WhatsApp Business Integration Guide

ClientFlow integrates directly with the WhatsApp Business API, enabling you to communicate with clients through the world's most popular messaging platform. Send appointment reminders, payment notifications, and personalized messages — all from within your ClientFlow dashboard.

Overview

The WhatsApp Business integration in ClientFlow provides a full-featured messaging solution built on the official WhatsApp Business API. Unlike personal WhatsApp or third-party tools, this integration offers enterprise-grade reliability with message delivery tracking, template-based messaging for compliance, and automated workflows that save you hours every week.

Key capabilities include:

• Direct messaging — Send and receive messages from your dashboard
• Template messages — Pre-approved templates for reminders, confirmations, and follow-ups
• Automated reminders — Appointment and payment reminders sent automatically
• Media sharing — Send images, documents, and files to clients
• Conversation threads — Full conversation history organized by client
• Interactive messages — Buttons and list menus for quick client responses
• Scheduled messages — Queue messages for optimal delivery times

Connecting Your Account

ClientFlow uses OAuth to securely connect to your WhatsApp Business account. This means you never share your password with ClientFlow — instead, you authorize access through Meta's official authentication flow.

Prerequisites

Before connecting, ensure you have:

• A Meta Business account (formerly Facebook Business)
• A WhatsApp Business account linked to your Meta Business account
• A verified phone number dedicated to your business
• A ClientFlow Pro plan or higher

Step-by-Step Connection

1. Navigate to Dashboard → Integrations → WhatsApp
2. Click Connect WhatsApp Business
3. You will be redirected to Meta's OAuth authorization page
4. Log in with your Meta Business credentials
5. Select the WhatsApp Business account you want to connect
6. Review the requested permissions and click Allow
7. You will be redirected back to ClientFlow with a confirmation message

The OAuth token is securely stored using AES-256-GCM encryption. ClientFlow automatically refreshes the token before it expires, so you should not need to reconnect unless you revoke access from Meta's settings.

Verifying Your Connection

After connecting, check the integration status on the WhatsApp settings page. You should see:

• Connection Status: Connected (green indicator)
• Phone Number: Your registered business number
• Business Name: Your WhatsApp Business display name
• Last Synced: Timestamp of the most recent health check

Sending Messages

There are multiple ways to send WhatsApp messages through ClientFlow, each suited to different workflows.

From the Client Profile

The fastest way to message a specific client is from their profile page. Click the WhatsApp icon next to their phone number, and a messaging panel will open. You can type a freeform message or select a pre-approved template. The message is sent immediately through the WhatsApp Business API, and you will see delivery confirmation within seconds.

From the WhatsApp Inbox

The dedicated WhatsApp section in your dashboard (Dashboard → WhatsApp) provides a full inbox experience. You can view all active conversations, search by client name or phone number, and manage multiple threads simultaneously. Unread messages are highlighted, and you can filter conversations by status (active, pending, archived).

Bulk Messaging

For sending messages to multiple clients at once, use template messages with client segments. Navigate to WhatsApp → Broadcast, select a template, choose your target audience (e.g., clients with appointments this week), and send. WhatsApp's rate limiting is handled automatically — ClientFlow queues messages and sends them at the optimal rate to avoid throttling.

Message Templates

WhatsApp Business requires message templates for outbound communications. Templates must be submitted to Meta for approval before they can be used. ClientFlow simplifies this process with a built-in template manager.

Creating a Template

1. Go to WhatsApp → Templates
2. Click Create Template
3. Choose a category: UTILITY (reminders, confirmations), MARKETING (promotions), or AUTHENTICATION
4. Enter the template name (lowercase, underscores only)
5. Write your template body using variables like {{1}}, {{2}} for dynamic content
6. Optionally add a header (text, image, document, or video)
7. Optionally add quick reply buttons or call-to-action buttons
8. Submit for approval

Template Variables

ClientFlow automatically maps template variables to client data:

Variable	Maps To	Example
{{1}}	Client name	John Smith
{{2}}	Appointment date	March 25, 2026
{{3}}	Appointment time	2:30 PM
{{4}}	Business name	Your Studio
{{5}}	Payment amount	$150.00

Approval Timeline

Meta typically reviews templates within 24-48 hours. Utility templates (appointment reminders, payment confirmations) are usually approved quickly. Marketing templates may take longer and have a higher rejection rate. Ensure your templates comply with WhatsApp's commerce and business policies.

