This topic describes how to configure the Send WhatsApp Messages component. This component can send WhatsApp messages, and users can use WhatsApp specific functions to reply.
Component Information
Component icon
Component
Send a WhatsApp Message
Prerequisites
You can use an existing flow or create a new flow to go to the canvas page of the flow.
Go to the existing flow canvas page.
Yes Chat App Message Service Console > Process Editor > Process Management. Click the name of the flow that you want to edit. The canvas page of the flow appears.
Create a new flow to go to the canvas orchestration page. For more information, see Create a flow.
Procedure
Click the Send WhatsApp Message component icon on the canvas to view the component configuration section on the right.
Configure the component data as required. For more information, see configuration items description.
Click Save. In the dialog box that appears, click Save.
Parameters
available variables
By default, commonly used variables are created and displayed in the available variables section. You can use these variables when you orchestrate a chat flow. You can click Insert Variable to add a custom variable. After a custom variable is added, the variable is displayed in the available variables section. For more information about how to use available variables, see Use available variables.
Send Settings
You can select From/To or Reply Back from the Action drop-down list.
From/To
Sender Type | Usage notes | Example |
Phone Number | If you select Phone Number for the Sender Type parameter, you must configure the From Channel, From Phone Number, and To (Recipient) parameters. You must select a channel that is approved and a phone number that can receive and send messages as expected. You can enter the phone number of a recipient in the To (Recipient) field, or click Insert Variable to insert a defined variable or add a new variable. |
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Variable | If you select Variable for the Sender Type parameter, you must select a variable that specifies the phone number of the message sender from the From Phone Number drop-down list. You can enter the phone number of a recipient in the To (Recipient) field or click Insert Variable to insert a defined variable or add a new variable. |
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Reply Back
If you select this action, the WABA and number bound to the current process are used to reply to the user's uplink messages. No additional settings are required.
Message Settings
Message settings determine the types of messages to be sent, including text, media, interactive messages, product messages, and template messages.
Text
If you set Message Type to Text, the message is a plain text message. If you select Text from the Message Type drop-down list, you must configure the Content parameter. You can reference variables as the message content.
Media
If you set Message Type to Media, the message is a media message. The following media file types are supported: Image, Audio, Video, File, and Location. If you select Location from the Media Type drop-down list, you must configure the Longitude and Latitude parameters. If you select other values, you must configure the URL parameter.
The following table describes the types of and size limits on media files in a WhatsApp message.
Media | Type | Upper size limit |
Audio | ACC, MP4, MPEG, and AMR | 16 MB |
File | TXT, PDF, PPT, DOC, XLS, DOCX, PPTX, and XLSX | 100 MB |
Image | JPEG and PNG | 5 MB |
Video | MP4 and 3GP
| 16 MB |
Interactive
Interactive messages support two types of messages: Reply and List.
Message Action | Description | Examples |
Reply button |
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List |
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Product
Product messages include single-product messages and multi-product messages. Only one product ID can be added to a single-product message. However, you can add multiple product IDs to a multi-product message and group the product IDs.
When you configure the Catalogue ID and Retail ID parameters, you must enter the IDs provided by the Commerce Manager platform of Meta. To obtain the IDs, go to the Commerce Manager platform, and select your account and shop. In the left-side navigation pane, choose Catalog > Items to view the desired IDs.
Template
If you select Template from the Message Type drop-down list, you must configure the Channel and Template parameters. The WABA associated with the selected message channel and the selected message template must be approved. Click Preview to preview the template content.
Timeout Settings
You can turn on or off Enable Undelivered Branch and Enable Unread Branch based on your business requirements. After you turn on the switch, you can customize the timeout period, and configure the corresponding components in the branch for undelivered or unread messages. For example, when the timeout period fails to be delivered, the component is used to send messages by SMS.
Interactive Reply Settings
This method is applicable only to interactive messages.
Parameter | Usage notes | Example |
Enable branching based on interactive reply | After you turn on Enable branching based on interactive reply, branches are created based on the buttons or items specified in the interactive messages. You can add nodes to configure the branches. |
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Enable branching for interactive reply wait timeout | After you turn on Enable branching for interactive reply wait timeout, the not Replied branch is created to handle timeout issues. You need to configure a custom timeout period by configuring the Wait time for interactive responses parameter. If this switch is turned on and no node is added to the branch, the system continues with subsequent steps after a timeout. |
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Wait time for interactive responses | You can specify a timeout period by second, minute, and hour. After the specified timeout period is reached, the configurations in the not Replied branch will take effect. | - |
Custom Output Variable Name | You can specify a custom variable that is used to capture user choices. The custom variable will be displayed in the available variables section and can be referenced at any time in the subsequent steps of the chat flow. | - |
Advanced Settings section
Step and parameter | Parameter |
Enable Status Report | After you turn on Enable Status Report, you must specify a URL for receiving a status report. |
Track ID | The track ID is used to mark and track specific messages. |