Direct through Meta
WhatsApp Cloud
Connect directly through Meta with an access token, Phone Number ID, WhatsApp Business Account ID, verification token, and webhook.
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Choose the provider that owns your sender
LaniTech supports two WhatsApp provider options. The credentials and external setup are different, so follow the path for the account that controls your business number.
Managed through Twilio
Twilio WhatsApp
Use a Twilio-managed WhatsApp sender with its Account SID, Auth Token, and business phone number.
A channel card confirms configuration, not delivery
LaniTech shows an Active badge after the channel is saved. That badge does not verify the provider credentials, webhook subscription, sender registration, template approval, or message delivery. Test the complete route with a controlled contact.
Prepare the account and a safe test
Gather the provider details before opening the channel form, and keep every credential private.
- A Meta or Twilio business account that your organization controls.
- A registered WhatsApp business sender or a number ready for provider registration.
- Permission to manage Communication Channels in LaniTech.
- A test contact who has agreed to receive WhatsApp messages from the business.
Never share provider secrets in screenshots
Access Tokens, Verification Tokens, Account SIDs, and Auth Tokens should not appear in support messages, screen recordings, source code, or shared notes. Revoke or rotate a credential immediately if it is exposed, then update the saved channel.
Prepare a WhatsApp Cloud account in Meta
Complete this section only when WhatsApp Cloud is your selected provider. Meta controls the business account, sender, permissions, and token lifecycle.
- 1
Open Meta's Cloud API setup
Follow Meta's current WhatsApp Cloud API getting-started guide to create or select a business app and add WhatsApp. - 2
Identify the account and sender IDs
Copy the WhatsApp Business Account ID and the Phone Number ID for the exact sender you intend to connect. These are identifiers, not the visible phone number. - 3
Create a system-user access token
Assign the WhatsApp business assets to a system user and include both whatsapp_business_management and whatsapp_business_messaging permissions. A token configured without an expiry can still be revoked, so protect and rotate it like a password. - 4
Register and secure the business number
Complete the phone registration, display-name review, and PIN or two-step verification steps Meta requires for the sender. Use the current instructions shown in your Meta account.
Meta changes its setup screens independently of LaniTech. Use the official WhatsApp Business Management API guide when assigning business assets and permissions.
Create the WhatsApp Cloud channel in LaniTech
Use the values from the same Meta business account and sender. Mixing IDs from different senders is a common cause of failed requests.
SettingsCommunicationsAdd Channel
- 1
Name the channel
Enter an internal Channel Name that identifies the sender, such as Customer WhatsApp. - 2
Select WhatsApp Cloud
Set Channel Type to WhatsApp, then set Provider to Whatsapp Cloud. - 3
Enter the Meta credentials
Paste the Access Token, Phone Number ID, and Whatsapp Business Account ID from the selected Meta business account. - 4
Confirm the phone number
Enter the visible business phone number with its country code. It must correspond to the Phone Number ID. - 5
Keep the generated verification token
LaniTech creates an editable Verification Token. Keep its exact value so the same token can be entered in Meta's webhook configuration. - 6
Review retries and the default
Adjust Max Retries only when required and enable Is Default only if this should be the preferred WhatsApp channel. - 7
Save the channel
Select Create Channel and confirm that the new channel card appears before configuring the provider webhook.
Connect Meta's webhook to the saved channel
The webhook lets Meta deliver incoming message events to the correct LaniTech workspace. Copy both values from the saved channel instead of typing them.
- 1
Reopen the saved channel
Select Edit on the WhatsApp Cloud channel and confirm the Phone Number ID before copying the generated Webhook URL. - 2
Copy both webhook values
Copy the complete Webhook URL and the exact Verification Token from LaniTech. Do not shorten the URL or add spaces to the token. - 3
Verify the callback in Meta
Open the WhatsApp Configuration area in the Meta app, paste the Webhook URL as the callback URL, paste the Verification Token, and complete Meta's verification action. - 4
Subscribe the app to message events
Subscribe the app to the WhatsApp Business Account and enable the message webhook fields required by Meta. Verification alone does not subscribe the business account. - 5
Run an inbound and outbound test
Send one approved test message from LaniTech and reply from the test contact. Confirm the outgoing and incoming messages in Conversations and in Meta's provider tools.
