How to Use Interactive WhatsApp Messages in Workflows

What Are Interactive WhatsApp Messages?

Interactive WhatsApp Messages allow you to enrich messages sent from your CRM workflows with dynamic elements. Instead of sending plain text, you can include features like clickable buttons, structured lists, location cards, or contact cards. This creates a more engaging experience for the recipient and can guide the conversation more effectively.

Key Benefits

• Improved Engagement: Contacts can respond with a single tap, making it easier and faster for them to reply.
• Structured Data: By providing predefined options, you reduce typos and ensure the information collected in your CRM is clean and consistent.
• Guided Conversations: Interactive elements help steer contacts toward specific actions, like visiting a website or saving a contact.

Prerequisite: The Customer Service Window

To send any Interactive WhatsApp Message, the 24-hour Customer Service Window for the contact must be open. This window opens when a contact messages your business first. During this period, you can send messages freely.

If the window is closed, you cannot send an interactive message directly. You must first send an approved WhatsApp template message to re-initiate the conversation and open a new window.

How to Ensure the Window is Open in a Workflow

You have two primary methods to handle this within your workflow automation:

• Use a Specific Trigger: Start your workflow with the "Customer Replied" trigger and set the filter for the reply channel to "WhatsApp." This guarantees the workflow only runs when the contact has just messaged you, opening the window.
• Check the Window Status: Use the "WhatsApp: Customer Service Window Check" action within your workflow. This action evaluates if the window is currently open for the contact and the specified phone number. You can then create branches in your workflow to handle the "Open" and "Closed" conditions appropriately.

How to Add an Interactive Message Action

1. Open or create a workflow in your CRM.
2. Click to add a new action (+).
3. From the list of actions, select WhatsApp Interactive Messages.
4. You can optionally rename the action for clarity.
5. In the action configuration, first select the From Phone Number (your WhatsApp business number).
6. Then, choose the desired Interactive Message Type from the dropdown menu.

Available Interactive Message Types

Interactive Reply Buttons

This type allows you to send a message with up to three quick-reply buttons. The contact taps a button to respond.

Configuration Fields:

• Interactive Message Type: Set to "Quick Reply Buttons."
• Button Message: The main introductory text for the message.
• Button Count: Select 1, 2, or 3.
• Header Type & Content: Optionally add a text, image, video, or document header to your message.
• Body: The primary message text (required).
• Footer: Optional supporting text.
• Timeout: Set a duration (in minutes, hours, or days) for how long the buttons will remain active for the contact to respond.
• Button Titles: Enter the label text that will appear on each button.

Location

Send a clickable location card with a map preview.

Configuration Fields:

• Interactive Message Type: Set to "Location."
• Location Name: A name for the location (e.g., "Our Main Office").
• Address: The physical street address.
• Latitude & Longitude: The precise geographic coordinates for the map pin.

Contact

Send a rich contact card (vCard) that the recipient can save directly to their device.

Configuration Fields:

• Interactive Message Type: Set to "Contact."
• Contact Name: Enter at least a first name for the contact. You can also add a last name and organization.
• Phone Number: Add one or more phone numbers for the contact.

List Messages

Present a structured menu with sections and rows for the contact to choose from.

Configuration Fields:

• Interactive Message Type: Set to "List."
• Body & Header: Define the introductory text for the list.
• Button Text: The label for the button that opens the list menu.
• Sections: Create one or more sections to organize your list items. For each section, add a title and multiple list rows. Each row requires a title, an ID (for tracking the selection), and an optional description.

Branching and Workflow Behavior

When a contact interacts with your message (e.g., taps a button or selects a list item), their choice is captured. You can use this data to create branches in your workflow. For example, you can route contacts down different paths, apply specific tags, or trigger different follow-up actions based on which button they pressed or which list item they selected.

Best Practices

• Keep the body text of button messages concise so the reply buttons are immediately visible without scrolling.
• Double-check location coordinates against a map to ensure accuracy.
• Use clear, action-oriented text on buttons and list items (e.g., "Book Now," "Get Directions," "Talk to Sales").
• Always test your interactive messages before launching a workflow to ensure they render correctly in WhatsApp.