Forwarding incoming texts to another phone

In this article, you'll learn how to get the texts your CRM line receives on another phone, like your own cell. It's handy when you're out on a job and want customer texts to show up in your regular messages app.

There's no separate setting for forwarding texts. Texts follow your call forwarding: when a number has somewhere to forward its calls, the texts to that number are passed on there too, pictures included.

To open a number's call settings:

  1. In the menu, click Settings, then Phone numbers.
  2. Under CRM number, find your line and click Edit. On a phone, and in the phone app, tap Call settings instead.

Forward texts all the time

  1. With the number open, click the Ringing & forwarding tab. On a phone, and in the phone app, it's the Ringing tab.
  2. In Call forwarding, enter the phone number you want texts sent to.
  3. Click Save.

From now on, every text to this line is passed on to that number. The same number also gets the line's calls when nobody you've set to ring picks up. Back on the Phone numbers page, the line now reads "forwards to" with the number beside it. To stop forwarding, clear Call forwarding and save.

Setting a forwarding number on your CRM line

Forward texts only while you're closed

If you'd rather get texts on your phone only outside business hours:

  1. With the number open, click the Hours tab.
  2. Under After hours, choose Forward to another number. On a phone, and in the phone app, tap Forward.
  3. Enter the phone number to forward to.
  4. Click Save.

While the line is closed, outside its hours or on a closed day, texts are passed on to that number. During business hours they aren't, unless you've also filled in Call forwarding.

Note: If you fill in both, Call forwarding wins. Texts go to that number at all hours.
The After hours setting on a number's Hours tab

Forward everything for a while

The All calls card at the top of the Phone numbers page is a quick switch for days off. It overrides every number's own settings until you switch it back.

  1. In the All calls card, click Forward all calls.
  2. Enter the number to forward to.
  3. Click Turn on. If it's already on and you're changing the number, the button reads Update.

Every call and every text, pictures included, now goes to that number. The card says so while it's on. Click Ring as normal to switch it off.

Choosing All to voicemail forwards nothing. No texts are passed on while it's on.

Forwarding every call and text with the All calls switch

What the forwarded text looks like

The copy comes from your CRM line, not from the customer. It starts with a line saying who it's from, then the message:

  • "Text to (your business name) from Jane Doe (208) 555-0100:" followed by what they wrote.
  • If the sender isn't saved as a contact, you'll see just their number.
  • Pictures they sent come along with it. A picture with no words shows "(picture)" in place of the message.
Tip: Replying to the forwarded copy texts your CRM line, not the customer. To answer the customer, reply from Conversations.

Good to know

  • The original text still lands in Conversations as normal. Forwarding just sends a copy.
  • Texts to your Reviews number aren't forwarded.
  • Texts from numbers you've blocked aren't forwarded either.
  • Nothing is forwarded if the forwarding number is one of your own business numbers, or if the text came from the forwarding phone itself. That stops texts bouncing back and forth.
  • If this business is linked to another of your businesses that takes its calls and texts, that link takes over and no copies are sent.
  • On the free plan, the CRM can't send texts, so no copies go out.

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