Availability: Outside the 24-hour customer service window
Cost: Meta charges + 10% ChatWerk Handling Free
Approval: Required

Description

Template Calls are required whenever you send WhatsApp messages outside the 24-hour customer service window or when you initiate a conversation with a WhatsApp user.

For messages sent within an open conversation window, see
→ Message Call (Free-Form Message).

Requirements

• System notifications
• Appointment or payment reminders
• User re-engagement flows

ENDPOINT | API Reference

POST https://api.chatwerk.de/inbox/channels/:channel_id/messages/template

{
  "to": "4917412345667",
  "receiver_type": 0,
  "gateway_id": "string",
  "template_id": "string",
  "internal_components": {
            "Parameter": "Couponcode"
          }
}

Key Characteristics

• Deliverable outside the 24-hour service window
• Strict formatting and approval requirements
• Charged according to Meta’s template pricing model
• Personalization via Parameters

Why Templates Are Required on WhatsApp

Unlike most other messaging channels, WhatsApp enforces a strict rule:

Template approval is handled directly by Meta, not ChatWerk. Only templates explicitly approved by WhatsApp can be used for proactive or out-of-window messaging.

Template Types in ChatWerk

When creating a template in ChatWerk, you can choose how the template should behave. This results in two distinct template types from a WhatsApp perspective.

WhatsApp-Submitted Templates

These templates are submitted to WhatsApp (Meta) for approval.

Characteristics

• Reviewed and approved by WhatsApp
• Can be sent:
  • Outside the 24-hour WhatsApp window
  • As the first message in a conversation
• Required for:
  • Proactive outreach
  • Transactional notifications
  • Re-engagement messages
• Subject to Meta’s template pricing

Once approved, these templates can be sent to any WhatsApp contact at any time.

Cross-channel behavior:
The same template can also be used on:

• Telegram
• Instagram
• Facebook Messenger
• Live Chat
• ChatWerk Connect

On non-WhatsApp channels, no WhatsApp approval or pricing applies.

Internal Templates (Not Submitted to WhatsApp)

Templates used for structure and reuse only.

Characteristics

• Not reviewed by WhatsApp
• Support:
  • Variable substitution
  • Reusable wording
  • Consistent cross-channel messaging
• On WhatsApp:
  • Behave like free-form messages
  • Do not bypass the 24-hour window
  • No Meta template pricing

If sent outside the 24-hour window, delivery on WhatsApp will fail.

How WhatsApp Interprets Messages

Only templates explicitly submitted to WhatsApp are treated as templates by WhatsApp.

WhatsApp Template Categories

All WhatsApp-submitted templates must be assigned a category during creation:

• Marketing – promotions, offers, re-engagement (higher cost)
• Utility – transactional or informational messages
• Authentication – OTP and verification (not supported)

The selected category may be overridden by Meta during the review process if the content does not match the classification.