--- title: "WhatsApp Templates in Kommo: Create, Approve and Send" description: "How to create WhatsApp templates for Kommo, get Meta approval, avoid common rejections and know when you need one: 24-hour window, categories, cost." lang: en canonical: https://waply.online/guides/whatsapp-templates-kommo/ sitemap: https://waply.online/sitemap.md --- # WhatsApp templates in Kommo: how to create them, get them approved and use them By [Fernando Castillo](https://waply.online/about/#fernando-castillo), Founder of Waply Updated: 2026-10-06 **A WhatsApp template is a message Meta reviews before you can send it, and you need an approved one to message a customer first or after the 24-hour customer service window closes.** Choose the right category (marketing, utility or authentication), add an example for every variable and wait for the “Approved” status; Meta says review can take up to 24 hours. Each delivered template is charged by Meta according to its category and the customer’s country. This guide is for Kommo teams that use WhatsApp on Meta’s official Cloud API, including with Waply. It explains when a template is required, how to write one that passes review, the most common rejection reasons and how to fix them, what happens to template quality after you send, and how templates are billed since the October 2026 change. [Install in Kommo](https://api.waply.online/oauth/kommo/website/start?locale=en) — Free 3-day trial with everything in Voice AI. ## When you need a template According to Meta, the 24-hour customer service window opens when a customer messages or calls your business and resets with each new message or call from them. While it is open, you can reply with free-form messages; once it closes, you can only send an approved template. Meta describes templates as the only message type you can send outside that window. - Writing first to a lead who has not messaged you yet. - Following up after the 24-hour window closed without a reply. - Reminders, confirmations and operational updates the customer asked for (utility). - Offers, announcements and re-engagement campaigns (marketing). - One-time verification codes (authentication). - Asking for permission before a business-initiated WhatsApp call: Meta documents call permission request templates for this. With Waply, every outgoing WhatsApp call needs the customer’s prior permission: the customer accepts the call-permission template that Waply sends or, if the customer called you first, you get temporary permission to call them back. > According to Meta, you should only message people who agreed to receive WhatsApp messages from your business (opt-in). ### Template or regular message? **When a template is required (according to Meta’s messaging rules)** | Situation | What you can send | | --- | --- | | 24-hour window open | A regular (free-form) message or an approved template | | 24-hour window closed | Only an approved template | | First contact: the customer has never written to you | Only an approved template | - [Guide: WhatsApp calls in Kommo](/guides/whatsapp-calls-kommo/) ## Marketing, utility and authentication Meta groups templates into three categories, and the category affects what Meta charges for each delivered message. **WhatsApp template categories (according to Meta)** | Category | What it is for | Examples | Keep in mind | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Marketing | Promotions, offers, announcements and re-engagement | A seasonal discount, a product launch, an invitation to come back | Meta may limit how many marketing templates one person receives | | Utility | Following up on an action or request from the customer, without promotional content | An order confirmation, a shipping update, an appointment reminder | If it includes promotional content, Meta can approve it as marketing | | Authentication | One-time codes to verify identity | A login or confirmation code | According to Meta, only this category can carry a verification code, and it cannot include URLs, media or emojis | ### Meta can change the category According to Meta, since April 9, 2025 a template submitted as utility that contains marketing content is approved as marketing. Meta can also recategorize templates that are already approved; it notifies you by email and webhook, and you can request a review of the change within the period Meta indicates. In practice, a utility template that includes a coupon or an offer usually ends up as marketing, and that changes what you pay. Keeping the operational update and the promotion in two separate templates avoids surprises. > According to Kommo’s help center, Kommo’s own WhatsApp Business integration offers marketing and utility templates, but not authentication templates. ## Format rules that decide approval **Template