Before a business can access the WhatsApp Business API, each client has to go through an approval procedure.
The following information is required for opening a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA):
- Facebook Manager ID
- Phone number with the ability to receive either voice or SMS
- Business Name & Display Name
- Company logo (square JPG, min 300×300 px)
- Company description (max. 130 characters)
- Postal address of the company where utility bills go to
- Contact email where customers can reach the business
- URL (end-point) to which incoming WhatsApp messages will be forwarded (typically provided by a 360dialog partner)
The approval procedure includes the following steps:
1. Facebook Business Manager ID
You need to have a Facebook Business Manager ID before you can proceed to the WhatsApp approval process. To find your Business Manager ID, log into the Facebook Business Manager of the business and navigate to Business Settings. The Business Manager ID is displayed under the business name.
If you don’t have a verified Facebook Business account, you need to create a Facebook Business Manager. To create a Business Manager:
- Go to business.facebook.com/overview.
- Click Create Account.
- Enter a name for your business, your name and work email address and click Next.
- Enter your business details and click Submit.
More information about the creation of the Facebook Business Manager you can find here.
2. Message On Behalf request
After the Facebook Business Manager ID is provided, you will receive a Message on Behalf request. You need to accept it, so WhatsApp Vendor can send messages on your behalf with your Facebook Business Manager ID.
Please navigate in your Facebook Business Manager Account to Requests > Received to accept the request.
3. WhatsApp approval procedure / Verify your Business Client account
- Start the process of verifying your business in Facebook Business Manager. This procedure helps to protect users from false information.
- Attention: Once you’ve completed the official form with the legal business details, you won’t be able to change them.
- Go to Security Center and click Start Verification. If you haven’t login in your Business account, the button will be grayed out.
- Enter your business details, click Next and select your business from the List.
- Select a phone number and confirm details.
- After you received the verification code, click the “Submit”-Button.
- It can take some time for Facebook to check the details.
4. Phone number, display name & Review process
After the verification was successful, you can add your phone number and the display name for your WhatsApp business profile.
During the WhatsApp approval procedure, the WhatsApp team reviews the client’s request according to the WhatsApp Business Policy. You can check the status in the Facebook Business Manager account.