Connect WhatsApp directly – Send Reminders & Follow-Ups without Superchat

With the direct WhatsApp integration, you can connect your own WhatsApp Business number to meetergo — no third-party tool like Superchat required. Once connected, you can send fully automated appointment reminders, confirmations, and follow-ups directly through Meta's Cloud API.

What you need

Before you begin, make sure you have:

✅ A meetergo Premium plan or higher → Sign up now ✅ A WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) — managed through Meta Business Manager ✅ A verified WhatsApp Business phone number

If you don't have a WhatsApp Business Account yet, you can create one during the connection process using Meta's Embedded Signup.

Step 1: Connect your WhatsApp Business number

Log in to your meetergo account
Go to Integrations & Apps
Find WhatsApp Business and click Connect
Pick the button that matches your situation:

Button	Use it when	What happens
Connect existing WhatsApp Business App	The number is already in use in the WhatsApp Business App on your phone	Meta's coexistence onboarding starts. You scan a QR code with the app and keep using it as before. See Use WhatsApp Business App and API Simultaneously
Set up a new number for the API	The number is new, or it comes from another API provider	Meta's standard signup starts. You add the number and verify it by SMS or voice call

Sign in to Meta in the popup and complete the flow
Back in meetergo, the modal shows Connected to WhatsApp Business

Choosing Set up a new number for the API for a number that already lives in your WhatsApp Business App is the single most common cause of "This phone number is already assigned to a WhatsApp account". It is not a problem with your number — the wrong flow was started. Close the popup and use Connect existing WhatsApp Business App instead.

If the Meta popup shows the wrong Facebook account, open meetergo in an incognito/private window and start the connection again. Meta reuses whatever account is signed in to your browser.

Step 2: Register your phone number

The Meta popup only links your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) to meetergo. A number can only send once it is registered for the Cloud API, and that is a second step.

New number flow: meetergo registers the number for you and then shows a Save your registration PIN screen with a 6-digit PIN. Write it down — you need it if the number ever has to be re-registered.
Coexistence flow: Meta returns the WABA without a phone number, so meetergo saves the connection only. You register the number yourself afterwards.

To register a number by hand:

Open Integrations & Apps → WhatsApp Business → Manage
Under Phone Numbers, find your number and click Register
Enter the 6-digit PIN and click Confirm

The PIN is the two-step verification PIN of that number. If Meta created the number automatically, set a PIN first at Meta Business Manager → WhatsApp Manager → Phone Numbers → Two-step verification. For a number you have used before, enter your existing PIN.

What the number list tells you

Badge	Meaning
Connected	Registered and able to send
Pending	Meta has not finished verifying the number
Flagged	Meta flagged the number, usually after poor message quality
Restricted	Meta restricted the number or the WhatsApp Business Account. Nothing can be added or sent until the restriction is lifted
Not verified	The display name has not been approved by Meta yet

Above the list you also see x / y number slots used. One number is included; Add slot adds another number to your subscription and is charged immediately on a prorated invoice. Only company admins see it.

An amber WhatsApp Business connected — add a phone number to start sending notice means exactly what it says: the WABA is linked but no number is registered, so every workflow stays silent. This is the normal state right after the coexistence flow, and it is what "it says connected but nothing is sent" almost always turns out to be.

Step 3: Create a message template

WhatsApp Business requires all outgoing messages to use pre-approved templates. You can create and submit templates directly from meetergo.

In the WhatsApp integration settings, click "Templates"
Click "New Template"
Choose one of the pre-built starting points (reminder, confirmation, cancellation, follow-up) or start from scratch
Fill in:
- Template name — lowercase letters and underscores only (e.g. appointment_reminder)
- Language — e.g. en or de
- Category — choose UTILITY for appointment reminders
- Message body — use {{1}}, {{2}} etc. as placeholders for dynamic content
- Example values — fill in realistic examples so Meta can review your template
Click "Submit for approval"

Meta typically reviews UTILITY templates within a few minutes to a few hours. The template status will show as Pending until approved.

Always provide example values for your variables. Templates without examples take longer to review and are more likely to be rejected.

Example template body

Hi {{1}}, your appointment "{{2}}" is confirmed for {{3}}.

