New to channels? Start with the Channels Overview to see the universal connect flow that every channel shares. This guide walks through the WhatsApp-specific screens on top of that flow.
Before You Start
You need three things:- A Facebook / Meta account you can sign in with. This becomes the owner of the WhatsApp Business account in Invent.
- A WhatsApp Business portfolio (previously called a Business Manager). You can create one during the flow if you do not already have one.
- A phone number that is not currently registered on WhatsApp (the regular consumer app or another Business account). If it is, deregister it on the original device first, or pick a different number. Landline and VoIP numbers are allowed as long as they can receive a one-time code by SMS or call.
Step 1: Open the WhatsApp Connect Dialog
From your assistant’s Channels tab, find WhatsApp Business in the list and click Connect. The WhatsApp connect dialog opens.
- Connection: the authenticated link to your Meta account. If this is your first WhatsApp connection, the dropdown is empty apart from a blue + Connect WhatsApp button you use to start the sign-in flow (covered in the next step). If you have already connected WhatsApp for another assistant, your existing connections are listed here and you can reuse any of them, in which case you can skip to Step 7.
- WhatsApp Phone Number: the specific number on that connection that this assistant should receive and send messages on. Disabled with Requires Connection until a connection is selected, then populated automatically.
Step 2: Authenticate with Meta
Open the Connection dropdown and click + Connect WhatsApp. Meta’s Facebook Login for Business popup opens.
facebook.com. Your credentials are only entered on Meta’s domain, never on Invent’s. Read through the summary of what the Cloud API lets you do, then click Continue.
If you see a Session ID at the bottom of the popup, copy it before closing in case you need Invent support to trace an issue. It is not required for normal setup.
Step 3: Select Your Business Assets
Meta now asks which business assets to share with Invent.
Business Portfolio
Open the Business portfolio dropdown. You will see one of two things:- Existing portfolios. Every portfolio you own or have access to is listed, each with its ID and a Verified badge if Meta has verified it.
- No portfolios yet. Click Create a Business portfolio inside the dropdown to create one inline and continue.
WhatsApp Business Account
The WhatsApp Business account dropdown then shows the accounts that live under the selected portfolio. You can either:- Pick an existing account to reuse its templates, phone numbers, and message limits.
- Create a WhatsApp Business account inline if this is the first one under the portfolio.
- Connect a WhatsApp Business App if you already run WhatsApp Business on a phone and want to migrate the number onto the Cloud API.
Step 4: Add a WhatsApp Phone Number
Meta asks how this account should send messages.
| Option | When to pick it |
|---|---|
| Use a display name only | You just want to test the connection. Messages are sent from a display name instead of a phone number. |
| Use a new or existing WhatsApp number | You have a phone number ready. Meta will ask you to verify ownership with a one-time code sent by SMS or voice call. |
| Add a phone number later | You want to finish the Invent setup now and add the number from WhatsApp Manager afterwards. The connection is created either way, but the assistant cannot send or receive messages until a number is attached. |
Step 5: Review Permissions and Confirm
Meta shows a final summary of what Invent is requesting access to.
- Manage your WhatsApp accounts to register the number on the Cloud API.
- Manage and access conversations in WhatsApp to receive incoming messages and send replies.
- Log events on your WhatsApp business account’s behalf so Meta can record what the assistant does, as required by the platform.
Add payment method is Meta’s prompt to attach a credit card to your WhatsApp Business Account for conversation fees that Meta charges. This is separate from your Invent bill and only applies to paid conversation categories (marketing templates and some utility templates above the free tier). You can skip it now and add it later in WhatsApp Manager if you only plan to handle inbound service conversations.
Step 6: Name the Connection in Invent
Meta redirects you back to Invent and prompts you to label the new connection (for example, “Acme WhatsApp” or “Support Number”). This is the name you will see inside Invent, it does not change anything on Meta’s side. Click Create and Invent stores the connection in Settings → Connections, where you can rename it or disconnect it at any time.Step 7: Pick the Phone Number
Back on the WhatsApp connect dialog, your new connection is already selected. The WhatsApp Phone Number dropdown now lists every number registered under that connection. If you only added one number during the Meta flow, it is pre-selected. If your WhatsApp Business Account has several numbers, pick the one this assistant should own.
