WhatsApp Templates

WhatsApp templates facilitate streamlined communication by helping businesses curate predefined, personalized messages. You can send WhatsApp Messages using MoEngage and use the templates that are already approved or whitelisted (directly or by the WhatsApp Service Provider or BSP) by WhatsApp in the MoEngage Platform. 
This feature enables you to improve business efficiency, establish automated notifications, foster better customer engagement across WhatsApp, and help enhance brand trust.

Use cases

  • Launching new products? Use the carousel WhatsApp template to showcase the exclusive collection.
  • Got a limited-time offer? Set a timer with the Limited Time Offer WhatsApp template, and let customers grab their deal before it’s over.

Add Templates to MoEngage

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Note

Ensure that you have access to all the approved WhatsApp templates before adding templates to MoEngage. You can access the templates from the BSP Dashboards.

To add your already approved/whitelisted WhatsApp templates in MoEngage, go to MoEngage Dashboard -> Settings -> WhatsApp -> Approved Templates. Click  + Template in the UI.

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Note

MoEngage does not validate your templates when you save them. Hence, please ensure they match exactly to your whitelisted templates, or else your campaign may fail because of template mismatch.

Alternatively, you can create a WhatsApp template by performing the below-mentioned steps:

  1.  Navigate to Settings > WhatsApp > + Template.
    WA new templates.png
  2. On the Templates page, in the settings section, fill in the fields as suggested below.
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    The following options are available in the settings section.

    Field Description
    Name

    Enter the template name exactly similar to what you have on the BSP side. The name can be up to 100 characters

    Service Provider

    Choose the service provider from the dropdown (or your BSP) with which you want to send this templated message. Please know that WhatsApp templates are approved on the WABA level, which can belong to only 1 BSP. So select the BSP with which the template is compatible.

    Sender Profile

    Choose the sender profile to with which this template is approved. You can select multiple sender profiles if they are from the same BSP and are under the same WABA.

    Language Select the language for the template content. This value determines the language of your template. It should be similar to what you have on the BSP/WSP side.
    Category Select the category type from the dropdown.

    WhatsApp allows sending messages that belong to one of the following categories:

      • Marketing
      • Utility
      • Authentication
    Template Type Select the Template type from the dropdown.
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    Information

    • You can view the Template Type field when the Category field is set as Marketing. 
    • The Carousel, Limited Time Offer, Coupon Code WhatsApp templates, and up to 10 buttons are supported only for GupShup.
  3. On the Templates page, in the Content section, fill in the fields as suggested below.
    Carousel Template Simple Default Template Limited Time Offer Template
    Field Description
    Header

    Configure the header for your WhatsApp template. This field is optional.

    Body

    Configure the body of the template. You can enter up to 1024 characters. Ensure that the body of the template clearly communicates the objective to your audience.

    Carousel Content

    You can view this section when the Category field is set as the Carousel template.

    Media Type Select the type of media you want to display on the carousel card. You can select either an Image or a Video. You can view this section when the Category field is set as the Carousel template.
    Image Type Upon selecting the media type as image, you can further select the image type as static or dynamic. You can view this section when the Category field is set as the Carousel template.
    Image Source Specify the image source by either uploading the image directly from your device or linking to an external image source. You can view this section when the Category field is set as the Carousel template.
    Link to image

    You can view this field if the Image Source field is set as a Link. You can specify the URL where the image is hosted.

    Video Type

    Upon selecting the media type as video, you can further select the video type as static or dynamic. You can view this section when the Category field is set as the Carousel template.

    Video Source Specify the video source by either uploading the video directly from your device or linking to an external video source. You can view this section when the Category field is set as the Carousel template.
    Link to video You can view this field if the Video Source field is set as a Link. You can specify the URL where the video is hosted.
    Card Body

    You can add up to 10 cards showcasing the content within each card, such as text or media. If you have multiple cards, you can navigate among the cards by using the forward and backward navigation buttons. You can view this section when the Category field is set as the Carousel template.

    Footer Configure the footer for your WhatsApp template. This field is optional. You can view it when the Category field is set as Simple Default Template.
    Button(s)

    You can add CTA buttons in this section. When the Category field is set as Carousel Template, you can add 2 buttons overall.

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    As supported by WhatsApp, selective fields can be configured as:

    Static - Static fields are fixed on the Template level. For example, static images can be used to send the same image in all messages to target users across all campaigns where this template is used.

    Dynamic - Dynamic fields are flexible and can be configured during campaign creation. A dynamic image can be used to personalize for each campaign or each user in that campaign.

    Dynamic Link Tracking - Dynamic link tracking allows you to track clicks on buttons with Navigation as an action. This is available only for Navigation buttons and for Gupshup as a provider.

