Q: How can I set up a system to stream SMS (text messages) to a printer such that they're printed as soon as they're received?

Question

I'm trying to help a relative running a restaurant/bar. She'd like to be able to receive orders via SMS (text message) and have them print to a single printer in the kitchen (preferably, via Google Cloud printing, since she has a mobile app that will deliver orders that way as well). We'll probably be receiving SMS via a Google Voice number, but it's not finalized-- it'll be some software-based free SMS system so she doesn't have to pay recurring fees for another phone.

It's essential that these texts get printed as early as possible, without any human interaction (don't want it to back up until the cook remembers to check the app).

Intermediate steps are best avoided, but if necessary, it appears I can receive SMS as emails or even instant messages (like AIM). We'd like to use as little hardware as possible, and would rather avoid another computer in her restaurant, as there is no office. I'm not a professional, just the nephew who's good with computers. I'm familiar with Windows, not with Linux, but I can learn.

Answer 1

I found part of the answer in an article by Brian Tschabitscher over at about.com.

I also have a Google Voice account and was wondering how to make the two integrate and here's what I came up with.

This solution presumes that you use Outlook to receive your e-mail at the restaurant and that you have a networked printer in the kitchen area.

First. Ensure Google Voice is setup to forward text to the e-mail account. Login to voice.google.com under the account tied to the Google phone number. Click the Settings Gear icon. Select Settings. Click Voicemail & Text Ensure the Text Forwarding checkbox is selected.

Second. Follow Brian's instructions on setting up auto print using Outlook. I've shamelessly borrowed part of the article to integrate the extra steps you'll need to make this work with Google Voice SMS to e-mail.

Print Incoming Mail Automatically in Outlook

To make Outlook print emails automatically as they are retrieved:

In Outlook 2013:
   1. Click FILE.
   2. Open the Info category.
   3. Click Manage Rules & Alerts.
   4. Highlight Apply rule on messages I receive under Start from a blank rule.

In Outlook 2007:
   1. Click Tools
   2. Select Rules and Alerts
   3. Click New Rule....
   4. Highlight Check messages when they arrive under Step 1: Select a template.

In Both Outlook 2007 and 
   5. Click Next >.
   6. Check "through the specified account"
   7. Click the word "specified" in the Step 2: Edit the rule description window.
   8. Select the e-mail account associated with the Google Voice account.
   9. Click OK.
   10. Check "with specific words in the subject or body".
   11. Click the words "specific words" in the Step 2: Edit the rule description window.
   12. Enter "SMS from (XXX) XXX-XXXX" in the Specify words of phrases to search for in the subject or body field.

* Important * For (XXX) XXX-XXXX Enter the phone number to which the Google Voice number is forwarding its calls. Do not use your Google Voice number. Look at the subject line of one of your Google Voice SMS to e-mail's to see what I'm talking about.

   13. Click the Add.
   14. Click OK.
   15. Click Next >.
   16. Check "print it" under Step 1: Select action(s). Specify any other action criteria you desire. I do not use any others.
   17. Click Next >.
   18. Select any exception criteria you desire. Again, I did not use any.
   19. Click Next >.
   20. If you specified no filtering criteria, click Yes.
   21. Give your rule a name and Click Finish.
   22. Click OK."

Third. Configure your Send and Receive Settings in Outlook. By default, the restaurant e-mail account you added to Outlook earlier is added to the All Accounts Group. However, you're dealing with kitchen orders and in order for them to print as near real-time as possible you need to have the system checking the e-mail server every minute for orders. These instructions apply to Outlook 2007, I do not have 2013 installed.

1. Click Tools.
2. Select Send Receive > Send/Receive Settings > Define Send/Receive Groups.
3. Click New...
4. Enter a name for the restaurant e-mail account in Send/Receive Group Name field.
5. Click OK
6. Select the appropriate e-mail account under Accounts.
7. Check "Include the selected account in this group"
8. Un-check the "Send Mail Items" under Account Options.
9. Click OK.
10. Highlight the Group Name you just created.
11. Change "Schedule and automatic send/receive every" field value to 1.
12. Check "Perform an automatic send/receive when exiting."  Note: This is to ensure there are no hanging last minute orders waiting in the e-mail server before the kitchen starts to close.
13. Click Close.

Fourth. Test Away. Send an SMS from a phone to the Google Voice phone number and the resulting e-mail should be printed on the kitchen printer.

An alternative solution:

If you use a HP printer that is eprint compatible and you set it up using the hpconnected.com website to have it's own e-mail address, you could forward the Google Voice text messages directly to the printer. There is risk in this solution as well as the first solution in that if HP's servers are down the printer would not receive the e-mail. I am not sure how long of an operational delay there is doing this technique as I have not tested it.

Good Luck.