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It’s highly recommended that you start WhatsApp Cloud API with a verified meta business manager. However it’s not mandatory to do so. You can create a new meta business manager in the process if you don’t already have one. |
Prerequisites
Before you can start using WhatsApp Business API, you'll need the following:
A Facebook account.
Administrator access to your Meta Business Manager account. If you don't have a Meta Business Manager account, you can create one during the embedded signup process. also the meta business account must not be blocked (here you can see if there are any restrictions on your META business account)
Credit Card (Mastercard / Visa → No American Express!)
A phone number that can be registered as a sender. This number must not be connected to any WhatsApp account (private or WhatsApp Business API). You'll need access to this number to receive an SMS or a voice call for verification. If you have an existing account, you can find instructions on how to delete it here.
Video Instructions
In this video, you can find a step by step guide of how to set up WhatsApp Cloud:
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Sign in with Facebook
To start the process, log into the UChat platform, and navigate to the “dashboard” and click “WhatsApp Cloud” from the left sidebar, and click “ Connect WhatsApp Cloud” Button:
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In the popup window, login your facebook account or select the account that you already login in your browser.
Step 2: Create or Select a Meta Business Manager account
You can either select an existing Meta Business Manager account on which you have administrator permissions or create a new Meta Business Manager account. To create a new account, you will need to prepare the following information:
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Please note that the new created meta business manager will be “unverified”, you will be recommended to verify your meta business manager as soon as possible. You can follow the instruction here.
Step 3: Create WhatsApp Business Profile
1.Enter the name of your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)
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You can edit the description at any time, including after sender verification.
Step 4: Verify WhatsApp Business Number
Enter the phone number that you want to use as your WhatsApp business number. Please note this phone number can’t use any WhatsApp services.
Choose one of the following verification methods:
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you will be redirect to the screen below, and click “finish” button, you will be redirect back to UChat platform.
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Step 5: Complete registration your number
Once you’re redirected to UChat platform, you will see the screen below, and click “Sync Numbers” button:
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| Note |
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Before you send any template message to test or push your chatbot to live, connect your valid credit card to the billing section in WhatsApp Manager. Also, It’s risky to get your number/meta business manager account restricted if you don’t have a verified meta business manager account. |
Step 6: Do a quick connection check
Once the WhatsApp number is connected, you can click “Create flow” and create a simple flow in your main flow.
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If you done all the test, then your WhatsApp Cloud API is corrected connected.
WhatsApp Cloud Settings
UChat offer a few settings that can help you manage your WhatsApp API easily, if you click the 3 dots in the WhatsApp Cloud, and you will find the settings below:
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Health Check
Business Verification Status
Check payment method
Phone numbers
Message Templates
Catalog
Two Factor Authentication
De-Register number
Business verification process of BM(Optional)
If you have not completed the Business Verification process, you will be limited to associating with only two phone numbers and can have a maximum of 250 conversations per day.
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However, during this period, you can still test the service. Once your business has been verified, you can associate WABA with up to 20 phone numbers and the conversation limit will increase to 1000 per day.
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Check payment method
The first thing when you you do is to connect a valid credit card to your WABA numbers. If you haven’t connect to a valid card, and start sending WhatsApp template message, you will see the error below:
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Just just need to connect a valid credit card with your waba numbers.
You will need go to meta business manager and find WhatsApp account.
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And click “Payment Settings”
You can set your payment at https://business.facebook.com/billing_hub/payment_methods and see WhatsApp Payment Method.
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Health Check
If you click the health check, you will see the screenshot below:
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This will give you an overview of your phone number status, WABA status, Meta Business account status.
Phone numbers
A WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) needs a valid phone number that is dedicated to using the WhatsApp Business Platform.
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Message Templates
This link will redirect you to the WhatsApp template section in WhatsApp manager, and you can create & submit template directly in WhatsApp manager, and once the template is approved, you can go to UChat to sync the template back to UChat.
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You can also click “New Template” button in UChat, and then you can directly create and submit template right inside of UChat.
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Catalog
Businesses can enable Catalogs to share products with customers using Multi and Single-Product messages or showcase their products and services to their customers in the WhatsApp App, allowing them to browse through and add items to their cart without leaving the conversation, providing a seamless and convenient shopping experience.
