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WhatsApp Integration with x-bees

WhatsApp Integration with x-bees

This guide describes how to use WhatsApp integration with x-bees.

Other x-bees documentation: x-bees documentation.

Created: July 2024

Updated: November 2024

Permalink: https://wildix.atlassian.net/wiki/x/EACVJg

Introduction

x-bees integration with WhatsApp allows users to receive and reply to messages from clients who contact them via WhatsApp. Each user receives 200 SMS per month by default. After exceeding this limit, a fee is applied to each additional SMS. You can find the fee details in the Salesforce Partner Community -> Price Book -> CLASSOUND.

 Note:

  • A customer can initiate a conversation by writing to the Company's WhatsApp number and the agent can reply in x-bees. However, it is not possible to start a conversation from x-bees. So, the first message should be an incoming message from WhatsApp
  • The price per message is the same as for SMS and part of the package 
  • Agent can reply within 24 hours after receiving an external user's message. After 24 hours, the conversation switches to read-only mode. In case an external user writes another message to the same conversation, an agent again has 24 hours to reply
  • Sending emojis from x-bees to WhatsApp is not supported

Requirements

  • Facebook Business Manager verification (see the details below)
  • x-bees-Standard license or higher
  • CLASSOUND DID for WhatsApp (it can be Fully ported, New or Outbound-only, and may be either previously or newly ordered) indicated in Call group settings -> SMS/ Messengers field in WMS:

Meta verification

To set up the integration, you must verify your Facebook and WhatsApp accounts and complete the Meta validation process.

Procedure for Partners without verified WhatsApp Business Manager connection (number not added to WhatsApp yet)

Step 1. Submit necessary data to CLASSOUND Customer Care

Submit the following data to CLASSOUND Customer Care:

  • CLASSOUND DID (landline or mobile) – you can add up to 10 numbers to one account (either fully ported, new, or outbound)
  • Display Name – the name that will be displayed in the WhatsApp account
  • Company Description – a short description of your company’s activities
  • The ID of your verified Facebook Business Manager account. To get the ID, navigate to the Business info menu under Business Manager settings:

Step 2. Confirm the integration request 

Confirm the integration request in the Facebook Business Manager -> Requests -> Received section: 

Step 3. WhatsApp Business Manager Verification

1. Verify your company under Facebook Business Manager, go to the Settings tab and click the Start Verification button:

2. Fill out details of the organization: 

Important: Please make sure to provide the same organization name and address that stands in the documentation you will upload.

3. On the next window, you are prompted to upload documents that prove the organization name, address and phone number. This can be the same document if you have all the required data shown there.

Note: The following documents are accepted (utility bill is the easiest for phone and address)

  • Certificate/ Articles of Incorporation
  • Business Bank Statement
  • Business Registration or License Document
  • Government Issued Business Tax Document: This could include a Tax Certificate. Self-filed tax documents are not accepted.
  • Utility Bill

You can find more details here.

4. In the next step we recommend selecting email as a contact method:

5. Follow the procedure for email address verification, entering the confirmation code sent to your email.

6. To finalize the business verification request, click Done on the Information submitted screen:

CLASSOUND team will send you a link that you need to use to connect your account to the integrations service provider.

1. When you open the link, scroll down to the section, where you have to upload the logo, that will be added to your account (1) and enter a short description of your company’s activities (2) that will be displayed in the WhatsApp account description:

2. Click Get Started on the next screen:


3. Fill in your business information:

  • Business portfolio
  • Business name
  • Business website or profile page
  • Country

4. On the next screen, you need to create or select your WhatsApp Business account: 

5. Enter WhatsApp Business display name and choose Category

6. Add phone number and choose how you would like to verify the number, via Text message or a call:

7. Enter the code which you receive to your phone number: 

8. Click Continue on the next screen:

9. Click Finish to finalize the process:

Wait for up to 2 working days for the integration process to be completed.

Procedure for Partners with verified WhatsApp Business Manager connection

The end client must ensure that they use a clear number for the WhatsApp Business API. This phone number cannot be associated with any other WhatsApp applications. To create a new account on the WhatsApp Business API, it is necessary to delete or remove the phone number from the previous WhatsApp account first.

Steps:

1. Back up your chat history.
2. Delete the WhatsApp account.

**Notice:** Chat history will not be transferred. It may take a few days to migrate the number, during which time the account will remain inactive.

After all actions are done the procedure is the same as for the nonregistered accounts. 

Usage

When there is an incoming message from the external user via WhatsApp, a separate conversation is automatically created in x-bees, with external user's phone number as a conversation title (or with the contact name if the relevant entry is found in Phonebook / CRM contacts): 


Manage conversation members

All users belonging to the relevant Service (Call group) are automatically added to the conversation:


The conversation can be assigned to a particular agent or be left unassigned:


Also, you can add or delete conversation members via the Members section on the Info frame.

Messaging

You can reply to the external user directly via the x-bees conversation and the user receives your reply to WhatsApp:

When external user reads agent's message in WhatsApp, the relevant read icon is displayed in x-bees:

WhatsApp integration with x-bees allows to send and receive different types of messages (e.g. audio, pictures, files):



Important: 

  • Agents can reply within 24 hours after receiving an external user's message. After 24 hours, the conversation switches to read-only mode. In case an external user writes another message to the same conversation, an agent again has 24 hours to reply:
  • The Call and Conference buttons in the conversation do not initiate a call / videocall to WhatsApp. Only messaging is supported within WhatsApp integration with x-bees.

Add contact to Phonebook / CRM

If needed, you can add the external user to a Phonebook or CRM integration via Info frame: 

When added, the conversation name changes to the name of the user: