Create an automation (as a draft)

POST /v1/automations

The response lists issues: everything that stops the flow from being activated. Scope: automations.

Send your API key as a bearer token: Authorization: Bearer ssms_sk_.... Test keys run this endpoint against the sandbox; see Authentication for key modes and scopes.

Request body

JSON (Content-Type: application/json).

A AutomationInput object.

Field	Type	Required	Description
`name`	string	No	At most 80 characters.
`from`	string	No	One of your numbers. A sandbox number makes it a sandbox flow. Nullable.
`topic_id`	string	No	Skip recipients unsubscribed from this topic. Nullable.
`trigger`	object	No
`trigger.event`	string	No	Example: `trial_started`.
`trigger.filters`	array of object	No	At most 5 items.
`trigger.filters[].property`	string	No
`trigger.filters[].op`	string	No
`trigger.filters[].value`	any	No
`steps`	array of AutomationStep	No	At most 20 items.

Responses

Status	Meaning	Body
201	Created	`Automation`
401	Missing, malformed, or revoked API key	`Error`
402	Billable live calls only: the prepaid credit balance cannot cover the call (insufficient_credits); nothing was done or charged	`Error`
429	Rate limit or quota exceeded	`Error`

201: `Automation` fields

Field	Type	Description
`id`	string	Example: `auto_a1B2c3D4e5F6`.
`object`	`automation`
`name`	string
`status`	`draft`, `active`, `paused`
`trigger`	object
`steps`	array of AutomationStep
`from`	string	Nullable.
`topic_id`	string	Nullable.
`test`	boolean	Sandbox or live, decided by the sender number. Nullable.
`version`	integer	Published version; runs are pinned to the one they started on.
`unpublished_changes`	boolean
`stats`	object
`stats.runs_started`	integer
`stats.runs_active`	integer
`stats.runs_completed`	integer
`stats.runs_failed`	integer
`stats.runs_opted_out`	integer
`stats.triggers_skipped`	integer	Triggers ignored because that person already had a run in progress.
`stats.messages_sent`	integer
`stats.last_triggered_at`	string (date-time)	Nullable.
`issues`	array of object	What stops this flow from running. Empty when it can be activated.
`issues[].where`	string	A step id, "trigger" or "flow".
`issues[].field`	string
`issues[].message`	string
`created_at`	string (date-time)
`updated_at`	string (date-time)

Errors

Status	When
401	Missing, malformed, or revoked API key
402	Billable live calls only: the prepaid credit balance cannot cover the call (insufficient_credits); nothing was done or charged
429	Rate limit or quota exceeded

Every error has the same JSON shape, and request_id matches the X-Request-Id response header. Errors lists every code and what to do about it.

json

{
  "error": {
    "code": "invalid_request",
    "message": "What went wrong, in plain words.",
    "param": "the_field",
    "request_id": "req_a1B2c3D4e5F6g7H8"
  }
}

Examples

curl

bash

curl -X POST "https://api.joinsimplesms.com/v1/automations" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $SIMPLESMS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{}'

Node.js

The Node.js SDK does not wrap this endpoint yet; call it with fetch.

javascript

const res = await fetch('https://api.joinsimplesms.com/v1/automations', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.SIMPLESMS_API_KEY}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({}),
});

if (!res.ok) throw new Error((await res.json()).error.message);
const data = await res.json();

Python

The Python SDK does not wrap this endpoint yet; call it over HTTP.

python

import json, os, urllib.request

req = urllib.request.Request(
    "https://api.joinsimplesms.com/v1/automations",
    method="POST",
    headers={
        "Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['SIMPLESMS_API_KEY']}",
        "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    data=json.dumps({}).encode(),
)
with urllib.request.urlopen(req) as res:
    data = json.load(res)