How to send SMS from Google Sheets

Your contact list already lives in a spreadsheet, whether it's a team roster, tomorrow's appointments or an event guest list. The EpicTexting add-on turns that sheet into a texting tool. Every row gets its own personalised SMS from your Twilio number, without exporting anything or learning a new platform.

What you need

• A Google account with Google Sheets.
• A Twilio account with a phone number, which is what delivers the texts.
• The free EpicTexting add-on from the Google Workspace Marketplace.

Step 1: Create a Twilio account

Go to twilio.com, sign up and verify your email. Then verify your own phone number with the code Twilio sends.

When Twilio asks what you want to build, choose the option for just getting your Account SID and Auth Token. Claim a phone number. Trial accounts come with credit, and can text only numbers you've verified until you upgrade.

Texting US numbers from a US local number? Register it for A2P 10DLC in the Twilio console first, or carriers may block your messages.

Step 2: Install EpicTexting and add your Twilio account

1. Install EpicTexting from the Google Workspace Marketplace.
2. Open any Google Sheet and go to Extensions → Sheet to SMS → Open Epictexting App.
3. Open Account, choose Twilio, and enter a name for the account, your Twilio phone number, the Account SID and the Auth Token.

Step 3: Set up your sheet

Use the first row for headers, and give each person a row. You need at least a phone column. A name column makes personalisation possible.

Write phone numbers in international format, with a plus and the country code. If your sheet stores them without one, add a column with a formula like ="+1"&B2.

Step 4: Write a message template

A template is a message you can reuse. Put any column header in braces to fill it in per row:

Step 5: Preview and send

1. Open EpicTexting from Extensions and choose your Twilio account. The sender number fills in automatically.
2. Pick your template and click Preview texts to read every personalised message before it goes out.
3. Click Send. Each row gets its own text from your number.

What people use it for

• Appointment reminders. Clinics, salons and tutors text tomorrow's bookings from their schedule sheet.
• Teams and clubs. Practice changes, match days and fee reminders to a roster.
• Events. Venue changes, start times and day-of updates to the guest list.
• Payment reminders. Polite nudges from an outstanding-invoices sheet, with the amount filled in per row.
• Form follow-ups. Google Form responses land in a sheet, so you can text everyone who signed up.

Tips for better texts

• Keep it under 160 characters when you can. Longer texts, or any with emoji, are billed as several segments.
• Say who it's from in the first few words. Recipients don't have your Twilio number saved.
• Only text people who agreed to hear from you, and include “Reply STOP to opt out” on marketing messages.
• Send yourself a test first by putting your own number in the top row.

Building your list from scratch? Read how to grow an SMS list the right way.

Or skip the sheet and ask ChatGPT

For quick sends, paste a few names and numbers into ChatGPT and let it do the rest. See how to send SMS from ChatGPT (or from Claude). It uses the same Twilio number.

Frequently asked questions