The WhatsApp channel

Buzzeasy integrates to WhatsApp through available Meta APIs. However, the overall provisioning process consists of multiple steps in a specific order. This article will guide you in setting up both the Meta as well as Buzzeasy side resources.

Meta Pre-requisites

Before setting up your Whatsapp Business account for use with Buzzeasy, please make sure the following resources are created for your organization.

  • Meta Business Manager
  • Meta developer account
  • Meta Business application
  • Meta System User

Signing up for Meta Business Manager

To begin the sign up process:

  1. Navigate to https://business.facebook.com and log in with either a new or an existing Facebook account.

  2. Upon a successful login, click Create a business portfolio and provide your organization's name, your name and your work email address.

  3. Follow the instructions received. Meta will require you to verify your business as well as your identity if you haven't done so already.

Meta help page associated: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/1612355968988019

Signing up for a Meta developer account

A meta developer account is an extension of your existing Facebook account.

To begin the process:

  1. Navigate to https://developers.facebook.com and click the Log in button.

  2. You will be asked to provide your Facebook credentials, once complete, click the Get Started button.

  3. Read the Facebook Platform Terms and Developer Policies then click Continue.

  4. Verify your account by providing a valid phone number and typing in the code you received through an SMS. If you did not receive an SMS, click the Send SMS Again button.

  5. Confirm your email address.

  6. Select the category which fits you best. You are now ready to create your first meta application.

Related Meta help page: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/development/register

Creating a Meta Business Application

To create your first Meta application:

  1. Navigate to https://developers.facebook.com/apps/.

  2. Click the Create App button.

  3. Provide the application name, we suggest a distinctive name, such as "YourOrganizationName-BE"

  4. Confirm your email address. This will be used to communicate with Meta and receive notifications.

  5. Click Next then select the Other use case for the new app.

  6. Select the Business app type and click Next.

  7. Select the Business portfolio you wish to use and click Create App.

  8. Provide your Facebook password.

You successfully created your first Facebook application. At some point in the future, Meta will ask you to confirm your data checkup, simply accept the terms to dismiss the alert.

Related Meta Help page: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/development/create-an-app

Creating a Meta System User

To begin the process, follow these instructions carefully:

  1. Navigate to https://business.facebook.com and ensure the correct business portfolio is selected.

  2. Click Settings at the bottom of the screen, then click Business Settings.

  3. On the left hand side of the screen, navigate to Users > System users.

  4. Click Add.

  5. On the Create System user prompt, provide a System user name and ensure the System User role is set to Admin. This user will be used to generate access tokens described later on in this article.

Onboarding your Whatsapp Business to Buzzeasy

Before onboarding your Whatsapp Business to Buzzeasy you first need to configure your Meta Application.

Preparing the Meta Application for Buzzeasy

  1. Navigate to https://developers.facebook.com/apps/?show_reminder=true.

  2. Click the application you wish to use with Buzzeasy.

  3. Expand the App Settings section of your application and click the Basic submenu.

  4. Provide a Privacy policy URL, an application icon and set the category to Messaging then click Save changes.

  5. Copy your App secret, you will need it for the Buzzeasy provisioning.

  6. You may need to complete Business verification as well if you haven't done so already.

  7. Click Add Product.

  8. Find Whatsapp and click Set up.

  9. A newly available Whatsapp section appears on the left.

Generate an access token

Once your application is configured, it is time to generate an access token, this will be used in the Buzzeasy onboarding process.

  1. Navigate to https://business.facebook.com/settings/system-users/

  2. Locate your System user with Admin permissions.

  3. Click the ... (ellipses) and select Assign assets, then select Apps as the asset type and select your application. Make sure you set the control type to Full control, otherwise the user will not be able to generate valid tokens.

  4. Click Generate New Token.

  5. Select the application you will use with Buzzeasy.

If you do not set the Token expiry to Never, you will need to renew the token upon its expiry.

  1. Select the whatsapp_business_messaging and the whatsapp_business_management permissions.

  2. Click Generate Token.

  3. Copy the token and save it in a notepad, you will need this for the Buzzeasy onboarding process.

Buzzeasy onboarding process

  1. Navigate to the Buzzeasy Portal > Chat > Whatsapp and click Onboard your Whatsapp Business. A modal is displayed.

  2. Ensure you have the correct pre-requisites configured, then click Next.

  3. Provide your app secret obtained earlier and the system user access token, then click Save.

  4. Copy the Callback URL and the Verify token and save them in a notepad. You will need those for your Meta app, then click Done.

