# SMS & Voice Direct onboarding flow
**Manual onboarding**
**1.** Create a new SMS-DIRECT contact (use the [Add a contact and/or advisors to a contact](https://rest-api-federation.symphony.com/contact#add-a-contact-and-or-advisors-to-a-contact) API).
**2.** Symphony Connect Helper creates a room with the contact.
**3.** Symphony Connect Helper sends the welcome message template to the new contact.
**4.** The contact has an SMS conversation on their phone. You can continue the flow as usual.
{% hint style="info" %}
Symphony users sending a SMS message to a US-based contact for the first time will trigger an opt in/opt out step, in line with the requirements laid out in the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (“TCPA”). The contact cannot receive the first message sent by the Symphony user until they explicitly opt in to communicate via the channel.
{% endhint %}
Manual SMS & Voice Direct onboarding
**'On-the-fly' onboarding (inbound message)**
**1.** A Symphony user receives an unsolicited SMS or phone call from a phone number (an SMS-DIRECT number) that is not associated with any existing contact in their list.
**2.** A new incomplete contact is created ‘on-the-fly’ in the contact list.
In the SMS & Voice Direct extension app (Symphony Desktop), the contact’s card shows an *INCOMPLETE* status and only displays the phone number. The contact's name and details can be edited afterwards.
**3.** Symphony Connect Helper creates a room with the contact.
**4.** Symphony Connect Helper sends a welcome message to the contact. You can continue the flow as usual.
