WhatsApp Settings - User Guide

What are WhatsApp Settings?

WhatsApp Settings allow you to configure how your CRM integrates with WhatsApp, including webhook forwarding and automatic contact creation. These settings control advanced features that enhance your WhatsApp automation and data management.

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Accessing WhatsApp Settings

Navigate to: Settings → WhatsApp Cloud API

You'll see two main configuration options:

1. Webhook Settings
2. Auto Convert to Contact

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Feature 1: Webhook Settings

What are Webhooks?

Webhooks are automatic notifications sent by WhatsApp whenever something happens - like receiving a new message, getting a delivery status update, or when someone reads your message.

Think of webhooks as: WhatsApp calling your CRM to say "Hey, something happened!"

Why Use Webhook Forwarding?

Sometimes you need to send WhatsApp webhook data to external services or tools (like analytics platforms, logging systems, or third-party integrations). Webhook forwarding automatically passes this data along to those services.

Use cases:

• Send webhook data to analytics platforms
• Forward notifications to external monitoring systems
• Integrate with custom applications
• Log webhook data in external databases
• Trigger workflows in other systems (like n8n, Zapier, Make)

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Configuring Webhook Settings

Step 1: Enable Webhook Forward

1. Navigate to Settings → WhatsApp Cloud API → Webhook Settings
2. Find the "Enable Webhook Forward" toggle
3. Turn the toggle ON (it will turn blue/green)

What this does:
When enabled, every webhook notification received from WhatsApp will be automatically forwarded to the URL you specify.

Description shown:
"Enable this to automatically forward incoming WhatsApp webhook requests to external services"

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Step 2: Enter Your Webhook URL

Field: "WhatsApp received data will be forwarded to"

What to enter:
The complete URL where you want webhook data sent.

Examples:

https://your-webhook-url.com/endpoint
https://n8n.yourcompany.com/webhook/whatsapp
https://analytics.example.com/api/whatsapp-events

Important notes:

• Must be a valid URL starting with https:// (or http:// for testing)
• The URL must be accessible from the internet
• Your endpoint should be able to receive POST or GET requests
• This field is required when webhook forwarding is enabled

Placeholder text:
https://your-webhook-url.com/endpoint

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Step 3: Select Webhook Method

Field: "Webhook Resend Method"

Choose how the webhook data should be sent to your URL:

Options:

• POST - Sends data in the request body (most common)
• GET - Sends data as URL parameters

Which one to choose?

• Use POST if:

  • Your receiving service expects POST requests (most common)
  • You're sending to n8n, Zapier, or similar platforms
  • Your endpoint processes JSON data
  • Not sure? Use POST (it's the standard)

• Use GET if:

  • Your service specifically requires GET requests
  • You need simple URL parameter-based forwarding
  • Your system only accepts GET webhooks

Default: POST (recommended)

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Step 4: Save Settings

Click the "Save" button at the bottom of the form.

Success message:
"Settings saved successfully"

What happens next:

• All incoming WhatsApp webhooks will now be forwarded to your specified URL
• Data is sent immediately when webhooks arrive
• Original webhook processing continues normally

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Understanding Webhook Data

When webhook forwarding is enabled, the following data is sent to your URL:

Webhook events include:

• Message received - Someone sent a message to your WhatsApp number
• Message delivered - Your message was delivered to recipient
• Message read - Recipient read your message
• Message failed - Message delivery failed
• Status updates - Various status changes

Data format:
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) containing all webhook details from WhatsApp

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Disabling Webhook Forwarding

To stop forwarding webhooks:

1. Go to Settings → WhatsApp Cloud API → Webhook Settings
2. Turn the "Enable Webhook Forward" toggle OFF
3. Click "Save"

Result:
Webhooks will no longer be forwarded to external services (but your CRM will still process them internally).