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Check more information how to build a native WhatsApp ecommerce shopping experience here.
What are possible common errors in embedded sign up flow?
A. Business Manager Account Creation Errors
An error occurred while processing this request. Please try again later.
This is most unclear error that need further assistance. Business account creation could have failed due to various reasons.
==> If you got such error, please use an active Facebook account or contact Support for resolution.
You have reached the limit for the number of Businesses you can create at this time.
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Update WhatsApp Display name
Your business can change the display names up to 4 times in a 30-day period. Once the 30-day period is up, a new 30-day period begins and your businesses can again change the display names up to 4 times in this new 30-day period.
If you want to update your WhatsApp display name, you need to go to meta business manager, and go to WhatsApp manager
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Click the blue link and Select the phone number you wish to update the display name. and then click the “Edit” icon as per screenshot below
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In the Edit Display Name section, enter a new display name. Display names should have a relationship with your business and use branding consistent with external sources (e.g. your website).
Your display name will need to be approved by WhatsApp before an updated certificate becomes available. After this is approved, please re-register your number, and then your display name will be active.
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How to add extra phone numbers in UChat
You will need first to add the new phone numbers in your WhatsApp manager account from meta business manager.
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Meta have phone number limitations for WhatsApp manager. If you have reached the limits, you will need to contact meta to increase the limits. |
Once the new phone number is added into your WhatsApp manager account, you can go to UChat, and click “Sync numbers”
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Then you will see the new number added into UChat.
In the settings, you will first need to “Verify the phone number” and then “Register the number”
You can click “Verify the phone number” first.
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This option is only available for the new embed sign up. The old private app connection method don’t have such option.
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Then you can choose SMS or Voice to verify the phone number.
After the phone number is verified, then you can proceed the steps to register the number here.
How to migrate WhatsApp number to WhatsApp cloud in UChat
You can read the migration process below from meta directly.
What are possible common errors in embedded sign up flow?
Check meta offical common errors from here.
A. Business Manager Account Creation Errors
An error occurred while processing this request. Please try again later.
This is most unclear error that need further assistance. Business account creation could have failed due to various reasons.
==> If you got such error, please use an active Facebook account or contact Support for resolution.
You have reached the limit for the number of Businesses you can create at this time.
There is a limit to the number of Business Accounts that you can create.
==> Please use an existing Business Account or delete/close unused Business Accounts
Your Facebook account is too new to create a business account. Try again in an hour.
New Facebook accounts have to wait for some time to create a Business Manager account.
=> Please use an existing active Facebook account or wait for a few hours before using your new account. The new Facebook account can be actively used during the wait period.
We limit how often you can post, comment or do other things in a given amount of time in order to help protect the community from spam. You can try again later.
Your Facebook account was flagged because of suspicious behavior.
==> You need to use an existing, active Facebook account with no prior issues.
You're no longer allowed to use Facebook Products to advertise. You can't run ads, manage advertising assets or create new ad or business accounts.
You are unable to create new Business Manager accounts due to previous suspicious behavior.
==> Please use an existing Business Account or delete/close unused Business Accounts
Your Facebook account is too new to create a business account. Try again in an hour.
New Facebook accounts have to wait for some time to create a Business Manager account.
, active Facebook account with no prior issues.
Your payment account is disabled
Your payment account was disabled due to previous suspicious behavior.
==> Please contact Facebook to assist at here
A User Can Only Create One Business User At One Time
You can only create a single Business Account within a given time period.
==> Please use an existing active Facebook account or wait for a few hours before using your new account. The new Facebook account can be actively used during the wait period.
We limit how often you can post, comment or do other things in a given amount of time in order to help protect the community from spam. You can try again later.
Your Facebook account was flagged because of suspicious behavior.
==> You need to use an existing, active Facebook account with no prior issues.
You're no longer allowed to use Facebook Products to advertise. You can't run ads, manage advertising assets or create new ad or business accounts.
You are unable to create new Business Manager accounts due to previous suspicious behavior.
==> Please use an existing, active Facebook account with no prior issues.
Your payment account is disabled
Your payment account was disabled due to previous suspicious behavior.
==> Please contact Facebook to assist at here
A User Can Only Create One Business User At One Time
You can only create a single Business Account within a given time period.
