> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.famulor.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# WhatsApp Automation
> Automate WhatsApp messaging with triggers and actions in the automation platform
The automation platform integrates with WhatsApp so you can send messages automatically, trigger flows based on WhatsApp events, and programmatically generate AI responses.
### Media & Vision
* **Image analysis (Vision)** — When customers send images, your AI assistant can analyze them using vision-capable LLMs (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini). The AI describes and responds to image content within the conversation.
* **Voice message transcription** — Incoming voice notes are automatically transcribed based on your assistant's language settings. The transcribed text is processed by the AI just like a regular message.
* **Media attachments** — All inbound media (images, audio, video, documents) are stored as attachments on the conversation and accessible from your dashboard.
## Available Actions
### Send WhatsApp Template Message
Send a pre-approved template message to a customer.
**Use cases:**
* Send order confirmations after a purchase
* Trigger appointment reminders on schedule
* Deliver follow-up messages after calls
* Re-engage customers who haven’t responded
**Configuration:**
| Field | Description |
| ------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| **Sender** | Select your WhatsApp sender (must be online) |
| **Template** | Select from approved templates |
| **Recipient Phone** | Customer phone number (E.164 format: +491234567890) |
| **Recipient Name** | Optional customer name for personalization |
| **Variables** | Dynamic values for template placeholders |
**E.164 Format** — Phone numbers must be in international format with country code. Examples:
* ✅ `+4915112345678`
* ✅ `+436641234567`
* ❌ `0151/12345678`
* ❌ `+49 (0) 151 12345678`
### Send WhatsApp Message (Free Text)
Send a free-text message to a customer within the 24-hour messaging window.
**24-hour window required** — Free-text messages can only be sent to customers who messaged you within the last 24 hours. Use a template message for customers outside this window.
**Use cases:**
* Immediate follow-up to ongoing conversations
* Delivery of time-sensitive information
* Automated responses to customer inquiries
**Configuration:**
| Field | Description |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| **Sender** | Select your WhatsApp sender |
| **Recipient Phone** | Customer phone number (E.164 format) |
| **Message** | Message text (max. 4096 characters) |
### Generate AI Response
Generate an AI response using your assistant, identified by an external customer identifier.
**Use cases:**
* Build custom chat interfaces
* Integrate WhatsApp with external CRM systems
* Create cross-channel AI responses
* Process messages from external platforms
**Configuration:**
| Field | Description |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Assistant** | Select the AI assistant to use |
| **Customer Identifier** | Unique customer ID (e.g., phone number, email, CRM ID) |
| **Message** | The message to respond to |
| **Variables** | Optional context variables for the assistant |
**How it works:**
1. The action finds or creates a conversation for the customer identifier
2. The message is sent to your AI assistant
3. The AI-generated response is returned
4. You can then send this response via WhatsApp or other channels
## Triggers
### WhatsApp Message Received
Trigger a flow when a customer sends a WhatsApp message.
**Available data:**
* Customer phone number
* Message text
* Sender ID
* Timestamp
* Conversation ID
**Example use cases:**
* Log messages in a CRM or database
* Notify your team
* Trigger follow-up sequences
* Collect and process customer data
### WhatsApp Conversation Started
Trigger a flow when a new WhatsApp conversation begins.
**Available data:**
* Customer phone number
* First message text
* Sender information
* Conversation ID
## Example Workflows
### WhatsApp Follow-up After Call
Send a WhatsApp template message after a call is completed:
```mermaid theme={null} theme={null}
flowchart LR
A[Call Ended Trigger] --> B[Wait 5 minutes]
B --> C{Call Outcome?}
C -->|Interested| D[Send 'Interested' Template]
C -->|Follow-up| E[Send 'Follow-up' Template]
C -->|No Interest| F[End]
```
**Setup:**
1. Add **Call Ended** trigger
2. Add **Delay** action (optional)
3. Add **Branch** based on call outcome
4. Add **Send WhatsApp Template** action for each branch
5. Configure template and variables
### Lead Qualification via WhatsApp
Qualify leads through WhatsApp conversations:
```mermaid theme={null} theme={null}
flowchart LR
A[Form Submission] --> B[Send WhatsApp Template]
B --> C[Wait for Reply]
C --> D[AI Processes Reply]
D --> E[Update CRM]
```
### Appointment Reminder Flow
Send automated appointment reminders:
```mermaid theme={null} theme={null}
flowchart LR
A[Schedule Trigger] --> B[Fetch Appointments]
B --> C[Loop Through Appointments]
C --> D[Send Reminder Template]
D --> E[Log in Table]
```
## Variable Mapping
When sending template messages, map your flow data to the template variables:
**Template:**
```
Hello {{1}}, your appointment with {{2}} on {{3}} is confirmed.
Location: {{4}}
```
**Variable mapping:**
| Template Variable | Flow Data |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------ |
| `{{1}}` | `{{trigger.customer_name}}` |
| `{{2}}` | `{{trigger.agent_name}}` |
| `{{3}}` | `{{trigger.appointment_date}}` |
| `{{4}}` | `{{trigger.location}}` |
## Error Handling
### Common Errors
| Error | Cause | Solution |
| -------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ |
| **Template not found** | Template ID invalid or not approved | Check if template is approved and ID is correct |
| **Sender offline** | WhatsApp sender is not online | Check sender status, ensure connection is active |
| **Invalid phone number** | Phone number not in E.164 format | Format as +\[country code]\[number] |
| **Outside 24-hour window** | Trying to send free-text message outside the window | Use a template message instead |
| **Rate limited** | Too many messages sent | Add delays between messages |
### Retry Strategy
Implement a retry strategy for failed messages:
1. Wait 1 minute
2. Retry the action
3. If it still fails: log the error and notify your team
## Best Practices
### 1. Always use templates for outbound messaging
When initiating contact with customers, always use approved templates. Free-text messages only work within the 24-hour window.
### 2. Include opt-out options
Add unsubscribe options in marketing messages to comply with regulations and maintain your quality rating.
### 3. Respect rate limits
Do not send too many messages too quickly. Implement appropriate delays for batch sends.
### 4. Handle errors gracefully
Always add error handling in your flows. Log failures and alert your team about issues.
### 5. Test with individual recipients first
Before launching mass campaigns, test your flow with a single recipient to ensure it works correctly.
### 6. Monitor your quality rating
Keep an eye on your sender’s quality rating. Pause campaigns if you notice a drop in quality.
## Next Steps
* Learn more about [message templates](/en/whatsapp/templates) and how to create them
* Set up [WhatsApp senders](/en/whatsapp/senders) for your phone numbers
* Explore the [automation platform](/en/automation-platform/introduction) for more workflow options