WhatsApp Messaging Overview

Overview

The Mongoose WhatsApp integration provides your institution the ability to connect with international prospects, students, alumni, and donors on their preferred messaging platform. 

Before you can start texting with a WhatsApp inbox, please makes sure the steps outlined in WhatsApp Messaging-Getting Started have been completed by your team admin.

We will be releasing more functionality as it becomes available. WhatsApp Upcoming Features. If you are interested in learning more or would like to add WhatsApp to your team, please visit the Mongoose Marketplace or reach out to your client success manager.

Note: Starting April 1, 2025, we will temporarily pause delivery of all marketing template messages to WhatsApp users who have a United States phone number (a number composed of a +1 dialing code and a US area code). This pause is intended to allow us to focus on building a better consumer experience in the US, which will ultimately lead to improved outcomes for businesses. Attempting to send a template message to a WhatsApp user with a US phone number after this date will result in an error.

Messaging your WhatsApp contacts

WhatsApp regulates when and how you can send messages with your end users. 

Messaging your WhatsApp contacts can be initiated in one of two ways.

1. Using a WhatsApp template: WhatsApp templates are pre-created messages that can be selected when composing a message. 
   1. Templates must be approved by Meta before using. Learn more about Creating a WhatsApp Template
2. Incoming WhatsApp message: When a contact texts into your WhatsApp inbox, the incoming message starts a 24 hour reply window that allows you to communicate back and forth with them. 

When an incoming WhatsApp message is received to your number, it kicks off a 24-hour WhatsApp "session" or "window" during which you can send free-form (non-templated) messages to the recipient. A WhatsApp session lasts for 24 hours after the  last inbound message you receive from a user.

Outside of that 24 hour window, you may only send a message to a contact following a pre-approved template. WhatsApp requires that a WhatsApp template be used to initiate/start any conversation with a contact that is outside of the 24 hour reply window. 

Please note: The 24 hour window is a rule set by WhatsApp. 

Compose a WhatsApp Message

1. Click "Compose" button from the left side navigation.
2. Select your WhatsApp inbox.
   1. Your WhatsApp inbox(es) will be listed in their own section to differentiate them from personal and/or shared inboxes.

3. Select your recipient(s)

4. Select your approved WhatsApp template. 

Note: only approved templates will be listed to select from.

Once your template has been selected, you will be required to define what each variable represents so that the message pulls in the correct information. \

Variables are similar to Mongoose merge fields and can pull in system fields to personalize your message.

You can define the {{1}} variable to pull in from the listed fields in the drop down. For example, selecting the First Name field to customize your message "Hi, Jonathan..

OR you can also choose to type in static information directly into the variable box (it does not need to pull from a field).

5. Once your message has been defined, click Preview

6. A preview of your message including the number of recipients and the estimated delivery duration will be provided. 

Click Send Now 

Conversation View

In either messaging scenario, once the 24 hour window has opened, the bottom of your conversation window, will indicate how much time is left in your 24 hour reply window for you to reply. Each time the contact responds, the 24 hour window is reset so that you can have a seamless conversation.

When the 24 hour reply window closes, the bottom of the conversation will indicate that the window has closed and you will not be able to type a response. To open the conversation, you must select an approved WhatsApp template to restart the conversation OR the contact must reinitiate the conversation by sending in a message.

Editing a contact

If a contact messages into your WhatsApp inbox, but does not exist in your contacts list, their number will be displayed. To edit this contact and add a name or ID, click on the Contact Details panel >Edit Contact

Here you will be able to add additional contact information. Click "Update" when finished.

As mentioned above, we will be releasing more functionality and features as it becomes available. WhatsApp Upcoming Features. So keep an eye out for those announcements!

If you are interested in learning more or would like to add WhatsApp to your team, please visit the Mongoose Marketplace or reach out to your client success manager.