WhatsApp Business Integration

Learn how to connect WhatsApp Business to ReplyDock and configure API access.

WhatsApp Business Integration

Connect your WhatsApp Business account to ReplyDock to manage customer conversations from WhatsApp in your centralized dashboard.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

  • A WhatsApp Business Account (not personal WhatsApp)
  • A Facebook Business Manager account
  • Admin access to both accounts
  • A ReplyDock account with Admin permissions
  • A verified business phone number

Overview

WhatsApp Business integration uses the WhatsApp Business API (Cloud API) provided by Meta. This guide covers two methods:

  1. Quick Setup - Using ReplyDock's guided integration (recommended)
  2. Manual Setup - For advanced users or custom deployments

Method 1: Quick Setup (Recommended)

Step 1: Start Integration

  1. Log in to your ReplyDock dashboard
  2. Navigate to Settings → Integrations
  3. Click on the WhatsApp Business card
  4. Click Connect WhatsApp Business

Step 2: Connect Facebook Account

  1. You'll be redirected to Facebook's authorization page
  2. Log in with your Facebook Business Manager credentials
  3. Select the Facebook Business Account you want to use
  4. Review and accept the permissions:
    • Manage WhatsApp Business accounts
    • Send and receive WhatsApp messages
    • Access business profile information
  5. Click Continue

Step 3: Select WhatsApp Business Account

  1. Choose your WhatsApp Business Account from the list
  2. Select the phone number you want to connect
  3. Verify the phone number is correctly displayed
  4. Click Confirm

Step 4: Configure Message Settings

  1. Set up your business profile:
    • Business name
    • Business description
    • Profile photo
    • Business category
  2. Configure automated messages:
    • Greeting message: Sent when customers first message you
    • Away message: Sent when your team is offline
    • Quick replies: Pre-configured response buttons
  3. Click Save & Continue

Step 5: Test Your Connection

  1. Send a test message to your WhatsApp Business number
  2. Verify it appears in your ReplyDock inbox
  3. Reply to the test message from ReplyDock
  4. Confirm the reply is delivered to WhatsApp

Method 2: Manual Setup (Advanced)

For self-hosted deployments or custom integrations, you can manually configure WhatsApp API access.

Step 1: Create a Meta App

  1. Go to Meta for Developers
  2. Click My Apps → Create App
  3. Select Business as the app type
  4. Fill in app details:
    • App name: "ReplyDock WhatsApp Integration"
    • App contact email: your-email@company.com
    • Business Account: Select your Facebook Business Manager
  5. Click Create App

Step 2: Add WhatsApp Product

  1. In your app dashboard, click Add Product
  2. Find WhatsApp and click Set Up
  3. Select Cloud API (not On-Premises API)
  4. Click Get Started

Step 3: Get Your API Credentials

  1. Navigate to WhatsApp → API Setup
  2. Copy the following credentials:
    • Phone Number ID: Found under "Phone number ID"
    • WhatsApp Business Account ID: Found under "WhatsApp Business Account ID"
  3. Generate an access token:
    • Click Generate Token
    • Select your app and required permissions
    • Copy the Temporary Access Token (valid for 24 hours)

Step 4: Create a System User (Permanent Token)

For production use, create a permanent access token:

  1. Go to Facebook Business Manager
  2. Navigate to Business Settings → Users → System Users
  3. Click Add and create a new system user:
    • Name: "ReplyDock API User"
    • Role: Admin
  4. Click Add Assets
  5. Select your WhatsApp app and grant full control
  6. Generate a token:
    • Click Generate New Token
    • Select your app
    • Choose permissions:
      • whatsapp_business_management
      • whatsapp_business_messaging
    • Set token expiration (60 days or Never)
  7. Copy and securely store the Permanent Access Token

Step 5: Configure Webhook

Set up a webhook to receive incoming WhatsApp messages:

  1. In your Meta app, go to WhatsApp → Configuration
  2. Click Edit in the Webhook section
  3. Enter your webhook URL: 
    https://your-replydock-instance.com/api/webhooks/whatsapp
  4. Enter a Verify Token (create a random secure string)
  5. Click Verify and Save
  6. Subscribe to webhook fields:
    • messages - Receive incoming messages
    • message_template_status_update - Template status updates

Step 6: Add Credentials to ReplyDock

  1. In ReplyDock, go to Settings → Integrations → WhatsApp
  2. Click Manual Configuration
  3. Enter your credentials:
    • Phone Number ID: Your Phone Number ID from Step 3
    • Business Account ID: Your WhatsApp Business Account ID
    • Access Token: Your permanent access token from Step 4
    • Verify Token: The verify token you created in Step 5
  4. Click Save Configuration
  5. Click Test Connection to verify

