Set up the WhatsApp channel via Meta Cloud API
The WhatsApp (Meta Cloud API) channel lets you chat with customers on WhatsApp without leaving Creatio. The channel connects directly to Meta's Cloud API, with no Twilio or other provider in between. Set it up from the Add channel mini page in the Customer communication hub section. Creatio walks you through connecting to Meta and registers the channel automatically.
This functionality is available for Creatio 10.1 and later.
The WhatsApp (Meta Cloud API) channel is part of the WhatsApp Chat Channel app. Agents process the resulting chats in the Agent Inbox, provided by the Contact Center app.
Make sure your company has a Meta Business portfolio (Business Manager) in good standing, a WhatsApp Business Account, a phone number for business messaging, and a payment method on the account. If you plan to use AI in the channel, seed your knowledge base first so the AI has content to answer from.
You can create the portfolio, the WhatsApp Business Account, and the phone number during the connection steps below, in Meta's onboarding window that Creatio opens. You do not need to create anything on Meta's developer platform. If the phone number is in use in the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business mobile app, migrate it before you connect it. Meta performs business verification, phone number verification, and display name approval. These can take from several hours to multiple days, so start the setup well before you plan to go live.
Create the channel
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Open the Customer communication hub section from the "Contact Center Supervisor", "Case management", or "Service" workplace.
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Click Manage channels to open the Communication channels toggle panel.
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Click Add channel → WhatsApp in the Messaging channels group to open Meta's onboarding window.
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Follow the prompts in Meta's onboarding window to connect your WhatsApp Business Account.
Sign in with your Facebook account, select or create the Business portfolio and the WhatsApp Business Account, add or select the phone number, and allow Creatio to access it. Creatio does not ask you for app IDs, tokens, or webhook settings. Creatio and Meta exchange them automatically when you finish the setup in the window. If the window does not open, allow pop-ups for your Creatio website and try again. If you close or cancel the window, Creatio does not create the channel. If the phone number is already connected to a channel, Creatio shows a message and does not create a second channel.
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Review the connection details on the mini page.
The mini page shows the Business portfolio, the WhatsApp Business Account, and the phone number that Creatio received from Meta.
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Select the queue that processes chats from this number in the Queue field.
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Click Next to continue to the AI setup.
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Keep or adjust the AI settings for the channel (optional).
Out of the box, the Use AI in the channel checkbox is selected, with the "Sofia, AI assistant" personality and the Customer Support Agent connected. You can change any of these before saving.
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Click Save to add the channel.
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Click Send your first message on the Channel connected step to send a test WhatsApp message to the connected number (optional).
Before you go live, confirm that the chat lands in the Agent Inbox under the queue you selected, or that the AI answers if you enabled it.
As a result, Creatio adds the WhatsApp (Meta Cloud API) channel, names it after the connected phone number, and connects it to your WhatsApp Business Account. Messages customers send to the connected number create chats routed to the selected queue.
Agents and the AI can reply to a customer freely for 24 hours after the customer's last message. Each new message from the customer restarts the 24-hour period. After the period ends, WhatsApp allows only pre-approved message templates. This rule is set by WhatsApp, not by Creatio.
Edit the channel
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Open the Customer communication hub section from the "Contact Center Supervisor", "Case management", or "Service" workplace.
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Click the channel in the list to open its settings page.
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Use the Channel status area above the tabs to activate or deactivate the channel (optional).
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Click the General tab to update the channel name, queue, or language (optional).
The tab also shows read-only Connection details: the Business portfolio, the WhatsApp Business Account, and the phone number that Creatio received from Meta. To re-authorize the connection, click Reconnect in the top right. Creatio keeps the channel, its queue, and its AI settings.
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Click the AI Automation tab to adjust the AI settings (optional).
- Select or clear the Use AI in the channel checkbox.
- Set Audience rollout (%), the share of incoming chats AI handles. The rest go to agents.
- Click Edit under AI personality to change the assistant's name, role, and tone of voice.
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Click Save.
As a result, Creatio applies your changes to the live channel.
To change the connected agents and knowledge sources, use Change agents on the AI Automation tab. Learn more: Set up AI in the chat channel.
See also
Feature comparison for supported WhatsApp integration options