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Troubleshooting Webhook Forwarding

Webhook forwarding not working

Check:

1. Is the toggle enabled?

   • Make sure "Enable Webhook Forward" is ON

2. Is the URL correct?

   • Verify the URL is accessible from the internet
   • Test the URL in a browser or with tools like Postman
   • Ensure it starts with https:// or http://

3. Is your endpoint receiving requests?

   • Check your external service logs
   • Verify the endpoint is running and accessible
   • Test with a simple webhook testing tool

4. Is the method correct?

   • Verify your endpoint expects POST or GET
   • Match the method in your webhook settings

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"Webhook URL is required" error

Cause:
You enabled webhook forwarding but didn't provide a URL.

Solution:
Enter a valid URL in the "WhatsApp received data will be forwarded to" field.

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"Webhook method is required" error

Cause:
You enabled webhook forwarding but didn't select a method.

Solution:
Select either POST or GET from the dropdown.

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Feature 2: Auto Convert to Contact

What is Auto Convert to Contact?

This feature automatically creates a new contact in your CRM whenever someone sends a message to your WhatsApp Business number for the first time. Instead of manually creating contacts, the system does it automatically.

Think of it as: Your CRM automatically adding anyone who messages you on WhatsApp to your contacts database.

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Why Use Auto Convert to Contact?

Benefits:

• ✅ Never miss a lead - every WhatsApp message becomes a contact
• ✅ Save time - no manual contact creation needed
• ✅ Capture all interactions - track every conversation from the start
• ✅ Automatic lead generation - inbound WhatsApp messages create opportunities
• ✅ Organized database - all WhatsApp contacts in one place

Use cases:

• Customer service - automatically save customer inquiries
• Lead generation - capture potential customers who message you
• Support tickets - create contacts for support requests
• Marketing campaigns - track people who respond to your campaigns

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Configuring Auto Convert Settings

Step 1: Enable Auto Convert

1. Navigate to Settings → WhatsApp Cloud API → Auto Convert to Contact
2. Find the "Auto Convert to Contact" toggle
3. Turn the toggle ON (it will turn blue/green)

What this does:
When enabled, the system automatically creates a new contact record whenever an unknown phone number sends a WhatsApp message to your business.

Description shown:
"Automatically convert incoming WhatsApp messages to contacts"

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Step 2: Save Settings

Click the "Save" button at the bottom of the form.

Success message:
"Settings saved successfully"

What happens next:

• Any new WhatsApp message from an unknown number creates a contact
• You can view the new contact in your Contacts plugin

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How Auto Convert Works

When someone messages your WhatsApp:

1. System checks: Is this phone number already in our contacts?

2. If YES:

   • No new contact created
   • Message is logged against existing contact
   • No action needed

3. If NO:

   • New contact is created with:
     • Phone number from WhatsApp
     • Name (if provided by WhatsApp)
   • Message is logged against new contact
   • Contact appears in Contacts plugin

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What Information is Saved?

When a contact is auto-created from WhatsApp, the system saves:

Automatic fields:

• Phone number - From WhatsApp message (e.g., +1234567890)
• Name - If WhatsApp profile has a name, it's used
• Created date - When contact was created
• First message - The initial WhatsApp message sent

Example auto-created contact:

Name: John Doe
Phone: +1234567890 (Mobile)
Created: January 30, 2026 2:30 PM

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Viewing Auto-Created Contacts

To see contacts created from WhatsApp:

1. Go to Contacts plugin
2. Sort by Created At to see newest first

Or:

1. Go to Contacts plugin
2. Search by phone number to find specific WhatsApp contacts

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Disabling Auto Convert

To stop automatically creating contacts:

1. Go to Settings → WhatsApp Cloud API → Auto Convert to Contact
2. Turn the "Auto Convert to Contact" toggle OFF
3. Click "Save"

Result:
New WhatsApp messages will no longer create contacts automatically. You'll need to manually create contacts as needed.

