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WhatsApp Onboarding

Relaio Docs Team-Feb 26, 2026-10 min read

Connect business account, verify phone number, align billing eligibility, and send the first controlled test.

WhatsApp Onboarding Overview

First WhatsApp Channel Onboarding is a simple guide for setting up this part of Relaio.

Use this page to understand what the feature does, what you need before starting, and how to check that it works.

The steps below are written for regular users and admins, not for setup teams.

What You Need

  • business settings access with admin permissions.
  • Target business account and phone number ownership clarity.
  • Billing/payment method configured for selected business account.
  • Turn off two-step verification on the target phone number within the WhatsApp app to avoid registration conflict errors during the business onboarding flow.
  • Verify that your business website is public and displays your brand identity as required for Business Verification and template approval.
  • Prepare at least one published AI Agent in the Relaio module to power the initial interaction on the newly connected channel.
  • Ensure business-approved message templates are available in the correct locale and category for the initial connectivity test.

Setup Steps

  • Open Settings > Channels > WhatsApp in your Relaio workspace.
  • Turn on the feature and complete the required settings.
  • Save your changes and use the test option if one is available.
  • Make sure the setup matches the way your team wants to use it.

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Check It Works

  • whatsapp.isConnected true in channels status.
  • business account ID and phoneNumberId mapped correctly.
  • Template test message delivers without service errors.
  • Confirm that the inbound test message appears instantly in the Relaio Inbox and automatically creates a new contact record in the CRM.
  • Verify that any variables captured during the test chat (e.g., Name or Email) are successfully written to the matching contact profile fields.
  • Check the 'WhatsApp History' section in the Contact Detail view to ensure the message thread is being logged chronologically with correct timestamps.
  • Enable the 'WhatsApp Campaign Link' on your Voice AI Agent to confirm that cross-module synchronization is active for multi-channel outreach.

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Common Issues

  • 131042 indicates billing/eligibility issue on the selected business account.
  • Registration failures may indicate two-step verification conflicts.
  • Template send failures may indicate non-approved template or wrong language code.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Where do I set this up? Start from Settings > Channels > WhatsApp.
  • Can I come back and edit it later? Yes.
  • How do I know it is ready? Complete the setup and run a test.
  • Who should own it? Assign one person to keep it updated.