Using WhatsApp template messages to bypass the 24-hour rule

If you want to bypass the 24-hour rule by WhatsApp, you can send WhatsApp template messages to your end-users, as long as they have already reached out to your business by opening a ticket via WhatsApp.

This article covers the following topics:

• Requirements
• Creating and submitting WhatsApp template messages via the WhatsApp Business account UI
• Using shorthand syntax to send WhatsApp template messages
• Using Sunshine Conversations API to send WhatsApp template messages
• Troubleshooting WhatsApp templates

Requirements

To submit and send WhatsApp template messages to end-users, you must have at least one phone number connected to the WhatsApp Business API. If you haven't already done this, then complete the self-service process to create your WhatsApp Business account and to connect a phone number to it (see Adding WhatsApp channels to the Zendesk Agent workspace).

Creating and submitting WhatsApp template messages via the WhatsApp business account UI

After you've connected your phone number to the WhatsApp Business API, you can create and submit WhatsApp template messages within the WhatsApp Business account UI (see Meta Business templates). For more information about the process, see Meta's documentation, Create message templates for your WhatsApp Business account.

If you submit a WhatsApp template message with a variable, parameter, and/or media, you must submit the actual content as a sample, otherwise WhatsApp will reject it.

The sample of a variable must be clear, general, and understood by all, for example:

“Hi {{1}},
Welcome to the {{2}}, we wish you a great stay. If you need anything, feel free to reach out to {{3}} and they’ll be happy to assist you.
Have a great day,”

In this example, the variables are:

{{1}} The end-user name

{{2}} The hotel name

{{3}} The team name

WhatsApp can take anywhere from one minute - five business days to provide an update.

Important: Only Meta can approve or reject WhatsApp template messages, Zendesk does not control this approval process.

Using shorthand syntax to send WhatsApp template messages

Use shorthand syntax to bypass the 24-hour rule by WhatsApp when a WhatsApp end-user has reached out to your WhatsApp Business number and a ticket has been created.

Note: You cannot use shorthand syntax to send proactive WhatsApp templates to end-users who have never reached out to your business. You need to use the Sunshine Conversations Notification API for this.

Bypassing the WhatsApp 24 hour rule

If you can't reply to a message sent via WhatsApp within 24 hours, consider bypassing the WhatsApp 24 hour rule so you can still reply later.

To bypass the WhatsApp 24 hour rule

1. An end-user has messaged your business and opened a ticket.
2. Use Sunshine Conversations shorthand syntax (see Sunshine conversations WhatsApp).
3. After the WhatsApp template message is approved, create a macro to send the WhatsApp template message to end-users who have already opened a ticket.
   Here are two examples of how to create the content of the macro:

   &((namespace=[[namespace]] template=[[template]] fallback=[[text_fallback]] language=[[language]] body_text=[[param_1]]))&

   or

   &((
    namespace=[[namespace]]
    template=[[template]]
    fallback=[[fallback]]
    language=[[language]]
    body_text=[[param_1]]
   ))&

   • namespace - the unique ID for your WhatsApp Business account. You can find your namespace on the toolbar of your WhatsApp Business account, click Namespace.

     

   • template - enter a name for your template.
   • language - for the language code, see Supported languages in the Meta for developers documentation.
4. Thoroughly test the functionality of each WhatsApp template message macro, before deploying to production.
   Note: WhatsApp template message content is not reconstructed within the ticket after you have sent it (it appears only as shorthand syntax to the agent). However, your end-users will see the content of the WhatsApp template message.

Testing your macro functionality

To test text without variables

1. Create a macro.
2. Under Actions, paste the following example in the Rich content field and insert the relevant information for your namespace, template, fallback text, and language.

   &((namespace=[[namespace]] template=[[template]] fallback=[[text_fallback]] language=[[language]]))&

To test text with variables

1. Create a macro.
2. Under Actions, paste the following example in the Rich content field and insert the relevant information for your namespace, template, fallback text, language, and for example the ticket requester’s first name.

   &((namespace=[[namespace]] template=[[template]] fallback=[[text_fallback]] language=[[language]] body_text=[[ticket.requester.first_name]]))&

To test text with variables and a media image

1. Create a macro.
2. Under Actions, paste the following example in the Rich content field and insert the relevant information for your namespace, template, fallback text, language, and for example the URL location of the header image.

   &((namespace=[[namespace]] template=[[template]] fallback=[[text_fallback]] language=[[language]] header_image=[[image_location]] 
   body_text=[[param_1]] body_text=[[param_2]]))&

To test text with quick reply buttons

1. Create a macro.
2. Under Actions, paste the following example in the Rich content field and insert the relevant information for your namespace, template, fallback text, language, and for example the content of your buttons.

   &((namespace=[[namespace]] template=[[template]] fallback=[[text_fallback]] language=[[language]] button_index=[[0]] button_payload=[[<paste the content>]] button_index=[[1]] button_payload=[[<paste the content>]] ))&

To test text with variables, media, and buttons

1. Create a macro.
2. Under Actions, paste the following example in the Rich content field and insert the relevant information for your namespace, template, fallback text, language, and for example the URL location of the header image, two different types of body text, the button index, and the URL location of the button.

   &((namespace=[[namespace]] template=[[two_variable_media_buttons]] fallback=[[text_fallback]] language=[[language]] 
   header_document=[[document_location]] body_text=[[param_1]] body_text=[[param_2]] button_index=[[1]] button_url=[[url]]))&

Using Sunshine conversations API to send WhatsApp template messages

If the end-user has not yet messaged your business, you can still send an outbound message to them by using the Notifications API feature, see the How to start conversations section of Sunshine Conversations: WhatsApp. You or your Engineering team can do this by using the Sunshine Conversations API.

Troubleshooting WhatsApp templates

WhatsApp rejected my WhatsApp template

To find out why your template was rejected, click the template. Depending on the reason for rejection, you can either edit the body, the variable, and the media of your WhatsApp template message, or appeal the decision. However, if your template keeps being rejected, you must create a new one with a new name and content. For more information, see Message template guidelines in the Meta for developers documentation.