Messenger Utility Templates
On Messenger you can reply freely for 24 hours after the customer's last message. After that, Meta lets a Page send a utility template: a message Meta approves in advance, for an order or account update or an appointment or event reminder. MonoChat sends utility templates from the chat screen, flows and bulk messages.
Utility templates must not contain marketing. Meta rejects a utility template with marketing content.
Open the templates of a Page
- Go to Settings › Chat › Channels.
- Open the ⋮ menu of your Messenger channel and choose Template Messages.
The list shows each template's name, language, status, rejection reason and update date. Sync fetches the templates and their status from Meta.
Add a template from Meta's library
Meta offers ready-made utility templates for common updates, such as an order confirmation.
- Click Create.
- Under Meta's template library, type a name or a word of the text into Name or text and click Search.
- Choose a template in Library template. Its text and buttons fill the form and the preview.
- Change the Template name if you like. For a link button, enter Your website address.
- Click Create template.
Create your own template
- Click Create.
- Enter the Template name, then choose the Language and the Variable format: numbered (
{{1}}) or named ({{first_name}}). - Write the Header (optional) and the Message text. For every variable, enter an example: Meta reviews the template with these examples.
- Add buttons if you need them. A Link button opens a web address; a Reply button sends its Payload back to your Page.
- Click Create template.
The preview on the right shows the message as the customer will see it.
Review and status
Meta reviews a utility template within seconds.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Approved | The template can be sent. |
| Pending | Meta is reviewing the template. |
| Rejected | Meta did not accept it. The Rejection reason column shows Meta's reason. |
| Rejection reason | What to fix |
|---|---|
INCORRECT_PARAMS | A variable is written wrongly, for example {1} instead of {{1}}, or numbered and named variables are mixed. |
PARAMS_TO_WORD_RATIO_EXCEED_LIMIT | The message has too many variables for its length. |
TAG_SHOULD_BE_MARKETING | The message contains marketing content. |
To have the list update itself when Meta changes a status, turn on Utility templates in the channel's Update Channel form. Otherwise click Sync.
Send a utility template
Before sending, open the template's Variables ({}) and choose what fills each variable, for example the customer's name. Then:
- Chat screen: when more than 24 hours have passed since the customer's last message, click Send Template Message and pick the template.
- Flows: the Send Template Message node can use a Messenger channel.
- Bulk messages: choose the Messenger channel and send a template message.
Utility templates need Meta's page_utility_messaging permission for MonoChat. If the template list or a send shows a permission error, contact MonoChat support.