🎯 What is the use of Templates in care flows and what is it for?
Until now, WhatsApp templates were used mainly to start conversations with your customers (campaigns or outgoing messages).
Now you can use your templates pre-approved by Meta directly within your care bot (when the customer writes to you first).
What is it useful for?
Send receipts, appointment confirmations or official proofs with the exact format approved by WhatsApp, right in the middle of the conversation.
Ensure that certain critical messages are sent with the official structure of your brand, avoiding text variations.
⚙️ Step by Step to Set It Up (Without Being an Expert)
Implementing this feature is very simple, but it requires turning on a main "switch" before you can use it. Follow these steps:
1. Turn on the switch in the Start component
For your flow to allow you to use templates, you must first tell it which phone line of your company those messages will belong to.
Click on the Bot / Start Component (the first block in your diagram).
Look for the new section called "Enable template use" and turn on the switch.
When you turn it on, a dropdown menu will appear. Select your company's WhatsApp number that you will use for this flow. (Note: By default, this switch always comes off).
2. Add the "Template" component
Once you've turned on the switch from the previous step:
Click on the "+" (Add component) button of the Bot / Start component.
You will see that the Template component is now available. Click on it to place it in your flow!
3. Choose your pre-approved message (Simplified Version)
When you click on your new Template component, you will see a very user-friendly and straightforward configuration:
You will only need to select an existing and approved template from a dropdown menu.
You will see a preview of how the message will look on your customer's phone.
💡 Note: Unlike other areas of the platform, you won't see buttons to "Create new template" or "Send to another recipient" here. This is a lightweight version designed exclusively to quickly select and send during the conversation.
🚨 Golden Rules (What you should know before using it)
To protect your operation and avoid errors with WhatsApp, the system has strict and automatic security rules:
The Channels Rule (Very important!):
You can only turn on the templates switch if your flow is new (not connected to any number yet) or if it is connected to only one WhatsApp number. If your bot is connected to 2 or more numbers at the same time, the system will block the switch and show you a message indicating that it is not possible to enable it.
Security cleanup:
If you are setting up a new flow and suddenly decide to change the WhatsApp number in the Start component, the system will automatically delete all the templates you had already selected in your diagram for security reasons. This happens to prevent you from sending templates that don't belong to that new number.
Protection when connecting your Bot:
When you go to the Channels module to connect your bot to a WhatsApp line, the system won't let you select it if it detects that the templates in that bot belong to a different phone number.
🛠️ Quick Troubleshooting for Common Errors
What's happening? | Why is it happening? | How do I fix it quickly? |
It won't let me turn on the "Enable template use" button. | Your flow is connected to 2 or more WhatsApp numbers at the same time. | Templates in this section only work for bots dedicated to a (1) single line. You must use a bot exclusive to that number. |
I can't find the "Template" component in the menu to add it. | You forgot to turn on the switch in the Start component. | Go to the first block of your flow (Bot/Start), turn on the "Enable template use" button and choose your number. |
The platform won't let me Save or Publish my flow. | You selected a template in your diagram that was deleted from Meta, is not yet approved, or you left the component empty. | Check all your Template components. Make sure they all have a valid message selected and approved by WhatsApp. |
The bot sends other messages, but the template doesn't reach the customer. | It's likely that WhatsApp blocked the sending due to its own policies (e.g. you're trying to send it outside the allowed 24-hour window and the provider rejected it). | Check Meta's sending policies. The system will log the error, but the flow will continue its normal path so the conversation doesn't freeze. |
Take your automatic care to the next level! 🚀
By using templates within your care flows, you guarantee that your customers receive official, formatted and accurate information, always complying with WhatsApp regulations and providing a much more professional experience. ✅