One number, one assistant. A WhatsApp phone number can only be bound to one assistant at a time. If you want multiple assistants to share the same number, transfer to human is usually a better pattern than splitting the number.
Step 8: Send a Test Message
Open WhatsApp on your personal phone, message your newly connected business number, and watch the reply come in. The conversation also appears in your Inbox immediately, with the originating number and channel shown on the conversation. That is it, the assistant is live on WhatsApp.Connecting More Numbers
You can add additional WhatsApp numbers to the same assistant at any time. From the Channels tab, click + Add another under the WhatsApp section and either:- Pick a number from the same connection (if your WhatsApp Business Account already owns more than one), or
- Connect a new account by opening the Connection dropdown and choosing Connect WhatsApp again.
Reusing a Connection Across Assistants
Once a WhatsApp connection exists in your workspace, any assistant can pick it up from the Connection dropdown without going through the Meta popup again. Authenticate once, reuse everywhere. Manage every connection centrally from Settings → Connections:- Rename a connection to keep the list readable as you add more.
- Reconnect if Meta’s session expires or a token is revoked.
- Disconnect to remove the link entirely. Any assistant still using that connection stops sending and receiving until it is pointed at a new one.
WhatsApp-Specific Notes
Messaging Windows and Templates
WhatsApp has strict rules for outbound messages:- Service window. After a customer messages you, you have 24 hours to reply with any free-form message. Your assistant handles this automatically on inbound conversations.
- Outside the 24-hour window. To reach a customer who has not messaged recently, you must send a pre-approved template through Broadcasts.
Multimedia and Rich Messaging
Out of the box, your assistant can receive and send:- Text, voice messages, images, videos, documents.
- Contact cards and shared locations.
- Interactive Options buttons and Link buttons.
Auto Follow-ups
Auto Follow-ups works on WhatsApp. Idle conversations are analyzed, re-engaged intelligently, and closed gracefully with an optional CSAT rating.Troubleshooting
The Meta popup closed before I reached the success screen
The Meta popup closed before I reached the success screen
Nothing is saved until Meta reaches the confirmation screen. Click Connect on the channel again and run through the flow. Existing business portfolios and WhatsApp Business accounts are preserved on Meta’s side, so you will just pick them from the dropdowns instead of recreating them.
'This phone number is already registered on WhatsApp'
'This phone number is already registered on WhatsApp'
The number is active on the consumer WhatsApp app or on another WhatsApp Business account. Open WhatsApp on the original device and delete the account (Settings → Account → Delete my account), or pick a different phone number for the Invent connection. Once deregistered, retry the Meta flow.
The phone-number dropdown in Invent is empty
The phone-number dropdown in Invent is empty
You completed the Meta flow with Add a phone number later selected, so no number is attached to the account yet. Open WhatsApp Manager, add and verify a phone number on the Business Account you just connected, then return to Invent and reopen the dropdown.
The connection shows an 'Inactive' badge after a while
The connection shows an 'Inactive' badge after a while
Meta’s access token has expired or was revoked (for example, because the admin user left the Business portfolio). Open Settings → Connections, find the WhatsApp connection, and click Reconnect to run a short re-authentication flow. Channels bound to that connection start working again as soon as the reconnection finishes.
Customers are not receiving my assistant's outbound marketing messages
Customers are not receiving my assistant's outbound marketing messages
Outbound marketing requires an approved WhatsApp Template and, for paid categories, a payment method attached to the WhatsApp Business Account. Approve the template in Meta Business Suite, attach a payment method in WhatsApp Manager, then run the outbound send through Broadcasts → WhatsApp.
I want a different agency or partner to manage the same number
I want a different agency or partner to manage the same number
Meta supports shared access on a single WhatsApp Business Account. Invite the other partner as an admin on your Business portfolio from Meta Business Suite. They can then run the same embedded signup on their own Invent workspace and pick your existing WhatsApp Business Account during the flow.
Next Steps
Channels Overview
See the universal connection flow that every channel uses
Connections
Manage every authenticated link, including WhatsApp, in one place
Capabilities
See everything your assistant can send and receive on WhatsApp
Broadcasts on WhatsApp
Send pre-approved templates to your audience at scale