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WhatsApp only lets a business start a conversation with a template that Meta has approved. Free text cannot be sent first. WhatsApp templates is where you tell RuleInside which of your approved templates to use, and for which job.
You create and approve templates in Meta, not in RuleInside. Write the template (its header, body, buttons and footer) in Meta’s WhatsApp Manager and submit it there. Once Meta approves it, register it here by typing its exact name and language and saying what fills each numbered blank. There is no field for the wording anywhere in the portal: to change the wording, edit the template in WhatsApp Manager.

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Before you start

1

Create the template in Meta

In Meta’s WhatsApp Manager, write the template and submit it for review.
2

Wait for Meta's approval

Meta reviews each template, and each language of it, separately.
3

Note four things from WhatsApp Manager

The template’s exact name, its language code (for example en_US or it), its category (Marketing, Utility or Authentication), and how many numbered blanks ({{1}}, {{2}} and so on) its body has.
4

Register it in RuleInside

Open WhatsApp templates, click New template and fill in the form described below.

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The templates list

The page lists every template you have registered, ordered by purpose and then kind. Instead of the list, you may see:
  • This workspace isn’t linked to a store yet. Your workspace has no store attached. The New template button is shown but cannot be used. Contact support.
  • No templates yet. Add one to enable WhatsApp follow-ups and campaigns. Nothing is registered yet.
  • A red message saying the templates could not be loaded. Nothing was changed: refresh the page, and contact support if it keeps happening.

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Registering a template

1

Open the form

Click New template. A panel titled New WhatsApp template opens on the right. Nothing is saved until you click Save template.
2

Choose the purpose and kind

Pick what the template is for under Purpose, and leave Kind on Message unless you are registering a call permission template.
3

Copy the name and language from Meta

Type the Template name and Language code exactly as WhatsApp Manager shows them.
4

Match Meta's category

Pick the same Meta category that Meta gave the template.
5

Add one variable per blank

Under Template variables, click Add variable once for each numbered blank in the template body, in order, and choose what fills it.
6

Save

Leave Enabled on and click Save template. You see Template saved., the panel closes and the list refreshes.

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Every field on the form

The form is the same for a new template (panel title New WhatsApp template) and for an existing one (panel title Edit WhatsApp template). Only the account owner can open it and save it.
RuleInside does not check the name, language or number of variables against Meta when you save. A mistake shows up afterwards in the At WhatsApp column, or as a failed send. The form’s own reminder says it: the name, language and parameter count must match Meta exactly.
The Send from (WhatsApp number) field appears only when your list of WhatsApp numbers can be loaded. If you do not see it, open Phone numbers and check that your WhatsApp number is listed and connected.

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The four purposes

  • Immediate follow-up: sent automatically right after a shopper who messaged your store on WhatsApp leaves their details in that chat (for example, to send a promised discount code). It is used only when automatic WhatsApp follow-up is switched on for your store, which it is not by default, and only if this template is enabled.
  • Event follow-up: sent by an automation rule of the event follow-up type.
  • Re-engagement (campaigns): the template your WhatsApp campaigns send.
  • Manual send: for sending one message yourself from WhatsApp send.

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Message and Call permission

Follow-ups, campaigns and manual sends all use Message templates. You can register a Call permission template, but it cannot be chosen on WhatsApp send, which says call-permission templates can’t be used to send a message.

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Template variables

A template body can contain numbered blanks such as {{1}} and {{2}}. Each line under Template variables fills one blank: the first line fills {{1}}, the second fills {{2}}, and so on. Each line shows the blank’s number, a source, a value box and a red Remove button. Rules for variables:
  • Order matters. Removing a line renumbers the lines after it.
  • Only the body. RuleInside fills the numbered blanks in the template body. It does not fill anything in the header or the buttons.
  • No empty lines. If any line has no value, Save template stops with Fill in every variable (or remove the empty ones). and nothing is saved.
  • Changing a line’s source clears its value. A line switched back to Contact field returns to name.
  • The count must match Meta. RuleInside cannot see the template body at Meta, so it cannot check that you added one line per blank. Meta refuses a send when the count is wrong.
  • Up to 20 lines. At 20, Add variable is greyed out and the form says Maximum of 20 variables reached.
  • No blanks at all? Leave the list empty. The form then says the template has no numbered blanks in its body.
When a send happens, line breaks, tabs and repeated spaces in each value are turned into single spaces. If a value comes out empty (for example the contact has no name saved), the message is not sent: it is recorded as Failed with the detail unresolved template params at index [n]. The number counts from 0, so index [0] means {{1}}. Fill in that detail on the contact, or change the line’s source.

