WhatsApp Business setup checklist
A WhatsApp Business setup checklist for small teams connecting WhatsApp to an AI agent and inbox: number, owner, opt-in, the 24-hour window, templates vs saved replies, a first-conversation test and a recovery check. 40 checks with an owner and evidence each, a filled example, Word and Excel.
Made by Anatolii Ulitovskyi 
Fact-checked by RH Fardin Updated 1. Before you start: app or platform, the number and the owner
Do firstThe WhatsApp Business app is for replying by hand, with quick replies, greeting and away messages and up to 10 linked devices1. The Business Platform, often called the WhatsApp Business API, connects WhatsApp to software such as an AI agent or a team inbox. Decide these points before you open any settings.
1.1Choose the product: the platform if an AI agent or a team inbox will answer, the app if one person replies from one phone.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordDecision and date
1.2Pick a number your business owns and pays for, with a country and area code, that receives SMS or calls.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordNumber in + format, account holder
1.3Check if the number is already on WhatsApp. Decide: move it, use coexistence, or take a new number.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordCurrent use and the decision
1.4Confirm your business owns the Meta Business portfolio, not an agency or a freelancer.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordPortfolio name, ID, creator
1.5Name two admins: the owner and a backup.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordNames, emails, date added
Meta ruleThe number must be owned by you, have a country and area code and receive SMS or voice calls. A number in use on WhatsApp cannot be registered until it is deleted there2.
CoexistenceSome providers can onboard an existing Business app number so the app and the platform share it. It needs app version 2.24.17 or higher, and some app features turn off3. Ask before you connect a number that is live in the app.
2. WhatsApp Business account setup: number format and profile
Write the number once in international format, often called E.164: a plus sign, the country code, then the number without the leading 0. Use exactly that form everywhere.
Number format
| Local | International | wa.me link |
|---|---|---|
| (512) 555-0147 (US) | +1 512 555 0147 | https://wa.me/15125550147 |
| 07700 900123 (UK) | +44 7700 900123 | https://wa.me/447700900123 |
| local number with 0 | +country code number without 0 | https://wa.me/country codenumber |
Meta ruleMeta recommends the plus sign and country code. Without the plus, your business number's country code is added in front of the customer's number2.
2.1Write the business number in international format and use that form everywhere.
OwnerAdmin
RecordThe number as published
2.2Use your real business name as the display name.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordDisplay name as submitted
2.3Fill in the profile: description, address, hours, website, support email or phone.
OwnerFront desk
RecordProfile screenshot
2.4Save customer numbers in the CRM with + and the country code.
OwnerFront desk
RecordContacts checked or fixed
2.5Test the wa.me link on a phone that is not the business phone.
OwnerFront desk
RecordLink and test date
Profile descriptionBusiness name in city. What you do, in one line. We reply on WhatsApp days, hours. Need us now? Call phone.
Meta ruleKeep support contact details, such as an email, a website or a phone number, in your profile and keep them up to date4.
3. WhatsApp Business API setup with Quick Connect
Launch planIn CRMsoftware.pro, WhatsApp connects to a bot. It auto-replies to WhatsApp messages via the Meta Business API, and the chats appear in your unified inbox. First set up a WhatsApp Business account in Meta Business Suite with your number.
Connection path
- Open the botMy Bots, choose the bot, click Save Bot. Channels connect only to a saved bot.
- Channels tabNext to WhatsApp, click Connect Channel.
- Quick ConnectClick Quick Connect and sign in with Facebook as a portfolio admin.
- Select and grantSelect your WhatsApp Business account and grant messaging permissions. The status shows Connected.
RequiresA WhatsApp Business account linked to Meta, and the Launch plan or higher.
Meta ruleVerify the number with an SMS or voice code, and set a two-step verification PIN when you register it2.
3.1Verify the number with the SMS or voice code.
OwnerAdmin
RecordDate verified
3.2Set the 6-digit PIN and store it in a password manager.
OwnerAdmin
RecordWhere it is stored, never the PIN
3.3Connect WhatsApp with Quick Connect.
OwnerAdmin
RecordWho connected, date, screenshot
3.4Add hours, prices and handover rules to the bot's Instructions, and forbid asking for card, bank or ID numbers.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordDate updated
3.5Turn on alerts: Send email notifications and Assigned users on the Connect tab, Mobile Alerts in Live Support.
