WhatsApp is how many of your clients prefer to communicate — it's familiar, instant, and already on their phone. With Lupa's WhatsApp Business integration, your practice can receive inbound client messages, reply within a 24-hour window, send approved template messages for reminders and campaigns, and track delivery status — all directly from the client chat interface or automated workflows.
💡 In short: Connect your WhatsApp Business account to Lupa, receive client messages automatically, reply from the chat page, and send template messages for reminders and campaigns — with full delivery tracking and a 24-hour messaging window.
Before You Begin
📍 Permissions required: You need Integrations Settings access to connect or disconnect WhatsApp. Sending WhatsApp messages requires the Client Chat permission.
You need a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) with Meta — this is separate from a personal WhatsApp account
A dedicated phone number for your practice (this number cannot also be used with the regular WhatsApp app)
The phone number must be in international format (e.g. +44 7925 145 092)
Connecting WhatsApp Business
Step 1: Open WhatsApp settings
Go to Settings → Integrations → WhatsApp.
Step 2: Start the connection
Click Connect WhatsApp.
Lupa opens Meta's embedded signup flow in a popup window.
Sign in with your Meta Business account (or create one if needed).
Select your WhatsApp Business Account and phone number.
Grant Lupa permission to send and receive messages on your behalf.
Step 3: Complete the setup
Once you authorise the connection, Lupa automatically:
Registers your phone number with Meta's WhatsApp platform
Subscribes to receive inbound messages and delivery status updates via webhooks
Stores the connection securely for your location The connection appears in your WhatsApp settings with the phone number and business display name.
💡 Each location can have its own WhatsApp connection with a unique phone number. This lets multi-site practices use different numbers for different clinics.
Disconnecting
To disconnect, go to Settings → Integrations → WhatsApp and click Disconnect. This removes the connection from Lupa but does not delete your WhatsApp Business Account with Meta.
The 24-Hour Messaging Window
WhatsApp enforces a 24-hour messaging window to protect users from unsolicited messages. This is a Meta rule, not a Lupa limitation.
Scenario | What you can send |
Client messaged you within the last 24 hours | You can reply freely with any text, images, documents, or videos — no restrictions |
More than 24 hours since the client's last message | You can only send pre-approved template messages (e.g. appointment reminders, follow-ups). Free-form text is blocked. |
Client has never messaged you | You can only send pre-approved template messages to initiate the conversation |
When composing a WhatsApp message in client chat, Lupa shows you the remaining time in the messaging window. If the window has expired, the composer switches to the template picker automatically.
⚠️ The window resets every time the client messages you. Each new inbound message from the client opens a fresh 24-hour window for free-form replies.
WhatsApp Message Templates
Templates are pre-approved message formats that you can send at any time — even outside the 24-hour window. They're created in Meta's WhatsApp Manager and synced to Lupa.
How Templates Work
Create templates in Meta's WhatsApp Business Manager (not in Lupa) with your desired message text, placeholders, and category.
Meta reviews and approves the template (this can take minutes to hours).
Lupa syncs approved templates automatically — they appear in the template picker.
Template Categories
Category | Use case |
Utility | Appointment reminders, booking confirmations, order updates — messages the client expects to receive |
Marketing | Promotions, announcements, re-engagement campaigns — requires client opt-in |
Authentication | Verification codes and login confirmations |
Template Placeholders
Templates support variable placeholders that Lupa fills in automatically:
Client fields:
client_first_name,client_last_name,client_full_name,client_email,client_phoneStore fields:
store_name,store_phone,store_email,store_address_fullWhen sending a template, Lupa auto-fills known placeholders from the client and store records. If any placeholder can't be auto-filled, you'll be prompted to enter it manually before sending.
Sending a Template Message
Open a client conversation in Chat.
If the 24-hour window has expired, the composer shows the template picker automatically.
Search for or browse available templates.
Select a template — Lupa fills in the placeholders.
Review and click Send.
When you later open a sent WhatsApp campaign message from the client communications list, Lupa shows the resolved message text — exactly what the client received — rather than the raw template. If the template has since been removed from your WhatsApp Business account, Lupa displays a note that the template is no longer available.
Receiving Inbound WhatsApp Messages
When a client sends a WhatsApp message to your practice number:
Lupa automatically creates or opens a conversation for that client (matched by phone number).
The message appears in the client chat sidebar with a WhatsApp icon.
All staff who are chat points of contact for the location are notified.
Media attachments (images, videos, documents, audio) are downloaded and displayed inline.
A 24-hour messaging window opens for your team to reply freely. If the client's phone number matches an existing client record, the conversation is linked to that client. If the number is unknown, Lupa still creates a conversation so you can respond — you can link it to a client record later.
Communication Availability
Not every client can be reached on every channel. Lupa determines which communication channels are available for each client:
Channel | Available when |
Your location has an active WhatsApp connection and the client has a phone number on their record | |
App message | The client has the Lupa mobile app installed and set up |
The client has a valid email address on their record | |
SMS | SMS is enabled for the location and the client has a valid phone number |
The communication dropdown on client records and appointment views only shows channels that are actually available for that client — so your team never tries to send a message through a channel that won't work.
