Reply rules

How rules run

Each connected number has its own list of reply rules, checked top to bottom when a message arrives; the first rule that matches answers and the rest are skipped. A rule fires on a new conversation (the number’s first message ever, or after a quiet spell you set), on a message that started from a Meta Click-to-WhatsApp ad, or on message text that is, starts with or contains given words.

Because the person has just written in, the reply can be typed text with merge tags, or an approved template with buttons. A rule can also add the person to a follow-up sequence for the messages that come later.

Each rule is one line in the list, “#1 New conversation → Text: Hi … · Matched 13 times”; click it to edit, or open its ⋮ menu for Edit, Link & QR, Move up, Move down, Pause or Resume, and Delete. Until the first rule exists the page offers three suggested rules (Welcome new conversations, Reply to your WhatsApp ads and Send the brochure on a keyword) that open the editor prefilled with a typed reply; they stay available under Add a suggested rule at the bottom of the list.

Links and QR codes

Every rule has a wa.me link and a QR code: Marketing › WhatsApp › Reply rules, the rule’s ⋮ menu, Link & QR. The panel that opens shows the QR with Download QR and Copy link. For a text-match rule the link pre-fills the matching words, so a QR on a hoarding, a brochure or a listing lands the person in a chat where that rule answers with the right project’s details. Use a separate rule per listing, and a fail-safe “starts with Hi <your name>” rule at the bottom.

What else happens on a message

• An unknown number becomes a lead (see Leads from WhatsApp chats) with their WhatsApp name and first message; a known client’s message is added to their enquiry as a remark and the assigned person is alerted.
• A reply takes the person out of any sequence that is set to stop on reply.
• A message starting with STOP, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, QUIT or OPT OUT opts the number out of every message your company sends: no rule answers it, no sequence enrols it and no campaign reaches it until the person sends START. Their later messages are still saved and the assigned person is alerted. See the opt-out section of Connecting your WhatsApp Business number.

Creating a rule

1. Go to Marketing › WhatsApp › Reply rules and click Add rule (or one of the suggested rules, to start prefilled). Give it a Rule name (optional) and pick the Number.
2. Under When choose New conversation (optionally Also after this many quiet days), Click-to-WhatsApp ad, or Message text with Match = contains, starts with or is exactly and the Text.
3. Under Reply with choose A written reply (typed text with merge tags such as @firstName, allowed because the person just wrote in) or An approved template (with buttons or media) and pick the Template.
4. Under Then, optionally pick a sequence under Then start a follow-up sequence (it works once the person is a lead, which a new conversation creates). Keep Rule is active ticked and click Create rule.
5. Back in the list, order the rules per number with Move up and Move down in the ⋮ menu; each line shows how many times it matched and when it last fired. Pause keeps a rule in the list without answering; a line whose template is not approved yet carries a “template pending” pill.