WhatsApp

Connect your business phone number so your agent answers customers on WhatsApp, day or night.

Connect your WhatsApp business number, and your agent answers customers who message you there. They chat in the WhatsApp app they already use, and get an answer in seconds, even at 3 a.m.

Where to find it: open your agent and go to Channels → WhatsApp.

Acme Support answering a casual WhatsApp question about shipping to Canada — Acme Support on WhatsApp: a short, friendly answer about shipping to Canada.

Acme Support on WhatsApp: a short, friendly answer about shipping to Canada.

A hotel's agent answering a guest's WhatsApp questions in Spanish — A hotel's agent answering a guest in Spanish.

A hotel's agent answering a guest in Spanish.

What customers see

Customers message your business number in WhatsApp, as they would message a person. The agent replies in the same chat, under your business name. Each reply arrives as a complete message, and long answers may be split into a few messages.

The agent answers messages that customers send. It doesn't start conversations or send marketing messages.

How it works

1ConnectSign in with Facebook and choose your business number.
2Choose the agentMake sure this agent answers that number.
3PublishTurn on replies for WhatsApp.
4TestSend a WhatsApp message and check the reply.

Before you start

You're a workspace owner or admin in Hourzero. Other members can't see the setup buttons.
You have a Facebook account. Meta, the company behind WhatsApp, uses it to create or choose your business account during setup.
You have a phone number for WhatsApp Business. The number must not be in use in the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app on a phone. If it is, use a different number, or remove it from the app first.
You can receive a code on that number. Meta sends a verification code by text message or phone call.
Your business name is approved. Meta reviews the display name that customers see. Use a number with an approved display name.

Tip

A new number, like a second line just for customer support, is often the easiest choice. It keeps your personal WhatsApp separate from the agent.

Connect your number

Go to Channels and find the WhatsApp row.
Select Set up WhatsApp. If a number is already connected, the button says Add phone number instead. While Facebook is still loading, the button shows Loading Facebook….
A Facebook window opens and the button changes to Finish in Facebook…. Log in to Facebook.
Follow Meta's steps. You choose or create your business, choose or create a WhatsApp Business account, enter your phone number and display name, and type in the verification code Meta sends you.
When you finish, the window closes and Hourzero shows Connecting…. Then a message confirms: "WhatsApp connected. Publish WhatsApp to start replies."
Your number now appears under the WhatsApp row, and the badge says Ready to publish.

A connected number shows Profile and Reply settings. Once it's live, you also get a Send a test message link.

To stop halfway, select Cancel next to the button.

Note

If the Facebook window doesn't open, your browser may be blocking pop-ups. Allow pop-ups for Hourzero and try again.

Choose which agent answers

When you connect a number from an agent's Channels page, Hourzero assigns the number to that agent, unless another agent already answers it. Each number has exactly one agent.

To check or change it:

Under your number, select Reply settings.
Turn on Use this agent for this phone number. Turn it off to keep the number connected but unassigned.
Select Save choices. A message confirms: "Choices saved. Publish WhatsApp to apply them."

If another agent already answers the number, the dialog says Currently assigned to that agent and the switch is locked. To move the number, open the other agent, turn the switch off in its Reply settings, and save. Then assign it here, and publish WhatsApp on both agents.

Customers who are already chatting stay with the agent that started their conversation, even if you move the number later.

Edit your business profile

Your WhatsApp business profile is what customers see when they tap your business name.

Under your number, select Profile. The WhatsApp profile dialog opens.
Fill in the details you want to show:
- About: a short line, up to 139 characters, like "Acme Support: orders, returns, and shipping."
- Description: a longer introduction, up to 256 characters.
- Address: your shop or office address.
- Email: your support email address.
- Website 1 and Website 2: full addresses starting with https://, like https://acme.com/help.
Select Save draft. A message confirms: "Profile saved. Publish WhatsApp to apply it."

Customers see the new profile after you publish WhatsApp.

Publish WhatsApp

In the WhatsApp row, select Edit agent. The Playground opens with WhatsApp selected.
Check your settings. On the Overview tab, make sure Agent replies says Replies on after publishing. Select Save draft if you changed anything.
Select Publish → WhatsApp. The Publish WhatsApp dialog shows whether the draft is saved and the connection is ready.
Select Publish saved draft. The next time, the button says Publish latest draft.

A message confirms "WhatsApp published". In Channels, the badge changes to Live, and your number says Replying to customer messages.

Important

Connecting doesn't start replies, and neither do later changes. New instructions, a new model, a new profile, or a new assigned agent only reach customers after you publish WhatsApp again.

Test it for real

In Channels, under your number, select Send a test message. WhatsApp opens a chat with your business number.
Send a question a customer would ask, for example "Where is my order 48213?".
Check that the agent answers in WhatsApp.
In Hourzero, open Activity → Conversations and select Visitors. The chat appears with the WhatsApp label.

Test from a phone that isn't the business number itself. A Playground preview can't prove that WhatsApp delivery works; a real message can.

Stop or disconnect

To pause the agent but keep the number connected, open the Playground for WhatsApp, turn off Agent replies on the Overview tab, save, and publish.

To remove the number from Hourzero:

In Channels, select the trash icon next to your number.
Read the warning and select Disconnect.

All agents stop replying on that number right away. Your past conversations stay saved in Hourzero.

Warning

Disconnecting in Hourzero doesn't remove Hourzero's access in Meta. To revoke it completely, also remove it in your Meta business settings.

Troubleshooting

Setup fails with "Choose a phone number to finish WhatsApp setup"

You finished Meta's steps without choosing a number. Select Set up WhatsApp again and pick or add a number.

My number can't be added

Make sure the number isn't active in the WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business app, and that you can receive Meta's verification code on it. Also check that Meta has approved your display name.

"This number is already assigned to another agent in your workspace"

Another agent already answers this number. Open that agent's Reply settings to free it, or keep it there.

The agent doesn't reply

Is the badge Live? If it says Ready to publish, publish WhatsApp.
Is Agent replies turned on, and did you publish after turning it on?
Does your workspace have credits left? Check the Usage page.
Did someone on your team take over the conversation? The agent stays quiet while a teammate is replying.