WhatsApp Channel Setup for BM Instance

1. Introduction

The Platform Owner can operate as Meta Tech Provider, and by using a single Meta App for the WhatsApp channel, can offer a full range of WhatsApp Business Platform services to their business customers. Customers having their own Business Messenger accounts, can use the same Meta App, without setting the WhatsApp separately. As a Tech Provider, Platform Owners do not have credit lines. Instead, business customers onboarded by a Tech Provider, must provide their own payment method after onboarding is complete. Meta will then bill these customers.

The implemented Meta Embedded Signup allows Platform Owners to onboard business customers. Embedded Signup is an authentication and authorization interface that can be launched directly within the Business Messenger application. Embedded Signup automatically generates all required WhatsApp assets for business customers who successfully complete the sign-up flow. The flow enables Platform Owner to quickly activate WhatsApp messaging services for their business customers with minimal manual setup.

Before the Platform Owners can officially begin onboarding business customers for WhatsApp, they must submit their Meta App for App Review.

In order to be eligible for onboarding, business customers must verify their business with Meta.

2. Setting Up the Channel

The following instructions are for the BM Instance Owner. Please find below the key elements for setting up the channel.

2.1 Create Meta Business Portfolio

A Business Portfolio allows organizations to bring their Facebook Pages, Instagram accounts and other business assets together, so they can manage them, and people who access them, from one place with business tools, such as Meta Business Suite.

More about Meta Business Portfolio please find on About business portfolios Meta's page.

For setting up the WhatsApp channel, you can use your Meta Business Portfolio if you already have one, or you can create a new one by going to Meta's page for creating Business Portfolio.

Find here more details on how to Create a business portfolio in Meta Business Suite.

2.1.1 Submit your Business Portfolio for Business Verification

To become a Tech Provider, you need to submit your Business Portfolio for Business Verification. Business verification confirms that Meta Business Portfolio belongs to an actual business or organization.

More information and steps of the verification process, please find here:

Note: Your business must be verified before you can start the App Review process.

If you already have a verified business, and linked it to your Meta App, you can start the App review process. Please find details below.

3. Meta App

Before you can create a Meta App that you will need for the process, you need a developer account. If you don't already have a developer account, you can register for a new one.

More about Meta App please find on Create an App with Meta Meta's page.

3.1 Register as a Meta Developer

To register as a developer, navigate to developers.facebook.com/async/registration/ and follow the prompts.

If you need help on how to register as a Meta Developer, please visit Meta for Developers page for further details.

3.2 Create a New Meta Developer App and Set Up with WhatsApp

If you already have a Meta App, do the following:

  1. Select your existing App in the App Dashboard.
  2. Click on Add use cases.
  3. Select Connect with customers through WhatsApp and follow the prompts to add the use case to your App.

If you do not have a Meta App, you need to create an app and set the app up with the WhatsApp use case.
Before you start creating a Meta App, you need to be logged into your Meta developer account.

Navigate to developers.facebook.com/apps and click "Create App" button.

  1. Follow the prompts in the App Dashboard to create a new App:
    • Add App name
    • Select the Connect with customers through WhatsApp use case
    • Select an existing Business Portfolio or follow the prompts to create a new one
    • Finish creating your App.
  2. Once your App has been created, select "Use cases" from the sidebar.

3.3 Basic App Details

From the Dashboard page of your Meta App, navigate to side menu App settings > Basic section and find in the page your App ID and App Secret data.

3.4 Setup Up the Webhook

You will need to set up a webhook endpoint in order to receive notifications about message statuses, such as read and delivered.

To receive messages and other events sent by users, the App should enable webhooks integration. You can set a webhook with a Verify Token and a URL you will get from the Business Messenger app.

In order to get the Verify Token and the URL, please open the Business Messenger app's Admin > Settings section, and then settings for the BM WhatsApp channel by clicking the WhatsApp option.

A new window will be opened where you can add your App ID and App Secret data from the 3.3 Basic App Details of this document. After saving these data, a pop-up window will show the Webhook URL and the Verification Token. You need to copy these values and save them in your App.

To do so, go back to App Dashboard page for your App. Navigate to WhatsApp > Configuration from the side menu to open Configuration page. Add data for Callback URL and Verify Token fields with the data you've got from the Business Messenger app. Click "Verify and Save" button to save the details.

4. Embedded Signup for WhatsApp Channel

Embedded Signup is an authentication and authorization interface that makes it easy for your business customers to generate the assets you will need to successfully onboard them to the WhatsApp Business Platform.

The flow enables Platform Owner to quickly activate WhatsApp messaging services for their business customers with minimal manual setup.

Upon successful completion, Embedded Signup returns the customer's WABA ID, business phone number ID, and an exchangeable token code, to the window that spawned the flow.

When these steps are complete, your onboarded business customers must add a payment method to their Whatsapp Business Account, before they can begin messaging.

You will not be able to onboard business customers until your app has been approved for advanced access for each of the permissions it requires.
Please find more details here on Meta's help page for Advanced Access.

4.1 Implementation

Please find details on how to Implement Embedded Signup and capture the data it generates to onboard business customers onto the WhatsApp Business Platform.

5. Meta App Review

App Review is a part of your App development that enables Meta to verify that your App uses their Products and APIs in an approved manner. Meta needs to validate how you intend to use the requested permissions to make sure it is compliant with their requirements and policies.

Please find more details here on App Review Meta's page.

5.1 Prepare for the App Review

App Review is an important part of the App development process. It enables Meta to verify that your App uses their products and APIs in an approved manner.

Documents and videos should be prepared for needed permissions and features for the Products that you added to your App.

5.2 Submit Your App Review for Meta Approval

Once you have all required documents and videos prepared, submit your "App Review" for Meta approval for needed permissions and features.