Webhook-based automation allows you to connect any external system with BusinessChat in just a few steps.
For a Webhook Automation to function, there is one absolute, non-negotiable requirement: the External System Capability. Whether you are using a CRM, ERP, Billing Software, or a Form Builder, the third-party platform must be capable of sending data via HTTP POST requests (Webhooks) to a specific URL when an event occurs.
This capability is the "universal trigger" for the automation; without it, BusinessChat cannot receive the signal to initiate a message. Therefore, the feasibility of any integration rests on this single question: "Can your external system send outgoing data to a custom URL?"
If YES: You can successfully integrate that system with BusinessChat to trigger automated WhatsApp messages (e.g., sending an invoice when a sale is closed in your ERP).
If NO: This automation cannot be used, regardless of the system's other features.
Important Limitations & Prerequisites for the webhook automation
Before attempting to set up a Webhook automation, please be aware of the following constraints regarding access and usage:
Not Enabled by Default: This automation is an add-on and is not available by default in standard accounts. The webhook automation is not available for accounts on the Basic subsciption plan, they need to upgrade if they want to use it.
Requires Technical Setup: You must contact the BusinessChat Technical Support team to enable this feature on your account, as it requires specific backend interventions.
Additional Cost: This feature is not included in the subscription plan. It requires an additional fee of 1,000 USD per year.
Common Use Cases of the Webhook automation
Because Webhooks can integrate with diverse systems, there is no single "correct" way to use them. However, they are most effective for transactional and event-driven updates. Common applications include:
Billing Systems: Automatically sending invoices, receipts, or payment confirmations to customers immediately after a transaction.
Appointment Systems: Sending automated reminders for upcoming appointments or booking confirmations.
Important note: you cannot use the webhook automation to send OTPs to customers signing up or siging in to your ecommerce platform.
How to Create a Webhook Automation
If you have the webhook automation enabled on your account and you have the technical expertise to launch it by yourself, then follow these steps:
Go to the Automations page and click New Automation.
Select the Webhook Automation card.
Trigger Setup: Get the Callback URL
Copy the automation Callback URL provided.
Paste this URL into your external system and send sample data to BusinessChat at that URL.
Select the Recipient's Phone Number: In the JSON data received, identify the key containing the contact's address or phone number. This will be used as the contact’s phone number. Click Save when done.
Create a Template Message: Click Create A Template to assign your message template to this automation step. Use custom fields from the data sent by your external system if needed. Submit your template.
You will be redirected to the automation edit page. Save your template
Manage Customer Responses:
If the customer replies with open text: You can choose to assign the conversation to a specific team. You can also add a topic to the conversation.
If the customer does not reply: Specify the number of hours to wait for a response. After that, you can assign the conversation to a specific team or trigger an API Call, select the action you want to take, and test it.
Define responses for Quick Reply buttons: Configure the actions for the buttons in your message template. You can assign a specific action, such as closing the conversation or assigning it to a team, for each button.
Click publish automation to set it live.
The automation may remain pending until your template is approved. Once approved, it will go live automatically.
How does the Smart Sending Feature work with Webhooks Automation
The Smart Sending feature in BusinessChat helps manage your customer communications by excluding certain customers from receiving multiple messages or being part of multiple automations within a short period.
Key Features
Once enabled the smart sending will:
Exclude customers who received a campaign in the last 5 days
Exclude customers who were part of automation in the last 5 days
Exclude customers who created an order in the last 5 days
For Webhooks Automation, reliability is key, so Smart Sending is disabled to prevent marketing rules from interfering with your technical data flows.
Default Status: Disabled and Cannot be enabled.
How it works: Webhook-based automations are often used for custom technical integrations or operational data flows. Smart Sending is permanently disabled to ensure that these technical triggers always fire reliably without being blocked by marketing rules or recent customer history.
Automation statuses
When launching an automation for the first time, it will be in one of the following states:
Draft: The campaign is currently being created. You can edit, delete, or activate it.
Pending: (Common upon first launch) This appears if the campaign is launched while WhatsApp templates are still under review by Meta. The status will automatically switch to Active once the templates are approved.
Active: The campaign is currently running and accepting customers who meet the trigger conditions.
Paused: New customer entry is stopped. However, existing customers remain pending at their current step until you reactivate the campaign.
Disabled: The campaign is completely stopped, and all active customers are removed from the flow. You can find these under the "Inactive" tab.
Analytics and reporting for the webhook automation
You can track the performance of your Webhook automations directly from the automation page. The system tracks the following metrics:
Started: Number of customers who entered the automation.
Completed: Number of customers who finished the workflow.
Clicked: Number of customers who clicked a button in the message.
Open Text Reply: Number of customers who replied with a typed message.
No Reply: Number of customers who did not engage with the message.
Detailed Report Download for the Webhook Automation
For deeper insights, you can download a full report. This file includes granular details such as the customer's name, the exact time they started the automation, the type of action taken, and the specific name of any buttons clicked.
To download the report:
Click the webhook automation you want to download it's report
Click Export Report
Choose the time period and click Export Report again
You will receive an email with the file to download.