WhatsApp Messaging - Teams

Read on to learn about how to send WhatsApp messages from MultiLine Messaging app in Microsoft Teams. 

Overview

The MultiLine Messaging app from Microsoft Teams allows you to send WhatsApp messages and group messages. 

The WhatsApp Messaging Connector allows compliant WhatsApp messaging directly inside MultiLine. 

• MultiLine users can send WhatsApp messages to contacts, and they can read and reply to WhatsApp messages on the MultiLine messages screen alongside SMS and Voicemail messages.
• WhatsApp users receive messages from the MultiLine user as coming from an official WhatsApp business account.
• Picture messaging allows MultiLine users and WhatsApp users to share picture messages. 
• Group messaging allows multiple MultiLine users to contact a single WhatsApp user. You can transfer the user to another MultiLine user, leave a conversation with that user, remove participant, or restart a conversation with that user. 

Before you start

• Your organization has to enable WhatsApp Messaging Connector for it to be available in MultiLine. If not, you won't see the green WhatsApp messaging icon.
• You must add users to your contacts before you can send them a message.
• Due to WhatsApp Business policies to prevent spam:
  • To start messaging a user you haven't messaged before, you'll need to request consent, and the user must reply with consent to receive your messages. Learn more. 
  • If no messages are received from the WhatsApp user within 24 hours, messages from the MultiLine user will be paused until the WhatsApp user resumes the conversation. Learn more.

Send a WhatsApp Message

You can send a WhatsApp Message from the new message icon or from contacts details. 

Send from New Message

1. Select the New Message icon at the bottom of your message threads.
   
2. Select WhatsApp.
   
3. Start typing the name (if the person is in your Contacts) or number of the person you want to send a WhatsApp message.
   
4. If you're messaging with the user for the first time select Confirm to send the Opt-In message. This requests permission to message the contact. The user has 24-hours to respond before you can send a reminder message.
   
5. Once the user replies you can send a message.

   You can freely message until there has been a 24 hours since the last message. After which, your messages will be paused and held in a queue until the WhatsApp user resumes the conversation. 

6. Draft your message and then select the send icon.
    

Message from an existing message thread

1. Use the search bar to search for user you want to send a message to.
   
2. Select the user, and then select the WhatsApp icon.
   

Read on to learn about WhatsApp Group Messaging from the MultiLine Messaging app for Microsoft Teams. 

Overview

You can send WhatsApp Group Messages from the MultiLine Messaging App for Microsoft Teams. This feature allows multiple MultiLine users to be in a group chat with one WhatsApp user. MultiLine users can have multiple chats and group chats with the same WhatsApp user. 

WhatsApp Group messaging supports up to 10 MultiLine users in a conversation. Users can add other users to the conversation, remove other users from the conversation, and choose to share or not share group chat history. Users can also leave the conversation and request to rejoin a conversation. 

Before you start

• Users can only add MultiLine users within their region to a group conversation.

Create a new group chat

1. Select the New Message icon, then WhatsApp, or select the WhatsApp icon from a contact's information screen to begin. 
2. If you've had a conversation with the user before, previous chats or group chats with the user will appear. Select New chat. 

Add a participant to a 1:1 conversation

1. Select Confirm to send the Opt-In message. The user will be presented with the option to "Start Conversation". If selected, you'll see a message confirming the contact has opted in.
   
2. Select the message menu icon then select Add user to conversation. 
3. Use the Search bar to pull up a list of matching users you can add to the conversation.
   
4. Add the user.
   1. Select the radio button for the desired user. 
   2. By default, the Share chat history toggle is off, to share the chat history, switch the toggle to on. 
   3. Select Add.
      
5. You'll see a confirmation message that you've added the user to the conversation.
   

Add a participant to a group chat

1. Select the info icon.
   
2. Select Add user to conversation.
   

Leave a conversation

1. Select the info icon.
   
2. Select Leave conversation.
   

Refer to this topic to learn what to expect when you initiate a new WhatsApp conversation. 

Overview

WhatsApp Business Accounts are required to gain consent from WhatsApp users prior to messaging them. These opt-in messages are captured by the Movius platform for attestation purposes. 

Before you start

• Your organization has to enable the WhatsApp Messaging channel for it to be available in MultiLine. If not, you won't see the green WhatsApp messaging icon.

WhatsApp Opt-In Flow

When you try to send a message to a client with WhatsApp for the first time, you're required to get consent using an Opt In process. 

1. To start a new WhatsApp conversation:
   1. Select the WhatsApp icon for a contact.
      
   2. Select New Message, select WhatsApp, and enter the name or number of your contact.
      A prompt will appear asking you if you'd like to send the contact an Opt In message
2. Select Confirm to send the Opt-In.
3. After opting in, you can send messages that will be paused and only sent after the user accepts the opt-in. 
4. There are four possible outcomes:
   1. Contact doesn't have WhatsApp  You'll see a message letting you know your contact isn't a WhatsApp user, and ask if you'd like to send an SMS instead. Select Yes to go to the SMS message screen.
      
   2. Contact has WhatsApp- customer receives opt-in
       
      1. Contact accepts Opt-In request
         1. You'll see a confirmation message letting you know the contact has chosen to opt-in.
            
         2. Your contact will see a message letting them know they've opted-in.
         • Contact rejects Opt-In request
           1. If your contact rejects the Opt-In, you'll see a message letting you know. The send message field will be disabled for the contact.
           2. The customer will be informed of their Opt-Out status, and that it is possible to Opt-In at any time by replying "yes".
         • Contact doesn't respond to Opt-In request
           1. If your contact doesn't respond to the Opt-In, you'll be able to send a new one every 24 hours by selecting Resend Opt-In Request.