format rules (according to Meta’s template documentation)** | Part | Rule | Example | | --- | --- | --- | | Name | Lowercase letters, numbers and underscores only | order_shipped | | Language | Choose the language the text is written in; Meta does not translate it. The same name can exist in several languages, and each language counts as a separate template | es, pt_BR | | Header (optional) | Text or media; an image, video or document header needs a sample file, which Meta reviews | A product image | | Body (required) | Clear text with context around each variable | Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} has shipped. | | Variables | {{1}}, {{2}}… in order, or named variables such as {{first_name}}; one example value per variable; no #, $ or % inside the variable; do not start or end the template with a variable | Examples: “Ana”, “A-1043” | | Footer (optional) | Short text | Your store name or a brief note | | Buttons (optional) | Quick reply, URL, phone number or copy code; Meta documents up to 10 buttons per template | Track order | Write the template so the reviewer can tell what each variable will contain: a realistic example for every variable and enough fixed text around it. ## How to create a template and get it approved These steps follow Waply’s public docs for templates and Meta’s review process. 1. Before you start, confirm the number shows as connected in Waply and that a payment method is loaded in Meta’s Billing Hub. 2. Pick the category by purpose: utility for updates the customer asked for, marketing for offers and re-engagement. 3. In Waply, open Advanced settings and select Templates, then create the template (or synchronize it). 4. Give it a lowercase name with underscores and choose the language the text is written in. 5. Write the body, add a header, footer or buttons only if you need them, and give every variable a realistic example. 6. Submit it and wait for the approval status Meta returns; Meta says review can take up to 24 hours. 7. If it is rejected, read the reason, fix that issue and resubmit, or appeal with a sample. 8. Once it is approved, use it when a business-initiated conversation requires it, and check its delivery and quality after the first sends. > Kommo’s help center gives a range of one minute to 48 hours for template review in Kommo’s own integration, while Meta says a decision can take up to 24 hours. Neither is a guaranteed time. ### Creating it in WhatsApp Manager instead According to Meta, you can also create templates in WhatsApp Manager (Account tools → Message templates), where you can see each template’s review status and, if it is rejected, the reason. - [Templates and messaging](/docs/templates-messaging/) - [Connect a number](/docs/connect-number/) - [Guide: Connect WhatsApp Cloud API to Kommo](/guides/connect-whatsapp-kommo/) [Install in Kommo](https://api.waply.online/oauth/kommo/website/start?locale=en) — Free 3-day trial with everything in Voice AI. ## Why templates get rejected (and how to fix them) **Common WhatsApp template rejection reasons listed by Meta and related format rules, with fixes** | Reason | Example that fails | How to fix it | | --- | --- | --- | | Badly placed or incomplete braces | Hi {1}, your order {{2} | Always use double braces: {{1}}, {{2}} | | Special characters in a variable | {{$amount}}, {{#order}} | Keep the variable clean and put the symbol in the fixed text: “Total: $ {{1}}” | | Variables out of sequence | {{1}}, {{2}}, {{4}} | Number them without gaps: {{1}}, {{2}}, {{3}} | | Too many variables for the text | “{{1}} {{2}} {{3}} at {{4}}” | Add fixed text with context or use fewer variables | | Starts or ends with a variable | “{{1}}, your appointment is tomorrow” | Open and close with fixed text: “Hi {{1}}, your appointment is tomorrow.” | | Missing example for a variable or a media header | A variable with no sample value | Give a realistic example for every variable and upload a sample file for media headers | | Language does not match the text | A template marked en but written in Spanish | Choose the real language of the text and create one version per language | | Category that does not fit | A “utility” template with a discount coupon | Move the promotion to a marketing template; Meta can recategorize it | | Commerce content that is not allowed | Products or services restricted by the WhatsApp Commerce Policy | Review the WhatsApp Commerce Policy before submitting | | Asks for sensitive data | “Send us your full card number” | Do not ask for full identifiers; according to Meta, a partial value such as the last 4 digits is acceptable | | Threatening or abusive tone | “If you do not pay today we will take legal action” | Write a neutral reminder with the payment details | | Duplicate of another template | Same