WhatsApp Business API Channel Configuration

WhatsApp Business API Channel Configuration

Configuring WhatsApp Inbox Name

A WhatsApp Business API channel can be configured with a unique channel name.

Step 1: Navigate to Settings module > Click Inbox.

Step 2: Locate the WhatsApp and Click on it.

Step 3: Configure the Inbox name, which is the name that is used internally to identify the account.

Step 4: Click Done to update the channel configuration.

Managing Profile for WhatsApp Business API

If there is a need to make a change or check your WhatsApp Business API Profile, it can be done on the respond.io platform.

Step 1: Navigate to Settings module > Click Channels.

Step 2: Locate the WhatsApp Business API channel > Click Profile.

Step 3: If the profile hasn't been synced, click Sync Profile to obtain the latest WhatsApp Business Profile information from WhatsApp.

Step 4: You may edit the following information as needed:

Fields	Description
Profile Photo	Image shown as the profile picture of the WhatsApp Business Account. An image size of 640x640 is recommended.
About	The business's About text. This text appears in the business's profile beneath its profile image, phone number, and contact buttons - maximum of 139 characters.
Address	Address of the business. Maximum of 256 characters.
Description	Description of the business. Maximum of 512 characters.
Email	Email address (in valid email format) to contact the business. Maximum of 128 characters.
Vertical	Industry of the business. Must be one of these accepted values: Automotive Beauty, Spa and Salon Clothing and Apparel Education Entertainment Event Planning and Service Finance and Banking Food and Grocery Public Service Hotel and Lodging Medical and Health Non-profit Professional Services Shopping and Retail Travel and Transportation Restaurant Other The business vertical cannot be set back to an empty value after it is created.
Website	URLs (including http:// or https://) associated with the business (e.g., website, Facebook Page, Instagram). Maximum of 2 websites with a maximum of 256 characters each.

Step 5: Review the information and click Save.

Phone Number Information

• Quality of the phone number: Quality Rating of the phone number.

• Verified status of the phone number: ✓ icon will be shown if the phone number is verified.

• Messaging limit of the phone number: The maximum number of business-initiated conversations you can initiate using each of your phone numbers in a rolling 24-hour period.

Learn more about Phone Number Quality Rating and Messaging Limits here.

Metadata Received by Channel

Different channels provide different sets of Contact’s metadata to respond.io platform. You can obtain the following Contact's data from this channel:

• Phone number

• Phone number ID

• Profile name

• WhatsApp ID

Supported File Type

The file type supported by WhatsApp and the maximum file size for the type is as follows:

• Audio & Video (16MB)

• Document (100 MB)

• Image (5 MB)

• Sticker (100 KB)

For any unsupported file type or file that exceeds the maximum file size sent via WhatsApp, the file will automatically be turned into a URL link on the respond.io platform.

Limitations

WhatsApp Groups

Group Messages are not supported by WhatsApp Business API. Facebook has deprecated the development of this feature.

Voice Calls

WhatsApp voice calls are not supported by WhatsApp Business API.

FAQ and Troubleshooting

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.

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. Follow these steps to refresh the permissions:

Step 1: Navigate to Settings module > click 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.

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.

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.

How do I get my business name to be shown to my contacts on WhatsApp rather than my business number?

Standard WhatsApp Business API Accounts display the business number rather than the name. To display your business name to Contacts even if they haven't added your business to their address book, you will need a WhatsApp Official Business Account.

Official Business Accounts have a green tick next to the business name, and usually only large, high-profile businesses will be given this status. Learn more about how to apply for an Official Business Account here.