Template Messages

WhatsApp template messages are message formats approved by Meta in advance. You need one to start a conversation, or to write to a customer more than 24 hours after their last message. MonoChat uses approved templates in the chat screen, in flows, in bulk messaging and in AI actions.

You can create a template in two places:

Where	Best for
MonoChat (Settings › Chat › Channels)	Creating templates next to your conversations, with a live preview and Meta's rules checked while you type. Available for WhatsApp Business (Cloud) channels.
Meta WhatsApp Manager	Teams that already manage templates in Meta Business Suite, or features MonoChat does not offer yet, such as editing an approved template.

Both create the same thing: a template in your WhatsApp Business Account that Meta reviews. Templates created in WhatsApp Manager appear in MonoChat after a Sync, and templates created in MonoChat also appear in WhatsApp Manager.

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Before you start

• Your WhatsApp number is connected to MonoChat as a WhatsApp Business (Cloud) channel.
• Your WhatsApp Business Account is active and its display name is approved.
• You have permission to manage channels in MonoChat (or Admin access to the WhatsApp Business Account to work in WhatsApp Manager).

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Create a template in MonoChat

Step 1: Open the channel's templates

1. Go to Settings › Chat › Channels.
2. Open the ⋮ menu of your WhatsApp Business (Cloud) channel and choose Template Messages.

The list shows every template of the channel with its language, status (Approved, Pending, Rejected), category and who created it. From here you can:

• Create a new template.
• Sync to fetch templates and their latest status from Meta.
• Set Variables ({}) for a template, which tell MonoChat what to fill in when it is sent.
• Duplicate a template or Add language to it (see Duplicate a template or add a language).

Click Create to open the template builder.

Step 2: Choose the category and type

The builder has the form on the left and a live WhatsApp preview on the right, which updates as you type.

First choose the category. Meta prices and reviews templates by category, so pick the one that matches the message:

Category	Use it for
Marketing	Offers, announcements, new products, re-engagement and anything promotional.
Utility	Updates about something the customer already started: an order, a booking, an account or a payment.
Authentication	One-time passwords for sign-in or verification.

Then choose the type:

Type	Category	What it sends
Standard	Marketing, Utility	Text with an optional header, footer and up to 10 buttons.
Media carousel	Marketing	A message followed by 2–10 horizontally scrolling cards, each with an image or video, a short text and up to 2 buttons.
Product carousel	Marketing	A message followed by 2–10 product cards from your Meta catalog. The products are chosen when the template is sent.
Limited-time offer	Marketing	An offer with a countdown to its expiry, an optional coupon code and a link button.
Catalog	Marketing	Opens your Meta catalog. The thumbnail product is chosen when the template is sent.
Multi-product	Marketing	Up to 30 products from your Meta catalog, in sections chosen when the template is sent.
Single product	Marketing	One product from your Meta catalog, chosen when the template is sent.
Call permission request	Marketing, Utility	Asks the customer for permission to call them on WhatsApp.
One-time password	Authentication	A verification code. Meta writes the text; you choose how the code is delivered.
From Meta's library	Utility	A ready-made template from Meta's library, approved without review. You add your own link or phone number to its buttons. See Templates from Meta's library.

warning

A wrong category is the most common reason for rejection. A Utility template that promotes something is rejected or moved to Marketing by Meta.

Step 3: Name, language and variable format

• Template name: lowercase letters, numbers and underscores only, for example order_shipped or appointment_reminder. The name must be unique in your WhatsApp Business Account and cannot be changed later.

• Language: the language the message is written in. To send the same template in another language, add a language to it after you create it.

• Message time-to-live (seconds) (optional, Utility and Authentication): how long WhatsApp keeps trying to deliver a message sent from the template, from 30 to 43200 seconds (12 hours) for Utility and from 30 to 900 seconds (15 minutes) for Authentication. Leave it empty to keep WhatsApp's default. For Marketing, see How marketing templates are sent.

• Variable format:

  • Numbered: {{1}}, {{2}}, {{3}}, numbered in order.
  • Named: {{first_name}}, {{order_id}}: lowercase letters, numbers and underscores, starting with a letter.

  A template uses one format, and it cannot be changed after approval. Carousel templates support numbered variables only.

Step 4: Header (optional)

The header is the first line or the media at the top of the message:

Header	Details
None	No header.
Text	Up to 60 characters and at most one variable.
Image	Upload a sample image (JPG or PNG, up to 5 MB).
Video	Upload a sample video (MP4, up to 16 MB).
Document	Upload a sample document (PDF, up to 100 MB).
Location	The location is chosen when the template is sent.

The sample file is only for Meta's review. When you send the template, you can use a different image, video or document.

Step 5: Message and examples

• Write the Message text, up to 1,024 characters (600 for a limited-time offer).
• Use the toolbar for bold, italic, strikethrough and monospace.
• Click Add variable to insert the next variable at the cursor.
• For every variable, MonoChat asks for an example. Meta reviews the template with these examples, so use realistic values such as "Maria" or "#10482", never real customer data.

