Pre-requisites:

1. You should hold a business manager account on Facebook. 
   
2. A valid phone number to access the WhatsApp Business API.
3. If there is an existing business WhatsApp account for this number, please delete it from WhatsApp and then connect it with SalesIQ.
4. In case this number is used in other Zoho services, the number needs to be unlinked from the existing Zoho service before using in SalesIQ.

How to migrate a WhatsApp account from other BSP?

1. Turn off two-factor authentication in the previously linked Business Solution Provider (BSP) account.
2. Navigate to SalesIQ > Settings > Messaging Channels > WhatsApp and click on Add.
3. This action will trigger a pop-up window prompting you to log in to Facebook. After logging in, provide your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) ID or create a new one if needed.
4. Ensure that the profile name matches precisely the current one you're using and the one connected with SalesIQ.
5. Follow the subsequent steps and verify the number via phone or SMS through OTP.
6. Once completed, WhatsApp should be successfully connected with SalesIQ.
   

Note: Only the WhatsApp number will be migrated. The chats, media and any templates created will not be migrated.

How to integrate a WhatsApp business account with SalesIQ?

• From the SalesIQ dashboard, navigate to Settings > Messaging Channels > WhatsApp and click on Add.

• First, connect with your Facebook business account by clicking on Add account.

Connect Facebook business account to configure WhatsApp channel

1. Click Continue to link your Facebook business account to add your WhatsApp channel.
   

1. Click on Get Started to begin the steps to register and connect your WhatsApp business account to Zoho Social to be able to chat with WhatsApp users.
   

1. Click Continue on the Connect your account to Zoho Corporation window allowing to share the listed permissions with Zoho Corporation.
   

1. Add in your business information like Meta business account, Business name, website or profile page link, Country and then click on Next.
   

1. You can choose create a new WhatsApp Business account and WhatsApp Business profile here or select your respective accounts from the drop-downs.
   

1. Add in the details for your WhatsApp business profile like WhatsApp business account name, Profile display name, Time zone, Business  category, description and website link and then click on Next.
   

1. You can add add a phone number for WhatsApp here. There are two ways to do this:
   
1. You can get a free WhatsApp number (+1 555 number) which will be generated by WhatsApp for you to use exclusively for sending your messages. It cannot be used to start or receive calls or texts.
   

1. You can also add a new number for WhatsApp here. This is the number that people will see when they chat with your business. Select a verification method of your choice. You can choose between Text Message or Voice Call and then click on Next.

Note: The phone number you are using here must not be signed up to WhatsApp business previously. 

1. This will initiate the verification process. Follow the steps for the chosen verification method and then click on Next.
   

1. Once the verification is done, the accounts will be set up and the WhatsApp channel will be configured for your SalesIQ.

Additional verification by Meta

Before you can begin messaging, your business and display name will be reviewed by Meta. You will receive an email once the reviews have been completed. This verification is necessary for the WhatsApp channel to start functioning.

Connecting your WhatsApp account with SalesIQ

1. Once you verify the WhatsApp business number with the Facebook login, you will be redirected to the SalesIQ - WhatsApp configuration page.
   

1. Select the WhatsApp business profile that you want to connect with your brand.
   

1. Now, select the verified number in the Choose number drop-down.
   

1. You will need credits to send/receive the message in the WhatsApp business account. Refer here for more details.
   

1. Choose a department to associate with the WhatsApp business number.
   

1. Finally, verify the configurations and click on Done.
   

1. The WhatsApp business account is now integrated with Zoho SalesIQ.
   

Please note that messages you send from SalesIQ to Meta may be delivered in a different order than they were sent. Meta is not guaranteed for the sequence order. For more information, please consult the Meta document.

Managing your WhatsApp Business Accounts

1. You can view the WhatsApp business accounts that have been connected to your SalesIQ brands by clicking on Manage WABA on the brands listing page of your WhatsApp channel.
   

1. This will show the list of WABA accounts connected to SalesIQ along with WABA ID and WABA name.
   

1. Click on the WABA name to get the details of the WhatsApp business number and SalesIQ brand associated with the WhatsApp business account.
   

Managing your WhatsApp Business Numbers

1. You can view the WhatsApp business numbers that have been connected to your SalesIQ brands by clicking on Manage numbers on the brands listing page of your WhatsApp channel.
   

1. This will show the list of WABA numbers connected to the respective SalesIQ brands.
   

1. You can click on Add number at the top to add a new WhatsApp number to SalesIQ, which will redirect to the Facebook login page. You can follow the same process to add the new number.
   

Common Phone number errors and reasons

1. Name Status Declined Error: The phone number's display name has been rejected by Meta.

1. Reason for the error: The name does not adhere to the display name guidelines.
2.  Action to be taken: Refer to the WhatsApp Business display name guidelines.
   

1. Certificate Not Found Error: Certificate for the phone number was not found in Meta.

1. Possible reasons for the error:
1. The phone number may already be connected to WhatsApp or another BSP. If so, customer needs delete the phone number from there and then try to connect it in SalesIQ.
   
2. The phone number's display name's verification status may be declined from Meta end. Customer can verify the name and modify it so that it adheres to the display name guidelines.
   
