WhatsApp

WhatsApp works through your own WhatsApp Business number on Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform. Workshop sends and receives on it; your number stays yours. Team and Connected plans.

#What you get

• Messages from the job: … → Messages, then WhatsApp (or it's the only choice without Podium). Replies come back onto the job.
• Job updates as WhatsApp templates: set Goes by → WhatsApp on a message template. Workshop sends it to Meta for approval for you.

#WhatsApp's 24-hour rule

WhatsApp allows a free-form message only within 24 hours of the customer's last WhatsApp to you. Outside that window, only a template Meta has approved can be sent. So:

• To start a conversation, use a template (or text through Podium).
• Once the customer replies, you can write freely for 24 hours.

The Messages window tells you when the window is closed.

#Connect WhatsApp

Most of this is in Meta. You need a Meta Business account and a phone number for WhatsApp Business (not one already on the WhatsApp app).

In Meta for Developers:

1. Create an app with WhatsApp added, and put your business number on it.
2. WhatsApp → API Setup: copy the Phone number ID and the WhatsApp Business Account ID.
3. Business settings → System users: create a system user, give it the app with whatsapp_business_messaging and whatsapp_business_management, and generate a permanent access token.
4. App settings → Basic: copy the App secret.

In Workshop, Settings → Integrations → WhatsApp (owner):

5. Paste the four values and Connect WhatsApp. It shows your business name and number when it works.

Back in Meta, the last step, the webhook:

6. WhatsApp → Configuration → Webhook → Edit. Paste the webhook URL and verify token Workshop shows you (copy buttons are next to them), and verify.
7. Subscribe to messages and message_template_status_update.

Workshop shows Webhook confirmed by Meta when it's done. Until then messages send but replies and template approvals don't come back.

#Templates and approval

A template set to WhatsApp is sent to Meta when you save it. Its state shows in the list:

Check asks Meta again. Placeholders like {first_name} are filled in per job, as with texts.

#Good to know

• Every message shows who sent it, and not sent with the reason if it failed.
• Your access token and app secret are stored encrypted and never shown again.
• Messages go through Meta. It's on the list of providers in Workshop's privacy policy.