Whatsapp Automation

Core Workflows

1. Send a Text Message

When to use: User wants to send a text message to a WhatsApp contact

Tool sequence:

1. WHATSAPP_GET_PHONE_NUMBERS - List available business phone numbers [Prerequisite]
2. WHATSAPP_SEND_MESSAGE - Send a text message [Required]

Key parameters:

• to: Recipient phone number in international format (e.g., '+14155551234')
• body: Message text content
• phone_number_id: Business phone number ID to send from

Pitfalls:

• Phone numbers must be in international E.164 format with country code
• Messages outside the 24-hour window require approved templates
• The 24-hour window starts when the customer last messaged you
• Business-initiated conversations require template messages first

2. Send Template Messages

When to use: User wants to send pre-approved template messages for outbound communication

Tool sequence:

1. WHATSAPP_GET_MESSAGE_TEMPLATES - List available templates [Prerequisite]
2. WHATSAPP_GET_TEMPLATE_STATUS - Check template approval status [Optional]
3. WHATSAPP_SEND_TEMPLATE_MESSAGE - Send the template message [Required]

Key parameters:

• template_name: Name of the approved template
• language_code: Template language (e.g., 'en_US')
• to: Recipient phone number
• components: Template variable values and parameters

Pitfalls:

• Templates must be approved by Meta before use
• Template variables must match the expected count and format
• Sending unapproved or rejected templates returns errors
• Language code must match an approved translation of the template

3. Send Media Messages

When to use: User wants to send images, documents, or other media

Tool sequence:

1. WHATSAPP_UPLOAD_MEDIA - Upload media to WhatsApp servers [Required]
2. WHATSAPP_SEND_MEDIA_BY_ID - Send media using the uploaded media ID [Required] OR
3. WHATSAPP_SEND_MEDIA - Send media using a public URL [Alternative]

Key parameters:

• media_url: Public URL of the media (for SEND_MEDIA)
• media_id: ID from upload response (for SEND_MEDIA_BY_ID)
• type: Media type ('image', 'document', 'audio', 'video', 'sticker')
• caption: Optional caption for the media

Pitfalls:

• Uploaded media IDs are temporary and expire after a period
• Media size limits vary by type (images: 5MB, videos: 16MB, documents: 100MB)
• Supported formats: images (JPEG, PNG), videos (MP4, 3GPP), documents (PDF, etc.)
• SEND_MEDIA requires a publicly accessible HTTPS URL

4. Reply to Messages

When to use: User wants to reply to an incoming WhatsApp message

Tool sequence:

1. WHATSAPP_SEND_REPLY - Send a reply to a specific message [Required]

Key parameters:

• message_id: ID of the message being replied to
• to: Recipient phone number
• body: Reply text content

Pitfalls:

• message_id must be from a message received within the 24-hour window
• Replies appear as quoted messages in the conversation
• The original message must still exist (not deleted) for the quote to display

5. Manage Business Profile and Templates

When to use: User wants to view or manage their WhatsApp Business profile

Tool sequence:

1. WHATSAPP_GET_BUSINESS_PROFILE - Get business profile details [Optional]
2. WHATSAPP_GET_PHONE_NUMBERS - List registered phone numbers [Optional]
3. WHATSAPP_GET_PHONE_NUMBER - Get details for a specific number [Optional]
4. WHATSAPP_CREATE_MESSAGE_TEMPLATE - Create a new template [Optional]
5. WHATSAPP_GET_MESSAGE_TEMPLATES - List all templates [Optional]

Key parameters:

• phone_number_id: Business phone number ID
• template_name: Name for the new template
• category: Template category (MARKETING, UTILITY, AUTHENTICATION)
• language: Template language code

Pitfalls:

• New templates require Meta review before they can be used
• Template names must be lowercase with underscores (no spaces)
• Category affects pricing and approval criteria
• Templates have specific formatting requirements for headers, body, and buttons

6. Share Contacts

When to use: User wants to send contact information via WhatsApp

Tool sequence:

1. WHATSAPP_SEND_CONTACTS - Send contact cards [Required]

Key parameters:

• to: Recipient phone number
• contacts: Array of contact objects with name, phone, email details

Pitfalls:

• Contact objects must follow the WhatsApp Business API contact schema
• At least a name field is required for each contact
• Phone numbers in contacts should include country codes

Common Patterns

24-Hour Messaging Window

• Customers must message you first to open a conversation window
• Within 24 hours of their last message, you can send free-form messages
• After 24 hours, only approved template messages can be sent
• Template messages can re-open the conversation window

Phone Number Resolution

1. Call WHATSAPP_GET_PHONE_NUMBERS
2. Extract phone_number_id for your business number
3. Use phone_number_id in all send operations

Media Upload Flow

1. Call WHATSAPP_UPLOAD_MEDIA with the file
2. Extract media_id from response
3. Call WHATSAPP_SEND_MEDIA_BY_ID with media_id
4. OR use WHATSAPP_SEND_MEDIA with a public URL directly

Known Pitfalls

Phone Number Format:

• Always use E.164 format: +[country code][number] (e.g., '+14155551234')
• Do not include dashes, spaces, or parentheses
• Country code is required; local numbers without it will fail

Messaging Restrictions:

• Business-initiated messages require templates outside the 24-hour window
• Template messages cost money per conversation
• Rate limits apply per phone number and per account

Media Handling:

• Uploaded media expires; use promptly after upload
• Media URLs must be publicly accessible HTTPS
• Stickers have specific requirements (WebP format, 512x512 pixels)

Template Management:

• Template review can take up to 24 hours
• Rejected templates need to be fixed and resubmitted
• Template variables use double curly braces: {{1}}, {{2}}, etc.

Quick Reference

When to Use

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