WhatsApp Business API (respond.io BSP)

Respond.io is now a verified WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP). respond.io WhatsApp BSP (respond.io WA BSP) allows you to integrate WhatsApp directly via respond.io. You’ll no longer need a Facebook Developer Account to set up WhatsApp Cloud API.

Some of the things that you can achieve with respond.io WA BSP include:

• Get the WhatsApp quality rating and verified status for your business number
• Sync and submit WhatsApp message templates
• Sync and update your WhatsApp Business Profile
• Automate processes with respond.io’s Workflows automation
• Integrate Dialogflow to automate conversations

Connecting WhatsApp Business API

To chat with your customers over WhatsApp Business API, connect a WhatsApp Business Profile and Meta Business Account.

Step 1: Navigate to Channel Settings

From Settings module, navigate to the menu item, Channels.

Step 2: Add Channel

Click Add Channel and choose WhatsApp Business API. Click Next and the Connecting WhatsApp Business API dialog should open up.

Step 3: Connect with Facebook

Click the Connect With Facebook button.

Step 4: Sign in with a Facebook Account

Sign in using the Facebook account with admin access to the Meta Business Account.

Step 5: Select the WhatsApp Number

In the dropdown list, select the WABA name with the WhatsApp number you would like to connect.

Step 6: Complete the setup at respond.io

Click Done to complete the setup.

Channel Configuration

Step 1: Navigate to Channel Settings

From Settings module, navigate to the menu item, Channels.

Step 2: Locate the WhatsApp Business API channel

Once you've located the WhatsApp Business API channel, click Configure.

Step 3: Make the necessary configuration

You can configure the following:

• Channel Name - Name used internally to identify the account.

Step 4: Update the configuration

Click Done to update the channel configuration.

Metadata Received by Channel

Different channels provide different sets of Contact’s metadata to respond.io platform. Here's the list of Contact's data you'll be able to obtain from this channel:

• Phone number
• Phone number ID
• Profile name
• Whatsapp ID

Managing WhatsApp Business API Profile

Step 1: Navigate to Channel Settings

From Settings module, navigate to the menu item, Channels.

Step 2: Locate the WhatsApp Business API channel

Once you've located the WhatsApp Business API channel, click Profile.

Step 3: Sync Profile

If the profile hasn't been synced, click Sync Profile to obtain the latest WhatsApp Business Profile information from WhatsApp.

Step 4: Make necessary changes

You may edit the information as needed.

Step 5: Save changes

Review the information and click Save when it's ready.

Managing WhatsApp Message Templates

Submitting Message Templates

Step 1: Navigate to Channel Settings

From Settings module, navigate to the menu item, Channels.

Step 2: Locate the WhatsApp Business API channel

Once you’ve located the WhatsApp Business API channel, click Templates.

Step 3: Submit Template

Click Submit Template to submit a message template for approval.

Step 4: Fill in the required information

Fill in the information needed to create a template.

Step 5: Start creating the message

Create the message by filling in the necessary components, then review the message in the preview section.

Step 6: Provide sample value

This is only applicable if you have included any parameters in your message template content.

Important Link

• WhatsApp Message Template guidelines

Syncing Message Templates

Step 1: Navigate to Channel Settings

From Settings module, navigate to the menu item, Channels.

Step 2: Locate the WhatsApp Business API channel

Once you've located the WhatsApp Business API channel, click Templates.

Step 3: Sync Templates

Click Sync Templates to begin the syncing process.

Step 4: Syncing Completed

When the synchronization has been completed, the message templates will be listed with their corresponding statuses and the last synced date time will be updated. The rejection reason will be displayed below the rejected message template.

The following table lists the possible statuses for the message templates:

FAQ and Troubleshooting

Unable to Receive Read Receipts

When the user connected to WhatsApp Business API changes their Facebook password, the permissions will be outdated and need to be refreshed.

Step 1: To refresh permissions, navigate to Settings module > Channels > locate WhatsApp Business API Messenger channel > click Troubleshoot.

Step 2: Click Refresh Permission to refresh WhatsApp permissions.

Step 3: Send a test message to the WhatsApp phone number and check if you're able to receive the read receipts.

What are the requirements for phone number to be used to sign up for WhatsApp Business API?

• The phone number used for WhatsApp Business API can’t be used in the WhatsApp personal or business app. You'll have to delete the account on WhatsApp personal or business app before you can use the number to sign up for WhatsApp Business API.
• You can still use the phone number for other purposes, such as calling and receiving SMS after registering it on the WhatsApp Business Platform.

Is Business Verification needed to start using WhatsApp Business API?

It isn’t mandatory to complete Facebook Business Verification to start sending messages on WhatsApp. Without Business Verification, your business will still be able to:

• Respond to unlimited user-initiated conversations.
• Send business-initiated conversations (message templates) to 250 unique customers in a rolling 24-hour period.

Businesses can initiate Business Verification only when they're ready to scale business-initiated conversations or want to become an Official Business Account.

Can I view my conversation insights for my WhatsApp Business Account?

Yes, you can monitor your messaging and spending analytics in real-time for your WhatsApp Business Account in the Insights tab of your Meta WhatsApp Manager. Read more here.

What are WhatsApp messaging limits?

Messaging limits determine the maximum number of business-initiated conversations each phone number can send in a rolling 24-hour period. These limits do not apply to user-initiated conversations. A business-initiated conversation starts when the first message is delivered to a customer and ends 24 hours later. Read more here.

What is WhatsApp Business API pricing?

WhatsApp Business Platform conversations fall into two categories that are priced differently:

• User-initiated: A conversation that initiates in response to a user message. Whenever a business replies to a user within the 24-hour customer service window, that message will be associated with a user-initiated conversation. Businesses can send free-form messages within this 24-hour customer service window.
• Business-initiated: A conversation that initiates from a business sending a user a message outside the 24-hour customer service window. Messages that initiate a business-initiated conversation will require a message template.

All conversations are measured in fixed 24-hour sessions. A conversation starts when the first business message in a conversation is delivered, either initiated by the business or in reply to a user message. Businesses and users can exchange any number of messages, including template messages, within a 24-hour conversation session without incurring additional charges. Each 24-hour conversation session results in a single charge.

Charges for conversations are based on the user’s country code. A user here is defined as the customer that your business is communicating with. Rates for business-initiated and user-initiated conversations vary by country or region. Read more here.

Why do I see duplicate Contacts from the same WhatsApp channel?

WhatsApp passes the Contact’s phone number in a format that is different from the E.164 format that respond.io uses. This difference causes Contacts from certain countries to be duplicated. Should this occur, do reach out to us here.