---
schema_version: "1"
id: d515bafaa10656ddee088ce8c6a77e23093b929d4ae7bbbb5cd491ddcbdd8c96
title: Create a WhatsApp Template
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/service/264-0-0/messaging_whatsapp_create_template.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_whatsapp_create_template.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 0671a733fa4be24fe289932812f72acb354e3a5e571fc121803238fec6262235
description: To create a WhatsApp template in Salesforce, add an External Template format to the notification messaging component. In Salesforce, you can create templates with the Utility and Marketing categories, but not the Authentication category. We strongly recommend that you create and manage your WhatsApp templates directly in Salesforce, instead of Meta.
products:
  - Service Cloud
  - Digital Engagement
release: "264"
---
# Create a WhatsApp Template

To create a WhatsApp template in Salesforce, add an External Template format to the notification messaging component. In Salesforce, you can create templates with the Utility and Marketing categories, but not the Authentication category. We strongly recommend that you create and manage your WhatsApp templates directly in Salesforce, instead of Meta.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="vertical-align:top;"><a href="https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_editions.htm&amp;type=5&amp;language=en_US" target="_blank">View supported editions.</a></td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <a name="messaging_whatsapp_create_template__image_hmywa_rgf_5cc"><!-- --></a><span style="vertical-align:text-bottom;display:inline-block;"><img style="margin-bottom:0;" id="messaging_whatsapp_create_template__image_hmywa_rgf_5cc" src="https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/resources-global/_corporate/images/checkmark.png" alt="Checkmark"></span>
              <strong>This article applies to:</strong>
            </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Enhanced WhatsApp</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">
              <span style="vertical-align:text-bottom;display:inline-block;"><img style="margin-bottom:0;" src="https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/resources-global/_corporate/images/crossmark.png" alt="X icon"></span>
              <strong>This article doesn’t apply to:</strong>
            </td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Enhanced In-App Chat, Enhanced Web Chat v1, Enhanced Web Chat v2, Enhanced Apple
              Messages for Business channels, Standard and Enhanced Facebook Messenger, Standard and
              Enhanced SMS, Enhanced LINE, and Bring Your Own Channel</td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table> <table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small permission">
        <colgroup>
          <col style="width:50%">
          <col style="width:50%">
        </colgroup>
        <thead class="slds-text-title_caps ">
          <tr class="">
            <th scope="colgroup" class="slds-cell-wrap" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:top;" id="d134536e97">User Permissions Needed</th>
          </tr>
        </thead>
        <tbody>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d134536e97 ">To open, edit, or create a flow in Flow Builder:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d134536e97 ">Manage Flow</td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d134536e97 ">To create, edit, or view processes:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d134536e97 ">
              <p>Manage Flow</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">AND View All Data</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
          <tr class="">
            <td data-label="User Permissions Needed" class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d134536e97 ">To create messaging components:</td>

            <td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;" headers="d134536e97 ">
              <p>Customize Application AND View Setup and Configuration</p>
              <p>OR</p>
              <p style="margin-bottom:0;">System
                Administrator</p>
            </td>

          </tr>
        </tbody>
      </table>

To collect user input through a structured form, assign a WhatsApp Flow to the WhatsApp template and add a button to initiate the Flow. For instance, if a customer receives an appointment reminder, you can include a "Check In" button that launches a multi-screen check-in process defined within the WhatsApp Flow.

![Note](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/images/icon_note.png)

Note After you activate a messaging template in Salesforce, it’s sent to Meta for approval. To ensure that Meta knows which Salesforce org should receive the approved template, associate a unique WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) to your org. A test org and a production org should each be associated with a unique WABA, for example.

1. In the Messaging Components page, open the notification messaging component in the Messaging Component Builder. To create a notification component, see [Send Automated Messages in Enhanced Messaging Channels](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_automated_enhanced.htm&type=5&language=en_US).
2. On the Details page, click **Add Format**.
3. Select **External Template**.
    
    ![Add Message Format window with External Template selected.](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/support_channels/images/messaging/messaging_whatsapp_add_format.png)
4. Click **Done**.
5. Select your WhatsApp Business account and click **Done**.
6. Select your template from a list of your approved templates or create a new one.
7. To create a template, click **Create New** and complete the remaining steps.
8. Select the template language. To support this message in multiple languages, duplicate this template for each supported language.
9. Select the template category: Utility or Marketing. Meta can change this category while approving the template.
10. To add custom parameters that pass input data to the messaging component, under Component Details in the left sidebar, select **Parameters**. By default, the MessagingSession record standard parameter is available.
    
    ![Messaging Component Builder open to the Parameters editor.](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/support_channels/images/messaging/messaging_whatsapp_flow_external_template_add_parameter.png)
11. Under Component Formats in the left sidebar, click **External Template**.
12. Add the message content, including the header (required), body (required), footer, and up to 10 buttons.
13. To use a variable in the content, click **Add Variable**, select the type and value, and then enter a sample value. For example, to reference a parameter for the value of the variable, select Parameters in the Type field and enter the parameter reference in the Value field. To reference a field in the messaging session record, enter: `$Parameters.MessagingSession.<field_name>`. To reference a field in a related record, enter: `$Parameters.MessagingSession.Contact.<field_name>`. Meta reviews the sample value to understand the variable's context during the template approval process.
    
    ![Messaging Component Builder open to the External Template editor.](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/support_channels/images/messaging/messaging_whatsapp_component_builder_header.png)
14. To enable the customer to launch a WhatsApp Flow from a WhatsApp template, add a button to the template.
    1. Add a Complete Flow action button.
    2. Select the Apex-based form that defines the [WhatsApp Flow](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.whatsapp_flows.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "WhatsApp Flows are interactive, structured experiences that live natively inside a WhatsApp conversation, acting as guided forms or multi-step wizards. They enable businesses to guide customers through rich, structured business interactions—such as booking an appointment, requesting feedback, or collecting personalized information—all without the customer ever having to leave the WhatsApp chat. You can define, configure, and customize the fields in these forms, and the responses are automatically logged in Salesforce records.").
    3. In the Starting Screen field, select the initial screen that appears when the Flow launches.
    4. To pass in input data from a parameter, in the Type field, select **Parameters**, and then, in the Parameters field, select the parameter.
        
        ![Messaging Component Builder open to the External Template page to build a parameter.](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/support_channels/images/messaging/messaging_whatsAppTemplate_completeFlowButton.png)
15. In the Template Preview section, review the template preview. The preview doesn’t show images until Meta approves the template.
    
    ![Messaging Component Builder showing a template preview.](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/support_channels/images/messaging/messaging_component_whatsapp_template_preview.png)
16. Save the messaging component.
17. To make your messaging component available for service reps to send, click **Activate**. The WhatsApp template is sent to Meta for approval. Wait until your template status updates to indicate that it’s approved, which can take up to a day. While it’s possible to edit a template after you activate it, [there are important considerations to review ahead of time](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=service.messaging_whatsapp_considerations.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "WhatsApp Business lets businesses communicate with users of the WhatsApp messaging app. Review important considerations before creating a WhatsApp channel in Agentforce Service (formerly Service Cloud)."), as it will be sent to Meta under a new name.

To send a WhatsApp template message to a user, a service rep launches the WhatsApp template from the service console. A service rep selects the messaging component in the Enhanced Conversation component.

![Messaging Composer in the Service Console with the Messaging Component picker selected.](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-service-support_channels-264-0-0-production-enus/f3c4b3d2-ff86-4f7c-9fe2-3d8b23d35109/support_channels/images/messaging/messaging_components_picker_in_conversation_tab.png)