Most business SMS jobs are small but fiddly. Check the credit balance. Text a customer that their order is ready. Schedule a reminder for tomorrow morning. Find out whether last week's campaign was actually delivered. Each one means opening a dashboard, finding the right screen and clicking through it.
If you already use Claude for writing, planning or research, you can now handle those jobs in the same chat. The DataFlows SMS connector lets Claude send, schedule and track SMS from your DataFlows account when you ask it in plain language.
This guide explains what the connector is, what it can and cannot do, how to set it up in Claude and Claude Code, and how to use it well under Australian SMS rules.
What Is the DataFlows SMS Connector for Claude?
The DataFlows SMS connector for Claude is a secure link between your DataFlows account and Claude, the AI assistant made by Anthropic. Once it is connected, Claude can carry out SMS tasks on your account when you ask it to: sending messages, sending campaigns to your contact groups, scheduling messages, checking delivery status, reading replies and reporting on usage. You sign in with your DataFlows login and approve the connection yourself, and Claude can only act on that one account, within the permissions you approved. Claude never receives your DataFlows password or API key. The connector works in Claude on the web, in the Claude desktop and mobile apps, and in Claude Code. Messages go out from your own sender ID or number, through the same carrier network as messages sent from the DataFlows dashboard, so your customers see exactly what they would see from any other DataFlows send.
Why It Matters for Australian Businesses
In a small business, the person sending appointment reminders is often also answering the phone, doing the books and running the marketing. Anything that takes steps out of routine work gives time back.
Typing a request is quicker than clicking through screens, especially for tasks you do a few times a week rather than every hour. “Send the pickup message to this customer” or “how did yesterday's reminders go?” takes seconds to write.
Australian rules still apply in full. Under the Spam Act 2003, commercial messages need consent, must identify the sender and must include a working way to opt out. The connector applies the same sender ID registration, opt-out and blocklist rules as the DataFlows dashboard, so a message sent through Claude is held to the same standard as one you send by hand. Our Australian SMS compliance guide covers the rules in more detail.
Key Benefits
- Plain-language control: describe who to text, what to say and when, and Claude works out the steps.
- Preview before anything goes out: see the recipients, number of SMS parts and credits needed, plus warnings for emoji, long messages, a missing opt-out line or blocked words.
- Confirmation on every send: Claude asks you to confirm before any message is sent, and a group send must match the recipient count you previewed.
- Scheduling without the hunt: schedule messages for later, list what is scheduled and cancel anything before it sends.
- Answers in one place: check delivery status, read replies and get campaign results and usage summaries without exporting a report.
- Works where you already work: Claude on the web, desktop and mobile, plus Claude Code for developers.
What You Can Ask Claude to Do
Once the connector is on, Claude can do the following on your DataFlows account, and only this:
- Send SMS to up to 10 numbers at once, from your own sender ID or number
- Send campaigns to your DataFlows contact groups
- Preview before you send: recipients, SMS parts, credits needed, and warnings for emoji, long messages, a missing opt-out line or blocked words
- Schedule messages for later, see what is scheduled, and cancel anything before it sends
- Check the delivery status of messages you sent and read replies
- See campaign results and a usage summary of messages sent, credits used and delivery rate
- Check your credit balance and available senders
Example prompts
These are good starting points. Change the wording, numbers and group names to suit your business.
- “What's my DataFlows SMS balance and which sender IDs can I use?”
- “Send 'Your order is ready for pickup' to 0412 345 678 from DataFlows.”
- “Preview a message to my Demo customers group saying 'We're closed on Monday for the public holiday', then send it once I confirm.”
- “Schedule 'Reminder: your appointment is tomorrow at 10am' to 0412 345 678 for 9am tomorrow.”
- “Did my messages today get delivered, and did anyone reply?”
- “Summarise my SMS usage for the last 30 days.”
For the group example, Claude shows you the preview first, including how many contacts will receive the message and how many credits it will use, and only sends once you confirm.
How to Connect DataFlows SMS to Claude
What you need
- A DataFlows account with SMS credits
- A sender ID or number on your account (your default sender is used unless you choose another)
- A Claude account
Connect in Claude
- In Claude, go to Customize, then Connectors.
- Find DataFlows SMS in the directory and select Connect. You can also open the listing directly with the Connect to Claude button on our Claude integration page.
- Sign in with your DataFlows login and select Allow Access.
- In a chat, turn the connector on from the + menu, under Connectors.
That's it. Try asking for your balance first, so you can see the connection working before you send anything.
Connect in Claude Code
Developers can add the same connector to Claude Code. Run this command, then type /mcp in Claude Code and sign in when prompted:
claude mcp add --transport http dataflows-sms https://sms.dataflows.com.au/mcp/claude
This is handy for sending a test message, scheduling a release notification or checking delivery results without leaving your terminal. If you would rather build SMS into your own app, the SMS API integration guide covers the DataFlows API.
Disconnecting
In Claude, go to Customize, then Connectors, select DataFlows SMS and select Disconnect. Disconnecting stops access straight away.
How DataFlows Helps
DataFlows is an Australian business SMS platform. The Claude connector is one more way to use the same account you use for the dashboard, the SMS API and integrations such as Zapier, Shopify, Cliniko and monday.com.
DataFlows is pay-as-you-go, with no monthly or annual fees. You buy SMS credits and top up when you need more. Prices are in Australian dollars with GST included: 3.5 cents per SMS on the Mini pack ($35 for 1,000), 3 cents on Pro ($150 for 5,000) and 2.5 cents on Business ($500 for 20,000). Pro and Business also include a free business-name Sender ID, so your messages show your business name instead of a number.
Privacy is built into how the connector works. Claude can see your contact group names and how many subscribed contacts each has, but not the individual contacts in a group. Messages sent from your DataFlows dashboard or from other integrations are not available to Claude. Results are passed to Anthropic so Claude can answer you, and sign-in tokens for the connection expire after one hour and renew automatically for up to 30 days of use. The full details are in the AI Assistant Connections section of our Privacy Policy.
Best Practices
- Read the preview every time: check the recipient count, SMS parts and credits before you confirm, especially for group sends.
- Keep an opt-out on marketing messages: if the preview warns about a missing opt-out line, add one before sending a promotion.
- Be specific about recipients: name the exact contact group, or give full mobile numbers. Individual sends go to up to 10 numbers at once.
- Send from a sender your customers recognise: use your registered business-name Sender ID or your usual number, so the message is trusted and not ignored.
- Schedule for sensible hours: reminders and promotions land better at the right time of day. See the best time to send SMS in Australia.
- Follow up on replies: ask Claude whether anyone replied, so customer questions don't sit unanswered.
- Disconnect when you no longer need it: removing access takes a few seconds and stops it straight away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Claude send a message without my approval?
No. Claude asks you to confirm before any message is sent, and a group send must match the recipient count you previewed.
Can Claude see all of my contacts?
No. It can see the names of your contact groups and how many subscribed contacts each has, but not the individual contacts in a group.
Which versions of Claude does the connector work in?
Claude on the web, the Claude desktop and mobile apps, and Claude Code.
Can I cancel a scheduled message?
Yes. Ask Claude what is scheduled, then cancel any message before it sends.
What happens when I disconnect?
Access stops straight away. Your DataFlows account, credits and message history are unaffected.
Conclusion
The DataFlows SMS connector turns routine texting jobs into a sentence typed in Claude. You keep full control: every send is previewed and confirmed, the usual Australian compliance rules apply, and you can disconnect at any time.
Create a DataFlows account at dataflows.com.au, add some SMS credits, then follow the steps on our Claude integration page to connect.