Templates Setup

Templates are reusable message formats you send to contacts via broadcasts, workflows, or directly from the inbox. This guide covers all template types — standard, button, list, CTA URL, carousel, and flow — and explains when to use each.

Overview links: Documentation Home · Settings Overview

Where to Find This

• Templates in the sidebar → Create Template.
• Also accessible from Settings → Templates.

Before You Start

• Connect at least one platform account in Settings → Platforms.
• Templates are not available for GMB, LinkedIn, or YouTube.
• Instagram and Facebook support interactive templates only (no business-initiated outbound sends).

Step 1: Basic Settings

Where: Templates → Create Template

1. Select an Event (e.g., Order Update, Feedback Request) or choose Other.
2. Pick a Category: Marketing, Utility, or Authentication.
3. Select the Platform account this template belongs to.
4. Choose a build mode: SIA-assisted (AI drafts the content) or Manual.

Step 2: Choose Template Type

The primary distinction is who initiates the conversation, not whether the message has buttons.

Standard (business-initiated)

You initiate the conversation — the contact has not sent you a message recently. Used for broadcasts, proactive notifications, and reminders. Can include Quick Reply, URL, or Phone buttons. Buttons on standard templates can have actions attached — tap a button, send the next template.

• WhatsApp only.
• Requires Meta approval. Cannot be sent until approved.
• Up to 3 buttons (Quick Reply, URL, Phone).

Interactive → Button / Quick Reply

A reply sent within an active 24-hour conversation window. Same button layout as Standard (up to 3 Quick Reply / URL / Phone buttons) but used reactively — the contact already messaged you. Best for yes/no prompts, simple choices (e.g., Confirm / Cancel), or routing within an ongoing chat.

• Max 3 buttons. Quick Reply buttons support Send Template and Webhook actions.
• Available on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook.

Interactive → List

A single button that opens a scrollable list of options (like a menu). Best for presenting multiple choices — service options, department routing, FAQ topics.

• One list button. Maximum 10 options. Recommended 3–7 for best UX.
• Options can have a title, description, and a section heading to group related items.
• Each option can have an action (Send Template or Webhook) — same as Quick Reply buttons.
• WhatsApp only.

Interactive → CTA URL

A single button that opens an external URL. Best for driving contacts to a booking page, product page, or support portal.

• One URL button.
• URL can include dynamic parameters (e.g., contact ID or order number).
• WhatsApp only.

Interactive → Carousel

A horizontally scrollable set of cards, each with an image, title, body, and buttons. Best for showcasing multiple products, services, or offers in one message.

• Each card can have its own image and up to 2 buttons.
• Instagram and Facebook only. Not available on WhatsApp.

Interactive → Flow

A single button that opens a WhatsApp Flow — a structured form that contacts fill out entirely inside WhatsApp. Best for surveys, feedback collection, lead qualification, or appointment booking.

• Requires a published WhatsApp Flow — create one from a Form first.
• One flow button only. No other buttons can be added.
• WhatsApp only.
• On form submission, an action fires automatically — you can send a follow-up template, trigger a webhook, or create a ticket. Set this action on the flow button the same way you set actions on Quick Reply buttons.
• Full setup guide: WhatsApp Flow Forms end-to-end guide.

Interactive → Address Message

Prompts the contact to share their address. Best for delivery confirmation or location-based intake. No buttons.

Step 3: Build Content

• Header (optional): text, image, video, or document shown at the top.
• Body: the main message. Use {{1}}, {{2}}, etc. for personalized variables (e.g., contact name, order number).
• Footer (optional): short line of text at the bottom (e.g., "Reply STOP to unsubscribe").
• Buttons: add based on your chosen interactive type and the limits below.

Variable order matters — {{1}} is always the first variable when mapping in broadcasts. See Personalization & Variables.

Button limits

Button Actions — Building a Conversational Flow

Every button on a template can have an action attached to it. When a contact taps that button, the action fires automatically — no AI, no agent needed. This is how you build rule-based conversational flows: a sequence of templates connected by button taps, creating a bot-like experience entirely inside WhatsApp.

Action types

• Send Template — sends another WhatsApp template to the contact when the button is tapped. That next template can itself have buttons with further actions, creating as many steps as you need.
• Webhook — calls an external URL when the button is tapped. Use this to push data to a CRM, trigger an order lookup, or connect to any external system. Can be combined with a template send in the same flow.

Important distinctions

• This is not AI. The response is a fixed template you choose — the contact gets exactly what you configured, every time.
• This is not a workflow trigger. Agents/Workflows respond to events (comment created, review received, scheduled). Button actions respond only to a specific button tap in the conversation.
• Button actions work on Quick Reply buttons only. URL and Phone buttons open a link or dial a number — they don't send a follow-up template.

How to set this up

Use the Template Flow Builder — a visual graph where you create templates as nodes and draw connections from buttons to the next template. It handles saving all templates and wiring the actions in the correct order automatically.

See the full guide: Template Flow Builder — Conversational Flows.

Step 4: Preview & Submit

1. Use Preview to confirm content, variable placement, and button layout.
2. Save and submit for approval (WhatsApp templates require Meta review).
3. Track status: Pending → Approved / Rejected. Only approved templates can be used in broadcasts.

Common Submission Issues

• Missing body text: all templates require a body.
• Invalid interactive type for platform: check the platform capabilities table above.
• Button limit exceeded: reduce buttons to match the limits table.
• Flow button — form not in dropdown: the form has no published WhatsApp Flow. See WhatsApp Flow Forms.
• WhatsApp approval rejected: simplify the text, avoid spam-like language, and resubmit.

Where Templates Are Used

• Broadcasts: send to many contacts at once — standard, button, list, CTA, carousel, or flow templates.
• Agents/Workflows: trigger a template send automatically on a schedule or keyword match.
• Inbox: send a template manually inside an individual conversation.
• API: use template_id and social_account_id for programmatic sends.

Quick Glossary

• Standard template: text-only, no buttons. For notifications and updates.
• Interactive template: includes buttons — quick reply, list, URL, or flow.
• Flow template: an interactive template whose button opens a WhatsApp Flow form.
• Variable: a {{1}} placeholder replaced with contact data or a static value at send time.

Next Steps

• Template Flow Builder — chain templates together for multi-step conversations
• Personalization & Variables
• Broadcasts Overview
• WhatsApp Flow Forms

Need Assistance?

If you face issues with template creation or approval, reach out to our support team.