Adding Templates for WhatsApp

To send broadcasts via WhatsApp, you can only use custom templates, so you need to create an operator template first, register it with Meta, and then create a custom template based on it.

Creating an Operator Template

An operator template is a text template for an operator (service provider) that includes the required syntax and regular expressions. You must first create an operator template and register it with Meta, and then you can use it to create custom templates to use for your broadcasts via WhatsApp.

To add an operator template for broadcasts via WhatsApp:

1. On the Settings > Templates page, click Add template > WhatsApp.
2. From the Sender(s) drop-down, select the sender’s name(s): this will be the name(s) that the clients will receive the messages from. The names reflected in this list are the names you specify for a WhatsApp channel in the Display name field. You can only select the sender’s name(s) of active channels.
   
   

3. Ignore the Template ID field: this is a system field; it will be filled in automatically upon saving the template.
4. In the Template name field, enter the name of the new template.
5. As the first template you create can only be an operator one, select the Operator radio button. After you register such a template with WhatsApp, you can create custom templates based on it and use them for your broadcasts.
6. In the Template text box, enter the text that you want to use for your broadcasts.
   
   WhatsApp allows using strings of characters in its operator templates. A string of characters is a placeholder, the values of which you will change as you need when setting up a broadcast. It can be both a text with any combination of words, numbers, symbols, punctuation characters, and spaces (except for the & symbol), and it can be variables used in edna. With variables, when the system sends the message based on this template, it fills in with a client’s name, their hobby, their pet’s name, or any other client’s information based on what you have as a variable and what you want to send in this message.
   
   To add such a placeholder to a template, click anywhere in the Template text box and click the <I> button – and the message will have a place reserved for your string of characters that you will define in a custom template later.
   
   It’s not obligatory to use a string of characters – but it can enhance your communication via broadcasts, making them more flexible.
   
   For example, you create a template text that looks like the following:
   
   
   
   Then, when setting up a broadcast based on this template, you can create several messages:
   
   • Dear Ms. Jackson, edna has been updated to version 1.5. For the details on the new features, go here: https://edna.io/news/version_1.5.
   • Mike, edna has been updated to version 1.6. For the details on the new features, go here: https://edna.io/news/version_1.6, and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to never miss an update and other important news.
   • Hi Han, we are happy to announce that edna has been updated to version 1.7. For the details on the new features, go here: https://edna.io/news/version_1.7.
   
   Regardless of what you add as your template text, you can see how it looks in the message preview box.

7. Once done with the template text, specify the template category and language in the Select a category and Select a language fields, respectively. These fields are mandatory.
8. If you need a header for your template, select the Add a header check box. Then, specify its type (text, video, image, or file) from the Header type drop-down and add its respective content.
9. Add a signature by using the Add a message signature check box. Specify the signature text in the respective field. The signature will be displayed below the message body.
10. For a more interactive message, add buttons to your template. The following options are available:
    • Chat buttons – Use this radio button to add buttons for which you can specify any values. These buttons will be displayed in the message sent based on this template, and once a client selects one of them, you will receive the selected response as a message from the client. For example, you can create buttons that say Yes or No, contain different quality survey options (for example, Great, Good, Bad), offer the client to select one of the available options to buy (for example, S, M, L), etc. You can add a maximum of three buttons.
      
      
    • Call-to-actions buttons:
      • Link button: Use this option to add a clickable link to your template. It will display as a link button below the message. The URL can be both fixed and dynamic.
        
        A fixed link is the same in every message based on this template. A dynamic link must have two parts. The first one is a fixed (invariable) part, you must enter it in this step. The second, final part of the URL can change for each broadcast created based on the current template and for each client as well, if necessary. To make the URL in the template a dynamic one, select Make the button URL dynamic. After a template with such button is registered, and you create a custom template based on it, you can add it in broadcasts. When using it in a broadcast, you will be able to specify the dynamic part of the link there.
      • Call button: Use this option to add a button that will use standard software for calls on a client’s device to call the number you specify.

This way, if you add a header, a message signature, and two types of buttons, it will look as follows:

11. Once done, click Save to save the template as a draft or Submit to send it to Meta for verification and registration.
12. If necessary, review the template status in the Status column on the Templates page. Once it’s registered with Meta, it gets the Active status, and you can start using it to create custom templates.

Template status

WhatsApp templates can have one of the following statuses:

• APPROVED — the template can be used to send messages.
• REJECTED — WhatsApp operator rejected the template during registration.
• PENDING — WhatsApp operator is reviewing the template.
• NOT_SENT — the template is a draft.
• PAUSED — WhatsApp operator temporarily disabled the template due to substantial number of user complaints. A template can be paused for 3 to 6 hours. While paused, it cannot be used for broadcasts. After that, the template status will be changed to either ACTIVE or DISABLED.
• DISABLED — WhatsApp operator disabled the template by due to substantial number of user complaints. To restore the template, you need to appeal. Send a request to our support to appeal against the decision.

Creating a Custom Template

After you create and register at least one operator template (that is, the operator template is in the Active status), you need to make a custom one based on it to be able to later use it for broadcasts.

To create a custom template for WhatsApp:

1. On the Settings > Templates page, click Add template > WhatsApp.
2. In the Sender(s) field, select the sender’s name(s): this will be the name(s) that the clients will receive the messages from. The names reflected in this list are the names you specify for a WhatsApp channel in the Display name field. You can only select the sender’s name(s) of active channels.
   
   
3. Ignore the Template ID field: this is a system field; it will fill in automatically upon saving the template.
4. In the Template name field, enter the name of the new template.
5. Select the Custom radio button.
6. From the drop-down under the Custom radio button, select an operator template you want to use as the basis for your new template.
   
   
   
   The Registered template text box fills in with the text of the selected operator template.

6. In the Enter text based on the template box, enter whatever text you want the message to contain. If there are strings of characters, you can either replace them with your own text, digits, etc., or enter a variable by putting your cursor where you want the variable to be and clicking the {} button. The {{Select a variable}} element appears. You can click it and select the variable you need from the drop-down that opens, as shown in the following screenshot:
   
   
   
   This way, when you send a broadcast based on this template, your clients will receive personalized messages as the system will replace the variable with each of the clients’ names.

7. Once ready, save the template. If necessary, review the template status in the Status column on the Templates page. Once it has the Active status, you can start using it in your broadcasts.