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How to set up WhatsApp Business with AskVault

Written by , Founder, AskVault · Reviewed by Aashiq
Last updated: · 7 min read

Pick your provider: Meta Cloud API or Twilio

You have two ways to connect WhatsApp to AskVault. Pick one before you start.

Meta Cloud API. Native WhatsApp Business API. Lower per-message cost (about $0.005 per session message in India). Requires a verified Meta Business Manager account, which takes 24-72 hours for the verification step the first time. Best for production traffic above a few hundred messages a day.

Twilio. Faster setup (Twilio's sandbox lets you test in 5 minutes). Higher per-message cost (about $0.05 per session message in India). No Meta Business verification gate. Best for prototypes, low-volume traffic, or if your team already runs other Twilio products.

Most production deployments end up on Meta Cloud API for the cost savings. Twilio is the right starting point if you want to bake-off the bot quality before committing to the Meta verification process.

Setup via Meta Cloud API

Five steps to a working WhatsApp connection.

  1. Create a Meta Business account. Sign up at business.facebook.com if you don't have one. Add your company details, verify the business email.
  2. Set up a WhatsApp Business account inside Meta Business. Open Settings > Business Settings > Accounts > WhatsApp Accounts > Add. Pick "Create a new WhatsApp Business Account". Add a display name (this is what customers see in their WhatsApp app).
  3. Verify your phone number. Add a phone number that isn't already registered with another WhatsApp account. You'll receive an SMS or voice call with a verification code.
  4. Get your credentials. Inside Meta Business, navigate to WhatsApp > API Setup. Copy three values: phone_number_id, access_token, and a verify_token you generate yourself (any random string; you'll use it in step 5 to prove you're you).
  5. Connect to AskVault. In the AskVault dashboard, open Deploy > WhatsApp. Paste the three values into the connection form. Click Save.

AskVault generates a webhook URL (something like https://api.askvault.co/api/whatsapp/webhook). Copy it.

Back in Meta Business, navigate to WhatsApp > Configuration > Webhook. Paste the webhook URL, paste your verify_token again, click Verify and save. Meta sends a verification ping; AskVault returns the challenge; Meta confirms the webhook works.

Subscribe to the messages event so Meta forwards incoming messages.

Send a test message to your WhatsApp Business number from your personal phone. Within a few seconds the AI agent should reply, grounded in your indexed content.

Setup via Twilio

If you'd rather start with Twilio, the flow is shorter:

  1. Create a Twilio account. Sign up at twilio.com. Verify your email.
  2. Activate WhatsApp Sandbox. Go to Messaging > Try it out > Send a WhatsApp message. Twilio gives you a sandbox number and a join code. From your personal phone, message the sandbox number with the join code to subscribe.
  3. Get your credentials. In Twilio, copy your Account SID and Auth Token from the console home page.
  4. Connect to AskVault. In AskVault, open Deploy > WhatsApp. Pick the Twilio sub-tab. Paste your Account SID and Auth Token. Save.
  5. Configure Twilio's webhook. In Twilio's WhatsApp Sandbox settings, paste AskVault's webhook URL as the "When a message comes in" target.

Test from your personal phone. Messages should route through Twilio → AskVault → reply.

Move out of the Twilio sandbox to a paid number once you're ready for production. Sandbox numbers are shared and rate-limited; production numbers cost about $1/month plus per-message fees.

Message templates

WhatsApp distinguishes between two message types: session messages (free-flowing within a 24-hour window after a customer's last inbound message) and template messages (pre-approved structured messages used to start conversations outside the 24-hour window).

AskVault sends session messages automatically as part of normal chat replies. For proactive outreach (re-engaging a customer 3 days later, sending a shipping confirmation, etc.), you need a Meta-approved template.

  1. In Meta Business, open WhatsApp > Message Templates.
  2. Click Create Template. Pick a category (Marketing, Utility, Authentication).
  3. Write the template with {{1}}, {{2}} placeholders for dynamic content.
  4. Submit for review. Meta approves utility templates in minutes; marketing templates can take 24-48 hours.
  5. Once approved, the template is callable from AskVault via the API or from automation rules.

Opt-in and compliance

WhatsApp Business has stricter opt-in requirements than SMS. Customers must explicitly consent to receive messages, and you must store proof of consent. Three valid opt-in sources:

  • Web form checkbox at signup: "Yes, send me updates on WhatsApp."
  • First inbound message from the customer to your WhatsApp number (implicit consent for replies).
  • Documented offline opt-in (e.g., a customer ticks a box at a physical retail point of sale).

Don't import contacts and bulk-message them. Meta will suspend your number for unsolicited messaging. AskVault doesn't ship a bulk-WhatsApp feature for this reason.

Common pitfalls

A few real failures we see:

  • Webhook verification fails. Usually a mismatch between the verify_token you registered in AskVault and the one you pasted into Meta Business. They must be identical.
  • Messages come in but agent doesn't reply. Check that the workspace has content indexed and channel is enabled (the green toggle in Deploy > WhatsApp).
  • Number not verified by Meta. Meta takes 24-72 hours to verify a new business. You can't go live before that.
  • Production traffic spikes 429s. WhatsApp Cloud API has rate limits scaled to your business tier (Tier 1 = 250 unique conversations per day, scaling up). Request a tier upgrade from Meta if you outgrow it.

FAQ

Can I use the same WhatsApp number for sales and support?

Yes. AskVault routes all inbound messages through the same agent. If you need different agents for different intents (e.g., sales bot vs support bot), set up automation rules that switch the system prompt based on conversation context. Growth+

How much does WhatsApp messaging cost?

Per Meta Cloud API: about $0.005 per session message in India, scaling per region. AskVault doesn't add a per-message markup; you pay Meta directly. Twilio adds a per-message fee on top.

Can the agent send images or PDFs?

Yes. The agent can send images, documents, and short audio clips via the underlying API. Available message types depend on whether you're in a session window (most types allowed) or a template message (image header allowed, document not).

Does WhatsApp count against my AskVault query quota?

Yes. Each successful AI-reply on WhatsApp counts as 1 query, same as a website widget query.

Can I keep the conversation in WhatsApp but escalate to a human?

Yes. The escalate_to_human skill, when triggered, switches the conversation from AI to a human agent in your AskVault Live Chat inbox. The customer keeps chatting through WhatsApp; your agent replies through the inbox. Growth+

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