Why WhatsApp Notifications
WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app worldwide with over 2 billion users. If your clients and team members are already on WhatsApp, receiving booking notifications there means instant visibility — no switching apps, no checking email.
Meetario integrates with the WhatsApp Business API (via Meta/Facebook) to send booking notifications to your WhatsApp number.
Prerequisites
WhatsApp Business API integration requires:
- A Meta (Facebook) Business account — This is needed to access the WhatsApp Business API.
- A phone number that can receive SMS or calls for verification (this number will be used for WhatsApp Business).
- A Meta Developer account — Free to create at developers.facebook.com.
Note: This integration uses the official WhatsApp Business API, not the regular WhatsApp app. The API is designed for businesses to send automated messages.
Step 1: Set Up Meta Developer App
- Go to developers.facebook.com and log in with your Facebook account.
- Click My Apps → Create App.
- Select Business as the app type.
- Give your app a name (e.g., "Meetario WhatsApp Notifications") and click Create.
- In the app dashboard, find WhatsApp in the product list and click Set Up.
- Follow Meta instructions to add a phone number and verify it via SMS.
Step 2: Get Your API Credentials
In your Meta Developer app dashboard, navigate to WhatsApp → API Setup. You will need:
- Phone Number ID — The unique identifier for your WhatsApp Business phone number.
- WhatsApp Business Account ID — Your business account identifier.
- Access Token — A permanent access token for API calls. Generate a permanent token in System Users under your Meta Business Settings.
Step 3: Configure in Meetario
Go to /app/integrations in Meetario and find the WhatsApp integration. Click Connect and enter:
- Phone Number ID — From the Meta Developer dashboard.
- Access Token — The permanent token you generated.
- Recipient Phone Number — The WhatsApp number where you want to receive notifications (in international format, e.g., +1234567890).
Click Save. Meetario sends a test message to verify the connection. You should receive a WhatsApp message saying "Meetario connected successfully".
Step 4: Configure Webhook (For Incoming Messages)
To enable two-way communication (not just outbound notifications), you need to configure a webhook in your Meta Developer app:
- In the Meta Developer dashboard, go to WhatsApp → Configuration.
- Under Webhook, click Edit.
- Set the Callback URL to:
https://meetario.com/webhook/whatsapp - Set the Verify Token to the token shown in your Meetario WhatsApp integration settings.
- Subscribe to the messages webhook field.
What Notifications Look Like
When someone books a meeting, you receive a WhatsApp message containing:
- The event type name and duration
- Guest name and email
- The booked date and time (in your timezone)
- Meeting link (Zoom/Jitsi) if applicable
- Custom field responses
Cancellation and rescheduling notifications follow a similar format with clear labels.
Team Setup
Each team member can configure their own WhatsApp number in their personal integration settings. They will receive notifications only for bookings assigned to them.
Message Templates
The WhatsApp Business API requires pre-approved message templates for sending proactive messages. Meetario uses standard notification templates that are pre-configured. If you need custom message formatting, contact support.
Troubleshooting
Messages not arriving
- Verify the phone number is in international format with the country code.
- Check that the Access Token is valid and has not expired.
- Ensure the Phone Number ID matches the number you verified in Meta Developer.
- In the Meta Developer dashboard, check the WhatsApp → Logs section for API errors.
Rate limits
The WhatsApp Business API has rate limits based on your business verification level. Newly created accounts start with a lower message limit. As you send more messages and maintain good quality, Meta automatically increases your limits.
Business verification
To move beyond the test/development phase, Meta requires business verification. This involves submitting your business documents in the Meta Business Manager. Unverified accounts can only send messages to numbers registered as test numbers.