Connect WhatsApp
Centralize inquiries received on WhatsApp Business in your Inbox to reply fast and let nothing slip.
WhatsApp is often the fastest channel for your clients. Many prospects would rather fire off a message in a few seconds than write a formal email or pick up the phone. By connecting WhatsApp Business to Joinways, you handle those conversations like any other inquiry, without switching tools or losing the thread.
This article details how to link your WhatsApp Business account, what then surfaces in the Inbox, and how to reply and convert a conversation into an event. The goal: a WhatsApp message doesn't stay stranded on a phone, but becomes a file tracked like any other incoming inquiry.
For an event venue, reply speed is often decisive: the prospect who gets a clear answer right away starts picturing it, while the one left waiting goes elsewhere. Centralizing WhatsApp in the Inbox means replying fast without letting a conversation get lost in a personal thread.
Prerequisites
Before starting the connection, gather the conditions below. WhatsApp imposes a stricter framework than other channels, because it relies on Meta's WhatsApp Business API.
- A WhatsApp Business account eligible for the API.
- A number set up for WhatsApp Business and not used on the consumer app in parallel.
- A Meta account allowing you to complete the authorization steps.
- A role in Joinways that allows managing integrations (Settings then Integrations).
What you'll learn
- Connect WhatsApp Business to your Joinways workspace.
- Receive incoming conversations in the Inbox.
- Reply to a conversation and convert it to an event.
- Understand eligibility conditions and resolve common blockers.
Connect WhatsApp
Connecting happens from settings and goes through a Meta authorization. Follow the steps in order.
- Go to Settings then Integrations.
- Find the WhatsApp card and click Connect next to WhatsApp.
- Follow the authorization steps via Meta, selecting the WhatsApp Business account and the number to link.
- Confirm the permissions, then return to Joinways: the WhatsApp card now shows the connected account.
Once the connection is established, new incoming conversations start surfacing in the Inbox, ready to be handled.
To confirm everything is in place, ask a friend to message the professional number: their conversation should appear in the Inbox, a sign that the channel works.
💡 Good to know: depending on your country and plan, using the WhatsApp Business API may be subject to conditions. Check your eligibility before relying on this channel for your inquiries.
What surfaces in the Inbox
Once WhatsApp is connected, the channel feeds the Inbox just like your emails. Here is what you find there.
- Incoming conversations surface in the Inbox.
- The content of the exchanged messages, to keep the full conversation context.
- The sender on the WhatsApp side, so you can identify who you are talking to.
From there, you reply and, if the inquiry firms up, you convert it to an event, like with an email.
As with the other channels, the idea isn't to turn the Inbox into a parallel WhatsApp messenger, but to bring useful conversations into the same workflow as your email inquiries and your DMs.
How it works
Joinways relies on Meta's WhatsApp Business API to link your professional number to the Inbox. Incoming conversations surface there automatically, without you having to watch the WhatsApp app in parallel.
You reply directly from the file, like with an email. The whole conversation therefore stays in the same place as your other exchanges, and you can convert it to an event as soon as it becomes a real inquiry.
The benefit is concrete: a WhatsApp message no longer sits on a phone checked at random. It joins a single workflow, which reduces the risk of forgetting to reply to a prospect who, for their part, expects a quick answer.
Because the conversation is tied to a file, you keep a record of what was said even if several team members step in: the history doesn't live in one person's phone.
Since this relies on the WhatsApp Business API, it requires an eligible number dedicated to professional use; that requirement is what sets WhatsApp apart from less regulated channels.
Edge cases
A few situations to know with WhatsApp, more regulated than other channels.
- Number not eligible: it must be set up for WhatsApp Business and not used on the consumer app in parallel.
- Country restrictions: using the WhatsApp Business API may be subject to conditions depending on your country and plan.
- Number already in use: a number active on the regular WhatsApp app cannot be switched to the API as is without preparation.
- Interrupted authorization: if the Meta steps are not completed, the channel is not activated.
- No conversation visible: right after connecting, the Inbox may stay empty until a new message arrives.
💡 Tip: on WhatsApp, speed wins. Since your prospects often write to you in a few words, handle these conversations as a priority in the Inbox so a hot intent doesn't cool off.
Best practices
- Check your number's eligibility for the WhatsApp Business API before starting the connection.
- Reply to conversations from the Inbox rather than from the phone, to keep history in the same place as your emails.
- Convert to an event as soon as the inquiry is serious, so information is not lost in the thread.
- Reserve a number for professional use to avoid conflicts with the consumer WhatsApp app.
- Handle WhatsApp conversations as a priority: intent there is often hot and the reply expected quickly.
Troubleshooting
Number not eligible?
Cause: the number is not set up for WhatsApp Business, or it is used on the consumer app in parallel. Solution: set it up for WhatsApp Business and stop using it on the regular app, then restart the connection.
Authorization via Meta fails?
Cause: the authorization steps were not completed, or a permission was declined. Solution: restart the flow from Connect next to WhatsApp and accept all the Meta steps.
The channel is connected but no conversation surfaces?
Cause: no new message may have arrived yet since connecting. Solution: ask a friend to message the professional number; the conversation should then appear in the Inbox.
Real-world example
A future spouse messages you on WhatsApp: "Hi, do you have room on September 14th for 80 people?" The conversation surfaces in the Inbox. You reply from the file, without opening the WhatsApp app, exchange a few messages, then convert the conversation into an event once the inquiry is confirmed.
Another example
A company contacts you on WhatsApp for an end-of-year seminar. The message lands in the Inbox as an incoming inquiry. You reply, ask your questions about the number of attendees and the date, and create the event directly — with the whole conversation staying tied to the file, accessible to your team.
FAQ
Can I reply from Joinways?
Yes, you manage the conversation from the file, like an email. No need to juggle the WhatsApp app.
What type of account is required?
A WhatsApp Business account eligible for the API. A regular personal WhatsApp account won't do.
Can my consumer number be used?
No. The number must be set up for WhatsApp Business and not used on the consumer app in parallel.
Are there restrictions by country?
Yes. Depending on your country and plan, using the WhatsApp Business API may be subject to conditions.
Can I convert a conversation to an event?
Yes. Like with an email or a DM, a WhatsApp conversation converts to an event as soon as it becomes a real inquiry.
Is the history kept?
Yes. The conversation is tied to the file, which keeps the history in the same place as your other exchanges.
Do I have to keep the WhatsApp app open?
No. Once the channel is connected, conversations surface in the Inbox and you reply from Joinways.
Can several people follow the conversation?
Yes. Since the conversation is tied to the file, your team accesses it without depending on one person's phone.
What if I don't have an inquiry yet?
The channel stays connected and ready; as soon as a message arrives on the professional number, it surfaces in the Inbox.
See also
Ready to centralize your event inquiries?