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Send an approved WhatsApp template from an automation
The Send a WhatsApp template step sends a WhatsApp Cloud template approved by Meta, so it arrives even outside the 24-hour window. You fill the template’s variables from the record’s data.
Before you start · 2 things · for owners and managersA WhatsApp Cloud line, an approved template
Before you start · 2 things · for owners and managers
A WhatsApp Cloud line, an approved template
- You need: The permission to edit workflows
- A WhatsApp Cloud line.
- An approved template: Create a message template and get it approved by Meta.
Steps
1
Press Add a step and choose Send a WhatsApp template.
2
Choose the line, then the template under Template.
3
Under Fill in the blanks, fill each blank of the template with a fixed value or a detail of the record.
4
Under Send to, choose the recipient: the mobile field in the trigger record, or a number in a linked record or one you found.
5
Try it with a Practice run.
How it works
The chat is always linked to the trigger record.
The template’s quick reply buttons are copied when you choose it, and a Wait for a reply step can route by them.
If a required variable is empty, the send is refused.
The template is never sent twice.
If something goes wrong
What you see
Why
What to do
“No template chosen”
The step has no template.
Choose a template.
“The template doesn’t exist”
The template was deleted.
Choose another template.
“The template is approved on another WhatsApp number”
The template isn’t for the chosen line.
Choose the right line, or its template.
“The template isn’t approved by Meta yet”
It’s under review.
Wait, or choose another template.
“The template isn’t available”
It was rejected or paused.
Choose another template.
“Choose the template again”
An old step where the template name was typed by hand.
Choose the template from the library.
A real example
Basma Clinics
The situation
The reminder must reach even a patient who hasn’t written in a month.
What they did
- A date reminder 1 day before.
- Send a WhatsApp template “Appointment reminder”, filling in the name and the time.
The result
The reminder reaches every patient, whatever their last chat was.
A made-up company, to show the idea. The numbers are rounded.
Good to know
A template that’s not approved, rejected or paused stops the automation from turning on, but it doesn’t stop you from saving it while it’s off.
Did this guide solve it?
If not, we’ll ask what was missing.