Overview
Not every message gets through first time. Sometimes an email bounces. Sometimes a record is missing a phone number. Sometimes you'd rather hedge your bets and send across two channels at once. Failed delivery contingency is how you tell CX Platform what to do in those moments, without anyone having to check, chase, or manually resend.
You can set up to three priorities. Each priority can use a single channel like Email, or run multiple channels at the same time like Email and SMS together. If a priority can't deliver, the platform automatically rolls down to the next one. Once it's configured, the logic runs on every send so you can trust the platform to handle the edge cases.
Heads up
These settings apply to realtime API notifications only. They won't affect bulk or scheduled sends, which follow their own delivery rules.
How the priority system works
Priorities run top down. CX Platform tries Priority 1 first. If the record bounces, or doesn't have the required contact information (for example, no email address on file), it moves on to Priority 2, and then Priority 3 if needed.
A few extras shape how this plays out:
- Multiple channels per priority. You can send Email and SMS at the same time within a single priority, rather than treating them as fallbacks for each other.
- Required channels. Marking a channel as Required means that priority only fires if the record has the right contact info. If you mark Priority 1 as Email plus SMS and the record has no email address, the platform skips Priority 1 entirely (no SMS either) and rolls down to Priority 2.
- Bounce control. By default, a bounce on one channel rolls down to the next priority. If you'd rather a bounce on a particular channel was ignored, untick Send next priority if bounced for that channel.
- Delays. You can stagger channels within the same priority. For example, send the email straight away and hold the SMS back by five minutes so the email lands first.
Find the contingency settings
These settings live inside the Application you're configuring. You'll find them in the Channel selection section.
- In the secondary navigation menu, click Applications to view a list of all available Applications.
- Double-click the Application you want to configure, or click the Settings icon on the right of the list view to open it.
- Click the Channel selection tab.
- Scroll to the priority settings. You'll see PRIORITY 1, PRIORITY 2, and PRIORITY 3 stacked vertically, ready to configure.
Configure a single channel per priority
This is the most straightforward setup. Each priority sends through one channel, and if it bounces, the next priority takes over. Handy when you want a clean fallback chain like Email, then SMS, then Print.
- Under PRIORITY 1, choose your first channel from the Channel dropdown (Email, SMS, or Print).
- Tick Send next priority if bounced if you want a failed delivery on this channel to roll down to the next priority. Leave it unticked if you'd rather the bounce stop here.
- Repeat for PRIORITY 2 and PRIORITY 3, choosing a different channel for each so you've got a clear fallback path.
- Click Save at the bottom of the page.
That's it — your priorities are now in place. Realtime API notifications for this Application will follow the path you've set, automatically rolling down a level whenever a channel can't deliver.
Configure multiple channels in one priority
Use this when you want two or three channels firing at the same time within a priority — for example, a payment confirmation that needs to go out as both an email and an SMS so the recipient definitely sees it.
- Under PRIORITY 1, select Multiple from the Channel dropdown. A grid will appear with a row for Email, SMS, and Print
- Tick Enabled for each channel you want this priority to send through
- Tick Required for any channel that must have valid contact info for this priority to fire. If a Required channel is missing its contact info on the record, the whole priority is skipped and the platform moves to the next one.
- Tick Send next priority if bounced on each channel where a bounce should roll down to the next priority. Untick it on any channel where a bounce should be ignored — for example, if you want SMS bounces to fall through but email bounces to stop where they are.
- Set a value in Delay (minutes) if you want to stagger one of the channels. Leave it as 0 to send straight away.
- Configure PRIORITY 2 and PRIORITY 3 as needed, then click Save.
Your multi-channel priority is now live. Each enabled channel will fire according to the rules you've set, with delays and bounce handling working independently per channel.
Common setups
A few worked examples to show how the pieces fit together. These should cover most of what you'll reach for day to day.
Simple email-first with SMS backup
Priority 1 is Email with Send next priority if bounced ticked. Priority 2 is SMS. If the email bounces or the recipient has no email address, the SMS goes out instead. Good for general notifications where either channel will do the job.
Email and SMS together for high-priority alerts
Priority 1 uses Multiple, with Email and SMS both enabled. Add a five-minute delay to the SMS so the email lands first. Priority 2 is Print as a final fallback for anyone the realtime channels can't reach. Useful for time-sensitive messages like security alerts or appointment reminders.
Email-only, but with print as a safety net
Priority 1 is Email with Send next priority if bounced ticked. Priority 2 is Print. If the email bounces, a printed letter is generated automatically. A common pattern for compliance-heavy communications where every recipient needs a record, no exceptions.
Email plus SMS, but only when both are reachable
Priority 1 uses Multiple, with Email and SMS both enabled and both marked Required. If either contact detail is missing, Priority 1 is skipped entirely and the platform moves to Priority 2 (perhaps a single Email or Print fallback). Handy when partial delivery isn't acceptable and you'd rather route the record somewhere else.
What's next
Once your contingency rules are set, it's worth doing a quick test send through the API to make sure each priority behaves the way you expect.