WhatsApp setup guide

The WhatsApp page in your dashboard — connecting your WhatsApp Business number, testing it, and sharing it with patients.

Connection status

At the top of the page, a banner shows whether your bot is connected:

WhatsApp not connected (amber) — the bot cannot send or receive messages yet.
WhatsApp connected (green, “Live”) — your bot is active and accepting messages 24/7.

Once connected, each number you've added is listed with its display number, Phone Number ID, and (if applicable) its WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) ID.

Connecting your number

Option A — Connect via Facebook (recommended)

Click Connect with Facebook. You'll log in with the Facebook account that manages your Meta Business Manager, then select your WhatsApp Business Account and the phone number your patients will message.

This requests two permissions:

whatsapp_business_management — read your WABA and phone numbers
whatsapp_business_messaging — send and receive messages on your behalf

It never asks for access to your personal Facebook profile, posts, or contacts.

Already using the regular WhatsApp Business App on this number?You don't need to disconnect it first — SandoAssist supports connecting alongside it (“coexistence”). During signup you'll see your existing business profile presented back to you before you confirm — that's the sign it's recognised your number correctly. The WhatsApp Business App on your phone keeps working as before.

Option B — Enter details manually

If the Facebook button isn't available or doesn't work for your setup, use the manual entry form and fill in:

Field	Where to find it
Phone Number ID	Meta Business Suite → Settings → Accounts → WhatsApp Accounts → select your account → Phone numbers tab
WhatsApp Business Account ID	Same WhatsApp Accounts page, shown at the top
Access Token	Business Suite Settings → Users → System Users → select/create a system user → Generate token → choose your WhatsApp Business Account and grant `whatsapp_business_management` and `whatsapp_business_messaging`

Use a permanent System User token, not a short-lived personal token — a short-lived one will expire and disconnect your bot.

If you don't see a System Users option, you may need Admin access in your Business Manager first, or use the “Connect with Facebook” option instead, which sets this up automatically.

Click Test connection to verify the credentials work before saving, then Save & connect.

Managing connected numbers

Connect another number — a clinic can have more than one WhatsApp number connected; the first one added becomes “primary.”
Disconnect — removes a number from SandoAssist. This does not delete anything on the WhatsApp/Meta side, only SandoAssist's own record of it.

Testing your bot

Once connected, open WhatsApp on your own phone, search for your clinic's business number, and send a message like “Hi, I'd like to book an appointment.” The bot should reply within seconds. You can review the conversation afterwards from View conversation inbox.

Click Share next to a connected number to open the sharing panel:

Direct chat link — a wa.me link pre-filled with a greeting, ready to drop into a website button, Instagram bio, Google Business Profile, or email signature.
Website embed — a copy-paste HTML snippet for a floating “Chat on WhatsApp” button on your website.
QR code — for posters, receipts, or your front desk. Downloadable as a PNG.

Message activity

Below the connection card, a stats row shows: messages today, this week, this month, active chats the bot is currently handling, and how many need you (awaiting a human reply).

In-chat booking screens (WhatsApp Flows)

Not currently available. This lets patients tap through service/practitioner/time as buttons instead of typing — but publishing it requires your WhatsApp Business Account to reach a message-volume threshold on Meta's side first, a Meta account-tier requirement. Free-text booking (the normal chat flow) works fully without it.