Overview
WhatsApp Cloud feature. The Templates, Flows and Calls tabs belong to the WhatsApp Cloud (Meta's official API) channel and are available on Cloud inboxes — not on WhatsApp Web.
The WhatsApp Inbox Suite adds, inside the WhatsApp inbox itself, three tabs that bring together advanced features of the official channel:
- Templates (HSM): create, organize and send message templates approved by Meta.
- Flows: build and send interactive WhatsApp forms (Flows) to collect data, schedule, qualify leads and more — all inside the conversation.
- Calls: start and follow calls over WhatsApp, including the AI calls feature.
This way, the team doesn't have to leave the conversation screen to use WhatsApp's most powerful features.
Prerequisites
- A connected WhatsApp Cloud inbox (official features).
- The WhatsApp Inbox Suite may depend on specific activation/permission — if the tabs don't appear, talk to whoever runs the operation.
- Templates must be approved by Meta before use.
- Flows and Calls follow WhatsApp's rules and availability for your number.
Step by step
- Open the WhatsApp inbox and locate the Inbox Suite tabs.
- In the Templates tab: create a template (text, variables, buttons), submit it for approval and, once approved, use it to start conversations outside the 24h window.
- In the Flows tab: build or select a Flow (interactive form) and send it in a conversation; the customer's answers come back to the conversation.
- In the Calls tab: start a call with the contact or enable AI calls handling, depending on the operation's setup.
Settings & options
- Templates (HSM): support variables (e.g. customer name), a media header and buttons (quick reply or link). Use the variable picker to fill the fields when sending. The editor limits headers and footers to 60 characters, bodies to 1,024 and button labels to 25; dynamic links with a variable also require an example URL. Drafts and approved templates can be deleted directly from the list.
- Flows: native WhatsApp forms for structured collection (scheduling, sign-up, qualification); the answers are recorded in the conversation.
- Calls / AI calls: calls over WhatsApp and, when enabled, voice handling with AI. Real call errors and states are shown for diagnosis.
Save, edit and copy templates
Saving preserves the draft identity; editing updates that same record. When a Meta template is already linked, submission edits the existing template. Its name and language are immutable, and an approved template keeps its category. To create a variation, choose Copy and enter a different name.
The linked draft and remote template appear in one row, matched by Meta ID and language. Advanced remote templates that cannot be converted safely remain available in View, with an explanation. Drafts created in the editor retain their complete configuration.
If submission remains pending, synchronize and wait for confirmation. An uncertain response does not trigger another creation: the application reads the provider state without blindly resending. Deletion removes the visible row only after confirmation; failures preserve history and media references.
Archived templates
WhatsApp automatically archives a template that goes 12 months without being used and deletes it 28 days after archiving it. In the Templates tab it shows the Archived status, and a notice above the list reminds you of the deadline.
- An archived template cannot be sent and is not offered when choosing a template for a campaign or a conversation.
- If a campaign is sending a template when it gets archived, the campaign is paused and the reason is shown in its details.
- To keep the template, click Unarchive on its row and confirm. Meta restores the template to the status it had before it was archived (Approved when there was none), and the list is synchronized right after.
- If Meta refuses, the error message shows the reason Meta gave. Only inbox administrators can unarchive.
Automatic category change
Meta can change a template's category on its own (for example, from Utility to Marketing) when its content, or the messages sent with it, do not match the chosen category, even after approval. The events appear in the Account Health tab, under Recent account events:
- Template category change: Meta's advance notice, with the current category, the new category and the date the change takes effect. Until that date, you can edit the template or request a review in WhatsApp Manager.
- Template category: the change is complete. The new category applies in the template list and in the cost estimate, and messages sent with the template are charged at that category's rate.
- Campaign template category: when a template becomes Marketing, every scheduled, running or paused campaign that uses it gets a warning, because the cost of each message changes. Review the campaign before it sends.
Use cases
- Send an order confirmation or reminder outside the 24h window with an approved template.
- Collect scheduling data through a Flow and complete the booking without leaving WhatsApp.
- Resolve a case by voice with a direct call or AI triage.
Tips, limits & best practices
- Create clear, purpose-specific templates — the more aligned with Meta's policy, the higher the chance of approval.
- Reuse variables to personalize at scale without creating dozens of near-identical templates.
- For Flows and Calls, validate with an internal test before using them with real customers.
Troubleshooting
- Template rejected: hover over the status to read the reason reported by Meta, review the content and resubmit.
- The tabs don't appear: the Inbox Suite may not be enabled for your account/inbox.
- The call fails: check the error message shown (usually coming from Meta itself) and the number's setup.
- The Flow won't send: confirm the number is WhatsApp Cloud and the Flow is valid.