==> Please use an existing Business Account to onboard.
The name you chose for your business isn’t valid. Consider using xxx.
==> Please add a valid name that matches the name of your business.
B. WhatsApp Business Account Creation Errors
User does not have permission to create WhatsApp Business Accounts.
You do not have the Admin level permission needed to create WhatsApp Accounts under the Business Account you selected.
==> Get Admin access to the Business Account to proceed or select an account you have Admin permissions for.
You can only create a limited number WhatsApp Business Accounts before your business and WhatsApp account verification is complete. You can create additional accounts after you are verified.
You tried to create multiple WhatsApp Business Accounts under an unverified business.
==> You can create additional WhatsApp Business Accounts only when Business Verification and WhatsApp account checks are complete. Start Business Verification for the account by visiting Business Manager.
We can't verify the Facebook Business Account that you selected. Go back to the previous screen to select a different account, or go to Facebook Business Manager for support.
The Facebook Business Account selected doesn't comply by our policies to use WhatsApp Business API and couldn't be verified.
==> Visit your Business Manager account to get more information about this Facebook Business Account. If your Business Verification submission is rejected, you should have received an email notification with the detailed reasons. You could try resubmitting your Business Verification if you think this was an error or create a WhatsApp Business Account using a Facebook Business Account that has already been verified.
Something has gone wrong. You will need to contact support and try again.
This could be an intermittent issue on WhatsApp.
==> You can retry the flow in a few minutesBusiness Account to onboard.
The name you chose for your business isn’t valid. Consider using xxx.
==> Please add a valid name that matches the name of your business.
B. WhatsApp Business Account Creation Errors
User does not have permission to create WhatsApp Business Accounts.
You do not have the Admin level permission needed to create WhatsApp Accounts under the Business Account you selected.
==> Get Admin access to the Business Account to proceed or select an account you have Admin permissions for.
This WhatsApp Business Account is not available to use.
If you see this error message, and you can’t select the WhatsApp business account you want. It is because one of the reasons below:
You don’t have the permission to manage that WhatsApp business account
That WhatsApp business account already managed by private apps or other platform
The solution to this issue is to apply for the admin permission for the WhatsApp business account or disconnect the WhatsApp business account from other platforms.
You can only create a limited number WhatsApp Business Accounts before your business and WhatsApp account verification is complete. You can create additional accounts after you are verified.
You tried to create multiple WhatsApp Business Accounts under an unverified business.
==> You can create additional WhatsApp Business Accounts only when Business Verification and WhatsApp account checks are complete. Start Business Verification for the account by visiting Business Manager.
We can't verify the Facebook Business Account that you selected. Go back to the previous screen to select a different account, or go to Facebook Business Manager for support.
The Facebook Business Account selected doesn't comply by our policies to use WhatsApp Business API and couldn't be verified.
==> Visit your Business Manager account to get more information about this Facebook Business Account. If your Business Verification submission is rejected, you should have received an email notification with the detailed reasons. You could try resubmitting your Business Verification if you think this was an error or create a WhatsApp Business Account using a Facebook Business Account that has already been verified.
Something has gone wrong. You will need to contact support and try again.
This could be an intermittent issue on WhatsApp.
==> You can retry the flow in a few minutes.
You have already linked the maximum number of phone numbers allowed for this business account. Delete a phone number to continue or request additional numbers.
By default, meta only allow maximum 2 phone numbers to one WhatsApp business account, if you need more numbers, you need to reach out to meta support to increase the allowed number limits.
According to meta policies: “Business portfolios are initially limited to 2 registered business phone numbers, but this limit can be increased to up to 20.
If your business has been verified, or if you open 1,000 or more business-initiated conversations in a 30-day moving period using templates with a high quality rating, we will determine if your API usage warrants a phone number limit increase.”
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Learn more about the phone number limits here.
C. Phone Set up Errors
This phone number already exists in your list of phone numbers.
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The name used for the phone number's business profile does not meet our guidelines.
==> Please reference the Display Name guidelines and try again.
Something has gone wrong. You will need to contact support and try again.
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==> Re-enter the correct Business Profile name according to the guidelines and other details.
D. Phone Verification Errors
Phone number ownership is already verified.
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