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Buttons on the form

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One template per purpose and kind

Each purpose can hold one Message template and one Call permission template. A second template for the same purpose and kind does not sit beside the first: it replaces it.
When the Purpose and Kind you pick already belong to another template, an amber warning appears at the top of the form: “A template for this purpose and kind already exists - saving will replace it, not add a new one.” It does not stop you. If you save, the other template’s registration is replaced.The new-template form starts on Re-engagement (campaigns) and Message, so if you already have a re-engagement message template you see this warning as soon as the panel opens. Change the purpose before saving unless you mean to replace it.

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Editing a template

Click Edit on a row. The Edit WhatsApp template panel opens with that template’s settings filled in. Change what you need and click Save template.
Changing the Purpose or Kind saves a copy and leaves the original. The template is saved under the new purpose and kind (replacing whatever was there), and the original row stays exactly as it was. To move a template to another purpose, save it under the new purpose, then delete the old row.

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Enabling and disabling

Turn Enabled off and save to stop RuleInside using a template without deleting it. The Status column then shows Disabled. While no enabled message template exists for a purpose:
  • manual sends for that purpose are refused;
  • automatic follow-ups for that purpose send nothing;
  • campaigns that rely on it do not send.
Turn it back on and save to use it again.

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Deleting a template

Click Delete on a row. A dialog titled Delete this template? explains that the template will be removed and that any follow-up or campaign relying on it will stop sending until you add a replacement.
  • Keep template closes the dialog. Nothing changes.
  • Delete template removes the registration. It reads Deleting… while it works, and you see Template deleted. when it is done.
Deleting cannot be undone in the portal. To use the template again you register it again and re-enter its purpose, kind, category, number and variables. The template itself is not deleted at Meta: it stays in WhatsApp Manager.
If deleting fails, a red message explains why (or says Could not delete the template.). If the template had already been removed, for example by another owner, the message is WhatsApp template not found.

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Template statuses

Each row has two separate statuses.

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Status (your switch)

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Status at WhatsApp

For a number connected through Meta (it shows the Connected through Meta badge on Phone numbers), each time the page opens RuleInside asks Meta for your templates and matches each row by its name and language together. When Meta’s category for a template differs from the Meta category you chose, a small line under the status says so, for example WhatsApp lists it as UTILITY. Edit the template and pick the category Meta shows, so the marketing limit and quiet hours apply correctly.
At WhatsApp is there to warn you; it does not stop a send. A template shown as Rejected or Not on your WhatsApp account but still Enabled is still tried, Meta refuses it, and the send shows Failed in the send log. Fix or disable the template when you see a red status.

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How the category affects sending

The Meta category you choose here decides two rules for every send of the template:
  • Weekly marketing limit: a contact receives at most 4 Marketing WhatsApp messages in any rolling 7 days. Utility and Authentication templates do not count and are not limited.
  • Marketing quiet hours: a Marketing template is sent only during the calling hours where the person is, and waits until then otherwise (an immediate follow-up sent within 24 hours of the shopper’s chat is the exception). Utility and Authentication templates do not wait.
Choose the category Meta gave the template. Every send also passes the consent, opt-out and do-not-contact checks described in Why a send is suppressed.

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STOP and START

A customer who replies STOP is opted out of WhatsApp messages and calls from your store, and every later send to them is suppressed, whatever template you use. Only the customer can opt back in, by replying START. See STOP and START.

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Who can do what

  • Owner: register, edit, enable, disable and delete templates.
  • Member: sees the list and the statuses. In place of New template they see a note that only account owners can manage templates, and the Edit and Delete buttons are greyed out.

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Common questions

No. Write it, add any header, buttons and footer, and get it approved in Meta’s WhatsApp Manager. Then register it here with its exact name and language. To change the wording, edit it at Meta.
Meta has no template with that exact name and language on the connected account. Check the spelling and the language code (en is not en_US), and check that the template was approved on the WhatsApp account that is connected now, not an older one. Edit the row to fix it.
Your WhatsApp number is not connected through Meta, so RuleInside cannot read template statuses. Nothing is wrong; just make sure the name and language match WhatsApp Manager exactly.
Meta classifies the template differently from the category you chose. Edit the template and choose the category Meta shows, so the weekly limit and quiet hours apply correctly.
There is one template per purpose and kind, so saving a second one for the same pair replaces the first (the form warns you before you save). To keep both, register the old one again under another purpose.
That is expected: changing Purpose or Kind saves a copy under the new pair and leaves the original. Delete the original if you no longer want it.
You can register a call permission template, but follow-ups, campaigns and manual sends all use Message templates, and WhatsApp send cannot use a call permission template.
It appears only when your list of WhatsApp numbers loads. Open Phone numbers and check your WhatsApp number is there and connected.
No. Only the registration in RuleInside is removed. The template stays in WhatsApp Manager and you can register it again. Follow-ups and campaigns for that purpose stop until you register a replacement.
No. WhatsApp requires a pre-approved template to start a conversation, so RuleInside cannot send free-form text.
No. Members can see the list and statuses, but only the account owner can change them.