WhatsApp Session Management Guide
Version 1.5.1Prerequisites: Active WhatsApp Business Account connected
Important: Hours limited to 1-23 due to WhatsApp's 24-hour messaging window
Overview
What is WhatsApp Session Management?
WhatsApp Session Management is an intelligent automated system that helps you maintain conversation continuity within WhatsApp's 24-hour messaging window. When a customer doesn't respond within a specified timeframe (1-23 hours), the system automatically sends a friendly reminder to keep the conversation active before the 24-hour window expires.
Understanding WhatsApp's 24-Hour Window
WhatsApp Cloud API restricts businesses to send messages only within 24 hours after a customer's last message. This feature helps you re-engage customers before this window closes, ensuring your conversation remains active and you can continue communicating without restrictions.
How It Works
Understanding the system helps you configure it better. Here's what happens automatically:
The Session Management Flow
Configuration Guide
Step 1: Navigate to Settings
- Log in to your WhatsMark SaaS dashboard
- Click on Settings in the left sidebar
- Select Application Settings
- Click on WhatsApp Session Management
Step 2: Enable Session Reset Message
What This Toggle Does
The Enable Session Reset Message toggle is the master switch for the entire session management system.
Configuration
| Setting | Options | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Toggle | ON / OFF | ON for better engagement |
| Default | OFF | Change to ON to activate |
Best Practice
Turn this ON if you're actively managing customer conversations. Turn OFF only if you're on vacation or during maintenance periods.
Step 3: Set Session Expiry Hours
What This Means
This is the number of hours of inactivity before the system sends a reminder to the customer. You can only set between 1-23 hours due to WhatsApp's 24-hour messaging window restriction.
Important Limitation
Allowed Range: 1-23 hours ONLY
WhatsApp Cloud API only allows messaging within 24 hours of a customer's last message. To ensure reminders are sent successfully, you must set the expiry time between 1-23 hours. Setting it to 24 hours or more would exceed the messaging window.
Example Scenarios
- Set: 23 hours (maximum allowed)
- Message: "Hi {contact_firstname}! Following up on our conversation. Still interested? Let me know! "
Step 4: Craft Your Session Expiry Message
This is the most important part – the message your customers will see when they're reminded.
Available Merge Fields
Use these placeholders to personalize your messages:
| Merge Field | Description | Example Output |
|---|---|---|
{contact_firstname} | Customer's first name | "John" |
{contact_lastname} | Customer's last name | "Smith" |
{contact_email} | Customer's email address | "[email protected]" |
{contact_phone} | Customer's phone number | "+1234567890" |
{company_name} | Your company name | "Your Business Inc." |
Step 5: Save Your Configuration
- Review all your settings one final time
- Click the Save Changes button
- Wait for confirmation: "Settings saved successfully"