OwnerAdmin
RecordWho gets which alert
4. Consent and context: opt-in and the 24-hour window
Meta rulesOnly contact people who gave you their number and opted in to messages from you, and respect every request to stop, on or off WhatsApp4. The opt-in must say they will get messages over WhatsApp and name your business5.
Booking formYes, business name may message me on WhatsApp at phone number about my booking. I can ask you to stop at any time.
At the counterCan we message you on WhatsApp at this number about your repair? You can tell us to stop at any time.
A customer message opens a 24-hour customer service window, and each new message resets it. Inside it you reply normally. After it closes, only approved templates can be sent6.
4.1Add the opt-in wording to forms, the website, the counter and phone calls.
OwnerFront desk
RecordWording and where it is used
4.2Record each opt-in: date, source, what the person agreed to.
OwnerTeam
RecordNote on the CRM contact
4.3Set a human reply target well inside 24 hours, such as 30 minutes in opening hours.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordTarget in the team rules
4.4Follow up after 24 hours by call or email, as a CRM task with a due date.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordRule in the team notes
4.5Note stop requests the same day and stop all messages to that number.
OwnerFront desk
RecordRule and owner
Meta ruleAutomated replies need a prompt, clear and direct way to a person, such as an in-chat transfer to a human agent. Never ask for full card, bank account or ID numbers4.
5. WhatsApp message template approval vs saved replies
Saved replies are text snippets in your inbox. Message templates are messages Meta reviews and approves. Mixing them up is how a planned follow-up never arrives.
Snippets or templates
| Saved replies (snippets) | WhatsApp message templates | |
|---|---|---|
| What | Text your team inserts with a slash shortcut, such as /hours | A message you submit to Meta and send after approval |
| Approved by | Nobody | Meta, before the first send |
| On WhatsApp | Only inside the 24-hour window | Also outside the window, to people who opted in |
| Categories | None | Marketing, utility or authentication |
| In CRMsoftware.pro | Settings > Saved Replies, Growth plan | Not sent from CRMsoftware.pro |
Meta ruleA decision can take up to 24 hours. Common rejections: wrong variable format, a variable at the start or end, policy breaks, requests for sensitive data, duplicates. You can appeal with a sample7.
Meta ruleUtility templates follow up on something the customer did or asked for and are not promotional. Marketing covers awareness to sales. Authentication verifies identity8.
/hoursWe are open days, hours. Drop off your item any time we are open, no appointment needed.
/priceA service costs price and takes about time. Shall I book you in for day?
5.1List the messages you send each week: replies inside the window, or messages you start.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordList with a label per message
5.2Turn the replies into saved replies with short shortcuts.
OwnerTeam lead
RecordShortcut list
5.3For messages you start, such as reminders: templates in a tool that sends them, or a call or email.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordDecision per message
5.4If you use templates: right category, variables in order, none at the start or end, a sample.
OwnerAdmin
RecordName, category, status
5.5Brief the team: saved replies work only inside the 24-hour window.
OwnerTeam lead
RecordDate of the briefing
6. First conversation test: three test messages and one real chat
Success measureSetup is done when one legitimate conversation works from the first message to the CRM record. Test from a second phone first.
Test message 1Hi, what time do you open on day?
Test message 2Can I talk to a person, please?
Test message 3Please stop sending me messages.
6.1Test 1 from a phone not linked to the account: the AI answers correctly.
OwnerFront desk
RecordTimes, answer correct or not
6.2Test 2: the chat waits in Live Support, alerts arrive, a person claims it and replies in time.
OwnerTeam lead
RecordWho claimed it, minutes
6.3Test 3: the stop request is noted and messages to that number stop.
OwnerFront desk
RecordNote on the contact
6.4The contact has + and the country code, and the chat is in the unified inbox.
OwnerAdmin
RecordScreenshot
6.5Handle the first real customer conversation end to end and log it.
OwnerTeam lead
RecordTest log: Real customer, Pass
TipNote when each window closes. If the customer needs something after that, plan a call or an email.
7. Recovery and access check: PIN, admins and a backup admin
Do not skipCheck access before you need it. A lost PIN, or a single admin who leaves, can block every change to your WhatsApp number.
