Connect WhatsApp Business to Zonitel Unified Inbox (Conversations)

Connect WhatsApp Business to Zonitel Unified Inbox (Conversations)

With WhatsApp Business connected to Zonitel Office, you can manage WhatsApp conversations directly from your Conversations inbox—reply to customers, send images, and keep your team’s communication in one place.

Before you start (requirements)

Make sure you have:

1. A dedicated WhatsApp Business phone number

• The number must be able to receive an SMS or voice call for verification.

2. The number must not be connected to another WhatsApp provider/platform

• A WhatsApp Business number can typically be associated with only one provider/platform at a time.

3. Messaging limits & verification awareness (recommended)

• WhatsApp Business numbers have messaging limits that can increase over time or through approval/verification processes, depending on your setup.

Step-by-step: Connect WhatsApp inside Zonitel Office

1. Log in to your Zonitel Office Portal.

2. Go to Settings → Integrations (under the “Channels & Integrations” section).

3. Find Zonitel WhatsApp (Official API) and click Manage.

4. Select Connect WhatsApp
5. Complete the signup/authorization flow a login/authorization window will open.
6. Follow the on-screen prompts to continue and approve the permissions requested from Meta.
7. Select your Business portfolio and Create a WhatsApp Business Account in case that has not been created already.
8. For New Accounts*, enter business information for new assets, if WhatsApp Business was already created and verified from Meta, select from the list and follow direct to step 9.

·         Enter the Name of your Business*

·         Choose the Category *

·         Select the Country (This option will take the info from the already filled Meta Business verification)*

·         Website (This option will take the info from the already filled Meta Business verification)*

9. Add your WhatsApp Business number
• Select Use a new or existing WhatsApp number
• Enter the number in the required format (usually +1XXXXXXXXXX).
• Choose the verification method (SMS or Voice).
• Enter the verification code when prompted.
10. Click Save / Finish.
11. Confirm the integration status shows Connected.

Find the current WhatsApp settings

• Business config: the connected business and WhatsApp Business Account.
• Subscription: review your account’s WhatsApp access.
• Numbers & templates: open the Numbers and Templates tabs to manage reception and approved messages.

A connected account still needs active WhatsApp access and a usable number to send. If you send from your own software, check readiness with the API.

Open your inbox

• Go to Conversations and look for your new WhatsApp

Confirm it’s working (quick test)

1. From a personal phone, send a WhatsApp message to your business number.

2. In Zonitel, go to Conversations.

3. Confirm the message appears and send a reply from the portal.

Manage your WhatsApp numbers and templates

Once connected, go to Settings → WhatsApp to manage your account. This page shows your Account review status (for example, APPROVED) along with Messages Sent and Messages Delivered for the last 7 days, and has two tabs:

• Numbers — tick the numbers that should receive incoming WhatsApp messages, then click Save. The table shows Number, Name, Messaging Limit, and Status. Use Add number to register another number, or Verify number to complete verification.
• Templates — Meta must approve every template before you can send it. Use Add template to create one, or Template library to start from a pre-built option. The table shows Name / Language, Category (for example Utility or Marketing), Status, and the message body.

Message Templates (important for notifications)

WhatsApp has a “customer service window” concept. In general, you can freely respond within the allowed window after the customer messages you, but messages sent outside that window typically require pre-approved templates.

Recommended next step: After connecting WhatsApp, create at least:

• A Welcome template

• An Appointment / Confirmation template

• A Follow-up template

• An After-hours template

Best practices (to drive adoption)

• Assign an owner (or rotation) to monitor WhatsApp daily inside Conversations.

• Keep replies fast during business hours to improve conversions.

• Use templates for consistent, professional messaging—especially for proactive notifications.

Troubleshooting

“I’m not receiving the verification code.”

• Confirm the number can receive SMS/voice, check spam filters/carrier blocks, and try the alternate method (voice instead of SMS).

“My number is already in use / can’t be connected.”

• The number may already be connected to another WhatsApp provider/platform. You’ll need to disconnect/release it there first.

“It worked before, but stopped syncing.”

• Reconnect the integration from Settings → Integrations (permissions/tokens may change over time).

FAQ

Q: Can multiple agents respond to WhatsApp messages from Zonitel?
A: Yes—any authorized user with access to Conversations can typically reply (based on your Zonitel permissions).

Q: Can I send outbound notifications anytime?
A: WhatsApp generally requires approved templates for business-initiated messages outside the customer service window.

Q: Can I connect more than one WhatsApp number?
A: It depends on your WhatsApp Business account limits and onboarding stage. Some setups start with a limited number of phone numbers and expand later.

Q: Will messaging limits affect me?
A: New numbers often start with limits that can increase over time or through approval/verification processes, depending on account status and usage.

Need help?

Call/Text/WhatsApp: (833) 966-4835
Email: info@zonitel.com