Integrating REDCap and Twilio

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Twilio

Twilio is a third-party web service that integrates with REDCap, allowing users to send survey invitations and alerts/notifications to participants as SMS text messages or voice calls. With the Twilio integration enabled in your REDCap project, you can securely text survey links, and send alerts and notifications to research participants directly through REDCap. 

Please note that the OHIO REDCap support team is not responsible for managing Twilio accounts or the costs associated with them.  

Prerequisites 

To use REDCap and Twillio, you must first create an account with Twilio [Twilio.com]  To allow for testing of Twilio features, you should enable the Twilio integration while your REDCap project is in the development phase.

Set up your Twilio account 

To set up a Twilio account for use in REDCap: 

  1. Purchase a Twilio user account: Go to Twilio.com  to create an account, set up your payment method (free, trial may not work),and purchase a phone number. 

    1. You can have only one phone number per REDCap project. If multiple projects need Twilio, you must purchase unique phone numbers for those projects. Old phone numbers can be re-used only if the REDCap project previously using it has been deleted. 

  2. Disable the Request Inspector feature: To comply with Ohio’s security requirements for sensitive data, you must disable Twilio's Request Inspector feature. This feature logs responses and stores them on Twilio's servers. 

    1. From your Twilio dashboard, in the navigation menu on the left, select Programmable Voice (the telephone icon), then Settings, and then General. 

    2. If prompted, authenticate with your Twilio account credentials. 

    3. Under "Voice Settings", find "Request Inspector", and then toggle it from Enabled to Disabled. 

    4. Capture and save a screenshot that shows Request Inspector is disabled.

      1. NOTE: You will need to provide this as part of your request to have the Twilio integration enabled in your REDCap project.

    5. Scroll to the bottom of the page and choose Save. 

To send SMS and MMS messages to US phone numbers, Twilo requires Application-to-Person (A2P) type messaging via standard 10- digit-long code (10DLC) phone numbers that are registered to an approved campaign under a designated brand. REDCap project owners utilizing Twilio will need to contact Twilio support through the Twilio console for information on how to create a brand and a campaign.  

You are responsible for maintaining the funds in your Twilio account to ensure that the service continues to work in your OHIO REDCap project. As your OHIO REDCap project makes calls or sends text messages using Twilio, charges are added to your Twilio account based on its usage. If your Twilio account runs out of funds, Twilio services in your REDCap project will stop functioning.  

Enable and Configure Twilio in REDCap 

After your Twilio account has been set up, fill out Ohio University’s REDCap “Twilio Request Form”  By completing the form, a ticket will automatically be submitted to servicedesk@ohio.edu for the Office of Information Security to review. Upon approval of the request, the Twilio external module will be enabled.  We will notify you via the help desk ticket email that you can configure Twilio in your project. 

To fill out this form you will need:  

  • Your account SID 

  • Your Auth Token 

  • Your Twillio phone number 

  • A screenshot that shows that Request Inspector is disabled for your account 

  • Your REDCap project name on the request and project ID. 

    • NOTE: ONLY the approved project(s) will be enabled. This is done on a case-by-case basis.  

For a more in-depth overview of project creation, consider attending a REDCap workshop. Information on scheduling a workshop can be found on the webpage, OIT Workshops.

Get help from OIT

 

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