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A template is a message model approved by Meta. It is the only kind of message a business can send to a contact outside the 24-hour window, for example to send an order update or to start a conversation.

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Anatomy of a template

  • Name and language: a template exists in one or more languages (fr, en_US…). You send it by name and language.
  • Category: UTILITY (transactional updates), MARKETING (promotions) or AUTHENTICATION (one-time codes). Meta prices conversations by category.
  • Header (optional): a text, or an image, a video or a document.
  • Body: the text, with variables such as {{name}} and {{order}}.
  • Footer (optional): a short text.
  • Buttons (optional): quick replies, a URL, a phone number, a code to copy.

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Manage templates in the dashboard

Open a WhatsApp number in Communication > Channels > WhatsApp Business and go to its templates.
  • Create a template: fill in the parts above and add variables to the body.
  • Publish it to submit it to Meta. It is PENDING until Meta approves (APPROVED) or rejects it (REJECTED, with a reason).
  • Sync pulls the templates created directly in Meta Business Manager, and refreshes their status.
  • Sample API Code shows how to send the template through the API.
Only APPROVED templates can be sent. Meta also tracks the quality of each template (green, yellow, red) from how contacts react to it.

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Send a template

  • From the dashboard: in a campaign to a segment of contacts, or from the Inbox when the window is closed.
  • From the API: POST /conversations with message.type template. See Send a template.

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Coming soon

A hosted template builder, so your own clients can create and submit templates from your product. See Coming soon.