WhatsApp in Aircall: creating and approving messaging templates

Once a WhatsApp number is connected to Aircall, Admins can create and manage messaging templates directly from the Aircall Dashboard. Templates are shared across all Aircall numbers linked to the same WhatsApp Business account, ensuring consistent communication across all connected lines.

Important: To add WhatsApp in Aircall to your subscription, follow this link.

Creating messaging templates

Steps:

1. Navigate to a WhatsApp-connected Aircall Number in the Aircall Dashboard.
2. Click the Integrations tab.
3. In the WhatsApp section, locate the Templates area.
   • If no templates have been created, click Create template now.
   • If templates already exist, click Add a template.
4. Choose the category for your template:

• Marketing: Suitable for welcome messages, promotions, offers, coupons, and announcements.
• Utility: Best for order confirmations, account updates, receipts, or reminders.
• Authentication: Used to verify a user’s identity during the customer journey.

Note: Meta has temporarily paused delivery of marketing template messages to WhatsApp users with US phone numbers.

5. Configure your template details:
   • Name: The display name shown in both the Aircall Dashboard and Aircall Workspace.
   • Language: The language of the message.
   • Message: The text content of the template.
   • Variables: Insert variables (for example, customer_name) to personalize your message automatically.
   • Media (optional): Add an image to your template:
     • Upload file: Upload an image from your device.
     • Enter URL: Insert a publicly accessible image URL.
6. (Optional) Add buttons to your template (available for Marketing and Utility categories):
   • Up to 5 quick replies
   • Up to 2 website directions
   • 1 call button
   • 1 copy code button
   • Buttons can be combined with media attachments.
   • A preview in the Dashboard will show how the final template appears.

Note: Template buttons and usage are not yet available on mobile.

7. Once all fields are completed, click Submit template to send it to Meta for approval.

When using the WhatsApp in Aircall, Meta applies default rate limits to control the number of messages that can be sent within a 24-hour period. These limits help maintain platform stability and ensure fair use across all accounts.

When a customer sends a message or replies to an agent, a 24-hour conversation window opens. During this time, agents can freely send any number of custom messages.

Each new customer message refreshes this window, restarting the 24-hour countdown. Once the window closes, the agent must send a template message to reinitiate contact. When the customer responds to the template, a new 24-hour window opens again.

Tip: Templates can be sent at any time, even within an active conversation window, without interrupting it.

Note: Template messages cannot be sent to other WhatsApp Business numbers.

Custom messages are personalized responses that agents manually type and send to customers. These can only be sent once a conversation window is active. For detailed guidelines, refer to the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy.

Default Meta rate limits

Meta defines message rate limits based on the type of WhatsApp Business profile you have:

• Standard profile: 1,000 messages per 24 hours

• Limited profile: 250 messages per 24 hours

Note: You can view your current rate limit directly in your Aircall Dashboard. Look for the “Rate Limit” section, which displays the allowed number of messages per 24-hour period.

Template approval

The approval status of each template appears in the Status column of the Templates section.

• Most templates are reviewed within approximately 5 minutes, but approval may take several days if Meta performs additional checks.
• Once marked Active, the template becomes available for Agents in Aircall Workspace.

Note: WhatsApp templates can only be used in Aircall Workspace and are not yet supported on mobile.

Managing templates

Admins can view and manage all submitted templates from the Aircall Dashboard.

Steps:

1. Navigate to a WhatsApp-connected Aircall Number.
2. Open the Integrations tab.
3. In the Templates section, view all existing templates.
4. Click any template to:
   • Preview its content.
   • Delete it by selecting Delete template.

Important: Templates cannot be edited once created. To make changes, delete the existing template and create a new one with the required updates.

Note: Templates are shared across all WhatsApp in Aircall numbers. Adding or deleting a template for one number applies the change to all connected numbers.