WhatsApp Messaging

Connect your business WhatsApp number, get the order messages approved by Meta, and switch on the ones you want customers to receive.

What it does

Suvaiq can send your customers a WhatsApp message about their order. The messages go out from your own number, under your own business name. Meta bills you directly for them.

Nothing is sent until you connect a number, Meta approves the message, and you switch the message on.
Only customers who have agreed to hear from you on WhatsApp are messaged.
Taking orders and payments works the same with or without WhatsApp. Connecting a number only adds the messages.

You set everything up in the Web admin, on the WhatsApp item in the main menu. The menu item appears for users who have permission to view the WhatsApp settings.

Messages and when they are sent

Event	Message	Sent when
Order confirmed	Thanks for your order! We have received order {{1}} and will let you know when it is on its way. Total: {{2}}	A customer places an order through your online ordering site. It is not sent for orders your staff enter, or for orders from delivery apps.
Payment received	Payment received for order {{1}}. Amount paid: {{2}}. Thank you!	An order becomes fully paid. Part payments do not send it.
Out for delivery	Your order {{1}} is on its way and should arrive by about {{2}}.	Not sent yet. The screen marks it Not triggered yet.
Order ready	Order {{1}} is ready. {{2}}	Not sent yet. The screen marks it Not triggered yet.

The numbers in double braces are filled in when the message is sent. In all four, {{1}} is the order number. In Order confirmed, {{2}} is the order total. In Payment received, {{2}} is the amount paid. The wording is fixed and is in English.

Who receives messages

A customer is messaged only if one of these is true:

They ticked Send me updates about this order on WhatsApp at checkout on your online ordering site. The box is not ticked for them.
They have sent a WhatsApp message to your connected number.

Connect your number

You need permission to manage the WhatsApp connection. Without it, you can see the screen but not the Connect a number button.

Open WhatsApp

In the Web admin, click WhatsApp in the main menu.
Click Connect a number

A Meta (Facebook) sign-up window opens. Sign in and follow its steps to choose your WhatsApp business account and phone number.
Choose a PIN

When the Meta window closes, you are asked to choose a six-digit PIN for the number. Enter exactly six digits and keep the PIN safe. You need it again if you ever move the number.
Check the number

You see the message "Connected (your number). Templates must be approved by Meta before messages can be sent." The number is now listed with the status Connected.

The list shows this for each number:

Column	Shows
Number	The phone number. Default marks your default sending number.
Business name	The name customers see, as registered with Meta
Status	Connected, Pending, Restricted or Disconnected. Messages are sent only from a Connected number.
Quality	Meta's quality rating for the number, when Meta has given one
Daily limit	Meta's messaging limit for the number, when Meta has given one

Get the messages approved

Meta reviews the exact wording of each message before it can be sent. Suvaiq sends the wording to Meta for you.

Find the event

On the WhatsApp screen, go to What customers are told. Each event shows its message and, under Meta approval, Not submitted.
Click Submit for approval

You see "Sent to Meta for review. Approval usually takes a few hours; this page will show it once it arrives." The event now shows In review.
Come back later

Open the WhatsApp screen again after a few hours. When Meta has approved the message, the event shows Approved.

Meta approval	Meaning
Not submitted	The message has not been sent to Meta yet
In review	Meta is reviewing it. This usually takes a few hours.
Approved	You can switch the message on
Rejected	Meta refused the message. Meta's reason is shown under the status.
Paused by Meta	Meta has stopped the message for now. It is not sent while paused.

You can submit Out for delivery and Order ready for approval now, but they are not sent to customers yet.

Switch a message on or off

Once an event shows Approved, a button appears in the Send it column.

Click Off to switch the message on. You see "Customers who have opted in will now receive this message." The button changes to On.
Click On to switch it off again. You see "Customers will no longer receive this message."

Switching an event on does not message anyone who has not agreed to WhatsApp messages from you.

Permissions

Submitting a message for approval needs permission to manage message templates. Switching a message on or off needs permission to manage customer notifications. The buttons are shown only to users who can also manage the WhatsApp connection. See Users and Roles.

Disconnect a number

In the list of numbers, click Disconnect on the number's row and confirm. Customers stop receiving messages from that number, and messages still waiting to go out from it are not sent.

Disconnecting is not a pause

A disconnected number stays in the list with the status Disconnected, and you cannot connect the same number again yourself. To stop messages for a while, switch the events off instead.

Troubleshooting

"WhatsApp is not set up on this platform yet."

The Connect a number button is not shown and no number can be connected. This is not something your business can change. Contact Suvaiq support.

"Signup did not complete. Please try again."

The Meta window closed before you finished choosing the business account and phone number. Click Connect a number and complete every step in the Meta window.

"The PIN must be exactly six digits."

Click Connect a number again and enter a PIN of six digits, with no letters or spaces.

"That WhatsApp number is already connected."

The number is already listed on a Suvaiq account, either as connected or as disconnected. Choose a different number. If it is your own number and you disconnected it earlier, contact Suvaiq support.

"Connect a number first."

The What customers are told section shows this until you have a number that can send. Connect a number, or check that your number's status is Connected.

"Cannot send — no stored credential."

The number shows Connected but cannot send. Contact Suvaiq support.

"Meta has not approved a template for this event yet, so it cannot be switched on."

Wait until the event shows Approved under Meta approval, then switch it on.

A message is switched on but a customer did not receive it

Check that the number's status is Connected and the event shows Approved and On.
The customer must have ticked the WhatsApp box at online checkout, or have messaged your number before.
Order confirmed is sent only for orders placed through your online ordering site.
Out for delivery and Order ready are not sent yet.

Documentation