WhatsApp Business App Connection

Connect your existing WhatsApp Business App to Zavu and use the same phone number for both personal conversations (via the app) and automated messaging (via Cloud API).

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What is WhatsApp Business App Connection?

When you connect an existing WhatsApp Business App account, you enable coexistence mode - the ability to use a single phone number across two platforms:

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Benefits

• Keep using your phone: Continue managing conversations directly from the WhatsApp Business App
• Add automation: Send automated messages, templates, and broadcasts through Zavu
• Unified inbox: All conversations appear in both the app and Zavu
• No number migration: Use your existing business number without changes

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Limitations

Before enabling coexistence, be aware of these limitations:

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Connecting via Dashboard

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Step 1: Navigate to Senders

1. Log in to your Zavu Dashboard
2. Go to Senders in the navigation
3. Click New Sender or edit an existing sender

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Step 2: Connect WhatsApp

1. In the Channels section, click Configure on WhatsApp
2. Select Connect WhatsApp Business App

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Step 3: Complete Meta Signup

1. Click Connect with Meta to open the embedded signup
2. Log in with your Facebook account that has access to the WhatsApp Business App
3. Select your existing WhatsApp Business Account
4. Authorize Zavu to send messages on your behalf

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Step 4: Sync Message History (Optional)

After connecting, you can optionally sync your existing conversation history:

1. On the success screen, click Sync history
2. This sends a request to the account owner to approve sharing
3. Once approved, historical messages will be imported to Zavu

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Connection Options Comparison

When connecting WhatsApp to a sender, you have three options:

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Managing History Sync

After connecting, you can manage synchronization from the sender settings:

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Sync Status

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Requesting Sync

1. Go to Senders → Select your sender
2. Navigate to the Channels tab
3. In the WhatsApp Business App Sync section, click Sync for:
   • Message History: Import existing conversations
   • Contacts: Import contact names from the app

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Receiving Messages

With coexistence enabled, messages arrive in both places:

1. WhatsApp Business App: The user sees and can reply from their phone
2. Zavu Webhooks: Your application receives message.inbound events

Messages sent from the WhatsApp Business App are also forwarded to your webhooks as whatsapp.message_echo events.

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Disconnecting

To disconnect the WhatsApp Business App:

1. Open WhatsApp Business App on your phone
2. Go to Settings → Linked Devices
3. Remove the Zavu connection

When disconnected:

• The sender status changes to disconnected in Zavu
• You’ll receive a whatsapp.account_update webhook event
• The sender can no longer send WhatsApp messages

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Troubleshooting

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Can’t see the “Connect WhatsApp Business App” option

Make sure:

• You’re using WhatsApp Business App (not regular WhatsApp)
• Your phone number is registered with WhatsApp Business
• You have admin access to the associated Facebook Business account

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History sync stuck in “Syncing”

• The account owner must approve the sync request in the WhatsApp Business App
• Check the app for any pending prompts
• Sync can take several minutes for large histories

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Messages not appearing in Zavu

• Verify the sender status is active
• Check webhook configuration is correct
• Ensure the message.inbound event is subscribed

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Next Steps