To activate the WhatsApp Business integration, you need a SpinOffice Pro or Enterprise license. Before you go through the steps below, first review the important points to note and the costs of the integration.
Step-by-step activation of WhatsApp Business
Complete the following steps in Meta Business.
- Create a Meta Business Suite account
Create a free Meta Business Suite account or log in with your existing account. - Create a Business portfolio
Create a Business portfolio to manage your business information, Facebook pages, Instagram accounts, and WhatsApp Business. Skip this step if you already have a Business portfolio that you would like to use. - Verify your business
Verify your business by uploading the required documents. If submitted, it may take 1-2 days for Meta to approve.
Your business must be verified by Meta before proceeding to step 6. So carefully monitor the status in your Meta Business account and, if requested, provide the desired information to complete this. - Add a WhatsApp number
In Business portfolio info, click on Accounts -> WhatsApp accounts in the navigation bar on the left. Click Add to add a new account.
When choosing a phone number, please keep in mind that:- Chat history and groups will be lost.
- The chosen phone number will only be available in SpinOffice as a WhatsApp number. It is not possible to use it simultaneously in WhatsApp web or mobile app.
- Enter the desired number you want to use and select Continue.
Go through the verification via SMS or phone call. The chosen WhatsApp number must be verified by Meta before proceeding to step 6. - Add a payment method
Add at least one valid payment method in Meta Business Suite and select it for WhatsApp Business.
Did you succeed? Then we will continue in SpinOffice.Important: all of the above must be completed successfully before continuing. We do not guarantee successful configuration if this is not the case.
- Start the configuration in SpinOffice
Log in to SpinOffice. Go to menu option Manage -> Integrations -> WhatsApp Business and click on Connect with Facebook.
A web browser will open. Allow a pop-up window to open. - Log in to your Facebook account
This is necessary to link the correct Meta account. Click Continue. - Link the Meta Business Suite account to SpinOffice
Select the Business portfolio you created in step 2 or choose an existing portfolio. Click Continue. - Select the WhatsApp number
Select the WhatsApp Business number from step 4 and choose Continue. - Confirm access to the WhatsApp number
SpinOffice wants access to the account and the conversations.
Choose Continue. - Your information is being verified
- Approved? Then the number is active!
You are now ready to use WhatsApp Business in SpinOffice. Close the configuration via Save. - Test the connection
In SpinOffice, go to Administration -> Integrations -> WhatsApp Business and click Test connection. The following message should be displayed. - Create your first WhatsApp template in Meta Business
To reach out to your customers, you need a pre-approved template. Create different templates in Meta Business Suite, under WhatsApp Manager. Accepted templates are immediately available and usable in SpinOffice. - Manage approved templates in SpinOffice
Go to menu option Administration -> Integrations -> WhatsApp Business -> Templates. Add merge fields for personalized messages. - Link users to incoming conversations
Determine which user(s) should receive incoming conversations. You can select multiple users; all selected users will see new incoming conversations in their Inbox and can pick up and answer conversation. Of course, it is possible to unlink users from a conversation. - Start a WhatsApp conversation with a contact in SpinOffice
Important: An outgoing WhatsApp conversation should always be started with a template (step 14). To start, go to the contact you want to start a WhatsApp conversation with, right-click on the (mobile) phone number and choose Send WhatsApp.
Select the desired template and fill in the required merge fields to send the template. Click the send icon to start the conversation.
Important points to note
- You can only start a WhatsApp conversation with an approved WhatsApp template. Once a customer responds, you can freely send messages for 24 hours without templates. If the contact does not respond within 24 hours, you must start again with a template.
- You do not need to use a template for incoming conversations.
- You create and manage templates in Meta Business Suite.
- You pay approximately €0.05 per started conversation to Meta.
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