> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://agents.docs.timepay.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# WhatsApp

> Connect your WhatsApp Business Account directly through Meta's in-app signup flow to send messages, payment links, and follow-ups from your campaigns.

## Overview

timepay.ai is an official Meta Tech Provider, enabling seamless WhatsApp Business API integration directly within our platform. Connect your existing WhatsApp Business Account or create a new one — all without leaving timepay.ai.

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="98% Open Rate" icon="envelope-open">
    WhatsApp messages have significantly higher engagement than SMS or email
  </Card>

  <Card title="Rich Media" icon="image">
    Send images, PDFs, buttons, and interactive messages
  </Card>

  <Card title="Two-Way Chat" icon="comments">
    Customers can reply and continue the conversation
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## Integration Options

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Meta Direct Integration" icon="meta" href="#meta-integration">
    Connect or create a WhatsApp Business Account through our in-app signup flow. Recommended for most users.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Other Providers" icon="plug" href="#other-providers">
    Using Gupshup, Hapti, Interkat, or another provider? Contact our support team.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## Meta Integration

As a Meta Tech Provider, timepay.ai offers a streamlined in-app signup flow to connect your WhatsApp Business Account directly.

### What You Can Do

* Connect an existing WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)
* Create a new WhatsApp Business Account
* Register a new phone number for WhatsApp
* Manage message templates
* Send messages directly from campaigns

### Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have the following ready.

**For Existing WABA:**

* Facebook Business Manager account
* Admin access to your WhatsApp Business Account
* Phone number already registered with WhatsApp Business API

**For New WABA:**

* Facebook account (personal)
* Business details (name, address, website)
* Phone number not currently on WhatsApp (can be mobile or landline)
* Business verification documents (for higher messaging limits)

***

### Connection Steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Navigate to WhatsApp Settings">
    Go to **Settings** then **Integrations** then **WhatsApp** in your timepay.ai dashboard.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Connect WhatsApp">
    Click the **Connect with Meta** button to start the in-app signup flow.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Login to Facebook">
    Log in with your Facebook account that has admin access to your Business Manager.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select or Create Business">
    Choose an existing Meta Business Account or create a new one.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select or Create WABA">
    Choose an existing WhatsApp Business Account or create a new one.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Phone Number">
    Select an existing phone number or register a new one. You will receive an OTP for verification.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete Setup">
    Grant necessary permissions and complete the integration. Your WhatsApp account will be connected instantly.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  The entire process takes less than 5 minutes if you have all prerequisites ready.
</Note>

***

### Phone Number Requirements

When registering a phone number for WhatsApp Business API, keep these requirements in mind.

| Requirement         | Details                                                                |
| ------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Not on WhatsApp     | Number must not be active on regular WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app |
| Able to receive OTP | Must be able to receive SMS or voice call for verification             |
| Supported types     | Mobile numbers, landlines (voice OTP), or toll-free numbers            |
| Country support     | Most countries supported                                               |

<Warning>
  If your number is currently on WhatsApp, you must delete the WhatsApp account from that number before registering it with the Business API.
</Warning>

***

### Business Verification

To increase your messaging limits and unlock all features, complete Meta Business Verification.

**Benefits of Verification:**

* Higher messaging limits (unlimited tier)
* Official business account badge
* Access to all template categories
* Increased trust with customers

**Documents Required:**

* Business registration certificate
* Tax registration (GST, VAT, etc.)
* Utility bill or bank statement
* Business website or app

<Note>
  You can start sending messages immediately after connecting. Business verification can be completed later to increase limits.
</Note>

***

## Message Templates

WhatsApp requires pre-approved message templates for business-initiated conversations.

### Template Categories

| Category       | Use Case                                   | Approval Time   |
| -------------- | ------------------------------------------ | --------------- |
| Utility        | Transaction updates, alerts, confirmations | Usually instant |
| Authentication | OTPs, verification codes                   | Usually instant |
| Marketing      | Promotions, offers, announcements          | 24-48 hours     |

### Creating Templates

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to Templates">
    Navigate to **Settings** then **WhatsApp** then **Message Templates**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create New Template">
    Click **New Template** and provide the following information:

    * Template name using lowercase and underscores only
    * Category such as Utility, Marketing, or Authentication
    * Language
    * Header which is optional and can be text, image, or document
    * Body which is the main message with variables
    * Footer which is optional
    * Buttons which are optional and can be call-to-action or quick reply
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add Variables">
    Use double curly braces with numbers for dynamic content. For example, use `{{1}}` for the first variable, `{{2}}` for the second, and so on.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Submit for Approval">
    Click **Submit** to send the template to Meta for review.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Example Template

```
Template Name: payment_reminder

Body:
Hi {{1}}, your payment of Rs.{{2}} is due on {{3}}. 
Pay now to avoid late fees: {{4}}

Variables:
{{1}} = Customer Name
{{2}} = Amount Due
{{3}} = Due Date
{{4}} = Payment Link
```

