WhatsApp Business API Setup: Connect WhatsApp to Smart Business 360
Link your official WhatsApp Business account to Smart Business 360 Leads Inbox. All customer messages are directed into the platform and responded to by your sales team.
Audience: Administrator · Estimated Time: ~20 Minutes.
Before You Start (Required Meta Credentials)
Collect the following values from Meta. They are essential to configure and establish the API connection:
| Required Value | Where to Find it in Meta Business Manager |
|---|---|
| Phone Number ID | WhatsApp Manager → API Setup → ID beneath display phone number |
| WhatsApp Business Account ID | WhatsApp Manager → Account tools → Account overview |
| Display phone number | The customer-visible phone number, entered in international format (e.g. +923001234567) |
| Business display name | The verified business display name shown to customers on WhatsApp |
6-Step Webhook & API Integration Guide
Leads Inbox → WhatsApp → Settings.WhatsApp → Configuration → click Edit Webhook → paste Callback URL & Verify Token → click Verify and Save.messages event field. (Crucial: without subscribing to messages, verification succeeds but no customer conversations come in).Leads Inbox → WhatsApp in a few seconds!Coexistence Mode (WhatsApp App + Cloud API)
Introduced by Meta in May 2025, Coexistence Mode allows a single WhatsApp Business phone number to operate simultaneously via the WhatsApp Business mobile app and Meta Cloud API at the same time.
| Aspect | Operational Behaviour |
|---|---|
| Message Mirroring | Messages sent or received on either side (mobile app or ERP inbox) are mirrored in real time via webhooks. |
| History Sync | Up to the most recent 6 months of chat history can be synchronized automatically. |
| Cost — App Messages | Free of charge when sent via the mobile phone app. |
| Cost — API Messages | Charged under Cloud API pricing across Marketing, Utility, Authentication, and Service categories. |
Should You Enable Coexistence Mode?
| Enable Coexistence Mode When: | Leave Coexistence Off When: |
|---|---|
|
• Field staff already use WhatsApp Business app on mobile phones.
• You are migrating gradually and need a mobile fallback. • Some conversations are personal to one sales agent. |
• All customer messaging is handled strictly inside Smart Business 360.
• You require a single auditable channel of corporate control. • Clean reporting matters more than phone familiarity. |
Reconnecting and Disconnecting
| Action | When & How to Use |
|---|---|
| Reconnect | Use when API credentials are rotated in Meta or the connection reports error status. Re-validates stored credentials without losing conversation history. |
| Disconnect | Use when retiring the phone number or moving it to another company tenant. Stops incoming webhook messages while preserving existing thread history. |
Verifying a Healthy Connection
Three real-time diagnostic fields appear in the WhatsApp Settings screen:
- Last successful sync: Timestamp when the last API data exchange completed successfully with Meta.
- Last webhook received: Timestamp of the most recent incoming message event. (If customers message you but this timestamp is stale, check Meta app webhook subscription).
- Last error: Latest error code and message emitted by Meta APIs.
Message Templates & Policy Rules
Outside the 24-hour customer service window, you can only send pre-approved Meta message templates:
| Template Aspect | Policy Detail |
|---|---|
| Approval Requirement | Required from Meta against Meta Business and Commerce policies. |
| Approval Timeframe | Up to 24 hours for review. |
| Categories | Marketing, Utility, Authentication, Service. |
| Billing Model | Since July 2025, charged per template message delivered (not per conversation). |
Meta Business Portfolio Messaging Limits
Meta messaging tier limits are enforced across your entire Business Portfolio starting October 2025, NOT per individual phone number! Adding secondary phone numbers does not increase overall business message capacity.
Troubleshooting Integration Setup
Verification fails in Meta Console.
The Webhook Verify Token must match character-for-character between both systems. Verify token is case-sensitive.
Webhook verified, but no customer conversations arrive.
The Meta Developer app is not subscribed to the messages event field. Complete Step 5 in Meta App Webhook settings.
Conversations arrive, but agent replies fail.
Either the 24-hour customer service window is closed (send an approved template), or the Phone Number ID is incorrect in settings.
Status stays "Not Configured" after saving.
The connection credentials are saved but no inbound webhook event has been received yet. Send a test WhatsApp message from a personal phone.
Messages appear under the wrong company tenant.
Integration credentials are per company. Verify that the Phone Number ID and WABA ID are attached to the correct tenant.
Message template rejected by Meta.
Review template text against Meta Business and Commerce policies. Marketing-category templates are closely monitored for compliance.