You can now connect your WhatsApp Business account to Chatway and manage WhatsApp chats from the same inbox you already use. With this integration, you can:
- Receive WhatsApp messages in Chatway
- Reply to customers from Chatway
- Start new WhatsApp conversations from Chatway
- Use your approved WhatsApp templates
- Manage multiple WhatsApp numbers
The WhatsApp integration can be used on all paid plans, including the free trial as well.
Do note that all the WhatsApp message costs, template costs, and other charges are handled directly by Meta.
You don’t need a WhatsApp Business account to get started. You can set up everything during the integration process inside Chatway.
- No existing WhatsApp number required
- No Meta Business account required
- We’ll guide you step-by-step to create and connect everything
Already have a WhatsApp Business account? You can connect it instead.
Step 1: Log in to your Chatway account and click your profile icon located in the bottom left.
Step 2: Click Integrations & Apps.
Step 3: Click on the “Connect Now” button under WhatsApp Business here.
Step 4: You’ll see this page. Please click the “Integrate with WhatsApp” button here.
Step 5: You’ll then go through the Meta connection process. During this process, you may need to:
- Log in with your Facebook account
- Select or create your business and WhatsApp Business account
- Add and verify your phone number
- Review and approve the requested permissions
Once the connection is complete, click the “Got it” button here.
Step 6: After the setup completion, your WhatsApp account will appear inside Chatway like this:
You can also connect more than one WhatsApp number by clicking the “Add another Number” button at the top.
Step 7: You can manage this connection or edit your Profile by clicking on these options under “Actions”.
Here’s how Chatway allows you to update your WhatsApp business profile directly by clicking “Edit Profile”.
Now, when a customer sends you a WhatsApp message, the conversation will appear in your Chatway inbox.
You’ll also see a WhatsApp icon next to these conversations so you can easily tell them apart from email or website chat messages.
You can also see which of your WhatsApp numbers received the message if you have multiple numbers connected.
Using WhatsApp templates
When you reply to a WhatsApp conversation in Chatway, WhatsApp follows a 24-hour messaging rule.
If the customer has sent you a message within the last 24 hours, you can reply normally or even send a template. If more than 24 hours have passed since the customer’s last message, you can no longer send a normal custom message. Instead, you can only reply using an approved WhatsApp template.
Note that templates can be created and managed in Meta only. After you create or update a template:
Step 1: Go to any WhatsApp chat to access the template selector.
Step 2: Once the templates are approved by Meta in your WhatsApp Business Manager, you can see and use them directly within the chat. For example:
Step 3: Some WhatsApp templates include variables such as a customer’s name, order number, or appointment date. When you choose one of these templates, Chatway may first ask you to map those variables.
You can connect each variable to your contact’s custom data, or enter a default value that will be used if that data is missing. Once you save the mapping, Chatway will remember it and automatically use it the next time you select that template.
Chatway also supports different types of WhatsApp templates. A template can include text, images, videos, documents, locations, buttons, and footer text.
Starting a new WhatsApp conversation
You can also start a brand new WhatsApp conversation from Chatway.
Step 1: Click the new conversation button.
Step 2: Here, you can start a new conversation by entering the recipient’s phone number.
If you have multiple WhatsApp numbers connected, you can choose which number to send the message from. Before sending the first message, select one of your approved WhatsApp templates.
That’s it. You can now manage all your WhatsApp conversations directly from Chatway.