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Best Practices for Auto Convert

✅ Do's

3. Review new contacts regularly

   • Check for spam or invalid entries
   • Clean up test messages

4. Train your team

   • Explain that new contacts will appear automatically
   • Show them how to find WhatsApp-originated contacts
   • Set expectations for follow-up timing

5. Monitor the quality

   • Periodically review auto-created contacts
   • Check if phone numbers are valid
   • Ensure names are being captured correctly

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⚠️ Don'ts

2. Don't forget to test

   • Send a test message to verify it works
   • Check that contact is created correctly

3. Don't ignore duplicate checks

   • System checks by phone number
   • If you have different formats, duplicates may occur
   • Clean up periodically

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Troubleshooting Auto Convert

Contacts not being created automatically

Check:

1. Is the toggle enabled?

   • Make sure "Auto Convert to Contact" is ON

2. Is the phone number already in your system?

   • Search for the phone number in Contacts
   • System won't create duplicates

3. Is your WhatsApp properly connected?

   • Check account connection in Connect Account page
   • Verify webhooks are working

4. Are webhooks configured?

   • Contact your administrator to verify webhook setup
   • Webhook must be connected for auto-convert to work

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Duplicate contacts created

Possible causes:

1. Different phone number formats

   • +1234567890 vs 1234567890 vs (123) 456-7890
   • System may not recognize as same number

2. Multiple phone types

   • If contact has Mobile: +1234567890
   • But WhatsApp message comes from +1234567890 as "Work"
   • May create duplicate in some cases

Solutions:

• Use consistent phone number format
• Merge duplicate contacts manually
• Set up phone number standardization

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Combining Both Features

Use Case: Complete Automation

Scenario:
You want to capture every WhatsApp lead AND send the data to your analytics platform.

Setup:

2. Enable Webhook Forwarding
   • URL: Your analytics platform webhook
   • Method: POST

Result:

• Every new WhatsApp message creates a contact automatically
• Contact is assigned to sales manager
• Webhook data is sent to analytics platform
• Full visibility and automation

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Settings Summary

Webhook Settings

Setting	Purpose	Required?	Default
Enable Webhook Forward	Turn forwarding on/off	-	OFF
Webhook URL	Where to send data	Yes (if enabled)	-
Webhook Method	How to send data	Yes (if enabled)	POST

Auto Convert Settings

Setting	Purpose	Required?	Default
Enable Auto Convert	Turn auto-creation on/off	-	OFF

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FAQ

Q: Will webhook forwarding slow down my system?
A: No. Webhook forwarding happens asynchronously (in the background) and doesn't affect normal operations.

Q: Can I forward webhooks to multiple URLs?
A: No, currently only one URL is supported. To send to multiple places, use a relay service or middleware that distributes to multiple endpoints.

Q: What happens if the webhook URL is down?
A: The system will attempt to send the webhook, but if it fails, the data is not retried. Your CRM continues processing webhooks normally regardless of forwarding success.

Q: Will auto-convert create duplicate contacts?
A: No, the system checks if the phone number already exists. If found, no new contact is created. However, phone number format variations might cause duplicates.

Q: Does auto-convert work for outbound messages?
A: No, auto-convert only works for inbound messages (when someone messages your WhatsApp first).

Q: Will I get notified when a new contact is created?
A: Check your notification settings in the CRM. You can set up notifications for new contacts if that feature is available.

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Summary

WhatsApp Settings provide powerful automation and integration capabilities:

Webhook Settings

• Forward webhook data to external services
• Integrate with third-party tools like analytics and monitoring platforms
• Choose POST or GET method for compatibility
• Simple on/off control for easy management

Auto Convert to Contact

• Automatically capture leads from WhatsApp messages
• Never miss an opportunity - every message becomes a contact

By configuring these settings, you streamline your WhatsApp workflow, improve lead capture, and integrate with your existing tools seamlessly.

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Need more help? Contact your system administrator or refer to the Template Mapping and Activity Logs documentation for related features.