This article describes how you can add WhatsApp social messaging channels to the Zendesk Agent Workspace. WhatsApp is a popular chat and voice messaging app with more than 1.5 billion users in over 180 countries. If you plan to use WhatsApp, you need the WhatsApp Phone Number add-on. For customers who purchased a Zendesk Suite account after Feb 1, 2021, this add-on is included at no extra charge from Zendesk, but WhatsApp usage-based charges may apply. See the WhatsApp pricing change announcement for more information and links to WhatsApp's pricing documentation.
Related articles
Understanding the methods for adding a WhatsApp channel
In most cases, you can use a self-service flow to add a WhatsApp channel to the Zendesk Agent Workspace. With the self-service flow, you can maintain ownership of your WhatsApp number rather than having Zendesk control it. To use this flow, you need to have access to your company’s Facebook Business Manager. If you are unable to get access to the existing Facebook Business Manager, you will need to create one, which can be done as part of the flow. See Adding a WhatsApp channel (self-service).
If you can't use the self-service flow to add a WhatsApp channel, you can use the assisted flow and provideZendesk Customer Support with control over your WhatsApp number. See Adding a WhatsApp channel (assisted).
Adding a WhatsApp channel (self-service)
To support WhatsApp social messages in the Zendesk Agent Workspace, you can add one or more WhatsApp channels to Admin Center. You must be an administrator to add WhatsApp channels. For more information about how to find the information required to add a WhatsApp channel, see Editing your WhatsApp business profile.
Topics in this section include:
The following video takes you through the self-service flow for adding WhatsApp to the Agent Workspace:
WhatsApp Zendesk Self-Serve (2:37)
Starting the set-up flow
Follow the instructions in this section to use the self-service process for adding a WhatsApp channel to the Zendesk Agent Workspace. If your WhatsApp business account has not been verified, you can only go through the self-service flow once. Adding additional numbers can only be done once the WhatsApp business account has been verified.
To add a WhatsApp channel via self-service
- In Admin Center, click the Channels icon (
) in the sidebar, then select Messaging and social > Messaging.
- Click Add channel and select WhatsApp from the drop-down.
- Click Continue with WhatsApp to open the WhatsApp set-up flow.
The set-up flow will ask you for the following information. Follow the instructions in the flow to add this information.
Action Description Authenticate to your Facebook profile This is your profile that's linked to your company's Facebook Business Manager. You can Continue with the existing profile or sign in to another account. Provide permission to share your WhatsApp business account and phone number with Zendesk. Zendesk needs this permission to host the number and connect it to the Agent Workspace. Select a Facebook Business Manager for your WhatsApp number. You can select an existing Business Manager or create a new one. Select the business account you want to share with Zendesk. You can select an existing business account or create a new one. A WhatsApp business account can hold up to 250 phone numbers. If you need to set up more numbers, create another business account. Set up your business profile See Editing your WhatsApp business profile for the type of information you need to provide in the profile. Set up your phone number If you don't already have a phone number set up, add a phone number and verify it.
If the business account you selected already has a phone number you want to use, click Cancel to skip this part.
- When you've finished the set-up flow, click Done.
- From the drop-down in the Admin Center channel configuration, select the number you’d like to activate and click Next.
If the number is dimmed and marked (pending) you will need to complete your Facebook Business Manager’s verification and wait for the phone number display name to be approved. Once you receive an email from Facebook that your business account and display name have been approved, restart the set up flow and follow the instructions to finish connecting your phone number.
- Assign a name to the new WhatsApp channel you are connecting, then click Add channel.
Use a name that makes it easy to identify the channel in the Channels list.
Adding the channel may take up to 5 minutes as Zendesk works to set up hosting for your new number. When the channel connects successfully, a Channel added message appears.
Finishing up
To successfully spin up your WhatsApp number there are a few things to double check:
- Has your Facebook Business Manager been verified?
Before your WhatsApp business account can be approved, your Business Manager will need to be approved as outlined above.
- Are you eligible to use WhatsApp per WhatsApp’s Commerce Policy and has your WhatsApp business account been approved?
This takes approximately 1-2 weeks. If you fall in the list of prohibited businesses, you will unfortunately not be able to use this channel.
- Does your selected display name align with WhatsApp’s guidelines?
If you don’t select a display name that falls within WhatsApp’s guidelines, you will end up delaying the launch of your WhatsApp number.
- Unlimited customer-initiated conversations.
- The ability to send notifications to 50 unique customers in a rolling 24-hour period, provided you have a Sunshine Conversations License.
- The ability to register up to two phone numbers.
- You cannot apply for an Official Business Account until business verification is complete.
