Initial setup

    Before you get started

    • If you're already using WhatsApp Business on a phone, you'll need to delete your account from there before you can link WhatsApp to Connect. You can't use WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp in Connect at the same time.
      • Make sure you've backed up your WhatsApp Business account and made a note of any important information or ongoing conversations. None of this data will be migrated to Connect.
      • We would advise completing most of this setup process first, then deleting your existing WhatsApp Business account just before you need to verify the phone number in the Meta developer portal.
      • You'll receive a verification code by text message or phone call, so you'll need access to the phone number you want to add.

    Note: WhatsApp configuration is only available to admin users. The configuration you set here will apply to all WhatsApp users in your organisation.

    1. Register as a Meta developer

    Tip: If you haven't already registered as a Meta developer, you can do so using your existing personal or business Facebook account.

    1. Go to https://developers.facebook.com/async/registration and follow the steps to register a developer account.

    Tip: For more detailed instructions on creating a Meta developer account, refer to this Meta support document.

    Note: the phone number you provide as part of registering your developer account should be your contact number, not the business number that you're planning to use with WhatsApp.

    2. Create a business app

    2. From the Meta apps dashboard, click Create App.

    3. Click Create app in the popup.

    4. Enter an app name (we suggest calling it Connect), and enter a contact email address. Click Next.

    5. Select Other and click Next.

    6. Select Business and click Next.

    7. Select the business portfolio you want to link WhatsApp to.

    If you're already using other Meta services, you should select the same business portfolio here. If you create a new portfolio specifically for WhatsApp, Meta will probably block access to it until you've sent them verification documents.

    8. Click Create app.

    3. Add the WhatsApp product to your app

    9. From your app's dashboard, click Set up on the WhatsApp product.

    10. If prompted, select the same business portfolio you chose previously, then click Continue.

    11. Back on your app's dashboard page, you should now see that the WhatsApp and Webhooks products have been added.

    4. Configure webhooks

    Tip: For the next few steps, you'll need to switch between the Meta developer portal and Conect to copy and paste various bits of information, so make sure you keep them both open in separate tabs or windows.

    12. Go to https://connect.cosoft.co.uk/apps

    13. Click Configure WhatsApp

    Note: If you're not set up as an admin in Connect, you won't see the Configure WhatsApp option.

    14. Copy the callback URL.

    15. Back in the Meta developer console, click Webhooks in the left-hand menu.

    16. Select Whatsapp Business Account

    17. Click Subscribe to this object

    18. Paste the callback URL that you just copied from Connect.

    19. Switch back to Connect and copy the verify token.

    20. Switch back to the Meta developer portal and paste the verify token.

    21. Click "Verify and save"

    22. Once the callback URL has been verified, you'll see a list of available webhooks.

    Scroll down and click Subscribe on the messages webhook.

    5. Add a system user and generate an API key

    23. Go to https://business.facebook.com/home/accounts in a new tab (this is a different URL from the Meta developer portal you've been using already).

    Click account the dropdown at the top-left.

    24. Click the settings cog next to the business portfolio that you're linking WhatsApp to.

    25. Click System users.

    26. Click Add

    27. Enter connect as the system user name and select Admin as the system user role.

    Click Create system user.

    28. Click Assign Assets

    29. Tick the Connect app you created earlier, then select Manage app under Full control.

    30. Click Assign assets

    31. Click Done

    32. Click Generate token

    33. Select your Connect app from the dropdown and click Next.

    34. Select Never for token expiry then click Next.

    35. From the Select permissions dropdown, choose whatsapp_business_messaging, then click Generate token.

    36. Click Copy

    37. Switch back to Connect and paste the API token that you just copied.

    Tip: In case you accidentally close the Connect tab before you manage to enter all the details, you may want to paste the API key, app secret and phone number ID somewhere temporarily as you generate them.

    38. Back in the Meta Business Suite tab, click Done.

    You don't need to do anything else in this tab, so you can close it now.

    6. Get your app secret

    39. Back in your Meta developer console tab, click Basic under App settings.

    40. Click Show next to the App secret field. You'll be prompted for your Facebook account password.

    41. Select the App secret value and copy it.

    42. Switch back to your Connect tab and paste the app secret you just copied.

    7. Add a phone number

    43. In the Meta developer console, click API Setup.

    44. Click the phone number dropdown, then click Add phone number.

    45. Enter your business details then click Next.

    46. Enter the phone number you want to use and click Next.

    47. If you get an error saying that the number is already registered, you'll need to follow Meta's instructions to delete it from the existing device.

    Tips

    • Please read the advice at the top of this guide about backing up your messages before you delete an existing account.
    • If you can't click the Next button, delete a digit from the end of the number and re-add it. That should reactivate the Next button.

    48. Once you've successfully verified the phone number, check that the new number is selected in the From dropdown, then copy the Phone number ID.

    49. Back in Connect, paste the phone number ID you just copied.

    Note: Make sure you enter the phone number ID that Meta gives you, not the phone number.

    50. Click Save

    8. Test the integration

    Tip: Once you've completed all the steps, the WhatsApp integration should be activated in Connect.

    Wait a few minutes before testing to allow all the new settings to fully sync.

    51. Click WhatsApp

    52. Send a message to your WhatsApp business number from another WhatsApp device. The message should appear in Connect.

    53. Type a reply and click send to check that messaging works in both directions.

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