> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://omni.fireflo.au/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# POST /v1/messages
> Send one message to one person, trying each channel of a route until one gets there.
Sends one message to one person, with failover: each step of the route names a channel, what counts as done on it (`sent`, `delivered`, `read`, or `answered` for a call) and how long to wait. A channel that refuses, fails or runs out of time hands over to the next. The first step is tried before the answer comes back; what happens next arrives as `message.*` webhook events, or read it back with [GET /v1/messages/`{message_id}`](/api-reference/messages/get).
Needs the `messages:send` scope.
## Body
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
| :- | :- | :- | :- |
| `to` | string | One of `to` or `contact` | The number, with its country code: `+919876543210`. |
| `contact` | string | One of `to` or `contact` | A contact's id. Their main number is used. |
| `template` | string | One of `template` or `content` | A template's name (or id). Its version for each channel is sent. |
| `values` | object | When the template or content has `{{tags}}` | Names to text, filled into every `{{name}}`. A tag with no value is refused. |
| `content` | object | One of `template` or `content` | Content by channel, e.g. `{"sms": {"text": "…"}}`. Replaces the template's version for that channel. |
| `route` | string | No | A route's name. Without `route` or `steps`, the default route is used. |
| `steps` | array | No | The steps themselves, instead of a route: up to 6 of `{"channel", "succeed_on", "within"}`. |
| `purpose` | string | No | `transactional` (the default) or `marketing`: which consent the person's settings are checked against. |
| `reference` | string | No | Your own reference, up to 128 characters. Filter by it on GET /v1/messages. |
| `expires_in` | integer | No | Seconds, from 60 to 604800: stop trying after this. |
What each channel takes as content: **SMS** `{"text"}`; **WhatsApp** `{"text"}` inside the 24-hour window, and `{"template", "language", "params"}` (an approved WhatsApp template and its values, in order) outside it. A message to someone who has asked not to be contacted fails at once on every channel; one inside their quiet hours is `postponed` until they end.
Send an `Idempotency-Key` header to make a retry safe: the same key with the same body is answered once, and the first answer repeated (with `Idempotent-Replayed: true`).
## Request
```bash cURL theme={null}
curl -X POST https://api.fireflo.au/v1/messages \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $OMNI_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Idempotency-Key: order-A-1042-shipped" \
-d '{
"to": "+919876543210",
"template": "order_shipped",
"values": {
"name": "Asha",
"order": "A-1042"
},
"route": "whatsapp-then-sms",
"reference": "order-A-1042"
}'
```
```python Python theme={null}
import os
import requests
response = requests.post(
"https://api.fireflo.au/v1/messages",
headers={
"Authorization": f"Bearer {os.environ['OMNI_API_KEY']}",
"Idempotency-Key": "order-A-1042-shipped",
},
json={
"to": "+919876543210",
"template": "order_shipped",
"values": {
"name": "Asha",
"order": "A-1042",
},
"route": "whatsapp-then-sms",
"reference": "order-A-1042",
},
)
print(response.status_code, response.json())
```
```javascript Node theme={null}
const response = await fetch("https://api.fireflo.au/v1/messages", {
method: "POST",
headers: {
Authorization: `Bearer ${process.env.OMNI_API_KEY}`,
"Content-Type": "application/json",
"Idempotency-Key": "order-A-1042-shipped",
},
body: JSON.stringify({
"to": "+919876543210",
"template": "order_shipped",
"values": {
"name": "Asha",
"order": "A-1042"
},
"route": "whatsapp-then-sms",
"reference": "order-A-1042"
}),
});
console.log(response.status, await response.json());
```
## Response
`202 Accepted` — the message as it stands after its first step.
```json theme={null}
{
"id": "msg_8f14e45fceea167a5a36dedd4bea2543",
"status": "delivering",
"to": "+919876543210",
"reference": "order-A-1042",
"purpose": "transactional",
"test": false,
"outcome": null,
"error": null,
"steps": [
{
"channel": "whatsapp",
"succeed_on": "read",
"within": 600
},
{
"channel": "sms",
"succeed_on": "delivered",
"within": 900
}
],
"attempts": [
{
"step": 0,
"channel": "whatsapp",
"status": "sent",
"code": null,
"reason": null,
"channel_message": "cm_918273",
"at": "2026-10-05T09:14:22.518204+00:00",
"updated": "2026-10-05T09:14:22.518204+00:00"
}
],
"created": "2026-10-05T09:14:22.413512+00:00",
"finished_at": null
}
```
### The message
| Field | Notes |
| :- | :- |
| `id` | `msg_` and 32 hex characters. |
| `status` | `delivering` (trying a channel or waiting for its report), `postponed` (held until the person's quiet hours end), then one of `succeeded`, `failed`, `expired` or `canceled`. |
| `to` | The number, in international format. |
| `reference`, `purpose` | As sent. |
| `test` | True when sent with a test key: no channel is reached, and the first step succeeds at once. |
| `outcome` | Once it succeeded: `{"channel", "status"}` — the channel that got there and how far (`sent`, `delivered`, `read` or `answered`). Otherwise null. |
| `error` | Once it failed, expired or was canceled: `{"code", "message"}`, with code `not_permitted` (the person may not be contacted), `no_channel_left`, `expired` or `canceled`. Otherwise null. |
| `steps` | The route it follows: each `{"channel", "succeed_on", "within"}`. |
| `attempts` | One per channel tried: `step` (from 0), `channel`, `status` (`refused`, `sent`, `delivered`, `read`, `answered`, `failed` or `timed_out`), `code` and `reason` when refused, `channel_message` (the `cm_` id of the message it sent, or null), `call` (the id of the call a Voice step placed, or null), `at`, `updated`. |
| `created`, `finished_at` | When it was asked for, and when it settled (null until then). |
An attempt is `refused` when its channel can't take the message now and the next step runs at once. Its `code` says why: `channel_off`, `no_content`, `window_closed` (WhatsApp's 24-hour window is closed and no approved template was given), `no_dlt_match` (the SMS text fills in none of your registered DLT templates), `not_permitted` or `provider_refused`.
## Errors
Every refusal is `{"error": {"code", "message", "field"}}`; `field` is there when one input is at fault.
| Status | Error code | When |
| :- | :- | :- |
| 400 | `invalid_request` | An input is wrong; `field` names it (`to`, `contact`, `template`, `values`, `content`, `route`, `steps`, `purpose` or `expires_in`). |
| 400 | `no_channel` | No route was named and the account has no channel that takes messages. |
| 400 | `invalid_json` | The body isn't valid JSON. |
| 400 | `invalid_idempotency_key` | The `Idempotency-Key` is over 255 characters. |
| 409 | `idempotency_mismatch` | The `Idempotency-Key` was used for a different request. |
| 409 | `idempotency_in_progress` | A request with the same `Idempotency-Key` is still being answered. |
| 403 | `scope_missing` | The key doesn't have the `messages:send` scope. |
Any request can also be refused for its key, its account or its rate (`key_required`, `invalid_key`, `account_suspended`, `plan_excludes_api`, `address_not_allowed`, `rate_limited`); see [the overview](/api-reference/overview).
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