WhatsApp Business Platform (API) Quick Start

WhatsApp Business Platform (API) Overview

Pre-requisites to Sign Up for a WhatsApp Business Platform (API) Account

• Relaio account with workspace admin rights.
• Phone number strategy: own number, virtual number, or later assignment.
• Meta Business Manager with admin role.
• Business website and profile details aligned for verification.
• Policy readiness for templates and quality messaging.
• Meta Business Manager access with administrative rights to manage portfolios.
• A published AI Agent (Voice or WhatsApp) configured within the Relaio platform.
• Active billing and payment method configured on the connected Meta WABA.
• A verified business website reflecting your brand identity and reachable contact info.
• Meta-approved message templates ready for campaign broadcast initiation.
• Compliance readiness for WhatsApp messaging limits and opt-in policies.

Phone Number

• Ensure number is not locked by two-step verification from previous setup.
• If number exists on personal/business app, follow migration flow first.
• Validate country and eligibility restrictions before onboarding.
• Ensure the number is not currently locked by two-step verification from a previous personal or business app setup.
• Verify country-specific eligibility and regulatory restrictions (e.g., TCPA/GDPR) before assigning a number to an AI outreach campaign.
• If the number currently exists on a personal WhatsApp app, follow the official migration flow to prevent registration errors.
• Confirm the phoneNumberId matches the intended WABA in Relaio channel settings to avoid delivery failures.

Meta Business Manager

• Confirm admin access level in the target business portfolio.
• Validate business details, domain, and legal profile fields.
• Prepare for business verification and billing configuration.
• Keep ownership and finance stakeholders aligned before launch.
• Confirm administrative access level in the target Meta business portfolio to authorize Relaio integration permissions.
• Ensure legal business details, address, and primary contact exactly match official records to avoid Meta verification delays.
• Use a business email domain that aligns with your verified website domain for increased trust and approval speed during the review process.
• Coordinate with financial stakeholders to attach an active payment method to the WABA billing profile to prevent Error 131042.
• Verify that the business website reflects your brand identity and contains reachable contact info as required by Meta policy.

Billing and Business Eligibility

• Open WhatsApp Business Accounts and confirm the same WABA is used in Relaio channel settings.
• Check payment method status in Meta Billing Hub and clear pending dues.
• Confirm business verification, business info, and legal profile are complete.
• Re-run template test message after billing updates and wait for Meta sync.
• Open WhatsApp Business Accounts in Meta settings and confirm the same WABA is used in Relaio channel settings.
• Check the payment method status in the Meta Billing Hub and clear any pending dues or verification holds.
• Confirm that your business verification, business info, and legal profile are complete and reflect official records.
• Re-run a template test message after billing updates and wait for the Meta sync to recognize the active status.

Connecting WhatsApp Business Platform (API) to Relaio

• Go to Workspace Settings > Channels > Add Channel.
• Choose WhatsApp Business Platform (API) and click Connect.
• Authorize Facebook permissions and pick target business assets.
• Select/create WABA, add phone number, verify OTP, and confirm.
• Complete onboarding and return to Relaio integration status.

Send a Test Message

• Generate chat link and initiate test message.
• Verify inbound message appears in Relaio Inbox.
• Send reply from Inbox and confirm status update callbacks.
• Check delivery, read, and failure logs for completeness.
• Generate a chat link and initiate a test message to verify the connection between Meta and Relaio.
• Confirm that the inbound message appears in the Relaio Inbox and is correctly linked to a CRM contact record.
• Send a manual reply from the Inbox to confirm that outbound status callbacks are functioning as expected.
• Check the delivery, read, and failure status indicators in the log table to ensure complete communication visibility.

What Is Next

Error Handling Reference

• 131042: Business eligibility payment issue - verify WABA billing/payment method and business eligibility.
• Template rejected errors - verify template status, category policy, and language code.
• Phone registration errors - check two-step verification and number ownership conflicts.
• Delivery failed with no recipient issues - confirm channel is connected to intended WABA and phoneNumberId.