Glossary
Definitions for terms used across Bird.
A
Access policy
Access policies control data access and usage in Bird. They grant or deny access to specific areas within the software, ensuring compliance and authorized usage.
Access role
Access roles assign permissions to Bird users. They group access policies to define a role's access, like "Marketing Manager" for Campaigns. This lets you control access for many users with different levels of access needs.
Action (in Flows)
In Flows, an action is a task performed by a flow when it runs. Actions can be organizational tasks, such as branching the flow when certain conditions are met or reformatting a number or date, or event-based actions such as replying to a WhatsApp message or updating a lead's details in HubSpot.
Agent
An agent is a user who has access to Inbox and is able to view and respond to customer conversations.
Assigned
Assigning a conversation to an Inbox team or an individual agent means that they are responsible for ensuring the conversation is handled correctly.
Asynchronous
Asynchronous messaging is a form of communication where the customer and the agent do not need to be available at the same time. Each party can respond as needed. Examples of asynchronous messaging channels include SMS, WhatsApp, and Email.
Attachment
An attachment is a file that is added to a message when it is sent, such as a PDF or a word document.
Attribute
In Contacts, an attribute is a piece of information that is attached to a contact profile to provide more information about that contact and their preferences.
Audience
An audience is dynamic group of contacts that is defined by a set of matching attributes. Contacts move in and out of audiences automatically as they meet the audience criteria, or no longer match the criteria.
Authentication
Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a user, account, or connector, in order to ensure that data is being shared only with authorized people or tools.
B
Balance
Your balance is how much money you have in your wallet. Balances are used to pay for messages, numbers, and other features that are priced separately from your Bird subscription or contract.
Block
When building message templates, a block is a customizable pre-set section that can be used as a building block to add content to message templates.
Broadcast campaign
In Campaigns, a broadcast campaign is a one-off message that you send to an audience or a group of contacts.
Bulk messaging
Bulk messaging is the process of sending a large number of messages at the same time. It is a term most commonly associated with SMS.
Bundle
A bundle is a group of plans and contracts that our team has put together for you so that you can use Bird's products.
C
Campaign
A campaign is a message that has been designed to be sent to a specific audience or group. Campaigns are typically used by marketers.
Channel
A channel is a communication platform or channel where messages or conversations can occur, such as WhatsApp, SMS, or Facebook Messenger.
Channel instance
A channel instance refers to a specific version of a channel. For example, when you add a new channel like WhatsApp, you choose a specific instance to connect to, such as a particular WhatsApp number. To add more WhatsApp numbers, you can create additional WhatsApp channel instances.
Channels marketplace
The channels marketplace is where you can browse the channels that we support, and install them.
Closed
In Inbox, when a conversation is closed by an agent, this means that the issue has been resolved, the question has been answered, or the sale has been made, and the agent doesn't expect to have any more interaction with that customer.
Condition
In Flows, conditions are a set of rules that causes a flow to adapt based on the input that it receives.
Condition group
In Flows, a condition group is a collection of conditions that must all be met for a flow to perform a specific action.
Connector
Connectors are used to connect MessageBird’s capabilities with external systems, such as CRMs, e-commerce platforms, AI tools, or customer support platforms.
Contact
A contact is a person that you have in your database.
Contact profile
A contact profile contains information about a specific contact, including their browsing and purchasing history, their contact information, and additional information such as preferred channels for communication and which language they speak.
Content
When building message templates content is the body of the message that you are sending, including things like text, images, files, and other elements.
Conversation
In Inbox, a conversation is what starts when a customer sends you a message, or you send a new message to a customer.
Conversation history
Conversation history is a record of all of the messages that have previously been exchanged during a conversation.
Conversation participant
In order for a conversation to take place, people have to be talking! Anyone who is in a conversation, such as a customer, or any agents that might be present, is known as a conversation participant.
D
Data compliance
Data compliance is the process of ensuring your business complies with laws, regulations, and standards about how your customer's data is stored and processed.
Debugging
Debugging is the process of identifying and fixing errors in your flows and automations.
Directory
A directory is a searchable list of contacts.
E
Engagement
Engagement is a measure of how many customers have interacted with a campaign.
Entry point
An entry point is a means through which customers can access a way to contact you, such as via Google search results, social media platforms, or web pages.
Escalation path
An escalation path is used when a customer's inquiry is urgent, or when it needs to be handled by a human agent instead of a chatbot.
F
Fallback
A fallback is a backup message, route, or language that we will default to if the input is not expected or planned for.
Feed
In Inbox, a feed is a place where conversations and other feed items are grouped together. Feeds essentially act as folders, organizing and grouping conversations to make them easier for agents to navigate through.