body and footer as an existing template | Reuse the existing template or change the text (Meta does not apply this rule to authentication templates) | According to Meta, you can read the rejection reason in WhatsApp Manager, in Business Support Home and in the email Meta sends. In Waply, the Templates section shows the template’s approval status. Then edit the template and resubmit it, or appeal with a sample. Meta indicates that it decides appeals within 24 hours, but that is not a guaranteed time. ## After approval: quality, pausing and limits Approval is not the end: Meta keeps tracking how customers respond to each template. - Statuses: in WhatsApp Manager a template can be “In review”, “Rejected”, “Active” (quality pending, high, medium or low), “Paused”, “Disabled” or “Appeal requested”. According to Meta, only an approved, active template can be sent. - Quality: according to Meta, template quality depends on usage, customer feedback such as blocks and reports, and engagement such as read rates. - Pausing: according to Meta, a template that reaches low quality is paused for 3 hours the first time and 6 hours the second time, and it is disabled the third time. Meta says a paused template cannot be sent and those sends are neither charged nor counted toward your limit. - Pacing: Meta says it may hold back part of the sends of a new marketing or utility template, or one without high quality, to measure early feedback. - Per-user limit: Meta says it may not deliver a marketing template to someone who has already received many marketing messages from any business. - Template count: according to Meta, a WhatsApp Business Account can have 250 templates if the business portfolio is not verified, and up to 6,000 if it is verified and a number has an approved display name. Templates unused for 12 months are archived. > Waply shows the status Meta returns for each template; it does not run a separate quality score. - [Guide: WhatsApp messaging limits & quality rating](/guides/whatsapp-limits-quality-kommo/) - [Meta Business and WABA readiness](/guides/meta-business-waba-verification-kommo/) ## Sending templates from Kommo According to Kommo’s help center, Kommo’s own WhatsApp Business integration lets you send an approved template from Chats (type “/” and pick it), the Salesbot Message step, Broadcasting and the mobile app; Salesbot and Broadcasting require the Advanced plan or higher. Kommo’s help center also notes that its general chat templates do not go through Meta review and only work while the 24-hour window is open. - Do not edit the text of a template right before sending it: according to Kommo’s help center, Kommo then sends it as a regular message, which does not reach the customer when the window is closed. - While the 24-hour window is open, a regular reply may be enough. - If a template is paused, stop the automations that use it until it is active again. With Waply, you create or synchronize templates in Advanced settings → Templates, see the approval status Meta returns, and use an approved template when a business-initiated conversation requires one. Track delivery separately from sending. - [Templates and messaging](/docs/templates-messaging/) ## What a template costs According to Meta, each delivered template is charged by category and by the country code of the customer’s number. Since October 1, 2026, Meta also charges utility templates sent inside the 24-hour window, and service messages beyond a free allowance. The free 72-hour window that starts from Click to WhatsApp ads or a Facebook page button continues. - Meta’s charges are separate from your Waply plan. - You set up your own billing with Meta and pay Meta directly through the payment method in Meta’s Billing Hub. - Waply adds no markup on Meta’s charges. - Meta bills the WhatsApp Business Account in the currency set on the account, usually your local currency; you can check it in Meta’s Billing Hub. - This guide does not list rates: use the pricing guide and the calculator for current numbers. - [WhatsApp API and Meta pricing guide](/guides/whatsapp-api-pricing-2026/) - [Meta pricing calculator](/pricing/calculator/) [Estimate Meta costs](/pricing/calculator/) ## How Waply fits Waply is a Kommo add-on that brings WhatsApp on Meta’s official Cloud API to Kommo, along with recorded human calls, text AI agents, call intelligence and voice AI agents. Waply does not approve templates and cannot guarantee Meta’s decision. - In Waply, templates live in Advanced settings → Templates, with the approval status Meta returns. - If you move from another provider, templates do not always transfer one to one, so list them before you migrate. - Plans and the free trial are on the pricing page. - [Waply plans](/pricing/) - [Waply plan decision guide](/guides/waply-pricing-plans/) - [Guide: Migrate Wazzup or Radist to Cloud API](/guides/migrate-wazzup-radist-kommo/) - [All guides](/guides/) [See Waply plans](/pricing/) [Install in Kommo](https://api.waply.online/oauth/kommo/website/start?locale=en) — Free 3-day trial with everything in Voice AI. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do I need a template to message a customer on WhatsApp from Kommo? Only when your business writes first or the 24-hour customer service window is closed. While the window is open (it opens or resets each time the customer messages or calls you), you can reply with regular messages. ### How long does Meta take to approve a WhatsApp template? Meta says a decision can take up to 24 hours. There is no guaranteed time, so submit templates before a campaign or automation depends on them. ### Why was my WhatsApp template rejected? The most common reasons Meta lists are badly formatted variables (wrong braces, skipped numbers, a variable at the start or end, too many variables for the text), content that breaks WhatsApp policies, requests for sensitive data and duplicates of an existing template. Read the reason, fix that point and resubmit, or appeal with a sample. ### What is the difference between marketing, utility and authentication templates? Utility templates follow up on something the customer did or asked for, such as an order update, and cannot be promotional. Marketing templates cover offers, announcements and re-engagement. Authentication templates send one-time codes. If a utility template contains promotional content, Meta can approve or move it as marketing. ### How much does a WhatsApp template message cost? Meta charges each delivered template according to its category and the country of the customer’s number. Since October 1, 2026, utility templates sent inside the 24-hour window are charged too. These charges are separate from your Waply plan. ### Why did my approved template stop sending? Meta can pause a template whose quality drops after negative feedback or low read rates: according to Meta, for 3 hours the first time, 6 hours the second time, and it is disabled the third time. A paused or disabled template cannot be sent, so pause the automations that use it and review its content. ### Do I need a template before calling a customer on WhatsApp? According to Meta, a business needs the customer’s prior permission before calling them on WhatsApp, and Meta documents call permission request templates for asking for it. The guide on WhatsApp calls in Kommo explains how call permission works with Waply. ## Get the template right before you need it Pick the right category, give every variable an example and submit templates before a campaign or follow-up depends on them. Waply brings WhatsApp on Meta’s official Cloud API to Kommo, and you can try everything in Voice AI free for 3 days. [Install in Kommo](https://api.waply.online/oauth/kommo/website/start?locale=en) — Free 3-day trial with everything in Voice AI. [See Waply plans](/pricing/) ## Sources - [Meta: Template fundamentals](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/overview) - [Meta: Template review](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/template-review) - [Meta: Template categorization](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/template-categorization) - [Meta: Template pausing](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/template-pausing/) - [Meta: Pricing updates for service and utility messages](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/pricing/non-template-messages/) - [Meta: Sending messages and the customer service window](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/messages/send-messages/) - [Meta: Template quality](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/template-quality) - [Meta: Template pacing](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/template-pacing/) - [Meta: Per-user marketing template limits](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/marketing-templates/per-user-limits) - [Meta: Marketing templates (including call permission requests)](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/marketing-templates) - [Meta: Template category guidelines](https://developers.facebook.com/docs/whatsapp/updates-to-pricing/new-template-guidelines/) - [Kommo: WhatsApp templates overview](https://support.kommo.com/docs/whatsapp-templates-overview) - [Kommo: Send templates with WhatsApp Business](https://support.kommo.com/docs/send-templates-with-whatsapp-business) - [Kommo: Create and use custom templates with WhatsApp Business](https://support.kommo.com/docs/create-and-use-custom-templates-with-whatsapp-business) - [Waply docs: templates and messaging](https://waply.online/docs/templates-messaging/)