sent-routing-strategist

The Sent Routing Strategist is a decision-and-diagnosis reference for how messages sent through the Sent platform reach their recipients. It exists to dispel the most expensive misconception in the API: that the `channel` field is an ordered fallback preference. In reality the `channel` array is a broadcast list, so a value like `["whatsapp", "sms"]` sent to two recipients creates four messages and four charges. The skill teaches that automatic routing (omitting `channel` or sending `["sent"]`) is the actual fallback mechanism, letting the platform select and reroute across up to three distinct channel-and-provider pairs.

The guidance covers when to pin a specific channel versus rely on automatic routing, what pinning gives up (no cross-channel fallback; a `FAILED` outcome if no route matches), and how to read message outcomes from evidence rather than the initial `202` response. It documents the route-selection pipeline, reroute triggers, and terminal-status interpretation for `FAILED`, `FILTERED`, `BLOCKED`, and `SCHEDULED`, including why a `FILTERED` message must never be retried (it is a policy or consent gate). Supporting reference files map observable status-and-channel combinations back to root causes, since Sent records internal reason codes but does not return them in API responses or webhooks.

It targets developers and support engineers integrating with Sent who need to choose the channel field correctly, debug unexpected routes or duplicate charges, expect WhatsApp-to-SMS fallback, or interpret message status and activity evidence. It is a documentation and diagnostic skill grounded in Sent's v3 messaging semantics, not an executable tool.