WhatsApp Business

In one line: Connect the official Meta WhatsApp Cloud API so your UnleashX agent can send text, template, image, document, audio, and video messages to your customers on WhatsApp.


Category	Communication
Authentication	OAuth / Access Token (Meta Cloud API access token + phone number ID and WABA ID)
Setup time	~15 minutes
Difficulty	Medium
Best for	Businesses sending notifications, support replies, and template campaigns to customers on WhatsApp at scale

1. Overview

WhatsApp Business (via Meta’s WhatsApp Cloud API) is the official way for companies to message customers on WhatsApp — sending order updates, reminders, support replies, and approved marketing templates from a verified business number. Once connected to UnleashX, your agent can send plain text messages, pre-approved templates (with variables), images, documents, audio/voice notes, and videos, and mark inbound messages as read — all through your own WhatsApp Business number. Connecting this to UnleashX lets your agent automate customer communication end to end: trigger a template when an event happens, reply with a document on request, or send a voice note — using the same compliant Cloud API that Meta requires for business messaging.

2. What you’ll need

A Meta for Developers account and a Meta App with the WhatsApp product added.
A WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) and a registered business phone number.
Three values from the Meta dashboard: an access token, your Phone Number ID, and your WhatsApp Business Account ID (WABA ID).
Approved message templates if you plan to send template messages (Meta must approve these in advance).

If you don’t manage the Meta App yourself, ask whoever administers your company’s Meta Business / WhatsApp setup to add you as an app admin or to share the access token, Phone Number ID, and WABA ID.

3. Get your credentials

To connect, UnleashX needs three values from Meta: an Access Token, a Phone Number ID, and a WhatsApp Business Account ID (WABA ID). Getting them means setting up the official Meta WhatsApp Cloud API — no Twilio, WATI, or AiSensy needed.

Already have WhatsApp Cloud API running? Skip ahead to Step 8 — Collect your three values. The steps below are the full setup from scratch.

How the pieces fit together

Each thing you create unlocks the next. This is the chain you’ll build:

Facebook account → Meta Developer account → Business Portfolio →
Meta App (Business) → WhatsApp product → WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) →
Phone number → Access token → (Webhook for receiving)

Set it up step by step

Create a Meta Developer account

Go to Meta for Developers and log in with your Facebook account. Click Get Started, verify your email, turn on two-factor authentication if asked, and accept the developer terms. You now have a developer account.

Create a Meta Business Portfolio

Open Meta Business Settings and create your business portfolio — your business name, email, website, and address. This is the entity that will own your WhatsApp Business Account, and it has its own Business portfolio ID.

Business portfolio info and ID in Business Settings

Verify your business (recommended)

In Business Settings → Security Center, click Start verification and upload your business documents (for example a registration certificate, GST certificate, or a utility bill).

Start business verification in the Security Center

Verification isn’t required to test, but it is required for production use and for higher messaging limits — so it’s worth doing early.

Create a Meta App

Go to your Apps dashboard and click Create App.

Choose the Business app type and click Next.

Fill in the App name and contact email (you can attach a Business portfolio now or later), then click Create app.

Add app name and contact email, then create the app

Add the WhatsApp product

Inside the app, find Add Product, locate WhatsApp, and click Set up.

Meta automatically gives you a test WhatsApp Business Account, a test phone number, and a temporary access token so you can try things immediately. You’ll land on the WhatsApp Quickstart page.

Send a test message (optional)

Want to confirm it works before going further? Open WhatsApp → API Setup (or Getting Started). It shows a temporary access token, your test Phone Number ID, and your WhatsApp Business Account ID, plus a ready-made curl command and a Send message button.

API Setup: temporary token, test number, Phone Number ID, and WABA ID

Send the test message straight from that page, or run the command yourself — replace the three placeholders with the values shown:

curl -X POST \
  https://graph.facebook.com/v23.0/PHONE_NUMBER_ID/messages \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "messaging_product": "whatsapp",
    "to": "YOUR_NUMBER",
    "type": "text",
    "text": { "body": "Hello from WhatsApp Cloud API" }
  }'

Add your real phone number

In WhatsApp → API Setup, scroll to Add a phone number and click Add phone number.