Automated Reminders

One of the most powerful features of the WhatsApp integration is automated reminders. ClientFlow can automatically send reminders for appointments, payments, and follow-ups without any manual intervention.

Appointment Reminders

Configure automatic appointment reminders in Settings → Notifications → WhatsApp. You can set up multiple reminder intervals:

• 24 hours before — A day-before reminder with appointment details
• 1 hour before — A last-minute reminder with location/link
• Custom intervals — Set any interval that works for your practice

Each reminder uses a pre-approved template and includes the client's name, appointment date, time, and any special instructions. Clients can respond to confirm, reschedule, or cancel directly through WhatsApp.

Payment Reminders

Automated payment reminders help reduce outstanding balances. Configure them to send when:

• A payment is due in 3 days
• A payment is overdue by 1 day
• A payment is overdue by 7 days
• Custom intervals based on your collection workflow

Pro vs. MVP Mode

ClientFlow offers two WhatsApp reminder modes:

Feature	Pro Mode	MVP Mode
Delivery method	WhatsApp Business API (automated)	wa.me deep links (manual)
Requires Pro plan	Yes	No
Fully automated	Yes	No — you tap to send each message
Template support	Yes	Pre-filled text only
Delivery tracking	Yes (sent, delivered, read)	No

Media Sharing

ClientFlow supports sharing rich media through WhatsApp, enabling you to send invoices, appointment cards, before/after photos, and other documents directly to clients.

Supported Media Types

• Images — JPEG, PNG (up to 5MB)
• Documents — PDF, DOC, XLSX (up to 100MB)
• Videos — MP4 (up to 16MB)
• Audio — MP3, OGG (up to 16MB)

All media is uploaded securely to Cloudflare R2 storage, scanned with ClamAV antivirus, and encrypted at rest before being sent through the WhatsApp API. Media URLs are cached for performance, so repeated sends of the same file are instant.

Sending Invoices via WhatsApp

From any invoice, click Share → WhatsApp to send a PDF copy directly to the client. The invoice is generated as a PDF, uploaded securely, and sent as a document message with a brief text summary of the amount due.

Conversation Management

The WhatsApp inbox in ClientFlow provides tools to manage conversations efficiently, especially when dealing with high message volumes.

Conversation Threads

All messages with a client are organized into a single thread, regardless of whether they were sent manually or automatically. You can see the full history of communication, including sent reminders, client responses, and shared media.

Archiving Conversations

Completed or inactive conversations can be archived to keep your inbox clean. Archived conversations are not deleted — they can be searched and restored at any time. You can also export conversation history as a PDF or text file for record-keeping.

Interactive Messages

ClientFlow supports WhatsApp interactive message types for richer client engagement:

• Quick Reply Buttons — Up to 3 buttons for fast responses (e.g., "Confirm", "Reschedule", "Cancel")
• List Messages — Expandable menus with up to 10 options (e.g., available time slots)
• Call-to-Action Buttons — Link to a URL or trigger a phone call

Troubleshooting

Common issues and their solutions:

Connection Issues

Problem	Cause	Solution
OAuth redirect fails	Browser popup blocked	Allow popups for clientflow.center
Connection shows "Disconnected"	Token expired or revoked	Reconnect from Integrations page
Phone number not appearing	Number not registered with WhatsApp Business	Register number in Meta Business Suite first

Message Delivery Issues

Problem	Cause	Solution
Message stuck on "Sending"	API rate limit reached	Wait a few minutes; messages are queued automatically
Template message rejected	Template not approved by Meta	Check template status in WhatsApp → Templates
"Cannot send freeform message"	24-hour window expired	Use an approved template to re-initiate the conversation
Media upload fails	File too large or unsupported format	Check file size limits and convert to supported format