Text messages | Developer Documentation

Write and send a text reply through ChatArchitect

Use the conversation in your connected CRM or help desk to reply to a customer who has written to your ChatArchitect WhatsApp number. This guide covers choosing the message type and checking the actual reply. Use the first-message guide if you are still testing the connection itself.

Check whether a regular reply is appropriate

A customer's message opens a 24-hour customer service window. While that window is open, you can send a regular text reply from the connected tool. To start a conversation or contact the customer after the window has closed, use an approved message template. Typing a response in an old CRM conversation does not reopen the WhatsApp window.

Prepare the reply

1. Check the conversation. Confirm the customer and connected business number before entering the reply, especially if your team works with several numbers or inboxes.
2. Give one clear next step. Answer the customer's question and state what they should do or what your team will do next. Check any date, price, address or reference against the actual record.
3. Review inserted values. If your sending tool offers merge fields or an automation supplies the text, inspect the final customer-specific values. Do not assume that placeholders used in an approved template will be substituted in an ordinary text reply.
4. Check links. Use the complete intended HTTPS address and test where it opens. A clickable URL and a preview card are separate results; use the link preview guide if the card is missing or shows the wrong content.

For example: Hi Alex, your request is being reviewed. We will update you here tomorrow. This is illustrative reply text, not a template or an automatic notification. Replace it with an accurate next step your team can complete.

Check the text the recipient receives

When setting up a new reply workflow, send a test in an open service window with a permitted test contact. Compare the received wording, line breaks, inserted values and link with what the tool submitted. Check the received message on the recipient's device as well as any preview in the CRM.

If your integration exposes message statuses, distinguish an accepted or queued attempt from delivery. Keep the available message reference and result together; ask support if the final outcome is unclear. Do not create repeated replies while the result of the original attempt is unknown.

Use the delivery result guide for missing or failed outgoing results. If you cannot view the customer's incoming item, use the incoming message checklist.

Use the read indicator guide to distinguish incoming acknowledgements from outgoing delivery results. If your answer refers to one of several customer messages, use the quoted reply checklist to check the received context.

If the reply cannot be sent

• Check when the customer last wrote to the number. If the service window has closed, select an appropriate approved template instead of repeatedly submitting ordinary text.
• Check that the conversation uses the intended business number and the correct ChatArchitect connection credentials.
• Record the sending tool, business number, affected conversation, attempt time with time zone, message reference if available and exact error. Share those details with ChatArchitect support without App key/Secret values.

The Meta text message reference describes the underlying API. The standard ChatArchitect customer workflow uses the connected tool; direct Meta API parameters are not a required customer setup step.