3. The account may have been disabled by Meta for violating community guidelines.

1. OTP Verification Pending Error: OTP verification is pending for the configured phone number.

1. Action to be taken:
   
1. The customer must verify the phone number in order to send messages to users. Phone numbers must be verified using a code sent via SMS or voice call
   
2. OTP verification can be done via signup in SalesIQ's WhatsApp channel page. If this method does not work, please contact our support team (support@zohosalesiq.com).

1. Phone Number Configured Error: This phone number is already configured for the same or another service in the organization.

1. Action to be taken: If the phone number is already connected to another BSP service or another service within Zoho, customer needs to delete the number from there and try connecting it to SalesIQ.

1. Name Approval Pending Error: Approval for the phone number's display name is pending with Meta.

1. Reason for the error: The display name chosen for the business account is under review by Meta and has not yet been approved for use.
   
2. Action to be taken: Customer needs to wait for Meta's verification process to complete before the chosen name becomes active.
   

Adding/Managing credits

• Navigate to Settings > Messaging channels > WhatsApp, click on the brand, choose Manage numbers, and tap Add Credits.
  

• Specify the number of credits you want to purchase. You will be charged 2 USD per credit and a value-added fee of 3% of the cost.
  
• Click Make Payment and make the payment. (Once  paid , your credits will be topped up and will be reflected in the  Available Credits section, and you can start sending messages.)

Note : WhatsApp charges are based on the country of the user you're messaging.

WhatsApp Business API Pricing Model

Conversation-based pricing model

Types of Business Conversations

WhatsApp's business conversations van be of two types: User-initiated conversation and Business initiated conversation. Both these conversation types have separate pricing structure.

1. If a user sends a message and the business' support representative responds to it, a conversation session is initiated, and the session is valid for 24 hours (24 hour customer service window). User-initiated conversations are categorized as service conversations on WhatsApp, where a user reaches out to a business to resolve their queries.
   
2. Businesses are now charged per conversation, which will include all the messages in that 24-hour messaging window.
   

1. A conversation initiated from the business' end using a WhatsApp message template will be categorized as a business-initiated conversation. This involves sending a message to a customer outside the 24-hour messaging window.
   
2. Once the customer responds to the business's template message, the business can then send any type of message to the customer.
   
3. SalesIQ supports two types of templates for Business-Initiated Conversations.
   
1. Utility: For transactional or service-related messages.
   
2. Marketing: For promotional or advertising messages.
   

Note: 

1. As of November 1, 2024, service conversations are free for all businesses i.e free tier conversations are now unlimited. (Previously there was a limit of up to 1,000 free conversations for a month). Note that a customer service window of 24 hours must be open between you and a WhatsApp user before you can send the user a non-template message. This means that businesses can respond for free to unlimited customer messages within a 24-hour window, without worrying about reaching a limit. So, if a customer messages you, you have 24 hours to respond, and you won’t be charged during that period, no matter how many replies or messages are exchanged.
2. Additional 3% fee is charged every time credits are purchased.
   
3. WhatsApp credits purchased for SalesIQ standalone service cannot be utilized for any other service. In case you are using SalesIQ as part of a bundle, the credits can be utilized for other services in the bundle.
   
4. Please refer to the below table for the country-wise cost per conversation.

Country-wise Cost per Conversation in USD

Business impact

How much does Zoho SalesIQ charge?

Important

1. When this integration is executed, Zoho will automatically be added as a partner account in your (the customer's) Meta account. It is necessary to maintain Zoho as a partner account for this integration to work seamlessly. If this link or partnership is removed from customer end, the integration flow will be broken and will not work.
   
2. If Zoho Corporation was removed from the Partners section of your Meta account by mistake, the registered WhatsApp number needs to be relinked with SalesIQ for the integration to work as usual.
   
3. To do this, from the SalesIQ dashboard, navigate to Settings > Messaging Channels > WhatsApp > {Preferred brand} > Add number.

Preferences

Set a preferred time limit to close missed chats

When an operator does not attend a chat, the chat will be moved to the 'missed chats' section. You can set a preferred time limit to close the missed chat automatically. This will convert the missed chats to closed chats after the specified duration. You can keep the missed chats open for a period ranging from 15 minutes to a month, as per your business requirement.

Note: Operators must respond to the missed chats before the set time here, as they cannot respond to closed chats.

Set a preferred time limit to close idle chats

You can set a preferred time limit of up to 24 hours to automatically close active idle chats in the "Close idle chat in" section. For instance, let's assume we set 24 hours here. 

1. When a chat connects to an operator and then subsequently becomes idle, i.e., there was no message sent by both the operator and visitor, the chat will still remain active for 24 hours, based on the time limit set here.
2. After 24 hours of inactivity, the chat automatically closes and moves to 'Closed Chats.' 
   
3. If the visitor or the operator sends a message during this period, the timer will reset, keeping the chat active for another 24 hours.

Note: If the chatbot is enabled for the channel, these settings will not apply. The bot's idle chat configuration will be applied

Attachment types and limit

When in conversation with a WhatsApp user, the operator has the option to share attachments to enrich the chat and provide better assistance to the user. The attachment types supported and file size limits are listed below.

File Type	File Size Limit	Formats supported
Image	5 MB	jpeg, png, jpg
Document	40 MB	pdf, txt, xIs, xIsx, ppt, pptx
Video	16 MB	3gp, mp4
Audio	16 MB	mp3, mpeg, ogg, amr, acc, vorbis