WhatsApp Messaging-Getting Started

Overview

Mongoose Cadence integrates with WhatsApp through your Meta Business Manager to assist your institution in expanding your communication, easily overcome the limitations of US SMS infrastructure and connect with a global audience.

The WhatsApp integration enables your institution to:

• Expand communication beyond borders with instant, high-engagement messaging.
• Meet prospects, students, and alumni where they are by connecting on a platform they use daily.
• Overcome challenges of international communication such as email blocklists and timezone differences.

This guide will include information on:

• Connecting to your Facebook account
• Creating a WhatsApp Inbox

Note: Some of the processes outline below are managed by Meta and you may need to troubleshoot directly with Meta to resolve.

For more information on WhatsApp please reach out to your client success manager.

Mongoose Cadence and WhatsApp

Connecting to your Facebook Business Account

Mongoose Cadence integrates with WhatsApp through your Meta Business Manager. Meta and Facebook require a Business Portfolio. A business portfolio allows organizations to bring their Facebook Pages, Instagram accounts, ad accounts, product catalogs and other business assets together, to be managed centrally with business tools such as Meta Business Suite and Business Manager.

Before you begin the process, ensure you have access to the following:

Creating a WhatsApp Inbox

Part 1: Connecting your inbox to your Facebook Business Account

1. Within Cadence, click on your "Team" drop down on the left navigation> WhatsApp

2. Click "Get Started"

3. An admin must log in to a Facebook account connected to your institution’s Meta Business Manager. This may be connected to a personal or professional Facebook account login. 

Click "Continue with Facebook"

4. A pop up will redirect you to log in to Facebook. Login with your Facebook/Meta login or select  “ Continue” if you are already logged in

5.  Meta will connect your account to Mongoose Cadence. Mongoose will need access to either your existing WhatsApp Business account (WABA), or the new WABA that you created. 
Note: If you did not set this up previously and/or need to set this up, please use this guide . 

Click “Get Started”

6. Select your Business Portfolio from the drop down and complete the remaining fields if blank or incorrect. Click "Next" after completing the form. 

7. Pick your existing WhatsApp Business account (WABA), or choose to create a new one. Click "Next".

8 Meta will request that Mongoose can have permission to Manage your WhatsApp Account. Click "Continue".

9. Once the connection between Mongoose and your Meta Account is successful, the signup will progress to a screen stating you are ready to chat with people on WhatsApp. Click "Finish."

Note: Facebook will often block the process for newly created accounts and there may be a waiting period placed on your account from Meta. 

Part 2: Selecting your number and creating the inbox

Once you've connected your Facebook account to Mongoose,  you will create the WhatsApp Inbox within Cadence.

1. Name your inbox! This name will be displayed on the left side navigation with in Cadence.

2. API Code is optional and only necessary when using Mongoose APIs (WhatsApp is not currently available via our API)

3. Select a number for your inbox. 

• Use the number search to find a number in the area code of your choice.
• The phone number you select will be used to receive messages and could be advertised similarly to your institution’s SMS/text numbers. 

4. Select the users who should have access to this inbox. Click "Save"

Within your contact’s WhatsApp application, your profile will display as your Institution name as a verified entity which can be edited from the Meta Business Portfolio. To make edits to that, go to Meta Business Portfolio, Accounts, WhatsApp Accounts then “WhatsApp Manager”

Once created, the inbox will appear pending within your WhatsApp inbox list. After the number is assigned, Mongoose must complete registration on your behalf. The inbox will be available for messaging in an estimated 1-3 business days after the Cadence onboarding is complete. Your CSM will reach out when this process is complete. 

While your inbox is processing, your Meta Business Portfolio will show your existing or newly created WhatsApp account. To gain the most benefit out of your WhatsApp inbox, we recommend adding additional Meta users for template creation and to start building out your WhatsApp Template library.

For information on creating WhatsApp templates or adding additional Meta users click here