Message Failure Codes

When sending messages to the Channels API,/workspaces/:id/messages/:id, a message can end up in a failed status. The possible failure statuses are

  • sending_failed

  • delivery_failed

Errors are captured in the message in the reason and also failure object. See the example below

"status": "delivery_failed",
 "reason": "details: unknown subscriber; reason: unknown_subscriber; code: 1",
 "direction": "outgoing",
 "details": "unknown_subscriber",
 "failure": {
   "code": 15005,
   "source": {
     "name": "sms-messagebird",
     "code": "1"

The reason is always a platform-specific error, e.g., why WhatsApp rejected the message or an SMS message was blocked.

The failure code groups errors encountered across different channel platforms into a more general grouping designed to be both service and channel-agnostic (meaning, for example, both a failed WhatsApp message and an SMS can have the same failure code). In addition to the delivery status report, the Failure code can be checked in each channel log inspection view.

Failure Codes

Error codes are divided into three categories

  • 11XXX: Async Validation Errors that could happen in channels API in async validations, usually for batch messages.

  • 12XXX: Service Errors that could happen in channels API but are not directly caused by the user

  • 14XXX: Customer Error that could occur due to customers' actions

  • 15XXX: Platform Errors that could happen due to platform issue

Message validation Errors

Errors that could happen in Channels API, but are usually related to batch messages. Examples include, invalid channel configuration, invalid input, invalid receiver, invalid content and invalid sender. We reserver 11XXX for this kind of error.

INVALID_CHANNEL_CONFIGURATION: 11001

It is expected when the channel used doesn't support the request, e.g. multiple receivers for SMS messages.

INVALID_INPUT: 11002

It is expected when the input contains an invalid configuration, e.g. message scheduled further than 35 days.

INVALID_RECEIVER: 11003

It is expected when the receiver isn't valid, e.g. invalid identifier value format.

INVALID_CONTENT: 11004

It is expected when the content has an invalid configuration or reference, e.g. template can't be found due to wrong ID.

INVALID_SENDER: 11005

It is expeceted when the sender has an invalid configuration.

Message Processing Errors

Errors that could happen in channels API but are not directly caused by the user. Examples include inter-system routing, template conversion, or no price for a destination. We reserve 12XXX for this kind of error.

DEPENDENCY_ERROR: 12001

It is expected when channels receive a generic internal error from dependencies.

UNSUPPORTED_TYPE: 12002

It is expected that attempting to convert a message into platform-specific messages results in an unsupported template by that platform.

UNSUPPORTED_DESTINATION: 12003

It is expected when the source number and destination combination are not allowed

UNKNOWN_PRODUCT: 12004

It is expected when trying to send a message to an unsupported product, we will receive this error.

UNKNOWN_ROUTING: 12005

It is expected when attempting to call an unknown API.

INVALID_MESSAGE: 12006

It is expected when a platform rejects a message due to the wrong json (could be either property or type that was not supported)

BILLING_FALIURE:12007

It is expected when charging of the message failed

NETWORK_TIMEOUT: 12008

This code indicates a timeout when the downstream carrier or network fails to return a message status report before the expiration of the message validity period or Time To Live (TTL). The actual message may have been delivered, but in the absence of definitive information, it is assumed to have failed and is marked with this failure code

Customer Error

Errors that could happen due to customers. Example: Invalid phone number, etc. We reserve 14XXX for this kind of error.

INVALID_BALANCE: 14001

It is expected when a workspace is out of balance.

INVALID_DESTINATION: 14002

It is expected when a destination number is not allowed to receive this type of message (for example a landline number that cannot receive SMS) .

INVALID_TEMPLATE: 14003

It is expected when a message's template is invalid.

UNSUPPORTED_MEDIA_TYPE: 14004

It is expected when an unsupported media type is sent to the platform.

INVALID_SESSION_WINDOW: 14005

It is expected when an end-user is out of the session window.

Platform Error

Errors could happen due to platform issues, such as being marked as spam, blocked by the platform, attempting to send unsupported content, etc. We reserve 15XXX for this kind of error.

UNKNOWN_FAILURE: 15001

It is expected when the platform worker receives an unrecognized error from the platforms.

INVALID_PERMISSION: 15002

It is expected when a customer (or sender or workspace) misses the required permissions to send messages to the receiver's country or destination.

FAILURE_ENTITY_PROCESSING: 15003

It is expected when the platform accepts a request body but can not be processed later due to internal errors/processing issues.

INVALID_PAYMENT: 15004

It is expected when a payment issue occurs.

UNKNOWN_SUBSCRIBER: 15005

It is expected when a platform does not recognize the receivers of a message as active or valid (for example a well-formed number not assigned to any user).

FAILURE_SUBSCRIBER: 15006

It is expected when a platform cannot send messages to a subscriber due to subscriber configuration/availability.

FAILURE_ROUTING: 15007

It is expected when a platform cannot route the message to the destination.

UNSUPPORTED_ACTION: 15008

It is expected when a customer tries to send a message using an unsupported action.

INVALID_SUBSCRIPTION: 15010

It is expected when a customer tries to send a message to an unsubscribed receiver.

INVALID_SPAM: 15011

It is expected when a platform marks the message as policy/spam/malicious activity.

INVALID_CAPACITY: 15012

It is expected when a platform blocks sending from/of a channel because it uses high capacity in a short period/ or reaches its limit quota.

FAILURE_MESSAGE_BOUNCED: 15013

It is expected when a platform bounces a message being sent to an end user, we will receive this error.

INVALID_BLOCKED_CHANNEL: 15014

It is expected when a platform blocks a channel to send any message to an end user.

FAILURE_POLICY: 15015

It is expected when a platform blocks a business/customer from sending a message to an end user due to a policy violation.

OPTEDOUT_RECEIVER: 15016

It is expected when a message is sent to a receiver who has previously opted out of a prior subscription.

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