Meta ruleThe PIN has 6 digits. If you forget it, update it in WhatsApp Manager: phone number settings, Two-step verification tab, Change PIN9.
7.1Store the PIN in a shared password manager the backup admin can open.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordVault and item, never the PIN
7.2Let the backup admin find Change PIN in WhatsApp Manager once.
OwnerBackup admin
RecordDate checked
7.3Check that both admins can still open the portfolio and the WhatsApp Business account.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordNames, date checked
7.4Keep the phone line active in the business name, for SMS or call codes.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordCarrier, account holder
7.5When someone leaves, remove their access the same day.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordOffboarding rule
If the only admin is goneMake no changes until a new admin has portfolio access. Then reconnect the channel with that admin's login.
8. Go-live and monitoring: the first week and after
Go live when groups 1 to 7 are done, then watch the first week closely.
8.1Share the WhatsApp link on your website, Google Business Profile, email signature and receipts.
OwnerFront desk
RecordWhere the link is live
8.2Add the wa.me link under Alternative Chat Links on the bot's Channels tab, so it shows in your chat widget.
OwnerAdmin
RecordDate added
8.3For 7 days, read every WhatsApp chat daily and fix wrong answers in the knowledge base.
OwnerTeam lead
RecordFixes, with dates
8.4Day 7 review: handovers, late replies, stop requests, follow-ups after 24 hours.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordReview notes
8.5Every 3 months: channel Connected, admins and PIN checked, opt-in wording in place.
OwnerBusiness owner
RecordDate of the check
Pause and fix if
- A customer waited longer than your target for a person.
- The AI gave a wrong price, date or promise.
- Someone asked to stop and got another message.
- The channel no longer shows Connected.
Meta rulePeople can block or report businesses, and Meta rate limits businesses whose quality stays low5.
For small sales and support teams
Answer WhatsApp with AI and hand over to your team.
Connect your WhatsApp Business account to a CRMsoftware.pro bot with Quick Connect. The AI agent auto-replies to WhatsApp messages via the Meta Business API, chats appear in the unified inbox, and your team takes over in Live Support when a person is needed.
- Quick Connect: sign in with Facebook, select your WhatsApp Business account
- Human handover and a unified inbox for WhatsApp and website chat
- WhatsApp from Launch, $19 a month billed yearly for 8 users
Free plan: 3 users, AI chat, no credit card.
Filled example
A bike shop connects WhatsApp and handles its first real chat
Riverside Cycle Works, a fictional bike shop in Austin, worked through this WhatsApp Business setup checklist from 1 to 7 October 2026. Luis owns the shop, Marta runs the workshop and is the backup admin, Sam is on the front desk. Here is their first real WhatsApp conversation.
Setup record
| Product | WhatsApp Business Platform, via CRMsoftware.pro Growth |
| Number | +1 512 555 0147, shop landline |
| Portfolio owner | Luis Ortega, the shop owner |
| Admins | Luis Ortega, Marta Klein (backup) |
| PIN | 6 digits, in the shared password manager |
| Connected | 5 October 2026, status Connected |
| Opt-in | Booking form and counter script |
| Tests | 3 of 3 passed on 5 October |
First real conversation, 6 October 2026
| Step | Time | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Dana's first message | 10:12 | Window opens |
| AI answer | 10:12 | Price correct |
| Handover | 10:14 | Awaiting agent |
| Marta replies | 10:31 | 17 min, target 30 |
| Dana's last message | 10:33 | Window open to 10:33 on 7 Oct |
What lands in the CRM
| Contact | Dana R., +1 512 555 0198 |
| Consent | She messaged first; updates after 24 hours by phone |
| Job | E-bike brake tune-up $85, battery test under warranty |
| Task | Call Dana when the bike is ready, Friday 9 October, Marta |
Why it matters
Why a WhatsApp Business setup checklist matters
WhatsApp is not just another inbox. Meta sets the rules for whom you may message, when and with what. You may only contact people who gave you their number and opted in4. When a customer messages you, you can reply with normal messages for 24 hours from their last message, and after that only approved message templates can be sent6.
Setup also creates things you must keep. The number has to stay yours and able to receive SMS or voice calls2, and a 6-digit PIN protects it9. If one person holds the only admin login and the PIN and then leaves, every later change gets slow and risky. This checklist puts an owner and evidence on each of these steps.