Follow Meta's current Cloud API webhook guide if its configuration labels differ from this article.
Use Twilio for WhatsApp instead
Choose this path when Twilio owns and manages the WhatsApp sender. Do not enter Meta Cloud IDs in a Twilio channel.
SettingsCommunicationsAdd Channel
- 1
Prepare the Twilio sender
Complete Twilio's current WhatsApp sender onboarding and review its official WhatsApp documentation. - 2
Select WhatsApp and Twilio
Enter a Channel Name, set Channel Type to WhatsApp, and set Provider to Twilio. - 3
Enter the Twilio details
Paste the Account SID and Auth Token, then enter the Twilio WhatsApp phone number with its country code. - 4
Review and create
Review Max Retries and Is Default, select Create Channel, then confirm that its channel card appears. - 5
Test through Twilio
Send and receive a controlled message, then review both LaniTech Conversations and Twilio's message logs for the result.
Cloud templates use a separate path
The current LaniTech template picker reads from its WhatsApp Cloud templates endpoint. If you use Twilio, confirm the provider's approved-template behavior in a controlled test before relying on a template-backed invoice or quotation workflow.
Approve and load WhatsApp Cloud templates
Outside the 24-hour customer service window, WhatsApp requires an approved template. Template review and approval happen in Meta, not in LaniTech.
- 1
Create the template in WhatsApp Manager
Open Meta's WhatsApp Manager template area for the connected business account. - 2
Define the template carefully
Choose the category and language, use a stable name, and define every variable in the order the message expects. Submit the template for Meta's review. - 3
Wait for an approved status
Approval timing is controlled by Meta. Do not use a draft, rejected, paused, or disabled template for production sends. - 4
Reload the LaniTech picker
Reopen Conversations or Invoice Settings after approval. LaniTech fetches the available WhatsApp Cloud templates when those screens load. - 5
Choose the invoice template
In Invoice Settings, select an approved WhatsApp template. The invoice send workflow requires a saved template selection.SettingsInvoice SettingsWhatsApp template
Review Meta's current template message guidance before changing an approved template's wording or variables.
Use the channel in LaniTech
These are the common WhatsApp entry points verified in the current interface. Provider delivery still depends on a working sender, webhook, and template configuration.
Customer conversations
Open or create a conversation, choose WhatsApp, and send a message. Free-form replies are available while the 24-hour customer service window is open; select an approved template when it is closed.
Invoices and quotations
Use Send via WhatsApp from a saved invoice or quotation. LaniTech generates the document PDF and passes it to the configured send workflow.
Test every document path you plan to use
The invoice and quotation menus expose Send via WhatsApp, and Invoice Settings stores the default template used for invoice sends. Confirm recipient phone data, template variables, PDF delivery, and provider logs with a test document before sending customer documents.
Watch the existing setup walkthroughs
Use these videos as a visual companion. The written steps above are the source of truth when Meta or LaniTech labels have changed.
Video 1 of 5
Create a Meta business app
Video 2 of 5
Create a system-user access token
Video 3 of 5
Create WhatsApp message templates
Video 4 of 5
Connect WhatsApp Cloud to LaniTech
Video 5 of 5
Send messages and invoices
Troubleshoot the complete message route
Start with the provider logs and the exact saved values. An Active channel card is not a successful end-to-end test.
- Webhook verification: compare the full callback URL and Verification Token character by character.
- No incoming messages: confirm the app is subscribed to the correct WhatsApp Business Account and message webhook fields.
- No templates: confirm the template is approved for the connected business account, then reopen the LaniTech screen.
- Template required: select an approved template whenever the 24-hour customer service window is closed.
- Cloud send failure: confirm the token permissions, Phone Number ID, business account ID, and registered phone all belong together.
- Twilio send failure: confirm the sender is WhatsApp-enabled and inspect Twilio's message logs for the provider error.
Return to the Communication Channels overview to compare the other available channel types.