Rules MonoChat checks for you:

• Numbered variables go in order: {{1}}, {{2}}, {{3}}.
• The text can't start or end with a variable.
• Every variable needs an example.

Step 6: Footer (optional)

A short line under the message, up to 60 characters, for example your business name or "Reply STOP to opt out". The footer can't contain variables.

Step 7: Buttons (optional)

Add buttons with the buttons under Buttons, and reorder them with the arrows. A template can have up to 10 buttons:

Button	What it does	Limit
Quick reply	Sends the button text back into the chat. Good for "Yes", "Reschedule" or "Talk to us", and for starting a flow.	Up to 10
Visit website	Opens a URL starting with https://. The URL can end with one variable, for example https://www.example.com/track/{{1}}; add an example for it.	Up to 2
Call phone number	Calls a number. Enter it with the country code, for example +905551234567.	1
Copy coupon code	Copies a code, up to 15 characters.	1
Call on WhatsApp	Starts a WhatsApp voice call with your business. Calling must be turned on for the number.	1
WhatsApp Flow	Opens a WhatsApp Flow, such as a form or booking. Choose the flow, its action and the first screen.	1
Request contact info	Asks the customer to share their contact details.	1

Button text is up to 25 characters. Keep quick reply buttons next to each other: Meta does not accept quick replies mixed between other buttons.

Step 8: Check and submit

MonoChat checks Meta's rules while you type. When you click Submit for review, any remaining problems are shown under the field they belong to, together with the number of issues to fix. Nothing is sent to Meta until all of them are fixed.

When everything is valid, Submit for review sends the template to Meta. MonoChat shows "Template sent to Meta for review" and the template appears in the list as Pending.

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Special template types

One-time password (Authentication)

Meta writes the text of authentication templates: "123456 is your verification code." You choose:

• Code delivery:
  • Copy code: a button copies the code. Set the button text.
  • One-tap autofill: on Android, a button fills the code into your app. Enter the autofill button text, your app's Android package name (for example com.example.app) and the 11-character app signature hash.
  • Zero-tap: on Android, your app receives the code without a tap. It needs the same app details and you must accept Meta's terms for zero-tap.
• Code valid for: 1 to 90 minutes.
• Add "For your security, do not share this code." to the message.

Media carousel

• Write the message that appears above the cards.
• Choose Image or Video for the cards and add 2 to 10 cards with Add card.
• Each card has a sample image or video, a text of up to 160 characters and 1 or 2 buttons.
• All cards share the same header type and the same buttons; only the content differs.

A Product carousel works the same way, with product cards from your Meta catalog and one button per card.

Limited-time offer

• Offer title: up to 16 characters, without variables, for example "20% off coats".
• Show a countdown to the offer's expiry: the expiry time is set when you send the template.
• The message is up to 600 characters.
• Add a Visit website button, and optionally a Copy coupon code button.

Catalog, multi-product and single product

These types show products from the Meta catalog connected to your WhatsApp Business Account. You write the message and the button text; the products are chosen each time the template is sent.

Templates from Meta's library

Meta's template library has ready-made Utility templates for common updates, such as order confirmations, delivery updates and payment reminders. They are approved without Meta's review.

1. Choose Utility and the From Meta's library type.
2. Type a word in Search the library, or leave it empty, and select Search.
3. Choose a template in Library template. Its language, header, message and buttons come from Meta and cannot be changed; the preview shows them.
4. Enter your own Website URL for each link button and your phone number for each phone button. A link that ends with a variable also needs an example.
5. Change the template name if you want, and submit it.

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Marketing templates on WhatsApp

Meta handles templates of the Marketing category under its own rules. Utility and Authentication templates are not affected by anything in this section.

How marketing templates are sent

MonoChat sends each template's category with the message. When your WhatsApp Business Account is onboarded to Meta's Marketing Messages API, Marketing templates go out through that API; otherwise they go out through Cloud API as before. MonoChat checks the account's status regularly, so a newly onboarded account switches over within an hour. Meta stops carrying marketing messages on Cloud API on 13 October 2027.

On an onboarded account, the template builder also shows Message time-to-live (seconds) for Marketing templates: enter a value between 43200 (12 hours) and 2592000 (30 days) to limit how long WhatsApp keeps trying to deliver a message sent from the template, or leave it empty.

When a customer stops your marketing messages

In WhatsApp, a customer can stop and later resume the marketing messages of your business. When they stop:

• MonoChat sets the customer's WhatsApp marketing stopped profile field to Yes. It is separate from the customer's general Opt-in, which other channels keep using.
• A whisper message only your team sees is added to the customer's latest conversation on that channel.
• Bulk messages skip the customer when the template's category is Marketing, and the recipient's status says why. See Bulk Messages.
• The Send Template Message flow node does not send a Marketing template to the customer and takes its On Fail output.

When the customer resumes, the field is set to No and sending works again. You can filter customers by the field in the CRM.

Marketing message limit

Meta limits how many marketing templates one customer receives. A template held back by this limit fails with error 131049, which MonoChat shows as The customer reached WhatsApp's marketing message limit; try again after 24 hours on the message in the inbox and in Message Status in the bulk message records. Wait at least 24 hours before sending again: Meta penalises repeated attempts.

