WhatsApp Business Cloud API Integration

Sembark connects to WhatsApp through Meta’s official WhatsApp Cloud API — there is no third-party WhatsApp provider in between. This guide walks you through preparing your Meta business, connecting your number, and checking that everything works before customers receive a message.

Once connected, see the WhatsApp Integration docs for the inbox, templates, forms and quick sends.

Before You Start

You need:

1. The WhatsApp Integration add-on enabled for your organization. Reach out to your account manager if you don’t see Whatsapp Cloud API under New Integration.
2. The Manage Integrations permission in Sembark.
3. A Facebook account that is an admin of your business on Meta Business Suite. If you don’t have a Meta business yet, you can create one during sign-up.
4. A phone number for WhatsApp that can receive an SMS or voice call for verification. It can be a new number or one you already use for WhatsApp. A number on the WhatsApp Business app can also stay there; see Keep Using the WhatsApp Business App.
5. A payment method added in Meta’s WhatsApp Manager. Meta bills template conversations directly to your business.

Step 1 — Create the Integration

1. In Sembark, go to Organization > Settings > Integrations and click New Integration.
2. Under Messaging Solutions, pick Whatsapp Cloud API.
3. Enter an Integration Name (e.g. “WhatsApp Business”) and a Description.
4. Recommended: tick Start in test mode and enter a Test Number — a WhatsApp number on your team, with the country code and without the plus sign, e.g. 919876543210. Until you turn test mode off, every message goes to this number instead of the customer.
5. Click Create Integration.

TODO: Add image for Create the Integration

Step 2 — Connect Your WhatsApp Business Account

1. On the integration page, click Connect WhatsApp Business. The connect page opens in a new tab.
2. Under How will you use this number?, pick:
   • Only with Sembark — a new number, or one moving from another provider or from the WhatsApp Business app.
   • Keep using it in the WhatsApp Business app too — chats stay on your phone and also show in Sembark. See Keep Using the WhatsApp Business App.
3. Click Continue with Facebook and log in with the Facebook account that is an admin of your business.
4. Follow Meta’s steps:
   • Select your Meta business (or create one).
   • Select or create a WhatsApp Business Account.
   • Add your phone number, set the display name customers will see, and verify the number with the code Meta sends. If you’re keeping the WhatsApp Business app, Meta shows a code to enter in the app instead.
   • Allow Sembark the requested permissions.
5. When Meta confirms, you can close the tab. Setup continues in the background.

TODO: Add image for Connect Your WhatsApp Business Account

Back in Sembark, the integration shows Connecting… and then Connected within a few seconds, with a badge for each business account and its phone numbers. Your existing templates and forms are synced automatically.

Keep Using the WhatsApp Business App

Pick Keep using it in the WhatsApp Business app too to use the same number on your phone and in Sembark. This option is in Beta.

1. Have the phone with an up-to-date WhatsApp Business app at hand.
2. During Meta’s steps, enter the code Meta shows in the app on the phone.
3. The app asks whether to share your past chats with Sembark. Share them to see your last 6 months of chats in Sembark.

Once connected:

• The number shows · Business app on the integration page.
• Sembark imports the contacts saved in the app, then your past chats if you shared them. Imported chats keep their original times and don’t count as unread or trigger notifications or automations.
• Messages your team sends from the app show in Sembark, and messages sent from Sembark show in the app. See Using the WhatsApp Business App with Sembark.
• Sembark doesn’t change the number’s two-step verification or welcome messages. These stay as they are in the app.

Step 3 — Check the Connection

1. From the integration’s ⋮ menu, click Check Connection Health.
2. Every check should pass. The summary reads “Everything looks healthy. Messages and template updates from WhatsApp will reach Sembark.”
3. If a check fails, follow its hint — typically Reconnect WhatsApp Account or Sync with Meta — and click Check Again.

For a number that stays in the WhatsApp Business app, a WhatsApp Business app check also confirms that its contacts and chat history were requested and that the number is still connected.

TODO: Add image for Check the Connection

Open the Accounts tab to review each number’s status, quality and messaging tier, and confirm that Welcome messages is On if you advertise with Click-to-WhatsApp ads.

Step 4 — Set Up Who Receives New Conversations

On the integration page, set the Default team for new conversations. Members of this team are notified of every new conversation. If you skip this, new conversations go to all sales heads and admins.

Step 5 — Create Your First Templates

WhatsApp only lets you start a conversation (or message a customer after 24 hours of silence) with a template approved by Meta.

1. Open the Templates tab and click + Create Template.
2. Pick your WhatsApp Business Account and, optionally, an Automation Template — it fills in a ready-made message such as a quotation follow-up or payment reminder, with variables that fill in from the trip.
3. Review the name, category, header, body and buttons, then click Save Template.
4. Wait for Meta’s review. The template shows APPROVED once it can be used (usually within minutes, sometimes up to 24 hours).

TODO: Add image for Create Your First Templates

Step 6 — Test, Then Go Live

1. With test mode on, send yourself messages: use Test Message on an approved template, send a quote with Send via WhatsApp, or start an automation’s Dry Run. Every message arrives on your test number and is marked Test mode in Sembark.
2. From your test phone, reply to your business number and check that the conversation shows up in Trips > WhatsApp Inbox.
3. When you are happy, click ⋮ > Disable Test Mode. Customers start receiving messages right away, including from any active automations.

Good to Know

• 24-hour window — plain messages, attachments, quick sends and forms only reach a customer within 24 hours of their last message. Templates can be sent any time.
• Messaging limits — Meta limits how many customers each number can start conversations with in 24 hours, based on its tier (shown on the Accounts tab). The limit grows as you send good-quality messages.
• Quality rating — customers blocking or reporting your messages lowers the number’s quality. Keep messages relevant and expected.
• Charges — Meta charges your business for template conversations according to its pricing, billed to the payment method in WhatsApp Manager.
• Reconnecting — if you change your Facebook password or remove Sembark’s access, use ⋮ > Reconnect WhatsApp Account.
• Pausing — ⋮ > Pause stops all incoming and outgoing messages for the integration until you resume it.

Troubleshooting

The integration shows Connection Failure

Click the reconnect button shown on the page and sign in again. Make sure the Facebook account you use is still an admin of your business.

A phone number is shown in red

The number is not connected on WhatsApp’s side. Complete its verification in Meta’s WhatsApp Manager, then click ⋮ > Sync with Meta.

A template stays PENDING

WhatsApp is still reviewing it. If it shows as approved in WhatsApp Manager but not in Sembark, run ⋮ > Sync Templates on the Templates tab.

A message failed because it was outside the 24-hour window

The customer hasn’t written to you in the last 24 hours. Send an approved template instead.

Customers from ads don’t show up until they type

Turn Welcome messages on for the number on the Accounts tab.

A form made in Meta’s Flow Builder isn’t in Sembark

Run ⋮ > Sync Flows on the Flows tab.

Messages go to your own number instead of customers

Test mode is on. Click ⋮ > Disable Test Mode.

Past chats from the WhatsApp Business app aren’t in Sembark

Meta lets Sembark request contacts and past chats only within 24 hours of connecting. If the integration says they could not be requested, click ⋮ > Sync with Meta within that time. If you chose not to share past chats in the app, only new messages appear. Photos, videos and documents older than 14 days show as unavailable.

A WhatsApp Business app number was disconnected

The number was disconnected in the app, or the app wasn’t opened for 14 days. Click Connect WhatsApp Business and connect the number again, choosing Keep using it in the WhatsApp Business app too.