WhatsApp API Template Messages: Send Order Updates, Reminders and OTPs Any Time

A normal text message works only within 24 hours of the customer's last message. But what about a new enquiry, an order update or a payment reminder? For these you use a template.

What is a template?

A template is a message format that WhatsApp has approved in advance. It can have blanks like {{1}} and {{2}}, which you fill for each customer. For example:

Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} for {{3}} has been shipped. It will reach you by {{4}}.

When you send it, you give four values: Priya, #4521, LED TV 43 inch and 5 October. The customer gets the full message.

Step 1: Create and get the template approved

1. In your panel, open Templates → Create New Template.
2. Write the message and put {{1}}, {{2}} where the values go. Add a header, footer or buttons if you like.
3. Choose the category: Utility for order and account updates, Marketing for offers, Authentication for OTP codes.
4. Submit it. WhatsApp usually approves it within a few minutes to a few hours. Only Approved templates can be sent.

Step 2: Send it from the API Tester

1. Open the API Tester. Your key should show in step 1, Your API key (see Part 2).
2. In the left menu, under Send a message, click Template.
3. In Send to (WhatsApp number), type the customer's number.
4. Next to Template, click the navy button Load my templates. A list of your approved templates appears. Choose one.

5. The Template row now shows your choice as one line, like order_update · en_US · utility, with a Change button. Under This template needs: there is one box for each blank: Value for {{1}}, Value for {{2}} and so on. If your template has a photo on top or a website button, there is a box for that too, like Photo on top (with Upload photo) or Link ending for button 'Track order'. Fill them in.
6. Check the phone on the right. How it looks on the phone shows your template with your values in place, so you can see if each value sits in the right spot.
7. Click the gold Send now button under the phone.

Already know the template name? Click or type the template name yourself under the button and type the name, language and values in your own boxes. You can also open My templates in the left menu (under Check & read) and press Show my templates. Every template shows what it Needs, with a Use this template button. Have many templates? Under More options, type a name in Show only one template.

The template link

Here is what the link looks like (in the tester, open Link & code for your software under Send now and look at Your link). The values go in params, in order, separated by a straight line |:

https://epublictouch.com/app/api/send/whatsapp
  ?secret=YOUR_API_KEY
  &recipient=919876543210
  &type=template
  &template=order_update
  &language=en
  &params=Priya|%234521|LED TV 43 inch|5 October

(The link is shown on many lines only to make it easy to read. In real use it is one line. %23 is how a link writes the # sign. The tester does this for you.)

Extra parts some templates need

In the tester you do not need these names. After Load my templates, the right boxes appear by themselves, with simple names like Photo on top, Top line value, Link ending for button …, Coupon code and OTP code.

Not sure what your template needs? Just send it. If something is missing, the answer tells you exactly what to add, for example: "This template needs 3 values: {{1}}, {{2}}, {{3}}. Send params=value1|value2|value3".

Handy tricks

• Use the customer's saved name: write {first_name} as a value, like params={first_name}|%234521. We fill in the name saved in your contacts. You can also use {last_name}, {full_name}, {phone_number} and {email}.
• Language: if your template exists in only one language, you can leave out language. We pick it for you.
• Values must not be empty and cannot have line breaks. We change line breaks into spaces for you.
• The customer can reply to a template. Their reply opens a new 24-hour window, so you can then send normal messages too.

Things to know

• Cost: WhatsApp (Meta) charges for template messages as per its own rate card. The price depends on the category. Normal replies inside the 24-hour window are free.
• Opted-out customers: if a customer has opted out, we do not send them marketing templates. You get the error OPTED_OUT.
• Quality: if many people block or report a template, WhatsApp may pause it. Send marketing templates only to people who expect them.

What next?

Now that you can reach anyone, let us make the messages richer. Part 4 shows how to send photos, PDFs, videos and voice notes.

Next: Part 4 — Photos, PDFs and videos