WhatsApp messages and calls

You can connect a phone number to WhatsApp Business. Your assistant then answers WhatsApp messages and WhatsApp calls to that number, using the same knowledge, abilities and instructions it uses on the phone. Every WhatsApp conversation also lands in your inbox, so your team can step in at any time. WhatsApp is included on every plan.

Before you start

• The number must be active and bought in Ringhum. A number that is still waiting for documents cannot be connected yet.
• The number must not already be registered on WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business.
• Assign an assistant to the number. Without one, messages still arrive, but nobody answers them automatically.
• Only the workspace Owner and Admins can turn WhatsApp on or off.

Turn on WhatsApp for a number

1. Open Phone numbers.
2. Find the number and click Enable WhatsApp in the WhatsApp column.
3. Enter a Display name. People see this name when they message or call you on WhatsApp, so use your business name as customers know it.
4. Optionally add a Note for us, for example if the number was on WhatsApp before.
5. Click Request WhatsApp.

Setup is automatic and usually takes a few minutes. WhatsApp sends a verification code to the number, we enter it for you and switch WhatsApp on, and Meta then reviews the display name. While this happens the number shows Being set up and keeps taking ordinary calls and texts. When it is ready the status changes to Active and your team gets a notification.

Note: If the status shows Could not be set up, the reason appears underneath. Fix it and click Try again.

Edit your WhatsApp profile

Once the number is active, click Edit profile next to it. You can change:

• Profile photo: a square JPEG or PNG, up to 5 MB.
• Display name: a change is reviewed by Meta before it shows.
• Category, About (up to 139 characters), Description, Email, Website and Address.

When you save the Company page, its about text, description, email, website and address are copied to your WhatsApp profile as well. The display name is left alone.

AI replies to WhatsApp messages

AI replies are on by default for a WhatsApp number. The assistant answers questions from your knowledge base and can book appointments, take orders and reservations, and take messages for your team, depending on its abilities. It also reads voice messages, photos and documents that people send.

To switch the assistant off for one number, click AI replies on in the WhatsApp column. It changes to AI replies off, and messages then go only to your inbox and Messages for your team to answer.

When the assistant answers, your team gets a summary of the conversation once it goes quiet, instead of a notification for every message. When AI replies are off, every incoming message notifies the team.

Note: The assistant replies to one person at most 30 times an hour. If a conversation reaches that limit, the assistant pauses for that person and the conversation is marked high priority in the inbox so someone on your team can take over.

The 24-hour rule

WhatsApp only allows a business to send a free-form message within 24 hours of the person's last message. This applies to the assistant and to your team.

• Reply from Messages or from the inbox while the window is open.
• After 24 hours of silence, the person has to write to you first. Messages shows a notice instead of the reply box.
• Starting a new WhatsApp conversation with a template message is not supported yet.

When you send a message from a contact's page, it goes on WhatsApp while that person's 24-hour window is open, and as a text message otherwise (if texting is enabled on one of your numbers).

WhatsApp calls

When WhatsApp calling is on, the number shows calls next to its Active status. People can then call your number from WhatsApp, and the assistant answers just like a phone call. The call appears under Calls with a WhatsApp badge, with the full transcript and summary.

Calling is switched on during setup. If WhatsApp does not allow calling on the number yet, you are told that messaging is live and calling will follow. We keep checking and switch it on as soon as WhatsApp allows it.

Call a customer on WhatsApp

Your assistant can also call a customer on WhatsApp, but WhatsApp requires the person's permission first.

1. Open Contacts and select the person.
2. In the WhatsApp card, click Ask permission to call. The person receives a WhatsApp message with an Allow button.
3. When they accept, the card shows Calls allowed, either permanently or until a date. If they did not choose a period, permission lasts 7 days.
4. Click Call on WhatsApp. The assistant selected next to Call now places the call.

The permission request is itself a free-form message, so it can only be sent within 24 hours of the person's last WhatsApp message.

Important: WhatsApp does not allow businesses to start calls to numbers in the United States, Canada, Egypt, Vietnam or Nigeria. People in those countries can still call you on WhatsApp.

Pricing

WhatsApp uses the same plan minutes as your phone calls.

A message that fails to send is refunded. Longer AI conversations can use a little more; see Chats and AI usage.

Troubleshooting

The WhatsApp column shows a dash. The number is still being activated, or it was not bought in Ringhum. Only numbers bought here can be connected.

"WhatsApp only allows a free-form reply within 24 hours of the person's last message." The window is closed. Wait for the person to write to you again.

"This person has not allowed WhatsApp calls yet." Send a permission request from the contact's page and wait for them to tap Allow.

"You need a number with WhatsApp calling switched on." WhatsApp calling is not active on any of your numbers yet. Check the WhatsApp column under Phone numbers.

How do I turn WhatsApp off? Click Turn off in the WhatsApp column. People can no longer message or call the number on WhatsApp. You can request it again later.