WhatsApp templates
Crafting and submitting WhatsApp message templates for provider approval.
WhatsApp templates are pre-approved message structures required by WhatsApp Business API providers for initiating conversations outside an active session window. You define the template in EzFlow, submit it for provider approval, and then use it in Workflows.
Creating a WhatsApp template
Open Templates in the app sidebar and click New template. Choose WhatsApp as the channel type. This opens the WhatsApp template editor at /whatsapp-template-creator/<id>.
Category
Every WhatsApp template must declare a category, which tells the provider the purpose of the message. EzFlow enforces one of three values:
| Category | When to use |
|---|---|
UTILITY | Service updates, account notifications, order status |
MARKETING | Promotions, announcements, engagement campaigns |
AUTHENTICATION | One-time passcodes, verification codes |
The category field maps to the category column on the Document record. Providers use this to route approval and enforce delivery policies. Choose the category that best matches your message intent; an incorrect category can cause approval rejection.
Variables
Use {{variableName}} placeholders in the template body for dynamic content. Variable names may contain letters, digits, underscores, and dots.
Examples:
Hello {{firstName}}, your order {{orderId}} has shipped.
Your OTP is {{otpCode}}. Do not share it with anyone.EzFlow extracts all {{...}} placeholders from the saved compiledTemplate field so the WHATSAPP_TEMPLATE_FILLER node can prompt you to map each one to a Workflow value.
Provider tracking
When your WhatsApp provider assigns an external identifier to the approved template, store it in the External ID field of the template. This value is saved in the externalId column of the Document record and is used by the delivery node to reference the correct provider-side template when sending.
Template fields
| Field | What it stores |
|---|---|
name | Display name shown in the Templates list |
description | Optional description |
type | Always WHATSAPP |
category | UTILITY, MARKETING, or AUTHENTICATION |
compiledTemplate | The message body with {{variable}} placeholders |
externalId | Provider-assigned template ID after approval |
languageCode | BCP-47 language code for the template (e.g. en, pt_BR) |
Approval workflow
After you save a WhatsApp template in EzFlow, you or your provider admin must submit it for approval through your WhatsApp Business API provider (Gupshup, Twilio, Meta, or your configured webhook provider). Approval times vary by provider. The template cannot be used in live Workflows until it is approved.
Once approved, update the template record with the externalId the provider assigned. The WHATSAPP_TEMPLATE_FILLER node sends this ID to the provider at run time to identify which approved template to use.
Using a WhatsApp template in a Workflow
- WHATSAPP_TEMPLATE_FILLER — select your approved WhatsApp template and map each
{{variable}}to a Workflow value. Outputs the filled message payload. - SEND_WHATSAPP — sends the filled payload to the recipient via your configured WhatsApp provider.