Need to make changes?
Reschedule: {{4}}
Cancel: {{5}}

In the workflow, you will map each {{1}}, {{2}} etc. to meetergo data fields like guest name, meeting name, date, and the reschedule/cancel links.

Buttons

Under Buttons you can add up to 10 buttons to the template. Three types exist: Quick Reply, URL Button and Phone Number.

For a URL button, meetergo asks which link it should open:

Button URL	What it opens
Cancel appointment	The cancel link of that specific booking — filled in automatically at send time
Reschedule appointment	The reschedule link of that specific booking — filled in automatically at send time
Custom URL	A fixed link that is identical in every message (e.g. your website)

Those are the only two per-booking links a button can carry. A button cannot open the individual meeting link (Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, meetergo connect) — meetergo has no way to fill it in. If a button's link contains a placeholder that stays unfilled, WhatsApp rejects the entire message, so nothing arrives and no error is shown. Put the meeting link into the message body as a variable instead, and keep the buttons for cancel and reschedule.

Step 4: Build your WhatsApp workflow

Once your template is approved:

Go to Workflows
Click "New" to create a workflow
Choose your trigger (e.g. "Meeting booked", "Reminder 24h before", "After meeting")
For the action, select "Send WhatsApp to attendees"
Select your approved template
Map each template variable ({{1}}, {{2}} etc.) to the corresponding meetergo data field
If the template has cancel or reschedule buttons, pick the matching link for each one under Button URL variables
Save your workflow

Your customers will now automatically receive WhatsApp messages at the right moment — without any manual work.

Every variable has to be mapped before you can save. meetergo blocks the Save button and shows "Assign a value to every highlighted variable. While variables are unmapped, WhatsApp rejects the automatic message and it is not sent." Sending the same template by hand from the WhatsApp inbox keeps working, because you type the values in yourself — which is exactly why an unmapped workflow looks like "manual works, automatic doesn't."

The 24-hour window (24h limit)

WhatsApp — not meetergo — decides when you may send a free-form message.

When a customer writes to your business number, Meta opens a 24-hour customer service window. The 24 hours count from their last incoming message, not from your reply.
Inside the window you can answer with free text from the WhatsApp inbox. The conversation shows a Window open badge.
Outside the window only an approved template can be sent. The conversation shows 24h window expired, and only Use template stays available. Sending a template re-opens the conversation.

Automated appointment messages are never affected by the window. Reminders, confirmations, cancellations and follow-ups from a workflow always go out as approved templates, so they are delivered whether or not the guest has ever written to you. If a confirmation does not arrive, the cause is in the section below — not the 24-hour window.

Meta charges a conversation fee for template messages; free-form replies inside an open window carry no extra Meta fee. These fees are billed by Meta directly and are not part of your meetergo subscription.

A message was not sent

An automated WhatsApp message can fail after meetergo has already handed it to Meta. Meta then rejects it in the background, so nothing arrives, nothing appears in the chat, and the workflow shows no error. Work through the causes in this order.

What you see	Cause	Fix
WhatsApp shows as connected, but nothing is ever sent and the modal shows an amber add a phone number to start sending notice	The WABA is linked, but no number is registered for the Cloud API — the normal state after the coexistence flow	Register the number under Phone Numbers with its 6-digit PIN, see Step 2
Registering the number fails with "Please add a payment method"	Your WhatsApp Business Account has no payment method	Meta Business Manager → Business settings → WhatsApp accounts → add country, currency and a payment method, then register again
Registering the number fails with "Too many attempts"	Meta rate-limited the number after repeated tries	Wait a few hours before trying again. Repeated attempts extend the block and can get the whole account restricted
Nothing goes out from a workflow, but sending the same template by hand works	Template variables are not mapped in the workflow action	Open the workflow, open the Send WhatsApp to attendees step, map every highlighted `{{n}}`, save. Do this in every WhatsApp step, not just the confirmation
One specific template never sends, all others work	That template has a URL button whose link cannot be filled — usually a button meant to open the meeting link	Rebuild the button as Cancel appointment / Reschedule appointment or give it a fixed URL, and move the meeting link into the message body as a variable
The same template reaches some recipients and not others	No country, currency or payment method on your WhatsApp Business Account. Meta delivers a limited free volume and then rejects the rest with "Business eligibility payment issue"	Meta Business Manager → Business settings → WhatsApp accounts → Billing: add country, currency and a payment method
One recipient never receives anything	That number is not registered on WhatsApp, or has blocked your business	Keep email notifications on as a backup
Everything stopped sending at once	The WhatsApp authorization expired. Integrations shows WhatsApp connection expired	Click Connect again in Integrations & Apps. Your number, templates and settings stay intact
The template disappeared from the picker in the workflow	Meta paused or rejected it after approval, e.g. because too many recipients blocked or reported your messages	Check the status in your template list and in WhatsApp Manager → Message Templates, then edit and resubmit
Booking messages arrive, other automations don't	The contact replied STOP or withdrew WhatsApp consent. Confirmations, reminders, reschedules and cancellations are transactional and keep going out; every other trigger counts as marketing and is suppressed	Ask the contact to opt in again before re-enabling that automation