Flow
Flows are automations. At their core, every automation works as follows: ‘When this happens, do that’. Flows can also use AI.
G
Group
In Contacts, a group is a fixed selection of contacts that is defined by a set of criteria. Unlike audiences, contacts do not move in and out of segments as attributes are updated.
H
Handle
Handle is a term that is used to describe the process of processing data, or managing a conversation.
I
Identifier
In Contacts, identifiers are unique pieces of information, such as a phone number or email address, that are used to automatically identify and recognize a contact when they get in touch.
Inbox
Inbox is a unified console for communications where you and your team can have conversations with customers, collaborate to solve issues, and leverage customer data to personalize experiences.
J
Journey
A journey is an automated marketing workflow designed to help you engage customers.
Journey template
A journey template is a pre-built, fully customizable journey designed to help you get up and running faster.
L
Localization
Projects can be localized into the languages that your customers use. Content, such as images in message templates, can also be adapted for different locations.
Log
A log is a record of every time a flow has run. It keeps track of the completion status of the flow run, provides details about when the flow run began and when the most recent action was completed, and gives detailed information about the data that was passed. Logs are useful for debugging flows.
M
Marketplace
MessageBird offers a variety of channels and connectors that you can install. You can discover which channels and connectors we support by browsing their respective marketplaces from your dashboard.
Message
A message refers to a piece of information that is exchanged through a channel, such as SMS or WhatsApp. Messages can be text-only or contain rich media such as images, GIFs, attachments, quick reply buttons, or link buttons.
Message composer
In Inbox, the message composer refers to the space in which an Inbox agent can draft and edit a message before they send it.
Message template
Message templates are customizable, reusable messages that you can send on any installed communication channel.
N
Number
A number is either a physical or virtual identifier that can be used to make or receive calls. You can purchase numbers directly from MessageBird. All numbers have different capabilities, so make sure you check carefully before purchasing.
O
Omnichannel
Omnichannel is a customer-focused approach that integrates multiple communication channels, including websites, connectors, and channels like WhatsApp and SMS. It aims to deliver a seamless and consistent experience, allowing customers to interact across these channels without losing information.
Originator
Sometimes used interchangeably with 'Sender', 'Originator' refers to the entity or individual who initiates or sends a message or communication. The originator can be a number, email address, or agent responsible for initiating communication and delivering a message to the intended recipient or recipients.
P
Participant
In a conversation, a participant is someone who is part of that conversation. Participants can be contacts or agents.
Project
A project is an experience such as a message template that you can create, edit, publish, and deploy.
R
Reach
Reach refers to the total number of unique individuals exposed to a marketing campaign within a specific timeframe.
Recipient
A recipient is the person that receives a message. They are the intended target or audience for the information being sent.
Reply
A reply is a message that is sent in response to another message.
Rich media
Rich media refers to message content that combines interactive elements like images, videos, buttons, and carousels to create an engaging user experience.
Routing
In Inbox, routing refers to the process of directing a customer inquiry to the appropriate agent or team for handling. It ensures efficient handling of tickets by assigning them to the right resources or agents based on factors like inquiry type, skills, or workload.
S
Sender
Sometimes used interchangeably with 'Originator', 'Sender' is a less-technical term for the entity or individual who initiates or sends a message or communication. The originator can be a number, email address, or agent responsible for initiating communication and delivering a message to the intended recipient or recipients.
Skill
In Inbox, a skill represents an agent's specific area of expertise or language. Skills allow agents to effectively handle certain types of inquiries based on their training and knowledge. Routing based on agent skills ensures that customer inquiries are directed to the most suitable agent for efficient and specialized assistance.
Spam
Spam refers to unwanted and unsolicited electronic messages, typically sent in bulk. These messages are often promotional and sent without the recipient's consent or desire to receive them. Spam can include email, text messages, or other digital communications and is generally considered a nuisance.
Synchronous
Synchronous refers to real-time communication where participants interact immediately and continuously, allowing for instant exchanges of messages. A phone call between a contact and an agent is an example of a synchronous channel.
T
Team
In Inbox, a team is a group of agents who are assigned to work on a specific type of inquiry, in a particular language, or for a specific department.
Trigger
In Flows, a trigger is an event that starts a flow. A trigger can either be an event that occurs within MessageBird or an event that occurs within an external connector.
U
Unassigned
In Inbox, an unassigned conversation is a conversation that has not been given to a specific agent or team to handle.
Unsubscribe
Unsubscribe refers to the process of opting out of future marketing communications.
V
Verification
Verification is the process of confirming a customer's identity. This is often done through two-step verification, which provides an additional layer of security beyond just a username and password.
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