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Duplicate a template or add a language

From the template list:

• Duplicate opens the builder with a copy of the template. Give it a new name, change what you need and submit it. This is also the way to change an approved template in MonoChat: create the new version, wait for approval and then stop using the old one.
• Add language opens the builder with the same name and content. Choose the new language, translate the texts and examples, and submit.

note

When you copy a template with media, MonoChat reuses the sample file. If Meta's file link is no longer reachable, upload a new sample file. For one-time password templates, enter the Android package name and signature hash again.

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After you submit: review and status

Meta reviews every new template, usually within minutes and at most within 24 hours.

Status	Meaning
Pending	Meta is reviewing the template.
Approved	The template can be sent.
Rejected	Meta did not accept it. Check the reason in WhatsApp Manager, fix the template and submit it again under a new name.
Paused	Meta paused the template, usually because its quality dropped. It can't be sent until it is unpaused.
Disabled	Meta disabled the template after it was paused too often. It can't be sent anymore.

MonoChat keeps every template in step with Meta on its own, without a Sync:

• Status: approval, rejection with Meta's reason, pause, unpause and disable.
• Quality: Meta's quality rating, shown in the Quality column as High, Medium, Low or Pending.
• Category: when Meta moves a template to another category, for example from Utility to Marketing, which changes its price.

When Meta pauses, unpauses, disables or rejects a template, or changes its category or announces that it will, MonoChat sends a notification to everyone who can view template messages. Each person can switch it off under When WhatsApp changes a template's status or category in their notification settings.

Sync is still how templates created in WhatsApp Manager first appear in MonoChat.

Each WhatsApp channel runs one sync at a time. If a sync is asked for while another is running, MonoChat runs one more sync right after it. When Meta limits the account's template requests, MonoChat waits and tries again twice; if Meta still refuses, the sync stops without changing any template, and you can sync again a few minutes later.

Paused and disabled templates

Meta pauses a template when its quality rating drops to low: for 3 hours the first time and for 6 hours the second time. The third time, the template is disabled. While a template is paused or disabled:

• A bulk message that uses it does not start, and one that is already running stops. The reason is shown in its recipient list.
• The Send Template Message step of a flow stops with the reason.

To send a paused template again before the pause ends, click Unpause in the template list (you need permission to update template messages). MonoChat asks Meta to unpause it, and the status changes to Approved when Meta confirms. A disabled template can't be unpaused: create a new one.

When a template is approved, open its Variables ({}) to tell MonoChat which value fills each variable, for example the customer's name or a field from your CRM. Then you can use it in chats, flows and bulk messages. For a document header, WhatsApp shows the customer the name of the file you upload there.

info

For sending templates to many customers, see Bulk Messages.

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Common rejection reasons

• Promotional wording in a Utility template.
• A category that doesn't match the content.
• Variables without clear examples, or a message that is mostly variables.
• Spelling and grammar mistakes.
• Buttons that don't match the message, or links to unrelated sites.
• Content that breaks the WhatsApp Business Policy.

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Create a template in Meta WhatsApp Manager

You can still create templates in Meta's own interface. Templates created there appear in MonoChat after you click Sync.

Open WhatsApp Manager

Open the message templates in WhatsApp Manager directly, or:

1. Sign in to Meta Business Suite.
2. Go to Business settings.
3. Open Accounts › WhatsApp accounts.
4. Select your WhatsApp Business Account.
5. Click WhatsApp Manager.

Create the template

1. In WhatsApp Manager, go to Message templates › Manage templates.
2. Click Create template.
3. Choose the category (Marketing, Utility or Authentication) and the template type, then click Next.
4. Enter the name and language.
5. Fill in the header, body, footer and buttons. Meta asks for an example of each variable, and its variable rules are the same as in MonoChat (see Step 3 and Step 5).
6. Click Submit.

In WhatsApp Manager you can also edit an approved template. An edited template goes through review again.

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Variables reference

	Numbered	Named
Format	{{1}}, {{2}}, {{3}}	{{customer_name}}, {{order_id}}
Rules	Start at 1, in order	Lowercase letters, numbers and underscores; start with a letter
Example	Hello {{1}}, your order {{2}} has shipped.	Hello {{customer_name}}, your order {{order_id}} has shipped.
Not allowed	{{0}}, {{1}} then {{3}}	{{CustomerName}}, {{order-id}}, {{order id}}

• A template uses only one format.
• The format can't be changed after approval.
• A message can't start or end with a variable, and can't be mostly variables.

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Best practices

• Create one template per purpose: an order update, a booking reminder and a promotion are three templates.
• Keep messages short and say who is writing.
• Use names that describe the template, such as booking_reminder_24h.
• Give examples that look like real data, without using real customer data.
• Send a test to your own number before using a new template in bulk messages or flows.

Notes

• Meta reviews and approves every template. MonoChat cannot approve or bypass that review.
• Meta charges per delivered template message, by category and the customer's country. See Meta's pricing for current rates.
• Template creation in MonoChat is available for WhatsApp Business (Cloud) channels.