To connect, you need to apply for registration of a WhatsApp Business API account. The connection is carried out through the official provider 360dialog, via the integration module "WhatsApp Business".
Note
Before connecting, make sure that your business activities comply with WhatsApp's trade policy.
Important!
To register in your 360dialog personal account you need to use corporate mail. Free mail on common domains is not available for registration.
Connecting the integration module
Go to Settings → Marketplace → Messengers and Chats, click on the “WhatsApp Business” module and then on the “Connect” button.
Next, you will go to the module settings. Click on the "Add account" button.
In the window that appears, fill in the registration data.
Next, you need to verify your email. An email with a code will be sent to the address specified above. Copy and paste the code.
Confirm that the number you are connecting is not used in other WhatsApp business or personal accounts.
Then start the embedded signup process by clicking Start Embedded Signup .
Embedded signup
Important!
To proceed further, you will need to log in to your Facebook account. It is important that this account has admin access to the Facebook Business Manager, which will manage the WhatsApp account.
After accepting the terms, you will be redirected to the Facebook Business Account connection page. To start connecting, click Continue → Continue as... → Start.
A window with connection settings will open in front of you. You will need to follow a few steps:
- provide information about your company, duplicating the information from your Facebook Business Portfolio;
- create a WhatsApp account;
When creating a profile, you will need to specify a display name, as well as a business category and description.
- add a phone number;
You can use a phone number that is already registered in the versions of WhatsApp for Android, iPhone, or Business. However, to register this phone number in the WhatsApp Business API, you will need to delete the WhatsApp account associated with this phone number or use a different phone number that is not associated with the WhatsApp app.
Important!
If you delete your account, do not forget to make a backup copy of the dialogs from the app on your phone. Let's clarify right away that a backup copy of the dialogs is needed just in case. It is impossible to upload these dialogs to the system. The backup copy is relevant for the Android OS. In the case of iOS, the backup copy is deleted from iCloud along with the WhatsApp account.
Please also note that after deleting the account and connecting the phone number to the official WhatsApp, it will be impossible to return to using the app with the same number.
Once the account deletion is complete, you can proceed to register the number. You will receive an SMS with a 6-digit code or a voice call to verify the number.
Completing the module installation
Return to the RetailCRM interface to the module settings to add the created account. Click the Add account button again.
In the window that opens, you need to enter the phone number that you registered above in 360dialog and click Authorize.
Adding Information to Business Manager
You need to add information about your business in the "Business Information" section in the Business Manager settings. You need to specify the legal name, address, website and phone number of the company that you are going to use for messaging.
Important!
If this information is not added within 30 days, the number may be automatically disconnected from the API.
You also need to send supporting documents to Facebook to verify your business account. Without verification of your business account, as well as its name (which will be displayed to customers instead of a phone number), the account will be in a sandbox status, under which a number of restrictions apply (more details at the link).
Adding an additional number
You can add another number to WhatsApp Business in two ways:
- via the 360dialog personal account, by clicking on the button "Add a new phone number". A standard window will open for adding a number to the Business Manager.
- through the settings of the WhatsApp Business module, by clicking on the "Add account" button. An additional window will open where you need to specify your Facebook account details. Then click the "Add a new number" button.
Working with templates on the system side
Creating message templates provides users with a number of benefits and greatly simplifies the process of interacting with customers.
- Templates allow you to standardize text and media messages, which is especially useful when interacting with customers on a regular basis.
- Templates support the insertion of variables, allowing you to personalize messages, for example, to include the customer's name or other individual data.
- Using templates helps maintain a unified style of communication with customers, which improves the experience of interaction with customers.
- Users can easily edit existing templates without leaving the system and make changes according to the requirements and feedback from the provider.
Find more about creating templates in the system in the [corresponding article].(/Users/Administration/CommunicationSetup/MessageTemplate/CreateNewTemplateChat).
Additional useful information
If 360dialog support asks to register the Callback URL(the URL to which 360dialog sends its requests) on the system side - keep in mind that the module automatically registers the correct URL when connecting an account. There is no need to perform any additional actions.
The logic of message status processing is as follows. Error status (non-delivery of the message) does not come instantly. The module will save the message that failed to send in order to try to resend it. Resending is performed 9 minutes 30 seconds after receiving information about the unsuccessful first attempt to send a message. If the second attempt to send a message is also unsuccessful, the non-delivery status of the message will be displayed in Chats.
Module settings
If necessary, after connecting, you can change the channel name to make working in chats more convenient. This will help you avoid confusion in the chat list and clearly identify which channel each dialog is associated with. This feature is especially useful if you actively use several channels on WhatsApp. To change the channel name just click on the "pencil" icon.