AWRA Help Center

Intake uses Meta's WhatsApp Cloud API through your own Meta app and WhatsApp number, connected on Settings → Connectors → WhatsApp. Each organization connects its own app; messages to that number become tickets in your helpdesk.

Setting It Up

1. Connect the number. On the WhatsApp page, sign in with Meta and pick your number, or paste the Phone number ID and an access token from WhatsApp → API Setup in your Meta app. Use a permanent System User token for production.
2. Point Meta at AWRA. In the Helpdesk ticket intake card, copy the Callback URL and Verify token into your Meta app under WhatsApp → Configuration → Webhook, then subscribe the webhook to the messages field.
3. Enter your Meta app secret (from App settings → Basic) so every incoming call's signature is checked.
4. Choose the Default category and Default priority WhatsApp tickets start with. The category gives them their SLA and their assignment.
5. Tick Enable ticket intake and choose Save intake settings.

What Happens To A Message

• A message from a new number opens a ticket. A follow-up from the same number within 7 days joins that sender's open WhatsApp ticket instead of opening another.
• The sender is matched by phone number to a customer, employee or user where one exists.
• Images, PDFs and other documents they send are attached to the ticket.
• With intake switched off, replies on existing WhatsApp tickets still arrive, but new numbers do not open tickets.

Replying

Agents reply from the ticket as usual, and the reply goes back over WhatsApp. WhatsApp allows free-form replies only within 24 hours of the customer's last message. After that, the agent is warned before sending, and the reply is emailed if the customer has an email address on file; otherwise it stays on the ticket in the app. Template messages are not sent.

Permissions

• View integration manager — see the WhatsApp page.
• Manage connectors — connect the number and change intake settings.

Common Mistakes

• Pasting the callback URL but not subscribing the webhook to the messages field, so nothing arrives.
• Using a temporary access token, which stops working within a day.
• Leaving the default category empty, so WhatsApp tickets start without that category's deadlines and assignment.
• Promising customers a WhatsApp answer days later; outside 24 hours the reply goes by email or stays in the app.

Related

• Support & Helpdesk
• Connectors
• WhatsApp helpdesk — the feature overview.