Adding a WhatsApp channel (assisted)
Follow the instructions in this section to use the assisted process for adding a WhatsApp channel to the Zendesk Agent Workspace. You'll need to work with Zendesk Customer Suport to complete the process.
Topics in this section include:
Sending information to Zendesk
If you are unable to use the self-service set-up flow, you will need to default to the deployment ID set up flow. In these rare cases, before you can add a WhatsApp channel, you'll need to send some information to Zendesk. For details, see Information you need to send to Zendesk. We need this information so we can create a unique deployment ID for your WhatsApp channel. Make sure you have a unique deployment ID for each WhatsApp channel you want to add. Once you receive your deployment ID from us, you can set it up by adding a WhatsApp channel.
Starting the assisted flow
To support WhatsApp social messages in the Zendesk Agent Workspace, you can add one or more WhatsApp channels to Admin Center. You must be an administrator to add WhatsApp channels. For more information about how to find the information required to add a WhatsApp channel, see Editing your WhatsApp business profile.
To add a WhatsApp channel with assistance from Zendesk Customer Support
- In Admin Center, click the Channels icon (
) in the sidebar, then select Messaging and social > Messaging.
- Click Add channel and select WhatsApp from the drop-down.
- Click Link using a deployment ID.
- Enter your deployment ID, then click Next.
- Select a method to receive your verification code. Choices are SMS or Phone call.
The verification code will be sent to the phone number associated with your WhatsApp deployment ID.
- Click Send code.
- When you receive your verification code, enter the code on the Zendesk Add channel page.
- Click Connect channel.
When the channel connects successfully, a Channel added message appears.
Editing your WhatsApp business profile
When you add a WhatsApp channel in Admin Center, you can include business profile details for your account. These details are visible to your customers from WhatsApp.
Business profile details include:
- Channel name: Enter a unique name to identify the channel.
- Brand (for accounts with multiple brands): Select a brand to associate with the channel.
- Profile picture: Upload a profile picture. This picture appears in your WhatsApp business profile and in WhatsApp conversations.
- Description: Enter a brief description of your business. This information will appear at the top of your WhatsApp business profile.
- Enter more information about your business, including your business Address, Email, Industry, and Websites.
To add a WhatsApp business profile
- In Admin Center, click Channels.
- Locate the WhatsApp channel you want to edit and click to open it.
- Enter the business profile details about your WhatsApp channel.
- When you've finished adding these details, click Save.
Next steps
After you've configured your WhatsApp channel and edited your business profile, you can:
- Set up your agents to use the channel. See Getting started for administrators in the Zendesk Agent Workspace.
- Configure automatic responses to messages.
- Advertise your WhatsApp number.
6 Comments
Hello
Just wondering if the hosting for your WhatsApp phone number add-on is also required when configuring WhatsApp with the new agent workspace and social messaging enabled?
Over in the article Setting up your WhatsApp channel (standard agent interface) it says to contact your account manager about purchasing the add-on....but no mention in this article.
Reason for asking is that I have gone all the way through set-up (new agent workspace and social messaging enabled), selected my phone number (all approved by FB etc) but at the last step when I try to add it under channels in the Admin centre, I get an error message saying:
"Channel couldn't be added"
"Give it a moment and try again"
I've spent the best part of the day scouring FB articles (even went down this path) and Zendesk articles to no avail. I contacted support but kind of didn't help.
Only thing I can see is if I need to purchase the add-on but I have no idea how to see if it's required (or already purchased).
Thanks for any help.
Figured it out. I don't have the WhatsApp number add-on purchased on my account. All good !!
Do I need a WhatsApp API account or just WhatsApp Business number?
I want multiple agents to be able to be assigned to just 1 number.
I hope I'm making sense.
Hi Raj,
Thank you for your message. For this one, you will need a WhatsApp business number and having multiple agents for 1 WhatsApp number is fine.
If like us, you can't find the Messaging and Social under Channels, there is another guide. I suggest that you edit this article to include this link and explanation that it is a separate app that needs to be installed.
https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408828254362-Installing-and-setting-up-social-messaging-channels-standard-agent-interface-
Hi There
currently facing a challenge setting up the facebook account when doing the whatsapp integration with zendesk. was using the zendesk whatsapp setup wizard and got to this point.
note we have a created a facebook account and have a whatsapp business no.
Step 1 was completed we signed into facebook account via wizard to grant permission for the apps to talk to each other
Step 2 it asked to create a meta and whatsapp business account
after entering name, address n phone gave error would not let us proceed
an error has occurred while processing your request, pls try again later. which we did but still shows same issue
can anyone please suggest a solution to resolve this issue.
thanks in advance
Please sign in to leave a comment.