WhatsApp Business API

Setup Gupshup.io

17min

Overview

WhatsApp has an average open rate of over 98%, making it most effective among all channels for sending crucial information like payment reminders/confirmation, order updates, etc.

Advantages of integrating WhatsApp API into your website –

  • Connect with your customers globally
  • Send messages across any mobile OS, device, and carrier.
  • Know the instant a message reaches your users with read-recipients.
  • Secure communication with end-to-end communication.
  • Deepen customers’ trust in brand messaging.

Purpose

You can engage with customers using WhatsApp, send them a notification, order alerts, shipping alerts, and discounts. Reach customers the world’s most popular messaging app through Gupshup.

Integrating Gupshup into your Admin Panel provides seamless features in interacting with your customers send alerts and notifications from a range of preapproved templates.

How to integrate

Requirement for integration

Certain requirements are to be fulfilled for successful integration, they are:

1. Create Account and Application

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  • To create an application, go to Dashboard >> WhatsApp:
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  • This will take you to the WhatsApp Dashboard.
  • Click on the + Create App button start an application:
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  • This will take you to the "Create App" page:
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  • Choose the ‘Access API’ as the type of application.

2. Application Creation Process

Now, the WhatsApp setup assistant will guide you to the journey of your application creation and start sending WhatsApp Messages.

  • The first step is to define a unique name for your WhatsApp Messaging App. Please save this name separately as one would require this while integrating Gupshup WhatsApp into the Admin Panel.
  • Next is to take consent from your user to have an engagement. Gupshup has two policies for message sending – Template Messaging and Session Messaging.
  • For the session message, get your opt-ins via any of the listed mechanisms:
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When you have selected "Automated opt-in message (recommended)" mechanism, you must save the "917834811114" contact in your phone and send a Whatsapp message saying "PROXY {yourappname}" for the user opt-in process.

  • For template messages get your opt-ins via the following mechanism:
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  • Now, your sandbox application (in development mode) is available for sending messages to your customers.
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  • From here, you view the pricing to send each session or template message and opt for a plan at later stages.
  • You can also send a test message by just entering the number of your recipient and typing the message.
  • There is a separate section of inbound events shown on the right side, where you can view all the activities happening on your application:
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Note: The number where the SMS is to be sent is the Sender ID. Please save it for integration into Admin Panel.

3. Integration in to Admin Panel

  • Before the integration, get the API ID from Profile:
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  • In the Admin Panel, go to Store Configuration >> External Service Setting >> SMS Notification Tab >> Gupshup WhatsApp >> Enable the toggle and then click on the Edit icon:
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  • Under the Settings, enter the API Key, the Sender ID, and the select the countries.
  • Keep the Mode as Live, enter email ID, and enter the sandbox application name.

After configuration go to, Admin >> Content Management >> Email/SMS Notifications >> SMS Notifications:

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Here, add SMS notification messages for various instances and keep their statuses enabled. If there are no messages integrated, the WhatsApp messages will not be sent.

Once you save the configuration details, your customers will be able to see a message under their My Profile and Registration Page asking their consent to opt for WhatsApp notifications:

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Also, while adding any customer from the Admin Panel, you’ll get the option to enable the WhatsApp notifications for the customer.

4. Switch to live mode

This is what your Gupshup dashboard will look like. Here, you can check the overall messages sent, received, your wallet balance (if any), and more.

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To switch into live mode, click on Go Live. So, before going live you would require to complete the setup process and make sure your WhatsApp Live checklist is ready.

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At any stage, you can easily refer to the links provided by Gupshup or get connected with any of their customer service representatives.