Watch the quality rating on your number in the WhatsApp integration settings. If it drops to Low, a high number of recipients have blocked or reported your messages and Meta may pause your templates or lower your daily limit.

Template statuses

In your template list you will see one of these statuses:

Status	Meaning
Draft	Not submitted yet — it cannot be selected in a workflow
Pending	Meta is reviewing your template — usually resolves within a few minutes to 24 hours
Approved	Template is ready to use in workflows
Rejected	Meta rejected the template — check the content and resubmit
In Appeal	You have disputed a rejection and Meta is reviewing it again
Paused	Meta temporarily stopped the template because of poor feedback from recipients. Sends fail until it recovers
Disabled	Meta permanently switched the template off. Build a new one

Only Approved templates can be selected in a workflow. If a template you were already using changes to Paused or Disabled, the workflow stops sending without any error.

FAQ

Do I need Superchat as well?

No. The direct WhatsApp integration connects straight to Meta's Cloud API. Superchat is a separate option — you can use either or both.

Which meetergo plan do I need?

WhatsApp Business is included from the Premium plan. On lower plans the WhatsApp tile shows "Premium plan required" with an Upgrade to Premium button. Accounts that bought the separate WhatsApp add-on before it was folded into Premium keep their access.

I bought WhatsApp and still can't connect

After the payment, access can take up to 15 minutes to switch on while the subscription is processed, though it is usually immediate. Reload Integrations & Apps afterwards. If the tile still asks you to upgrade more than 15 minutes later, send us a screenshot.

Can I connect more than one number?

Yes, by adding a number slot above the number list, as described in Step 2.

Can I use the same number I'm using in Superchat?

Yes, you can connect the same WhatsApp Business number. meetergo will automatically use the direct Meta connection over Superchat if both are configured.

Creating a template fails with "WhatsApp not configured"

Despite the wording, this usually is not a connection problem. Check that you filled in an Example Value for every placeholder in the message body — Meta requires one per variable and refuses the template otherwise. The fastest route is Start from a template: the pre-built starting points already carry example values, and you only adjust them.

What happens if my template is rejected?

Review Meta's rejection reason (visible in Meta Business Manager), adjust the template content, and submit a new template. Common reasons for rejection are missing example values, unclear variable usage, or content that looks promotional in a UTILITY template.

Can I include reschedule and cancel links in my WhatsApp messages?

Yes. When mapping template variables in the workflow, select the Reschedule link and Cancel link fields and assign them to the corresponding {{n}} variable in your template. See How to Add Reschedule and Cancel Links to WhatsApp Messages for details.

How quickly are messages sent?

Messages are sent within seconds of the trigger event. Delivery depends on Meta's servers and the recipient's internet connection.

What if a guest doesn't have WhatsApp?

Messages will only be delivered if the recipient has WhatsApp installed on the phone number they provided at booking. Consider keeping email notifications active as a backup.

Where do the replies arrive?

In the WhatsApp inbox in your meetergo sidebar. Everything a customer sends to your business number lands there, and you can answer in free text as long as the 24-hour window is open. There is nothing extra to install — the same inbox is available in the browser and in the meetergo mobile app.

Can I test a WhatsApp workflow before going live?

Yes. Make a test booking on the meeting type the workflow is attached to, using a phone number you can check. Sending the template by hand from the inbox is not a valid test: a manual send fills the variables from your input, so it succeeds even when the workflow's variable mapping is incomplete.