Glossary
Definitions of key terms and concepts used throughout the Sent platform and documentation.
A
API Key
Authentication token used to access Sent's API endpoints. Two types exist:
- Admin API Key: Provides access to all customer data through the
x-api-keyheader - Customer API Key: Scoped access requiring both
x-api-keyandx-sender-idheaders
Authentication Message
WhatsApp message category for OTP codes, verification messages, and login confirmations. Usually has the lowest cost per message.
Available Channels
Comma-separated list of messaging channels (e.g., "sms,whatsapp") that can reach a specific contact based on their phone number validation.
B
Balance
Customer account credit amount used for message payments. Tracked via CustomerBalance with detailed transaction history.
Business Account
WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) identifier required for WhatsApp messaging integration.
C
Channel
Communication method used to deliver messages:
- SMS: Traditional text messaging via Telnyx
- WhatsApp: Business messaging via Meta's WhatsApp Business API
Channel Provider
Service integration handling specific messaging channels (e.g., WhatsappChannelProvider, SmsProvider).
Contact
A phone number recipient in your messaging system, including validation data, available channels, and formatting information.
Contact ID
Unique UUID identifier for a contact within a customer's account.
Customer
Primary entity representing a business account in the Sent platform. Contains messaging configuration, API keys, and channel settings.
Customer ID
Unique UUID identifier for a customer account.
D
Default Channel
Preferred messaging channel for a contact, determined by phone number validation and regional settings.
Delivery Status
Message state indicating current status: PENDING, SENT, DELIVERED, or FAILED.
E
E.164 Format
International phone number standard (e.g., +1234567890) used as the canonical format throughout the platform.
Endpoint
API route handling specific operations (e.g., /v1/contacts/id, /v1/messages/phone).
F
FastEndpoints
.NET framework used for building API endpoints with built-in validation and documentation.
Formatting
Phone number representations in various formats:
- E.164:
+1234567890(canonical) - International:
+1 234-567-890(human-readable) - National:
(234) 567-890(country-specific) - RFC 3966:
tel:+1-234-567-890(URI format)
I
InstantiatedPhones
Phone numbers available in the system for customer assignment, managed for SMS messaging.
K
KYC (Know Your Customer)
Compliance data including business information, contact details, and use case descriptions required for messaging services.
M
Marketing Message
WhatsApp message category for promotional content and campaigns. Typically has higher cost per message and requires opt-in.
Message Activity
Event tracking for message processing including channel selection, sending status, and delivery confirmation.
Message Body
Final rendered content of a message after template variable substitution.
Message Template
Pre-approved message format for WhatsApp or reusable content for SMS, supporting variable substitution.
Messaging Profile
Telnyx configuration for SMS messaging, containing webhook URLs and delivery settings.
P
Pagination
Result set structure with items, totalCount, page, pageSize, and totalPages for handling large data sets.
Phone Number Validation
Process determining if a phone number is valid, possible, and identifying its type (mobile, fixed-line, etc.).
Pricing
Cost structure for messages varying by channel, region, and message category (especially for WhatsApp).
R
Region Code
ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code (e.g., "US", "CA") used for pricing and channel availability.
Repository Pattern
Data access layer using Dapper for database operations with async/await patterns.
S
Sender ID
Customer identifier used in conjunction with API keys for request authentication and data scoping.
SMS
Short Message Service - traditional text messaging delivered via Telnyx integration.
System User Access Token
Long-lived WhatsApp API authentication token for business messaging operations.
T
Template
Pre-defined message format supporting variable substitution:
- WhatsApp Template: Must be approved by Meta before use
- SMS Template: Can be used immediately without approval
Template Category
Classification for WhatsApp templates:
- AUTHENTICATION: OTP and verification messages
- MARKETING: Promotional content requiring opt-in
- UTILITY: Transactional messages and confirmations
Template Status
WhatsApp template approval state: PENDING, APPROVED, or REJECTED.
Telnyx
Third-party service provider for SMS messaging and phone number management.
Transaction
Financial record tracking balance changes from message costs, payments, or refunds.
U
Unified Messaging Intelligence
Sent's system for automatically selecting the optimal messaging channel based on contact validation, availability, and cost.
UUID (Universally Unique Identifier)
128-bit identifier format used for all entity IDs throughout the platform.
Utility Message
WhatsApp message category for transactional content like order confirmations and delivery notifications.
V
Validation
Process of verifying phone number format, reachability, and available messaging channels.
Variable Substitution
Process of replacing placeholder values (e.g., {{1}}, {{name}}) in message templates with actual content.
W
Webhook
HTTP callback URL for receiving real-time message status updates and delivery confirmations.
WhatsApp Business API
Meta's business messaging platform integrated for professional messaging capabilities.
WhatsApp Template
Pre-approved message format required by Meta for business messaging, supporting rich media and interactive elements.
For technical implementation details, see our API Reference and Data Models documentation.