### Template Status

| Status   | Description                                           |
| -------- | ----------------------------------------------------- |
| Pending  | Template is under review by Meta                      |
| Approved | Template is ready to use in campaigns                 |
| Rejected | Template was not approved - check reason and resubmit |
| Disabled | Template paused due to quality issues                 |

### Tips for Approval

* Avoid promotional language in Utility templates
* Include opt-out instructions for Marketing templates
* Use full URLs instead of URL shorteners
* Avoid excessive capitalization and punctuation
* Provide sample values for all variables
* Keep messages clear and professional

***

## Delivery and Analytics

Track WhatsApp message performance in your campaign dashboard.

### Delivery Statuses

| Status    | Description                          |
| --------- | ------------------------------------ |
| Sent      | Message sent to WhatsApp servers     |
| Delivered | Message delivered to customer phone  |
| Read      | Customer opened the message          |
| Failed    | Delivery failed - check error reason |
| Replied   | Customer responded to the message    |

### Metrics

| Metric        | Description                                       |
| ------------- | ------------------------------------------------- |
| Total Sent    | Total messages sent in the campaign               |
| Delivery Rate | Percentage of messages successfully delivered     |
| Read Rate     | Percentage of delivered messages that were opened |
| Reply Rate    | Percentage of messages that received a reply      |

***

## Other Providers

If you are using a different WhatsApp provider such as Gupshup, Twilio, MessageBird, Infobip, or others, we can help you integrate.

**Contact our support team:**

* Email: **[support@timepay.ai](mailto:support@timepay.ai)**
* Include your provider name and API documentation

Our engineering team will work with you to set up a custom integration.

<Note>
  Custom provider integrations typically take 5-10 business days depending on complexity.
</Note>

***

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Template not showing in workflow" icon="eye-slash">
    **Possible causes:**

    * Template not yet approved by Meta
    * Template language different from campaign language
    * Templates not synced

    **Solution:** Check template status in WhatsApp settings. Click Sync Templates to refresh the list.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Messages failing to send" icon="circle-xmark">
    **Possible causes:**

    * Invalid phone number format
    * Customer does not have WhatsApp
    * Template variables not mapped correctly
    * WhatsApp account disconnected

    **Solution:** Check error message in campaign logs. Ensure phone numbers include country code.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Low delivery rates" icon="chart-line-down">
    **Possible causes:**

    * Many numbers not on WhatsApp
    * Quality rating dropped due to spam reports
    * Template disabled by Meta

    **Solution:** Review your quality rating in Meta Business Manager. Ensure you have proper opt-in consent.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Template rejected" icon="ban">
    **Common rejection reasons:**

    * Promotional content in Utility category template
    * Missing opt-out option in Marketing template
    * Misleading or unclear content
    * URL shorteners used in message

    **Solution:** Review Meta template guidelines and resubmit with corrections.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Frequently Asked Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Do I need a Facebook Business Manager?" icon="facebook"> Yes, a Facebook Business Manager account is required to use WhatsApp Business API. You can create one for free during the setup process. </Accordion>
  <Accordion title="Can I use my existing WhatsApp number?" icon="whatsapp"> If your number is currently on the regular WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app, you need to delete that account first. The number can then be registered with the Business API. </Accordion>
  <Accordion title="How long does setup take?" icon="clock"> The in-app signup flow takes less than 5 minutes. You can start sending messages immediately after connecting. </Accordion>
  <Accordion title="What are the messaging limits?" icon="signal"> New accounts start with 250 business-initiated conversations per day. Limits increase automatically based on quality and volume. Verified businesses can eventually reach the unlimited tier. </Accordion>
  <Accordion title="Is there a cost for WhatsApp messages?" icon="credit-card"> Meta charges per conversation based on the conversation category and country. Pricing details are available in your timepay.ai billing dashboard. </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Create a Campaign" icon="bullhorn" href="/campaigns">
    Build a campaign with WhatsApp follow-ups
  </Card>

  <Card title="Workflow Builder" icon="diagram-project" href="/workflows/overview">
    Learn to design multi-channel workflows
  </Card>

  <Card title="SMS Integration" icon="message-sms" href="/integrations/sms">
    Add SMS to your communication channels
  </Card>

  <Card title="Contact Support" icon="headset" href="mailto:support@timepay.ai">
    Get help with setup or custom integrations
  </Card>
</CardGroup>