Updated January 04, 2026
WhatsApp Notifications
WhatsApp notifications in EquiBillBook enable you to send and receive business notifications through WhatsApp, providing a convenient and widely-used communication channel. This guide explains how to configure and manage WhatsApp notifications.
What are WhatsApp Notifications?
WhatsApp notifications are messages sent through WhatsApp Business API when specific events occur in EquiBillBook, such as payments received, invoice updates, or booking confirmations. WhatsApp notifications offer a direct and personal way to communicate with customers and stay informed about business activities.
Types of WhatsApp Notifications
EquiBillBook can send WhatsApp notifications for various events:
- Payment Notifications: Payment received, payment reminders, payment confirmations
- Invoice Notifications: Invoice created, invoice sent, invoice paid, invoice overdue
- Booking Notifications: New bookings, booking confirmations, booking reminders, booking cancellations
- Customer Notifications: Welcome messages, account updates, order confirmations
- Stock Alerts: Low stock warnings, out of stock notifications
- System Notifications: Important system updates, security alerts
Enabling WhatsApp Notifications
To enable WhatsApp notifications:
- Navigate to Settings → Notification Settings → WhatsApp Notifications
- Configure WhatsApp API integration (if not already done)
- Verify WhatsApp Business account connection
- Enable WhatsApp notifications toggle
- Select which notification types you want to send
- Save your settings
WhatsApp API Setup
Before using WhatsApp notifications, you need to set up WhatsApp Business API:
- Go to Settings → Notification Settings → WhatsApp API Setup
- Choose your WhatsApp API provider (Twilio, MessageBird, etc.)
- Enter API credentials (API key, API secret, phone number ID)
- Configure webhook settings
- Verify phone number
- Test WhatsApp message delivery
- Save configuration
WhatsApp Business API Providers
EquiBillBook supports various WhatsApp API providers:
- Twilio: Cloud communications platform with WhatsApp Business API
- MessageBird: Global messaging platform with WhatsApp integration
- 360dialog: WhatsApp Business API provider
- ChatAPI: WhatsApp Business API service
- Custom Provider: Configure your own WhatsApp API integration
WhatsApp API Configuration
Configure your WhatsApp API settings:
- API Key/Token: Authentication token from API provider
- API Secret: Secret key for authentication
- Phone Number ID: WhatsApp Business phone number ID
- Business Account ID: WhatsApp Business account identifier
- Webhook URL: URL for receiving WhatsApp message status updates
- Webhook Secret: Secret for webhook verification
- Test Mode: Enable test mode for testing without sending actual messages
WhatsApp Business Account Setup
To use WhatsApp Business API, you need:
- A WhatsApp Business Account (verified business account)
- Approved business profile
- Phone number verified with WhatsApp
- API access from WhatsApp Business API provider
- Compliance with WhatsApp Business Policy
Payment WhatsApp Notifications
Configure payment-related WhatsApp notifications:
- Payment Received: WhatsApp message when payments are received
- Payment Reminder: WhatsApp reminders for pending payments
- Payment Confirmation: Confirm payment receipt to customers
- Payment Failed: Alert when payment attempts fail
- Payment Link: Send payment links via WhatsApp
Invoice WhatsApp Notifications
Set up invoice-related WhatsApp messages:
- Invoice Created: WhatsApp when new invoices are created
- Invoice Sent: Send invoices via WhatsApp
- Invoice Paid: WhatsApp confirmation when invoices are paid
- Invoice Overdue: Alert when invoices become overdue
- Invoice Reminder: Remind customers about pending invoices
Booking WhatsApp Notifications
Configure booking-related WhatsApp notifications:
- New Booking: WhatsApp when new table bookings are made
- Booking Confirmation: Send booking confirmations via WhatsApp
- Booking Reminder: Remind customers before booking time
- Booking Cancellation: Alert when bookings are cancelled
- Booking Update: Notify about booking changes
WhatsApp Message Templates
Customize WhatsApp message templates:
- Go to Settings → Notification Settings → WhatsApp Notifications → Templates
- Select the notification type you want to customize
- Edit the message template
- Add media (images, documents) if needed
- Use variables for dynamic content
- Preview the message
- Save changes
WhatsApp Template Variables
Use these variables in WhatsApp templates:
- Business: {BusinessName}, {BusinessPhone}
- Invoice: {InvoiceNumber}, {InvoiceAmount}, {DueDate}, {InvoiceLink}
- Customer: {CustomerName}, {CustomerPhone}
- Payment: {PaymentAmount}, {PaymentMethod}, {TransactionID}
- Booking: {BookingDate}, {BookingTime}, {TableNumber}
- Date: {Date}, {Time}
WhatsApp Template Approval
Important notes about WhatsApp templates:
- Template Messages: Business-initiated messages must use approved templates
- Template Approval: Templates need approval from WhatsApp
