Write and submit a WhatsApp template

A business can message a customer freely only within 24 hours of the customer's last message. After that, only a Meta-approved template can open the conversation. That is what this skill makes.

1. Gather the brief

• Which WhatsApp number it is for: list_whatsapp_accounts. Ask if there is more than one.
• What it should say, and what changes per customer (name, order number, date).
• The category:
  • UTILITY: an update about something the customer already did, such as an order, booking, payment or account change.
  • MARKETING: offers, announcements, anything promotional. Meta can move a "utility" template that contains promotion into marketing.
  • AUTHENTICATION: one-time codes only. The wording is fixed by Meta.
• To start from a proven example, use browse_template_library (filter by industry or category).

2. Draft

Call get_template_schema for the exact fields, then draft:

• name: lowercase letters, digits and underscores, for example order_shipped. It cannot change after submission.
• Variables: either numbered {{1}}, {{2}} in order from 1, or named like {{order_id}}. Never mix the two. Every variable needs a sample value in example.
• Header (optional): text up to 60 characters with at most one variable, or an image, video or document.
• Body: up to 1024 characters. Footer: up to 60 characters, no variables.
• Buttons (optional, up to 10): quick replies, website links (at most 2), a phone number (at most 1), or a copy-code button on marketing templates. Button text up to 25 characters.
• Carousel: 2 to 10 cards with the same media type (all images or all videos) and the same buttons. Card text is up to 160 characters, with no variables. Send an approved carousel with a WhatsApp Carousel block.

Write it the way the business talks, and keep it specific to the customer's situation.

3. Check, confirm, submit

1. Call compose_whatsapp_template. It has no side effects. Fix every error it returns.
2. Show the user the final template, the category and the number it is for. Ask for a clear yes.
3. Only then call create_whatsapp_template with user_confirmed: true. Submission goes to Meta and cannot be undone.
4. The template stays PENDING until Meta decides, usually within minutes and at most 24 hours. get_whatsapp_template shows the status and any rejection reason.

Images and videos must be public links. Use upload_media to host a file first if the user only has it locally.

A rejected template

Read the reason with get_whatsapp_template and explain it plainly. Then submit a corrected copy under a new name, because a name and language pair can be used only once on a number.