Send SMS to Contacts in Excel through Automator and AppleScript

Many thanks for the reply - My Excel setup is as you describe. Column A is names, no header. Column B is phone numbers, no header. The file precedes the script in Automator.

Here's a screenshot – note "value" is highlighted. Also, in the second section, should the referenced variable be "_member" rather than "member"?

Thanks for your help!

I think I've managed to piece together something that works.

Reflecting on (1) Camelot's work + (2) this from StackOverflow, I've come up with:

on run {input, parameters}
	
	set phoneCol to "B"
	set messageCol to "C"
	set startRow to 1
	set endRow to 3
	
	set xlsFilePath to (path to desktop as text) & "texttest.xlsx"
	tell application "Microsoft Excel" to open file xlsFilePath
	
	
	repeat with thisRow from startRow to endRow
		tell application "Microsoft Excel"
			set targetBuddyPhone to string value of cell (phoneCol & thisRow) as string
			set targetMessage to value of cell (messageCol & thisRow) as string
		end tell
		
		activate application "Messages"
		tell application "System Events" to tell process "Messages"
			key code 45 using command down -- press Command + N to start a new window
			keystroke targetBuddyPhone -- input the phone number
			key code 36 -- press Enter to focus on the message area 
			keystroke targetMessage -- type some message
			key code 36 -- press Enter to send
		end tell
		
		delay 2
	end repeat
	
	
	return input
end run

This appears to work for New messages as well. Perhaps someone knows how to set endRow automatically, so the code needn't be adjusted as the contact roster changes?

I think I've got it solved.

First, the excel file, designed as follows, with no column headers:

Column A: First Names (not used in this example)

Column B: Phone number, digits only, no symbols

Column C: Text message

Cell D1 contains the following: =COUNT(B:B)

Second, the completed code:

on run {input, parameters}
	
	set phoneCol to "B"
	set messageCol to "C"
	set startRow to 1
	set counter to "D"
	
	set xlsFilePath to (path to desktop as text) & "texttest.xlsx"
	tell application "Microsoft Excel" to open file xlsFilePath
	tell application "Microsoft Excel"
		set endRow to value of cell (counter & startRow) as number
	end tell
	repeat with thisRow from startRow to endRow
		tell application "Microsoft Excel"
			set targetBuddyPhone to string value of cell (phoneCol & thisRow) as string
			set targetMessage to value of cell (messageCol & thisRow) as string
		end tell
		
		activate application "Messages"
		tell application "System Events" to tell process "Messages"
			key code 45 using command down -- press Command + N to start a new window
			keystroke targetBuddyPhone -- input the phone number
			key code 36 -- press Enter to focus on the message area 
			keystroke targetMessage -- type some message
			key code 36 -- press Enter to send
		end tell
		
		delay 2
	end repeat
	
	
	return input
end run

The Excel file rests on the Desktop. And that's it. Should work.

Thanks for reviewing - appreciate the feedback!

Excel file is closed. Now nothing highlighted. Here's the alert I receive along with latest Automator screenshot: