WABA Integration is currently in Beta. To request access, contact our support team via in-app chat or email at [email protected].
What is a Message Template?
WhatsApp requires pre-approved templates for any message your business sends to a customer outside the 24-hour customer service window — that is, when the customer hasn't messaged you in the last 24 hours.
Templates exist so Meta can review outbound content and protect users from spam. Once a template is approved, you can reuse it for campaigns and 1:1 outreach.
Template scope
Templates belong to a specific WABA account. They are not shared across other WABA accounts you have connected in TimelinesAI, even if those accounts belong to the same Facebook Business profile. If you need the same template on multiple WABA accounts, you must create and submit it separately on each one.
You can also view and manage your templates directly in the Meta Business Portfolio manager under WhatsApp accounts > Account settings > Message templates. Changes made there sync back to TimelinesAI automatically.
Template categories
Each template must be submitted under one of three categories. Picking the right one matters — Meta re-categorizes templates that are mis-classified, and repeated mis-classification damages your account quality rating.
Marketing — promotions, offers, abandoned cart reminders, product announcements. Billed at the marketing conversation rate.
Utility — order updates, appointment reminders, payment confirmations, account notifications. Tied to a specific transaction the user is expecting.
Authentication — one-time passwords and login codes only. Restricted to short, code-only formats.
Template structure
A template can include:
Header — text, image, video, document, or location (optional)
Body — the main message text, with up to a few variables like
{{1}},{{2}}for personalization (required)Footer — short static line, e.g. "Reply STOP to unsubscribe" (optional)
Buttons — quick reply buttons or call-to-action buttons (URL, phone number) (optional)
Variables are filled in at send time. They cannot start or end the message body and cannot contain only variables — Meta will reject templates that look like raw placeholders.
How to create a template
Open TimelinesAI > WABA accounts and select your account
Go to Templates > New template
Pick a category (Marketing, Utility, Authentication) and a language
Give the template a name — lowercase letters, numbers and underscores only
Build the header, body, footer, and buttons
Add sample values for each variable (Meta requires examples for review)
Click Submit for approval
Most templates are reviewed within minutes, though Meta can take up to 24 hours.
Approval status
After submission, the template moves through these states:
Pending — under Meta review
Approved — ready to use
Rejected — see the rejection reason in the template details and resubmit a fixed version
Paused — temporarily blocked due to low quality (see below)
Disabled — permanently blocked, usually after sustained low quality
Quality rating
Meta tracks how recipients react to each template. If too many users block or report a template, Meta drops its quality and may pause or disable it. To keep templates healthy:
Only send to opted-in contacts
Make sure the message matches the chosen category
Provide a clear opt-out path
Avoid sending the same template too aggressively to the same audience
Editing and deleting
Approved templates can be edited once every 24 hours. Edits trigger re-review.
Rejected templates can be re-submitted at any time after fixing the issue.
Deleting a template is permanent. The same template name cannot be reused for 30 days.