The WhatsApp channel

Buzzeasy integrates to Buzzeasy directly through available META APIs, however, during channel provisioning in Buzzeasy, meta specific resources are required. This article will guide you through the whole process.

Meta Pre-requisites

Before adding your Whatsapp Bussiness account 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, navigate to https://business.facebook.com and click the Create account button.

Provide your organization's name, your name and your work email address.

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, navigate to https://developers.facebook.com and click the Log in button.

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

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

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.

Confirm your email address.

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, navigate to https://developers.facebook.com/apps/.

Click the Create App button.

Select the Business app type and click Next.

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

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

Select the Business account you wish to use with this application and Buzzeasy and click Create.

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 tearms 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.

Navigate to https://business.facebook.com

Ensure the correct business account you wish to use with Buzzeasy is selected.

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Click the Settings button at the bottom of the screen.

Now, click the Business Settings button, a new tab will open.

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

Click the Add button.

Read the Meta policies and click I accept, then click done.

Now, 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

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

Click the application you wish to use with Buzzeasy.

Now, expand the Settings section of your application. You will need to provide a privacy policy URL, an application icon and set the category to Messaging. Additionally, copy your App secret, you will need those for the Buzzeasy provisioning.

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

Click the Add Product button.

Find Whatsapp and click the Set up button.

Whatsapp Business Platform API page is shown, click the Continue button.

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.

To generate an access token, navigate to https://business.facebook.com/settings/system-users/

Locate your System user with Admin permissions.

Click the Add Assets button, 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.

Click the Generate New Token button.

Select the Application you will use with Buzzeasy.

Select the whatsapp_business_messaging and the whatsapp_business_management scopes.

Click the Generate Token button.

Click the hyperlinked token. Ensure these scopes are present: whatsapp_business_management, whatsapp_business_messaging, public_profile. If not, you missed an essential step.

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

Buzzeasy onboarding process

Navigate to the Buzzeasy Portal > Chat > Whatsapp and click the Onboard your Whatsapp Business button.

A modal is displayed. Ensure you have the correct pre-requisites configured, then click Next.

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

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

Now, navigate back to your meta application https://developers.facebook.com/apps

Expand the Whatsapp section and click Configuration.

Click Edit for the Webhook.

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

A success message is displayed. If an error is shown related to the verification, repeat the onbdoarding process, ensure your access token is correct and that your app secret is correct.

Now, click Manage.

Click the subscribe button for messages. Test and API version should be 15+.

Adding a phone number to your Meta App

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

  • Navigate to your Meta Application used in Buzzeasy.
  • Expand the WhatsApp section.
  • Click the Getting Started entry.
  • Scroll to the end of the page and click the Add Phone Number button.
  • Specify the Whatsapp business profile display name. This should be consistent with your branding and comply with Meta's guidelines.
  • Select your timezone.
  • Chose the category that best reflects your business.
  • Describe the whatsapp business account then click Next.
  • 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 here.
  • Chose how you wish to verify the number. You will receive a code through SMS or Voice call depending on your choice.
  • 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.

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

  • Navigate to your whatsapp manager
  • Expand the phone number and click the hyperlinked name. You will be redirected to another page. photo
  • 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.

Provisioning the Whatsapp channel in Buzzeasy

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

  • Navigate to the Buzzeasy Portal > Chats > Whatsapp.
  • Click the Create button.
  • Provide your phone number ID.
    • To obtain this, navigate to your Meta Application.
    • Expand the Whatsapp category and click the Getting started entry.
    • Select the number you wish to use from the list
    • Copy the Phone number ID.
  • Click Next.
  • Provide your channel name and your workflow, then click next.
  • Configure your Business hours and completion codes, then click Create.
  • Your Whatsapp channel is now created!

View consumption

Whatsapp provides 1,000 free convesation 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 Whatsapp 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