Integrations · WhatsApp & CRM
Customer conversations become CRM records with an owner. Incoming messages are matched to contacts and routed; replies and follow-ups go out through the API within WhatsApp’s policy, and every message is logged on the right record instead of on someone’s phone.
eventMessage delivered to the business number
eventmessages webhook (signed)Message
eventCreate or update recordsContact · Conversation
eventAgent replies from the CRM
A WhatsApp CRM integration connects the WhatsApp Business Platform to your CRM so messages are matched to contacts, routed to an owner and logged on the customer record, and so the team can reply and send follow-ups from the CRM. WhatsApp itself is a channel, not a CRM: it has no accounts, deals, pipeline or reporting. The integration puts conversations where that context already lives.
What has to be in place before messages can flow. We check each during the assessment.
The same path, step by step, with what the integration checks at each point.
A customer messages your business number, from an ad, a website button, a QR code or a previous conversation.
Integration doesCustomer service window opens for that conversation
Meta sends the message to your webhook endpoint as an HTTPS request.
Integration doesSignature verified; duplicates ignored by message ID
The sender’s number is normalized to E.164 and looked up in the CRM.
Integration doesExisting contact found, or a new lead created
Routing rules pick the owner: existing account owner, or a team by language, region or business hours.
Integration doesConversation assigned; owner notified; reply task with SLA
The agent answers from the CRM or a shared inbox; the integration sends it through the API.
Integration doesReply logged on the record with delivery and read status
Once the window has closed, the next message must use an approved template, for example an appointment reminder.
Integration doesTemplate chosen, opt-in checked, message logged
Routing is specified as a rule before it is built. This is a typical starting point.
Route an inbound WhatsApp message
Two details matter more than they look. Phone numbers must be normalized the same way on both sides, or the same customer becomes three leads. And the rule has to say what happens when the owner is on leave or has left the company, otherwise conversations go to someone who will never see them.
Handover between agents keeps the full thread on the record, so the next person can see what was promised.
WhatsApp separates replies from messages you start. The integration enforces the difference.
When a customer writes to you, a window opens in which your agents can reply with free-form messages. When it closes, only approved templates can be sent until the customer writes again.
MechanismThe integration tracks the window per conversation and blocks free-form sends after it closes.
Templates are pre-written messages, reviewed by Meta, with placeholders for names, dates or order numbers. Meta groups them into categories such as marketing, utility and authentication, which affect review and pricing.
MechanismWe draft templates with you and map placeholders to CRM fields.
Placeholders are filled from the CRM at send time: Contact.first_name, Appointment.start, Order.number.
MechanismMissing values stop the send and flag the record instead of sending a broken message.
Meta tracks how customers respond to your messages and sets messaging limits per number. Unwanted messages lower your rating.
MechanismOutbound volume is throttled and opt-outs are respected immediately.
The record should tell the whole conversation without anyone opening WhatsApp.
| Data | Where it lands | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Messages | Activity timeline on Contact, linked to Deal or Case when known | Direction, sender, timestamp, message ID |
| Media | File links on the activity | Images and documents downloaded from Meta and stored in your file storage |
| Delivery and read status | Fields on the outbound activity | Updated from status webhooks |
| Conversation owner | Owner field on the conversation record | Changes logged for handovers |
| Opt-in state | Consent fields on Contact | Source and date of opt-in; opt-out stops all template sends |
| Window state | Conversation record | Open or closed, with the time it closes |
Many CRMs offer a WhatsApp app. Use it when it fits; build when it doesn’t.
| Need | CRM marketplace app | Custom integration |
|---|---|---|
| One number, one team, standard inbox | Usually enough | Not needed |
| Routing by territory, language, product or account owner | Limited to the app’s rule options | Any rule the CRM data supports |
| Several numbers across brands or countries | Varies by app | Designed for it |
| Custom or less common CRM | Often no app available | Built against your CRM’s API |
| Messages tied to custom objects (bookings, policies, listings) | Usually contact-level only | Logged on the object that matters |
| Control over where media and personal data are stored | Set by the app vendor | Your storage, your retention rules |
WhatsApp conversations contain personal data. The integration treats them that way.
Opt-in is captured with its source and date, opt-out keywords are honored automatically, and template sends check consent first.
Every incoming request is checked against Meta’s signature before it is processed, so forged messages are rejected.
Access tokens live in a secret store, rotated on schedule, with the minimum permissions the integration needs.
Logs record message IDs and status, not message bodies. Media is stored with the retention period you set.
Conversations follow CRM permissions: an agent sees the conversations of records they can see.
WhatsApp is usually one channel among several connected to the CRM.
Yes, through the WhatsApp Business Platform, Meta’s API for businesses. Incoming messages arrive as webhooks, an integration service matches them to CRM contacts and logs them, and outgoing messages are sent through the API. You need a verified Meta business account, a phone number registered for the platform, and API access to your CRM.
No. WhatsApp is a messaging channel. The WhatsApp Business app has labels and quick replies, but it doesn’t hold accounts, deals, owners, pipeline stages or reporting. A WhatsApp CRM integration keeps conversations on the CRM records where that information lives.
There are two kinds of cost. Meta charges for messages under its own pricing model, which depends on the message category and the recipient’s country and has changed over time; a solution provider, if you use one, adds its own fee. The integration work itself depends on routing rules, the number of numbers and teams, templates, and how the CRM is built. We check the current Meta rate card during the assessment and estimate the integration separately.
Access to the API doesn’t require a licence fee from Meta, but messages are billed according to Meta’s current pricing rules, and some message types are free only in specific situations, such as replies within the customer service window. Because these rules change, we confirm them for your countries and use case before any build.
Yes. Several CRMs, including Salesforce and HubSpot, offer WhatsApp features or marketplace apps. They cover common cases well. A custom integration is worth it when you need routing logic the app doesn’t support, several numbers across teams, a custom or less common CRM, or tighter control over data and consent.
Yes. With the API, one business number can be shared by a team: conversations are routed to an owner in the CRM, and replies are sent through the integration from the CRM or a shared inbox. This isn’t possible with the WhatsApp Business app on a single phone.
Next step
We’ll check the prerequisites, confirm Meta’s current rules and pricing for your countries, and propose an integration scoped to your CRM and routing.
Assess a WhatsApp integrationUseful to have ready
Not everything is needed. A rough answer is enough to start.