Step 7: Register Your Phone Number

Before you can send messages, you must verify your business phone number:

  1. In Meta App dashboard, go to WhatsApp → API Setup
  2. Click Add Phone Number
  3. Enter your business phone number
  4. Select verification method:
    • SMS: Receive a code via text
    • Voice: Receive a code via phone call
  5. Enter the verification code
  6. Complete business verification (if required)

Step 8: Configure Message Templates

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

Creating a Template

  1. In Meta App, go to WhatsApp → Message Templates
  2. Click Create Template
  3. Fill in template details:
    • Template name: Use lowercase, underscores (e.g., order_confirmation)
    • Category: Select appropriate category (Marketing, Utility, Authentication)
    • Language: Choose your primary language
  4. Add template content:
    • Header (optional): Text, image, or document
    • Body: Your message text (use {{1}}, {{2}} for variables)
    • Footer (optional): Additional info
    • Buttons (optional): Call-to-action or quick reply buttons
  5. Click Submit for review

Templates typically take 24-48 hours for approval.

Using Templates in ReplyDock

  1. Navigate to Settings → WhatsApp → Message Templates
  2. Click Sync Templates to import approved templates
  3. When starting a new conversation with a customer, select a template
  4. Fill in any required variables
  5. Send the message

Step 9: Set Up Auto-Responses

Configure automated messages for common scenarios:

Greeting Message

  1. Go to Settings → WhatsApp → Auto-Responses

  2. Enable Greeting Message

  3. Customize your welcome message:

    Hi! 👋

Thanks for reaching out.
How can we help you today?

  4. Set trigger: "First message from new contact"

  5. Save changes

Away Message

  1. Enable Away Message

  2. Set your offline hours

  3. Customize the message:

    Thanks for your message! Our team is currently offline.

Business hours: Monday-Friday, 9 AM - 6 PM EST
We'll respond within 24 hours.

  4. Save changes

Step 10: Configure Message Routing

Set up how WhatsApp messages are assigned to your team:

  1. Navigate to Settings → Integrations → WhatsApp → Routing
  2. Choose routing strategy:
    • Round Robin: Distribute evenly across available agents
    • Load Balanced: Assign to agents with fewest active conversations
    • Skill-Based: Route based on tags or keywords
  3. Set default assignee for unmatched messages
  4. Configure business hours and after-hours handling
  5. Save routing rules

Troubleshooting

Messages Not Appearing in ReplyDock

  • Verify webhook is correctly configured and receiving events
  • Check that your access token is valid and not expired
  • Ensure Phone Number ID is correctly entered in ReplyDock
  • Verify webhook subscription includes messages field

Cannot Send Messages to Customers

  • Template Required: For the first message in a conversation, you must use an approved template
  • 24-Hour Window: After a customer messages you, you have 24 hours to reply freely without a template
  • Token Expired: Regenerate your access token if needed
  • Phone Number Not Verified: Complete phone number verification in Meta App

Template Rejected

  • Review WhatsApp's Business Policy
  • Avoid promotional language in Utility templates
  • Use proper grammar and formatting
  • Include opt-out information for Marketing templates

Webhook Verification Failed

  • Double-check the verify token matches exactly
  • Ensure your webhook URL is publicly accessible (not localhost)
  • Check webhook endpoint is responding with correct challenge token
  • Review server logs for error messages

Security Best Practices

  • Protect access tokens: Never commit tokens to version control
  • Use system user tokens: Avoid using personal Facebook account tokens
  • Rotate tokens regularly: Update access tokens every 60 days
  • Enable two-factor authentication: Secure your Meta and Facebook accounts
  • Monitor API usage: Set up alerts for unusual activity
  • Limit permissions: Only grant necessary WhatsApp permissions

Compliance & Best Practices

WhatsApp Business Policy

  • Obtain consent: Only message customers who have opted in
  • Respect opt-outs: Honor customer unsubscribe requests immediately
  • Be transparent: Clearly identify your business in messages
  • Quality matters: Maintain high message quality to avoid rate limiting

Data Privacy

  • Customer conversations are end-to-end encrypted
  • ReplyDock does not store message content on external servers
  • Comply with GDPR, CCPA, and local data protection laws
  • Include privacy policy link in your business profile

Rate Limits

WhatsApp enforces messaging limits based on your phone number's quality rating:

| Quality Rating | Daily Message Limit | | -------------- | ------------------- | | High | Unlimited | | Medium | 10,000 messages | | Low | 1,000 messages |

Maintain high quality by:

  • Responding promptly to customer messages
  • Avoiding spam or excessive promotional content
  • Keeping conversation blocks below 2%
  • Using approved message templates

Next Steps

Need Help?

Pro Tip: Start with a single phone number and test thoroughly before scaling to multiple numbers or high-volume messaging.