacts in?

How do I export data from FrontlineSMS?

How do I import keywords?

SMS codes

What is the difference between short and long codes?

Sending and receiving messages

How reliable is my SMS service going to be?

Why did my Clickatell test messages fail to send?

How do I make sure messages on my phone or modem appear in FrontlineSMS?

How do I receive non-Latin characters in FrontlineSMS?

What should I do if I have problems sending or receiving messages?

What is the speed of sending and receiving messages in FrontlineSMS?

How do I cancel a message?

Does FrontlineSMS support MMS?

Keywords

How do I use keywords?

Contacts & groups

How do I automatically add new contacts to groups?

What happens if I see a “No Forms” message when I manage groups?

Forms

How do I use FrontlineForms?

Can I collect FrontlineForms data in offline mode?

I keep receiving an SMS saying there is a new Form available, but when I request it there is no new Form. What should I do?

Integrating FrontlineSMS with other Software

How can I integrate FrontlineSMS with Ushahidi?

How do I automatically forward SMS messages to Twitter using FrontlineSMS?

How can I integrate FrontlineSMS with Salesforce?

External commands

How can I use external commands with FrontlineSMS?

User Support and Troubleshooting FrontlineSMS

Where can I go to to get support with using FrontlineSMS?

How do I use the FrontlineSMS Community for help?

Does FrontlineSMS provide additional support services?

How do I create and send log files, to help with troubleshooting?

How do I increase the detail of the error logs I can send to the FrontlineSMS team?

FrontlineSMS for Developers

Where can I find the developer source code for FrontlineSMS?

What IDE is recommended to use with FrontlineSMS?

Tips & Tricks

The following tips and tricks are a collection of suggestions made by users on our community forum. If you have a tip or trick you have found whilst using FrontlineSMS, and you would like to share this with the wider community please email info@frontlinesms.com to let us know!

Russian and Ukraine localization

Implementing FrontlineSMS Forms on user phones

Trying to run FrontlineSMS on Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex) using an AMD64 processor

Problems sending messages on a Mac

Glossary of Terms