Transactional messages

Learn about transactional messages and how to identify them

Transactional messages are one-to-one unique messages sent to a specific recipient. These messages are usually triggered by the user and do not require a STOP condition. Examples of transactional message use cases include:

  • One-time passwords (OTP).
  • Service cancellations.
  • Payment confirmations.
  • Order notifications (e.g. confirmation or dispatch).
  • Account notifications.
  • Personal digests - if they are personalized for an individual based on some action. For example, if your customers want a weekly summary of sales they've made.

Identifying the type of messages

Depending on your business or application type, various messages can qualify as transactional. Instead of focusing on all the possible types of transactional messages, there are a few clear indicators that a message is not transactional:

  • If your message has multiple recipients receiving the same content and the message is not triggered by an event.
  • If your message consists of an announcement or update about your product or website and is broadcast to multiple recipients.
  • If your message is any form of promotional SMS marketing.

Falu uses message streams to categorize and send messages, ensuring optimal deliverability and time-to-inbox. Check that you are using the right message stream. For example, Transactional Message Streams should only be used to send transactional messages, while marketing messages should be sent through a Marketing Message Stream.

Further Guidance

A transactional message is triggered by some action in the application, which, usually, is the action of the recipient. Other triggers include the actions of some other user, as in the case of a money transfer in a marketplace platform, or an acceptance to a competition.

People often ask if customizing some aspect of a message, for example, the salutation (Dear XYZ,) or if sending a message to a recipients list that is fully opt-in can make the messages to be considered as transactional. The answer to both is no.

Maybe we can help?

If you're still unsure whether your messages qualify as transactional, reach out to Falu Support, and we'd be happy to advise.