24 h
customer service window, reset by each customer message
Up to 24 h
for Meta to decide on a message template
6 digits
in the two-step verification PIN for your number
App or platform
WhatsApp Business app vs Business Platform (API) vs coexistence
Pick the product before you pick the settings. The number decides a lot: a number in use on WhatsApp cannot be registered on the platform unless it is deleted first or onboarded with coexistence.
| Topic | WhatsApp Business app | Business Platform (Cloud API) | Coexistence: app and platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Made for | One owner or a few people replying from phones | Software that answers for you: an AI agent, a CRM or a team inbox | Businesses that want to keep the app and add the platform on the same number |
| How replies are sent | By hand, with quick replies, greeting and away messages | Automatic replies from your AI agent, plus your team in the connected inbox | Messages are mirrored between the app and the API |
| People and devices | Up to 10 linked devices and agents | Everyone with access to the connected tool | Linked devices are unlinked at onboarding and can be linked again |
| The number | Stays in the app | Must not be in use on WhatsApp: delete it there first | Onboarded by a provider through Embedded Signup, app version 2.24.17 or higher |
| What changes | Nothing | The number leaves the app | Disappearing messages, view once and live location turn off in 1:1 chats, and broadcast lists are disabled |
| How to connect | Point customers to it with a wa.me link under Alternative Chat Links in CRMsoftware.pro | Quick Connect on the bot's Channels tab, Launch plan or higher | Not covered by this checklist: ask before you connect a number that is live in the app |
Facts in this table come from WhatsApp's app features page1, Meta's phone number rules2 and Meta's coexistence guide3. Coexistence is set up by the provider's signup flow, so do not assume you have it. If Meta tells you the number is already in use on WhatsApp, stop and decide between a new number and moving this one before you delete anything.
Excel tracker
What is in the Excel setup tracker
Three sheets: Checklist with all 40 checks from this page, Test log for the first conversations, and Summary with progress per group. Columns marked Auto fill in by themselves. The file opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets (File, then Import).
| Column | What it holds |
|---|---|
| # and Group | Item number and group, the same as the tabs on this page. |
| Check and What to record | What to do and the evidence that proves it. |
| Owner, Due date, Status | Who, by when, and Done, In progress, Not started or Not needed. |
| Evidence or link | A screenshot, a link or a note. Never the PIN itself. |
| Flag Auto | OK, Add evidence, Overdue or Open, from the status, the due date and the evidence. |
| Test log: minutes and window Auto | Minutes from handover to the human reply, and when the 24-hour window closes. |
| Summary Auto | % complete per group and overall, tests passed, and Go-live ready. |
The sample is Riverside Cycle Works on 7 October 2026: 40 checks, 33 done and 1 not needed, so the setup is 85% complete. The test log has 4 tests, all passed, with an average of 11.5 minutes from handover to a human reply. Go-live ready shows Yes because the Connect group is complete and one real conversation passed.
How to use
How to use this checklist
- 1
Assign every check
Put a name and a due date on every check in the Excel tracker.
- 2
Decide before you click
Finish group 1 first: product, number, portfolio owner and two admins.
- 3
Connect and record
Work through groups 2 to 5 and keep the evidence in one shared folder, never the PIN.
- 4
Test with a real chat
Send the three test messages, then handle and log one real conversation.
- 5
Review and repeat
Review on day 7, then check access and the PIN every 3 months.
Set it up in CRMsoftware.pro
- Open My Bots, choose your bot and click Save Bot. Channels connect only to a saved bot.
- On the Basics tab, add your hours, prices and handover rules to Instructions and Knowledge Base.
- Open the Channels tab. Next to WhatsApp, click Connect Channel, then Quick Connect, and sign in with Facebook.
- Select your WhatsApp Business account and grant messaging permissions. The status shows Connected.
- On the Connect tab, turn on Send email notifications and add teammates under Assigned users.
- Send a test message from a second phone. Take over handovers in Live Support: Claim, reply, then Resolve.
WhatsApp, human handover and the unified inbox are included from Launch, $19 a month billed yearly for 8 users. Saved replies come with Growth. CRMsoftware.pro replies inside the 24-hour window; it does not send approved WhatsApp templates.
Day 7 review, 15 minutes
- Did every handover get a human reply within the target?