API Setup: add a phone number and payment method

Enter your business name, display name, category, and the phone number to register, then choose a verification method.

Register and verify your WhatsApp Business number

Meta sends a one-time code by SMS or call — enter it to verify the number.

Enter the verification code for your number

The number must be able to receive an SMS or call, and it cannot already be connected to another Cloud API. A number currently on the WhatsApp Business app can sometimes be migrated using Meta’s coexistence feature.

Collect your three values

Once the real number is added, copy these from the API Setup page (and from Business Settings → Accounts → WhatsApp Accounts). These are exactly what UnleashX asks for:

Value	Looks like	Where
Phone Number ID	`123456789012345`	API Setup page (the long number, not the phone number itself)
WhatsApp Business Account ID (WABA ID)	`987654321098765`	API Setup page / WhatsApp Accounts
Access Token	a long token string	API Setup page (temporary) — make it permanent in the next step

Phone Number ID and WhatsApp Business Account ID on the API Setup page

Create a permanent access token

The temporary token expires in about 24 hours, so create a permanent one for production.1. Add a System User. Go to Business Settings → Users → System Users and click Add. Name it (e.g. whatsapp-api) with the Admin role.

2. Assign your app. Select the system user → Add Assets → Apps → pick your app → enable Manage app (Full control). Also assign your WhatsApp account under Accounts → WhatsApp Accounts and allow Manage WhatsApp Account.

Assign the app to the System User with Manage app access

3. Generate the token. Back on the system user, click Generate New Token and choose your app.

Generate a new token for the System User

4. Select permissions and generate. Choose at least:

whatsapp_business_messaging
whatsapp_business_management

Click Generate token and copy it immediately — this is your production access token.

The permanent token is shown once. Copy it now and store it safely (treat it like a password). If you lose it, regenerate a new one.

About webhooks (receiving messages): sending messages needs only the three values above. To receive inbound messages into a workflow, use the Webhook trigger in Workflows — UnleashX gives you a callback URL to paste into WhatsApp → Configuration in Meta. You don’t need to build your own server.Open WhatsApp → Configuration and click Edit next to the Webhook callback URL.

WhatsApp Configuration: webhook callback URL and verify token

Paste the callback URL and verify token UnleashX gives you, then click Verify and save.

Edit the webhook callback URL and verify token

Finally, subscribe to the messages field so inbound messages are delivered to your workflow.

Credentials / scopes UnleashX needs and why:

Credential / scope	Why UnleashX needs it
Access token (`access-token`)	Authenticates every call to the WhatsApp Cloud API on your behalf
Phone Number ID (`phone-number-id`)	Identifies which business number sends the message
WABA ID (`waba-id`)	Lets UnleashX list your approved message templates
`whatsapp_business_messaging` permission	Required to send messages and media
`whatsapp_business_management` permission	Required to read your message templates
`business_management` permission	Lets the system user manage the WhatsApp account

4. Connect on UnleashX

Open your agent

Go to Data Connectors

Open Data Connectors inside the agent.

Find WhatsApp Business and Configure

Locate WhatsApp Business and click Connect / Add / Configure.

Paste your credentials

Enter your access token, Phone Number ID, and WABA ID from Section 3, then save.

Confirm it's connected

The connector shows a Connected badge once your credentials validate. You’re ready to send.

Use WhatsApp Business in a Workflow

Once connected, you can add WhatsApp Business to any automation from the Workflows builder. Its triggers and tools appear in the Apps panel, marked with an MCP badge.

Add a trigger node

Open Workflows → New Workflow. On the canvas, click + Add Trigger. In the Paths panel, open the Apps tab and select WhatsApp Business — its Triggers are listed underneath. Use the search box if you have many connectors.

WhatsApp Business triggers in the Apps panel

Add an action node

Click the + below any node to add a step, then pick WhatsApp Business again — this time the panel lists its Actions.

WhatsApp Business actions in the Apps panel

Configure the step

Fill in the fields for the trigger or action you picked. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk (*).

