WhatsApp setup
SAYLS editorial team
The useful short answer
Use SAYLS guided Meta onboarding and choose the path that matches your number. A new Cloud API connection and eligible Business App coexistence are different choices; check the intended outcome before continuing.
You do not need to build an API integration yourself to use the SAYLS shared inbox. SAYLS includes a guided connection flow using Meta Embedded Signup. The important decision is which number you are connecting and whether you want to keep using the official WhatsApp Business mobile app on that number. Read that choice carefully before starting. A new Cloud API connection and an eligible Business App coexistence connection are different setup paths.
A little preparation
Before you start
Have these ready so the next steps feel simpler.
Tick the items you have ready.
What you'll leave with
- The appropriate connection path
- A controlled two-way message test
- The next setup checks before sending
STEP 1 OF 5
Prepare access to the right business assets
Use a Meta login that is authorised to manage your business assets. Keep the business's real details, intended WhatsApp number and access to the number's verification method ready. If another provider already manages the number, first identify its ownership, registration and migration requirements. Do not disconnect an important production number just to experiment.
Ask your business owner or administrator to help if you cannot see the correct portfolio or WhatsApp account. Creating duplicate business assets may make setup more confusing. SAYLS can guide your connection, but Meta controls asset eligibility, account restrictions and any verification required in its own flow.
Confirm which business owns the intended number and assets.
STEP 2 OF 5
Choose the connection path in SAYLS
The audited SAYLS connection screen offers Connect a new number, Connect existing Business App and Connect manually. For a new or fully Cloud API number, choose the new-number path. Its on-screen notice explains that the WhatsApp Business mobile app will not remain active on that number through this path. Confirm that this matches your intention before continuing.
For an eligible existing Business App number, choose the coexistence path instead. SAYLS presents this as a way to use the official Business App alongside the CRM. Availability and the choices Meta displays can depend on your account. If your setup does not match either option, ask support rather than improvising a migration.
Choose the new-number or eligible Business App path deliberately.
STEP 3 OF 5
Complete Meta's authorisation flow
Continue through the Meta-hosted sign-in and authorisation screens. Select or create the business assets requested there, review permissions and complete the number verification steps Meta presents. Never enter a Meta password into an untrusted form. The exact sequence can change, so follow the labels in the current Meta window rather than an old screenshot.
Official coexistence can include a QR code shown by Meta and scanned with the official WhatsApp Business app. A QR code alone does not prove that an integration is unofficial. The useful distinction is an authorised Meta platform flow versus unofficial WhatsApp Web automation. SAYLS's coexistence screen explicitly prepares eligible users for Meta's QR step.
Review Meta’s actual authorisation screen and complete its required steps.
STEP 4 OF 5
Confirm the connection with a controlled conversation
After the authorisation completes, return to SAYLS and check the connection result. Send an inbound test message from a consenting internal number, then confirm that it appears against the correct connected number in the inbox. Reply from the workspace and verify receipt. Connecting a number is only the beginning; this small two-way check confirms the workflow you intend to use.
If the screen reports an error, record its wording and the connection path you chose. Check that you selected the intended business assets and that the number meets Meta's requirements. Do not repeatedly remove and recreate connections. Support can investigate a specific error more effectively when the account context is clear.
Check an inbound test, the selected number and the received reply.
STEP 5 OF 5
Finish the business setup before a campaign
Add staff with suitable access, review your business profile and check messaging billing. Prepare an approved template if your use case needs one. Import only contacts you are entitled to message and keep consent evidence. Start with a small, expected message rather than uploading a large purchased list.
Manual connection is available for teams that already manage their own account IDs and permanent token. Nontechnical teams should normally use the guided path or request assistance. A successful connection does not guarantee approval of every template, unrestricted sending or protection from Meta enforcement. Keep your customer experience and account quality under review.
Review staff access, messaging billing and templates before a campaign.
Bring the steps together
A clearer way forward.
- 01Prepare the right access
- 02Choose your connection
- 03Test both directions
Go to the source
Official references
Provider screens and rules can change. Use the current official documentation for account-specific requirements.
A little clarity goes a long way