Send WhatsApp and Send message are separate options in the dropdown. Send WhatsApp opens the client's WhatsApp thread in chat. Send message is for clients who have the Lupa mobile app — it is not related to WhatsApp.
WhatsApp in Campaigns
WhatsApp templates can be used in marketing campaigns to reach clients at scale:
Create a campaign in Lupa and select WhatsApp as the channel.
On the Content step, search for and select an approved template. A live preview on the right shows exactly how the message will look, with placeholders filled in from your store details and a sample client name.
Define your audience.
Lupa queues the messages and sends them in the background, filling in placeholders for each recipient.
Campaign messages respect client communication preferences and consent settings.
Unsupported placeholders
Some placeholders — for example, pet-specific fields — cannot be filled automatically when sending to a campaign audience. If you select a template that contains placeholders Lupa cannot fill for campaigns, you'll see an Unsupported placeholders for campaigns warning listing the affected placeholders. You won't be able to move to the next step until you choose a different template that uses only supported placeholders.
Delivery Status Tracking
Every WhatsApp message sent through Lupa is tracked with real-time delivery status:
Status | What it means |
Pending (clock icon) | Message sent to WhatsApp servers, awaiting confirmation |
Sending | Message is currently being sent — this clears automatically within a few moments |
Sent (single tick) | WhatsApp servers accepted the message |
Delivered (double tick) | Message delivered to the client's phone |
Read (blue double tick) | Client opened and read the message |
Failed (red alert) | Message could not be delivered — hover for details |
Status updates flow in real time from Meta's webhook, so you see changes as they happen in the chat interface.
Tips for WhatsApp Communication
✅ Best practices from practices that run Lupa:
Respond quickly when a client messages you — the 24-hour window starts ticking from their last message, and you lose free-form messaging when it expires
Create utility templates for your most common outreach (appointment reminders, vaccination due) so you can always reach clients even outside the messaging window
Use WhatsApp for time-sensitive messages like same-day appointment reminders — clients check WhatsApp more frequently than email
Keep template messages short and clear — WhatsApp is a casual medium, so overly formal language feels out of place
Set up chat points of contact so inbound WhatsApp messages are seen promptly by the right staff
Monitor failed deliveries — common causes are invalid numbers, clients blocking your business number, or network issues
Troubleshooting
Problem | Solution |
Clicking Send WhatsApp does nothing or shows an error | If you see "Could not open the chat. Please try again.", Lupa was unable to open the conversation. Wait a moment and try again. If the problem persists, check that your WhatsApp connection is still active in Settings → Integrations → WhatsApp. |
I can't connect WhatsApp | You need Integrations Settings access and a Meta Business account with a WhatsApp Business Account. Make sure you're signing in with the correct Meta account during the embedded signup flow. |
I can't send a free-form message | The 24-hour messaging window has expired. Send a pre-approved template message instead, or wait for the client to message you to reopen the window. |
No templates appear in the picker | Templates are created in Meta's WhatsApp Business Manager, not in Lupa. Create and submit templates there; once approved by Meta, they'll sync to Lupa automatically. |
Messages are stuck on "Pending" | This usually indicates a temporary issue with Meta's WhatsApp API. Wait a few minutes and check again. If messages remain pending for more than an hour, contact support. |
Inbound messages aren't appearing | Check that your WhatsApp connection is active in Settings → Integrations → WhatsApp. If the connection shows as disconnected, reconnect it. Also verify that the client is messaging the correct phone number. |
Media attachments aren't loading | Media from WhatsApp is downloaded asynchronously. If an attachment shows as loading, wait a moment and refresh. Large files (videos, documents) may take longer to process. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my personal WhatsApp number?
Can I use my personal WhatsApp number?
No. WhatsApp Business requires a dedicated phone number that is not registered with the regular WhatsApp app. You'll need a separate number for your practice.
How do I create WhatsApp templates?
How do I create WhatsApp templates?
Templates are created in Meta's WhatsApp Business Manager (business.facebook.com), not in Lupa. Once you create and submit a template, Meta reviews it. Approved templates automatically sync to Lupa and appear in the template picker.
Can different locations have different WhatsApp numbers?
Can different locations have different WhatsApp numbers?
Yes. Each location can connect its own WhatsApp Business phone number. This is useful for multi-site practices where clients should contact their local clinic.
What happens if a client messages a number that isn't linked to a client record?
What happens if a client messages a number that isn't linked to a client record?
Lupa still receives the message and creates a conversation. The phone number is matched against existing client records. If no match is found, the conversation is created without a linked client — you can manually link it later.
Is there a cost for WhatsApp messages?
Is there a cost for WhatsApp messages?
Meta charges per conversation (not per message) based on the conversation category and country. Utility conversations (appointment reminders) typically cost less than marketing conversations. Check Meta's pricing page for current rates.
Can I send images and documents via WhatsApp?
Can I send images and documents via WhatsApp?
Yes. You can attach images, videos, documents, and audio files to WhatsApp messages during the 24-hour window. Note that WhatsApp limits attachments to one file per message — if you attach multiple files, Lupa sends them as separate messages automatically.