Docs

Templates & the 24-hour window

When WhatsApp allows free-form messages, and how to start or re-open a conversation with an approved template

WhatsApp only allows free-form messages (text, media, interactive) within a rolling 24-hour customer service window that opens, and resets, each time the customer messages you. Outside that window you may send only Meta-approved template messages.

The customer service window

Blooio enforces the window locally, before relaying to Meta, so you fail fast with a clear error instead of spending your messaging quota on a send Meta would refuse:

Situation Result
Inside the window Any content type is allowed
Outside the window, non-template content 422 template_required_outside_customer_service_window
Template not approved on the WABA 422 template_not_approved

Every inbound message the customer sends, including a button tap or a photo, opens or resets the window for that chat.

Note

A template send is allowed at any time, in or out of the window, as long as the template is approved. Sending a template is how you re-engage a customer whose window has closed; their reply opens a new window.

Send a template

Reference an approved template by name and language, and pass positional body variables in variables:

cURL

curl -X POST 'https://api.blooio.com/v4/messages' \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "to": "+15551234567",
    "from": "+15559876543",
    "template": {
      "name": "order_confirmation",
      "language": "en_US",
      "variables": ["Ada", "#A1234"]
    }
  }'
Try it

Node.js

await fetch('https://api.blooio.com/v4/messages', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.BLOOIO_API_KEY}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    to: '+15551234567',
    from: '+15559876543',
    template: {
      name: 'order_confirmation',
      language: 'en_US',
      variables: ['Ada', '#A1234']
    }
  })
})

Python


requests.post('https://api.blooio.com/v4/messages',
  headers={
    'Authorization': f"Bearer {os.environ['BLOOIO_API_KEY']}",
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  json={
    'to': '+15551234567',
    'from': '+15559876543',
    'template': {
      'name': 'order_confirmation',
      'language': 'en_US',
      'variables': ['Ada', '#A1234']
    }
  }
)

An array of variables fills the body's {{1}}, {{2}}, … in order. For a template with named placeholders such as {{first_name}}, pass an object instead: "variables": { "first_name": "Ada", "order_id": "#A1234" }. For advanced templates (header media, buttons), pass a raw Cloud API components array instead of variables.

Create and sync templates

Create and sync templates from the dashboard (or POST /organizations/:id/integrations/whatsapp/:channelId/templates). Meta reviews every template, usually within minutes and at most 24 hours, and only approved templates can be sent. Pick the category that matches the content:

Category For
Utility Updates about something the customer started: orders, appointments, shipping, account alerts
Marketing Promotions and offers, to customers who opted in
Authentication One-time passcodes

Quick-reply buttons on templates

A template can carry quick-reply buttons. When the customer taps one, you receive a message.received with message_type: "interactive" and interactive.kind: "button", where selected.id is the button's payload. The shape is the same as a tap on an interactive message.