- Approval Time: Template approval can take 24-48 hours
- Template Categories: Templates are categorized (UTILITY, MARKETING, AUTHENTICATION)
- Template Limits: Some categories have sending limits
- Session Messages: Customer-initiated conversations allow free-form messages
WhatsApp Media Messages
Send media through WhatsApp notifications:
- Images: Send invoice images, product photos
- Documents: Send PDF invoices, receipts, statements
- Videos: Send video messages (if supported)
- File Size Limits: Be aware of file size restrictions
- Media URLs: Use hosted media URLs for large files
WhatsApp Notification Preferences
Customize WhatsApp notification preferences:
- Immediate: Send WhatsApp messages as soon as events occur
- Business Hours Only: Send messages only during business hours
- Quiet Hours: Disable messages during specific hours
- Only Important: Send only critical notifications
- Customer Opt-in: Respect customer preferences for WhatsApp messages
WhatsApp Delivery Settings
Configure WhatsApp delivery options:
- Delivery Reports: Track message delivery status
- Read Receipts: Know when messages are read (if enabled)
- Failed Message Alerts: Get notified when messages fail to deliver
- Retry Failed Messages: Automatically retry failed deliveries
- Webhook Notifications: Receive real-time delivery status updates
WhatsApp Notification History
View your WhatsApp notification history:
- Access from Settings → Notification Settings → WhatsApp History
- Filter by date range, notification type, or status
- View message content and delivery status
- Resend failed messages if needed
- Export WhatsApp history
Bulk WhatsApp Notifications
Send bulk WhatsApp notifications:
- Send messages to multiple recipients
- Schedule bulk WhatsApp campaigns
- Personalize messages for each recipient
- Track delivery status
- Manage recipient lists
- Comply with WhatsApp sending limits
WhatsApp Costs and Limits
Important considerations for WhatsApp messaging:
- Conversation-based Pricing: WhatsApp uses conversation-based pricing model
- Template Messages: Business-initiated template messages are charged
- Session Messages: Customer-initiated conversations have different pricing
- Sending Limits: WhatsApp has daily sending limits
- Rate Limits: Be aware of rate limits to avoid account restrictions
- Cost Monitoring: Monitor WhatsApp messaging costs
WhatsApp Compliance
Important compliance requirements:
- Opt-in Required: Customers must opt-in to receive WhatsApp messages
- Opt-out Mechanism: Provide easy opt-out (e.g., reply STOP)
- WhatsApp Business Policy: Comply with WhatsApp Business Policy
- Data Protection: Protect customer data and phone numbers
- Content Guidelines: Follow WhatsApp content guidelines
- Spam Prevention: Avoid spammy messages and excessive sending
- GDPR Compliance: Comply with data protection regulations
WhatsApp Notification Best Practices
- Get Consent: Always get customer consent before sending WhatsApp messages
- Use Templates Wisely: Use approved templates for business messages
- Personalize Messages: Include customer name and relevant details
- Keep Messages Clear: Write clear, concise, and actionable messages
- Respect Opt-outs: Immediately honor opt-out requests
- Monitor Delivery: Track message delivery and engagement
- Test Regularly: Test WhatsApp integration regularly
- Follow Guidelines: Adhere to WhatsApp Business Policy and guidelines
Troubleshooting WhatsApp Notifications
If WhatsApp notifications are not working:
- Verify WhatsApp API configuration is correct
- Check WhatsApp Business account is verified and active
- Test WhatsApp API connection
- Verify phone numbers are in correct format (with country code)
- Check WhatsApp notification history for delivery status
- Verify notification settings are enabled
- Check API provider logs for errors
- Ensure templates are approved (for template messages)
- Verify webhook is configured correctly
- Contact WhatsApp API provider support
- Contact EquiBillBook support if issues persist
WhatsApp Security
Important security considerations:
- Protect WhatsApp API credentials
- Use secure webhook URLs (HTTPS)
- Verify webhook requests
- Don't share WhatsApp API access
- Review message content for sensitive information
- Implement proper access controls
- Monitor for unauthorized access
Disabling WhatsApp Notifications
To disable WhatsApp notifications:
- Go to Settings → Notification Settings → WhatsApp Notifications
- Disable specific notification types
- Or disable all WhatsApp notifications
- Save changes
- You can re-enable them anytime
WhatsApp Notification Reports
Generate reports on WhatsApp notifications:
- Message delivery statistics
- Failed message reports
- Notification frequency analysis
- Customer engagement metrics
- Cost analysis
Properly configured WhatsApp notifications provide a convenient and personal way to communicate with customers and stay informed about business activities. Configure WhatsApp notifications according to your business needs while ensuring compliance with WhatsApp policies and regulations.