The WhatsApp service in Chat App Message Service connects your business with WhatsApp users through a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA). This topic describes the benefits and access methods of the WhatsApp service and the operations that are available on the WhatsApp service overview page in the console.
What is the WhatsApp service
WhatsApp is a global cross-platform instant messaging application. According to WhatsApp, the application has more than two billion monthly active users in more than 180 countries and regions, and covers more than 60 languages. As an official WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP), Alibaba Cloud Chat App Message Service helps you register a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) and reach WhatsApp users through API integration.
Benefits
The WhatsApp service provides the following benefits:
Global coverage — Reach users in the countries and regions where WhatsApp is available.
Message security — End-to-end encryption protects user privacy and data security.
Message types — Send text, images, documents, locations, interactive buttons, and other message types.
Business scenarios — Cover customer service, marketing notifications, order reminders, appointment reminders, and other scenarios.
Data monitoring — View sending records, delivery status, receipts, and data reports.
Access methods
The WhatsApp service provides the following two access methods. Select one when you create a sending account. Your access method determines the WhatsApp-side materials that you must prepare.
Access method | Who it is for | What you must prepare |
WhatsApp Business API | Medium and large enterprises that reach customers through bulk messaging over the API. | A WABA. You can register a WABA in advance or when you create a sending account. |
WhatsApp Business App coexistence | Businesses that already have a WhatsApp Business App account and want to register with the phone number of that account. | The registered WhatsApp Business App account and its phone number. |
Prerequisites
Alibaba Cloud account — Alibaba Cloud account registration and enterprise identity verification have been completed.
Service activation — Chat App Message Service has been activated.
WhatsApp account — The WhatsApp-side account that your access method requires is ready. For more information, see Access methods.
WhatsApp Business API — A WABA is registered, or you register one when you create the sending account.
WhatsApp Business App coexistence — A WhatsApp Business App account is registered.
Considerations
Before you manage sending accounts, review the following constraints:
Account status — Only sending accounts in the unbound state can be deleted directly. To delete a sending account in any other state, contact technical support.
Irreversible operations — Deleted sending accounts cannot be recovered.
Operations
To open the WhatsApp service overview page, complete the following steps:
Log on to the Chat App Message Service console.
In the left-side navigation pane, choose Instant Message > WhatsApp.
The WhatsApp service overview page appears. The page body contains the QuickStart section and the My sending accounts section.
View the service introduction
The service introduction card at the top of the page summarizes the capabilities of the WhatsApp service and provides the following tabs:
Benefits — Shows the core capabilities of the WhatsApp service.
Pricing — Click Service pricing to view the pricing of the WhatsApp service.
Help documentation — Provides links to the Getting Started, API integration, and FAQ documentation. Click the question mark icon next to an item to open the topic for that item.
To collapse the service introduction card, click Hide service introduction in the upper-right corner of the page. To display the card again, click View service introduction.
View the Quick Start guide
The Quick Start section on the WhatsApp service overview page describes the complete integration flow, from registration to sending messages:
Review service details: Learn about the scenarios, message types, and limits for this service.
Create or select a Business Manager: On the embedded page, create a new BM or choose an existing one.
Create a WABA: On the embedded page, create a WABA.
Add and verify a phone number: Add the phone number for sending messages and complete its verification.
Create and submit a template: Create a text or rich media template and submit it for review.
Send a test message: Send a test message to a phone number with a registered WhatsApp account.
Manage sending accounts
The My sending accounts section of the WhatsApp service overview page lists the sending accounts that you have created.
Create a sending account
In the My sending accounts section, click Create sending account.
Follow the wizard to complete the account creation.
The new sending account appears in the My sending accounts list.
Search for a sending account
In the search box of the My sending accounts section, enter a sending account name or a WABA ID to locate a sending account.
Sending account list and details page
The following table describes the information that the My sending accounts list shows for each sending account.
Field | Description |
Sending account name | The display name of the sending account. |
WABA ID | The unique ID of the WhatsApp Business Account (WABA). |
Account type | The access method that you selected when you created the sending account: WhatsApp Business API or WhatsApp Business App coexistence. |
Space ID | The space ID of the sending account. |
Available templates | The number of message templates that are available for sending under the sending account. |
Sending account remarks | The remarks that you specified when you created the sending account, if any. |
Account status | The current status of the sending account. Only sending accounts in the unbound state can be deleted directly. |
Click the sending account name to open the details page of the sending account. The details page supports the following operations:
View the data panel.
Manage the business phone numbers of the WABA.
Manage message templates.
Send messages.
View data reports.
Manage media assets and variables.
Edit sending account information
Find the sending account in the My sending accounts list, and then click Edit.
Modify the following information:
Sending account name — Change the display name of the sending account.
Remarks — Add or change the remarks of the sending account.
Click Save.
The updated information appears in the My sending accounts list.
Delete a sending account
Deleting a sending account is irreversible. Only sending accounts in the unbound state can be deleted directly.
For more information, see Considerations.
Find the sending account in the My sending accounts list, and then click Delete.
In the confirmation dialog box, click OK.
The sending account no longer appears in the My sending accounts list.