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WhatsApp Business messaging

Connect WhatsApp to send and receive messages in the inbox.

Why it matters

Reach customers who prefer WhatsApp.

The HLB difference

WhatsApp uses the same workflows and contact record.

How it works

Connect WhatsApp Business to send and receive WhatsApp messages from the HLB inbox.

  • Create a form-submission Flow, preview its supported fields and test that a completed response appears under the correct form and contact.

Create a WhatsApp Flow from a saved form

Collect service inquiry details without asking customers to leave WhatsApp.

In HLB, open WhatsApp Flows, choose Form submission and select a saved form. Review the supported questions in the preview, then submit a test response and confirm it appears under Sites > Forms > Submissions. Unsupported fields are left out of the Flow, even if they are required in the original form, so collect that information another way if you need it. Editing the source form does not automatically update a published Flow.

See also Forms.

WhatsApp Business messaging connects your WhatsApp number to HLB. Your WhatsApp conversations sit alongside your other customer conversations, and you can automate responses with workflows.

Start from Settings, then WhatsApp, and pick the setup path that matches your situation:

  • Connect your existing WhatsApp Business App: keep using the app on your phone while conversations also appear in HLB. You can import contacts and up to six months of chat history, and you can connect a maximum of one number this way.
  • Create a new WhatsApp Business Account: start fresh with a landline, an unused mobile number or a new number. Eligible accounts can claim up to two +1-555 business numbers during setup, subject to eligibility and availability. These numbers are verified automatically, so you only need display name approval. They can't be migrated to another WhatsApp Business Account or used outside the WhatsApp Business Platform.
  • Migrate from another provider: move an existing WhatsApp Business Account and keep its phone number, display name, quality rating, Official Business Account status and approved templates.

If you connect the WhatsApp Business App, you manage your WhatsApp profile from the app. Template messages can't be sent from the app, so you send them from HLB.

In workflows, you can send an automatic reply when a customer messages you on WhatsApp. Use the Customer Replied trigger with a Reply Channel filter set to WhatsApp. Replies can be manual text personalized with details such as the contact's name, or a pre-approved template. You can also send a WhatsApp message and wait for the contact's reply before the next step, and choose which connected phone number sends each WhatsApp message.

Send forms in WhatsApp conversations

Customers can fill in a form within their WhatsApp conversation. You can reuse an existing form and preview which of its fields are supported. Responses are saved to form submissions and associated with the matching contact.

Offer WhatsApp booking flows in more languages

Choose a language for the appointment booking flow, including its date selectors, labels and confirmation button. Preview the translated flow and see its language in the list; write separate form flows in the languages your customers use.

Related features

Ready to put this to work in your business?

Start onboarding with the Max Digital Edge team and get set up on Hot Local Business.

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