Add or select your account

Under Selected account, choose an already-connected account, or click Add Account to connect one now.

Save and test

Click Save. Use Test to verify the step, then toggle Publish when the workflow is ready.

The steps are the same for every connector. For the full workflow builder guide, see Using MCP in Workflows.

5. Available tools

Tool	What it does	Changes data?
Send Message	Send a plain WhatsApp text message	✏️ Yes
List Templates	List your approved message templates	No
Send Template	Send an approved template message with optional variables	✏️ Yes
Send Image URL	Send an image by public URL (optional caption)	✏️ Yes
Send Document	Send a document by uploaded media ID	✏️ Yes
Send Document URL	Send a document by public URL	✏️ Yes
Send Audio	Send an audio/voice message by media ID	✏️ Yes
Send Voice Message	Download audio from a URL, upload it, and send as a voice note	✏️ Yes
Send Video	Send a video by media ID (optional caption)	✏️ Yes
Mark Read	Mark an inbound message as read	✏️ Yes
Get Insurance Detail	Get car insurance quotes for a vehicle registration number	No
Zimyo Employee Detail	Look up Zimyo employee details by phone number	No

Get Insurance Detail and Zimyo Employee Detail are helper lookups bundled into this server for specific business workflows (insurance quoting and HR employee lookup). They don’t send WhatsApp messages themselves.

6. Example usage

“Text +91 98765 43210 their order #4521 has shipped.” Behind the scenes: Send Message (UnleashX normalizes the number and posts to the Cloud API). “Send the ‘appointment_reminder’ template to this customer for 3 PM tomorrow.” Behind the scenes: List Templates (confirm the template) → Send Template (with the time as a variable).

7. Permissions & data access

UnleashX CAN:

Send text, template, image, document, audio/voice, and video messages from your business number.
List your approved message templates.
Mark inbound messages as read.

UnleashX CANNOT:

Send free-form messages outside WhatsApp’s 24-hour customer service window — those require an approved template.
Create or approve templates (that happens in the Meta dashboard).
Message numbers that haven’t opted in, or bypass Meta’s messaging policies.
Access your Meta account settings or billing.

How to disconnect: In UnleashX, open Data Connectors → WhatsApp Business → Disconnect. To fully cut access, also revoke or regenerate the access token in Meta → Business Settings → System Users. Disconnecting takes effect immediately.

8. Troubleshooting

Problem	What it means	How to fix it
401 — No access token found	The access token is missing, malformed, or not sent	Reconnect and re-enter a valid `access-token` (and re-check it hasn’t expired)
401 — No Phone Number ID	The `phone-number-id` is missing	Add your Phone Number ID from the Meta API Setup page
Token expired (Graph API error)	A temporary token expired (~24h)	Generate a permanent System User token and reconnect
403 / permission error	The token lacks `whatsapp_business_messaging` or `_management`	Add the missing permission to the System User and regenerate the token
Template not found / not approved	The template name/language is wrong or not yet approved	Use List Templates to confirm the exact name and language; approve it in Meta if pending

For general connector issues, see /mcp/integrations.

9. Frequently asked questions

Do I need approved templates to message customers? Yes — to start a conversation or message outside the 24-hour service window, WhatsApp requires a pre-approved template. Plain text messages only work within an open customer service window. Why does my access token keep expiring? You’re likely using a temporary token. Create a permanent System User access token in Meta Business Settings for production use. Is my customer message data stored by UnleashX? UnleashX sends messages on demand through Meta’s API. Inbound webhook events may be logged for delivery and analytics; outbound message content is not retained beyond what’s needed to complete the request. Can I use my own phone number? You use the business number registered to your WhatsApp Business Account in Meta. The phone-number-id you provide tells UnleashX which number to send from.

10. References

WhatsApp Cloud API documentation: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/cloud-api
Get started / API Setup: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/cloud-api/get-started
Message templates guide: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/business-management-api/message-templates
System User access tokens: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/business-management-api/get-started

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WhatsApp Business

WhatsApp Business

1. Overview

2. What you’ll need