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    Headers

    Headers are optional and can be of the following types:

    • Text (up to 60 characters, can include 1 placeholder)
    • Image

    • Video

    • Document

    • Location

    The non-text header can be static or dynamic. They can use a fixed image or document link or personalized image/document for every user. Dynamic fields will be available for configuration at the time of campaign creation.

    WATemplateHeader.png

    Here are supported media types, media formats, and file sizes that MoEngage supports:

    Content-Type Supported Format and file size
    Image

    The supported image types are JPG, JPEG, PNG. The maximum file size is 5MB.

    Document

    The supported document type is PDF. The maximum document size is 5MB.

    Video

    The supported file types are MP4, 3GPP. The maximum file size is 15MB.

  4. Once configured, select Save in the lower-right corner of the screen.

Template Management

To manage all your WhatsApp Templates, go to MoEngage Dashboard -> Settings -> WhatsApp -> Approved Templates. Once a template is added, you can manage your templates depending on if they are in use or not by a campaign.

Template  Usage Allowed Template Actions
Template not being used inside any campaign View, Edit, Duplicate, Delete

Template being used inside any campaign

View, Duplicate

Sync Templates from Vendors to MoEngage

MoEngage enables you to sync templates from configured partners to the MoEngage platform. Syncing templates will automatically retrieve all updated templates from the partner portals since the last updated time.

To sync templates:

  1. Go to MoEngage Dashboard > Settings > WhatsApp > Approved templates.
  2. Click Sync Template in the top right of the Approved templates tab.
    Template sync.png

After the sync is complete, one of the following messages is displayed:

  • Sync successful: All templates from connectors are synced to MoEngage successfully. You can see the summary of successful changes and also view the templates based on last updated time.
  • Sync failure: Templates sync from connectors to MoEngage failed. You can see the reasons for unsuccessful sync.
  • Mixed sync results: Templates sync from connectors to MoEngage is partially successful. For templates that are synced successfully, you can see the summary of successful changes; for templates that failed to sync, you can see the reasons for failures.

The following is the list of statuses after template sync:

Status Description Next Possible Actions
Created The template you created on the vendor portal is submitted for approval, but Meta is yet to approve it. Meta can approve or reject the template. You can create WhatsApp campaigns using this template.
Approved The template you created on the vendor portal is approved by Meta. You can use the approved template to create WhatsApp campaigns.
Rejected The template you created on the vendor portal is rejected by Meta.

You cannot use the rejected template to create WhatsApp campaigns.

When you edit a rejected template in MoEngage and save it, it will move to the Manually approved state. If the template is not exactly the same as the template on the vendor portal and you create WhatsApp campaigns using this template, the campaign creation will fail because of template mismatch. You must:

  1. Update the rejected template in the vendor portal and get the approval from Meta.
  2. Update the template in MoEngage with new content or Delete the template in MoEngage and sync again.
Suspended

After the initial sync of templates from the vendor portal to MoEngage, during subsequent sync:

  • If the content of a template on the vendor portal and MoEngage is same, we will update only the status. For example, a Manually approved template can move to Approved or an Approved template can move to Rejected.
  • If you have updated the content of a template on the vendor portal, we will mark it as Suspended because there is a difference of content between MoEngage and the vendor.

Click the ellipses icon ellipses.png and select View usage. The Active campaigns pop-up is displayed showing the campaigns created using this template.

  • If the template is not used in any campaign, delete the template in MoEngage and click Sync template again. MoEngage retrieves the latest content for it.
    To delete a suspended template:
    1. Stop the existing campaigns.
    2. Click the ellipses icon ellipses.png and select Delete.
  • If the template is used in any campaign(s), update the template in MoEngage and click Sync template again.
    To update content:
    • If a template is used in any campaign, edit the template in MoEngage and add the content manually to properly match the content on the vendor portal and save the template.
    • If you have added or removed any additional variables, ensure to add the details in campaigns.
    • To verify if the template content matches the content on partners portal, click Sync template.
Manually approved

When you edit a template in MoEngage and save it, it will move to the Manually approved state. If the template is not exactly the same as the template on the vendor portal and you create WhatsApp campaigns using this template, the campaign creation will fail because of template mismatch.

You must update the template in MoEngage to ensure that the content matches the content in the template in the vendor portal exactly.

 

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Note

  • Currently, you can sync templates from Gupshup and it might take up to 15 mins to complete the sync.
  • For every sync, it will be synced for templates updated in the last 2 days.

For more information about issues and resolutions associated to WhatsApp campaign feature, see Common Errors in WhatsApp Campaigns.

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