Business Contacts, Groups and Secure Texting

Business contacts, Device contacts, Groups

SMS/MMS texting, Secure texting, Restore, Broadcast, Group texting, Templates

How to initiate secure texting with your clients?

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Business contacts, Device contacts & Groups:

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What is the difference between business and device contacts?

‍Business contacts are stored in a separate encrypted container in your iPlum app or iPlum portal. They are not mixed with personal contacts in your phone’s address book.

Device contacts are your personal contacts in your phone's address book. They are visible in the iPlum app in case you need to move them to business contacts section. They are not stored in iPlum app.

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Why do you need to give "contacts permission" to iPlum app in your mobile phone settings?

iPlum is a business app with privacy. For correct functioning of the caller-id management, please allow the “contacts” permission to iPlum app in your iOS or Android settings . It will not save any personal contacts in iPlum.

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Add a new business contact or bulk upload.

Online portal:

Go to “Contacts & Groups” and click “Add contact”. Here you can also create business groups and assign them to various business contacts.

iPlum portal has an option to upload multiple/bulk contacts in your iPlum account using a template file.

Click “Bulk upload contacts”. Download the template file, add contacts in it and upload the file.  These contacts will be available both in the portal and iPlum app business contacts.
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Mobile app:  

Go to contact screen, make sure you are in the business tab. Tap “+” to add a business contact. Here you can also create business groups and assign them to various business contacts.

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Add a new device contact.

Go to your physical device address book and add new contact. Open iPlum app and pull down to refresh. You will see the new contact in your iPlum app under device contact section. Device contacts are not editable in iPlum app and they are not available in iPlum portal.  You can move device contacts to business side using iPlum app and to make them available in the business contacts section in both iPlum app and portal.  
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Create a business contact from device contact in mobile app.

Open iPlum app, change to device contacts and tap a contact in it. From the actions grid, tap “More”. On the details screen, tap “Add to Business”. This will create a business contact. Once you copy a device contact to business contact, it is available in your iPlum portal as well.

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Edit a business contact.

Online portal:

Go to “Contacts & Groups” and select the contact to edit it.
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Mobile app:

Open a business contact detail in the iPlum app and click “Edit”. You will update changes and save.  

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Edit a device contact.

Device contacts are managed in your native address book. You would edit them in native iOS or Android device contacts. Once you open iPlum app after editing a device contact, it will show updated contact.

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Groups for business contacts.

Groups are used to send the same text to more than one user. Groups are created in the contacts section.

‍Online portal:

Go to “Contacts & Groups” and click “Manage groups”. Here you can add a new group, edit an existing group, or delete it. Once a group is created, you can change its name and update its members. These groups are available in the iPlum app business contacts as well.
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Mobile app:

In the iPlum app’s business contact screen, tap “+” and select “Manage groups”. Click “+” to add a new group. Now go to a business contact, click “More” which will open its details and click “Edit”. Tap on the groups text box and select the group to link to this contact and save it.

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Delete a business contact.

Online portal:

Go to “Contacts & Groups” and select the contact to delete.
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Mobile app:

Open a business contact detail in the iPlum app and click “Edit”. You will see a delete button at the bottom.  

Important: When you delete a contact, it will delete the secure text channel setup with this contact but it will not delete any existing conversations for this contact.

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Delete a device contact.

Device contacts are managed in your native iOS or Android address book. Once you delete the device contact in native contacts, it will not show in iPlum app.

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Restore business contacts.

In a situation where you need to delete the mobile app, you can restore your business contacts if you have the iPlum security and backup plan:

iPlum App Settings || Backup Options|| Restore Business Contacts

Note: iPlum portal downloads your information when you login.  There is no restore required.

Switch the screen priority of device and business contacts in iPlum app (iOS only feature).

iPlum App Settings || Contact Options || Set Default Phone Book.

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Hide device contacts in iPlum app (iOS only feature).

iPlum App Settings || Contact Options || Show/Hide Device Contacts.
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Note: We recommend that you enable Contacts permission for iPlum app in your iOS or Android Settings. These permissions are required for correct caller-id and ringtones management.

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Texting Types:

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What is the difference between regular SMS/MMS & secure texting?

Regular sms/mms texting means you are sending text to one or more mobile numbers and other side can use any texting application to communicate with you.
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Secure texting means both ends have iPlum app and text are encrypted end to end. Your clients can get a free iPlum app account when you invite them for secure texting. Secure texting requires security and backup add-on plan on your account. Healthcare, finance, or legal professionals can initiate a secure text channel with their clients for bidirectional secure texting.

How to initiate secure texting?

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Note: When you have iPlum HIPAA complaint plan, all text are encrypted/secure at your end no matter the other side end user application.
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Group texting and broadcast texting.

Group texting and broadcast texting can be used for both regular and secure texting.

In group texting, all users see each other. In broadcast mode the receiving users don't see each other. The broadcast switch is available in the “To” section of text screen in the app once you have more than 1 phone number in it.

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How to restore text after reinstalling iPlum app?

Mobile app:

If you install iPlum app on a new phone or need to erase the app and reinstall, you can restore last 60 days texts in the app if you have iPlum security and backup enhanced plan:

iPlum App || Settings || Back up Options || Restore Text

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iPlum portal downloads your information when you login.  There is no restore required.

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How to create text templates?

If you are sending the same text multiple times, you can create text templates. They can be managed both in mobile app and iPlum portal.  To manage learn more.

Online portal:

Dashboard || Users || Click iPlum Login ID of the Line || Settings || Text Options || Templates
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Mobile app:

iPlum App || Settings|| Text options, Templates, Secure Channels || Text Templates

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How to create auto-text-reply?

You can automatically send text reply for missed incoming calls & texts when you are busy. To configure learn more.

‍Online portal:

Dashboard || Users || Click iPlum Login ID of the Line || Settings || Text Options || Auto reply
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Mobile app:

iPlum App || Settings|| Text options, Templates, Secure Channels || Text Auto Reply
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How to create text signature?

You can automatically add a text signature for your outgoing text. It is helpful to provide information to your clients without having to type it each time. To configure learn more.

‍‍Online portal:

Dashboard || Users || Click iPlum Login ID of the Line || Settings || Text Options || Text Signature
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Mobile app:

iPlum App || Settings|| Text options, Templates, Secure Channels || Text Signature
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How does text to email work?

You can get your incoming text via email when you are away from your cell phone. You can also use this feature to automatically send incoming text to another user in your iPlum account. To configure learn more.

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How to initiate secure text channel?

Secure text channels are used for bidirectional encrypted texting. iPlum provides free account for your clients.
Check this page How to initiate secure texting?

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What are the prerequisites for secure texting, online portal contacts and online texting?

A. You will need Professional or Premium plan. If you are on older iPlum plan, you will need Security and Backup enhanced add-on plan.

To upgrade an existing plan, go to https://my.iplum.com/      

Login to iPlum account with your administrator credentials.

Dashboard|| Users|| Click iPlum Login ID of the Line || Plans.  

Click “Number Plan” and “Manage”.

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B. Get carrier TCR texting registration in your iPlum portal:

Go to https://my.iplum.com/ and login into iPlum account with your administrator credentials.

Menu (Left bar) || Carrier Text Registry  


Instructions for TCR registration process: http://iplum.com/faq/text-messaging-registration/

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If you have any questions, please contact us.