- Which questions did the AI get wrong? Fix them in the knowledge base.
- Did anyone need a follow-up after 24 hours? Was it a call or an email?
- Is the channel still Connected, and do both admins still have access?
FAQ
WhatsApp Business setup questions
What should a WhatsApp Business setup checklist include?
The product (app or platform), a number your business owns in international format, who owns the Meta Business portfolio, the connection, opt-in and the 24-hour window, which messages need approved templates, a first-conversation test and a recovery check. This one has 40 checks in 8 groups, each with an owner and evidence.
What is the difference between the WhatsApp Business app and the WhatsApp Business API?
The app is for replying by hand from a phone, with quick replies and up to 10 linked devices1. The Business Platform, often called the API, connects WhatsApp to software such as an AI agent, a CRM or a team inbox. A number in use on WhatsApp cannot be registered on the platform until it is deleted there2, unless it is onboarded with coexistence.
Can I use the same number on the WhatsApp Business app and the API?
Only with coexistence: some providers can onboard an existing Business app number, and messages are then mirrored between the app and the API3. It needs app version 2.24.17 or higher, and some features turn off, such as broadcast lists. Check that your provider offers it before you connect.
What is the WhatsApp 24-hour customer service window?
When a customer messages you, a 24-hour window opens, and each new message from them resets it6. Inside it you can send normal replies, including saved replies. After it closes, you can only send approved message templates.
When do I need WhatsApp message template approval?
Whenever you message someone outside the 24-hour window, including when you start the conversation4. Each template is marketing, utility or authentication8, and Meta's decision can take up to 24 hours7. Saved replies in your inbox are not templates and need no approval.
Why was my WhatsApp message template rejected?
Common reasons in Meta's review rules: variables in the wrong format or order, a variable at the start or end, too many variables, content that breaks WhatsApp policy, requests for sensitive identifiers, threatening wording and duplicates7. Fix it and submit again, or appeal with a sample.
What phone number format does WhatsApp Business use?
International format: a plus sign, the country code, then the number without the leading 0, such as +1 512 555 0147 or +44 7700 900123. Meta recommends the plus sign and country code2. In a wa.me link, leave out the plus, spaces, brackets and dashes: https://wa.me/15125550147.
Do I need opt-in to message customers on WhatsApp?
Yes. WhatsApp's Business Messaging Policy lets you contact only people who gave you their number and opted in to messages from you4. The opt-in should say they will get messages over WhatsApp and name your business5. Record each opt-in and stop as soon as someone asks.
What if I lose the WhatsApp two-step verification PIN?
Update it in WhatsApp Manager: phone number settings, the Two-step verification tab, Change PIN9. Someone with access to WhatsApp Manager has to do it, so keep two admins and store the PIN in a shared password manager.
How do I connect WhatsApp Business to CRMsoftware.pro?
On Launch or higher, open My Bots, choose your bot, go to the Channels tab and use Quick Connect for WhatsApp. Sign in with Facebook, select your WhatsApp Business account and grant messaging permissions. The AI agent then auto-replies to WhatsApp messages, and the chats appear in your unified inbox.
Related templates
Free tools
Sources
- WhatsApp Business app features, quick replies and linked devices, read 7 October 2026: WhatsApp Business, Business App Features
- Phone number requirements, number format and PIN, Meta for Developers: Business phone numbers
- Same number in the app and on the platform, Meta for Developers: Onboard WhatsApp Business app users (coexistence)
- Opt-in, opt-out, escalation paths and profile rules, last updated 23 September 2026: WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy
- What the opt-in must say, blocking and quality, Meta for Developers: Get Opt-in for WhatsApp
- 24-hour customer service window, Meta for Developers: Service messages
- Template review time, rejection reasons and appeals, Meta for Developers: Template review
- Marketing, utility and authentication templates, Meta for Developers: Template categorization
- Two-step verification PIN, Meta for Developers: Two-step verification
- wa.me link format, WhatsApp Help Center: How to use click to chat
- Plans, prices and features, checked 7 October 2026: CRMsoftware.pro pricing
Connect WhatsApp and test it safely with one real chat.
Start free with 3 users and AI chat. WhatsApp, human handover and the unified inbox come with Launch, $19 a month billed yearly for 8 users. Growth for 20 users adds saved replies for your team; Scale covers 50 users.