> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.conduit.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# WhatsApp templates

> Understand template categories and best practices for WhatsApp message templates in Conduit

WhatsApp message templates must be approved by Meta before use. Choosing the correct category ensures better deliverability and accurate pricing.

## Template categories

Meta requires every template to be assigned one of three categories:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Marketing" icon="megaphone">
    Promotions, offers, informational updates, or invitations to engage with your business.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Utility" icon="gear">
    Specific, agreed-upon transactions, account updates, or alerts (e.g., booking confirmations, order status).
  </Card>

  <Card title="Authentication" icon="lock">
    One-time passwords (OTPs) used for account verification or multi-factor authentication.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Category guidelines

### Marketing

Use the **Marketing** category for messages that promote your business, products, or services, including:

* Special offers, discounts, or promotions
* Product announcements or launches
* Newsletters or informational updates
* Invitations to events or surveys

### Utility

Use the **Utility** category for transactional messages sent in response to a user action or an agreed-upon communication, including:

* Booking or reservation confirmations
* Order or delivery status updates
* Account activity alerts (e.g., payment received, subscription renewal)
* Appointment reminders

### Authentication

Use the **Authentication** category exclusively for sending one-time passwords or verification codes to users who have explicitly requested them, such as:

* Login verification codes
* Password reset OTPs
* Two-factor authentication codes

## Best practices

* **Choose the right category.** Meta may re-categorize templates that do not match the intended use. Mismatched templates may be rejected or charged at a higher rate.
* **Avoid marketing framing in transactional templates.** If a template is purely transactional (e.g., a booking confirmation), do not include promotional language. Transactional templates (Utility) typically have lower costs and higher deliverability than Marketing templates.
* **Templates require Meta approval.** New templates are reviewed by Meta before they can be used. Approval times vary. Plan ahead when introducing new templates.
* **Keep content compliant.** Templates must comply with [WhatsApp's Business Messaging Policy](https://whatsappbusiness.com/policy/). Content that violates this policy will be rejected.

## Managing templates in Conduit

Once your WhatsApp account is connected, everything to do with templates lives in one place.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open your WhatsApp settings">
    Go to **Settings > WhatsApp** under Channels. You will see **Templates** along the top.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the template manager">
    Click **Manage templates**. This lists every template on your account with its current status, so you can see at a glance which ones are approved and ready to send. Select **Sync** to pull in changes made at Meta.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a new template">
    Click **Create** and fill in your template. Templates created in Conduit are always submitted as **Utility**. If you need a Marketing or Authentication template, contact Conduit support.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Wait for approval">
    Meta reviews every new template. Once one is approved it shows as **Approved** in the list, and from that point your team can send it.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  If there is no **Create** button, your number is connected directly to Meta. Create and edit templates in WhatsApp Manager, then select **Sync** in Conduit.
</Note>

## Messaging guests first

You can start a WhatsApp conversation without waiting for the guest to write in, as long as you send an approved template. Send one from the inbox message box, or from a workflow step to send it automatically (for example, a pre-arrival message a few days before check-in).

* **24-hour window.** After a guest messages you, you can reply freely for 24 hours. Outside that window, only templates can be sent.
* **Daily limit.** Meta caps how many new conversations you can start per rolling 24 hours. New numbers start at 250, and the limit rises after Meta Business Verification. See [Meta's messaging limits](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/messaging-limits).

<Note>
  Only templates showing **Approved** can be sent. Anything still pending review, or rejected by Meta, cannot be used until that is resolved.
</Note>

## Frequently asked questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="When do I need a template, and when can I just write a normal reply?">
    It depends on how long it has been since the guest last messaged you.

    Within 24 hours of their message, you can reply freely in your own words, and your team can use [saved replies](/inbox/setup/saved-replies) too. No template is needed.

    Once more than 24 hours have passed, WhatsApp requires an approved template to reach that guest. This is a WhatsApp rule rather than a Conduit one, which is why it is worth having a few templates approved before you need them.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Where do I check whether a template is approved?">
    Go to **Settings > WhatsApp > Templates** and click **Manage templates**. Each template shows its status, and only those marked **Approved** can be sent.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How long does approval take?">
    Meta decides this, not Conduit, and the time varies. Submit templates well ahead of when you plan to use them rather than close to the moment you need them.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why was my template rejected or moved to a different category?">
    Usually because the category did not match the content. Meta may re-categorise a template it considers promotional, which can also mean a higher rate. Keeping transactional templates free of marketing language is the simplest way to avoid this.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>


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