Message templates
Create WhatsApp message templates, get them approved by Meta, and use them in broadcasts and automation replies.
What are templates?
WhatsApp requires pre-approved templates for any message you initiate (outbound) — broadcasts, automation replies, and follow-ups. They don't apply to messages a customer sends you first. Each template has a category, a language code, and a body with optional variables.
Marketing
Utility
Authentication
Create a template
- 1
Open Templates
Go to Settings → Templates and click Create Template.
- 2
Fill in the details
Give it a unique name (lowercase, underscores only, e.g. welcome_offer), pick the category, choose a language code (e.g. en_US), and write the body text. Use {{1}}, {{2}} etc. for variable placeholders. Optionally add a header (text/image/video/document) and footer text.
- 3
Save as Draft
Click Save. The template starts as Draft and is immediately usable inside HopeChat automations and broadcasts.
- 4
Submit to Meta
Click Sync from Meta periodically to pull approval status back from WhatsApp. A template submitted to Meta moves through Pending → Approved (green badge) or Rejected (red badge) with a reason.
Approval status
- Draft — saved in HopeChat but not submitted to Meta. Usable for testing.
- Pending — submitted to Meta, awaiting review (usually minutes to hours).
- Approved — ready for broadcasts. Shown with a green badge.
- Rejected — Meta declined it. Edit the content and resubmit.
Variables
Variables let you personalise every message. In the body text, write {{1}} where you want a value injected. When sending a broadcast, you map each column (or tag) to a variable. In automations, you reference the variable name directly.