  5. Navigate back to your meta application https://developers.facebook.com/apps

  6. Expand the Whatsapp section and click Configuration.

  7. Paste the Callback URL and the verify token obtained from the Buzzeasy portal, then click Verify and save.

  8. If an error is shown related to the verification, repeat the onboarding process, ensure your access token is correct and that your app secret is correct.

  9. Enable the toggle next to the Messages field. The version presented should be v22.0 or later.

  10. Click Test then Send to server. A success message should appear in the bottom corner.

Adding a phone number to your Meta App

To add a phone number to your Meta application, follow these steps.

  1. Navigate to your Meta Application used in Buzzeasy.

  2. Expand the WhatsApp section.

  3. Click API Setup.

  4. Scroll to the end of the page and click Add Phone Number.

  5. Specify the Whatsapp business profile display name. This should be consistent with your branding and comply with Meta's guidelines.

  6. Select your timezone.

  7. Chose the category that best reflects your business.

  8. Describe the whatsapp business account then click Next.

  9. Provide the phone number you wish to use. Please note that existing whatsapp numbers must be migrated to Whatsapp Business.

Learn more about the process from Meta's official documentation.

  1. Chose how you wish to verify the number. You will receive a code through SMS or Voice call depending on your choice.

  2. Follow the on-screen instructions. Meta verification will be required, this usually takes from 30 minutes to 2 days depending on Meta's availability. Once the phone number is verified, you will be able to use it in Buzzeasy.

Note

You can disregard any warnings that appear about missing payment methods. However, you need to add payment methods to be able to initiate outbound chat messages, which is currently not supported with Buzzeasy.

You may customize the whatsapp business account and obtain a verification badge by following these steps.

  • Navigate to your whatsapp manager

  • On the Overview menu, expand your Whatsapp account name and click the hyperlinked name. You will be taken to the Phone numbers menu.

  • Here, you may change your profile photo, description as well as the category. You may provide additional business details or request an official verified badge.

Tip

If your phone number is stuck in the Pending status, try following these steps:

  1. Open the WhatsApp Manager: https://business.facebook.com/wa/manage/ or https://business.facebook.com/latest/whatsapp_manager/overview/.
  2. Choose your added phone number and note that it is in Pending status.
  3. Navigate to https://developers.facebook.com/apps/.
  4. Choose your app and go to Whatsapp > API Setup.
  5. Click Generate access token.
  6. Sign in / continue with your Facebook account.
  7. Select the Opt in to all current and future WhatsApp Accounts option and click Continue.
  8. Check back at the WhatsApp Manager for the number's status

Provisioning the WhatsApp channel in Buzzeasy

Once you completed the above steps, provisioning the WhatsApp channel in Buzzeasy is easy.

  1. Navigate to the Buzzeasy Portal > Chats > WhatsApp.

  2. Click the Create button.

  3. Provide your phone number ID.

    • To obtain this, navigate to your Meta Application.

    • Expand the WhatsApp category and click API Setup.

    • Select the number you wish to use from the list.

    • Copy the Phone number ID.

  4. Click Next.

  5. Provide your channel name, your workflow, business unit and categorization rule, then click Next.

  6. Configure your Business hours and completion codes, then click Create.

Your WhatsApp Buzzeasy channel is now ready!

View consumption

WhatsApp provides 1,000 free conversation per month. Once you reach this threshold, Meta will charge you based on your region and the price per conversation they have for that given region.

A conversation in the realm of WhatsApp lasts 24 hours, as such, if the Buzzeasy agent terminates the conversation early and the same customer initiates a new conversation again, it will not use another Whatsapp conversation, because the 24 hours window was not closed.

To view your consumption, navigate to WhatsAap Manager.

At a glance, you can view your consumption and accumulated costs for each WhatsApp account here.

You may click a phone number to view additional insights.

Once you reach the 1,000 free conversation threshold, Meta will stop delivering conversations to Buzzeasy unless you add your payment details.

To add your payment details, follow these steps:

  • Navigate to your business manager.
  • Select the Whatsapp account you wish to add a payment method for.
  • Click the Settings tab.
  • Click the Payment settings button.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to add your payment details.

You may view payment in EURO here.

Additional currency options as well as further information can be found in the META official documentation here.

Please note that these costs are not associated with Buzzeasy in any way, additional Buzzeasy costs may apply based on your license and traffic.

WhatsApp feature support

Buzzeasy supports the following WhatsApp features:

Feature Support
WhatsApp user initiated messaging ✔
Agent initiated messaging ❌
Quick replies ✔
Images: jpeg, png ✔
Emojis ✔
Read recipients ❌
Audio calling ❌
Video calling ❌
Documents Under review
Video mp4 ✔
Stickers Under review