--- title: "How to connect the WhatsApp Business API to Mercately: requirements and steps" description: "Step-by-step tutorial to connect the WhatsApp Business API to Mercately: Meta requirements, setup steps, templates and what you can do next." locale: en category: whatsapp pubDate: 2026-11-08T04:00:00.000Z canonical: https://blog.mercately.com/en/connect-whatsapp-business-api-to-mercately --- # How to connect the WhatsApp Business API to Mercately: requirements and steps Connecting the **WhatsApp Business API to Mercately** means linking your business number to Meta's official API through Mercately, an official Meta Partner, so you can run it from a shared inbox with multiple agents, chatbots and AI. You need a dedicated number, a Meta business portfolio, an approved display name and your company details. Everything else you set up with help from Mercately's guided onboarding. If you are still deciding whether the API is right for you, start with our [WhatsApp CRM](https://blog.mercately.com/en/whatsapp-crm) guide. This tutorial assumes you have made the call and want to know how to do it with Mercately. What exactly gets connected --------------------------- It helps to understand the pieces before you start, because this is where most people get confused: | Piece | What it is | Who controls it | | -------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------- | | Meta business portfolio | Your company's business account on Meta (formerly Business Manager) | Your company | | WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) | Your company's WhatsApp account inside the portfolio | Your company | | Phone number | The number your customers see | Your company | | Profile and display name | Name, photo, description and contact details | Your company, reviewed by Meta | | Message templates | Pre-approved messages used to start conversations | Your company, approved by Meta | | Mercately | The platform that sends and receives the number's messages and adds CRM, multi-agent, chatbots and AI | Mercately, as an official Meta Partner | One key point: the portfolio, the WhatsApp account and the number belong to your company. Mercately is the workspace you use on top of them. Requirements before you start ----------------------------- ### 1. A phone number for the API Pick a number you plan to use with customers for the long haul. It must be able to receive a verification code by SMS or voice call. It can be a landline or a mobile number. If the number is active today on WhatsApp or the WhatsApp Business app, talk to the Mercately team before changing anything. A number connected to the API does not behave like it does in the app, and you want to decide calmly what happens to your chat history and to customer service while you migrate. ### 2. A Meta business portfolio You need admin access to your company's Meta business portfolio. If you already run Facebook or Instagram ads, you probably have one. Check who the admins are: a common blocker is that the person with access is not around on setup day. ### 3. Details for business verification Meta may ask you to confirm your company exists: legal name, address, website and an official document. Keep the paperwork handy and make sure the legal name and website match what you declare. ### 4. A display name that follows the rules The display name is what shows on your company's WhatsApp profile. Meta reviews it and expects a clear link to your brand or website. Avoid generic names ("Sales", "Deals") or anything you cannot back up. ### 5. A payment method for messaging Meta charges for the messages your business delivers. Check with the Mercately team how messaging will be billed in your case so sending is never interrupted. ### Quick checklist - [ ] Number chosen and able to receive SMS or a voice call - [ ] Admin access to the Meta business portfolio - [ ] Company legal documents and website - [ ] Display name decided - [ ] Logo and description for the profile - [ ] Messaging payment method sorted out Step by step: connecting the WhatsApp API to Mercately ------------------------------------------------------ We will not describe buttons or menus, because the interface can change and the Mercately team walks you through every stage. What matters is knowing what you set up and why. 1. **Create your Mercately account.** You can start with the 15 day free trial, no credit card required, at [app.mercately.com/register](https://app.mercately.com/register). 2. **Start the guided onboarding.** Mercately offers guided setup with support from its team. Share your goal (sales, support, payments) and how many agents will be answering. 3. **Authorize the connection with Meta.** The person who manages the business portfolio gives Mercately permission to work with your company's WhatsApp Business Account. If you do not have that account yet, the Mercately team helps you create it inside your portfolio. 4. **Register and verify the number.** You enter the number and confirm it is yours with the code Meta sends by SMS or voice call. 5. **Complete the profile.** Display name, photo or logo, description, hours and website. It is the first thing customers see, so treat it like a storefront. 6. **Request business verification if you do not have it yet.** It helps you grow your messaging limits and adds trust to the account. 7. **Create your first templates.** To start conversations you need [WhatsApp message templates](https://blog.mercately.com/en/whatsapp-message-templates) approved by Meta. A welcome message, a follow-up and a utility template (order or appointment confirmation) are a solid starting set. 8. **Set up your team.** Invite agents, create teams and define assignment rules, so every chat reaches the right person from day one. 9. **Test before you announce it.** Message the number from a personal phone and check that the chat comes in, gets assigned correctly and the reply arrives. Then add the number to your website, social profiles and ads with a [WhatsApp link](https://blog.mercately.com/en/what-is-a-whatsapp-link). What you can do after the integration ------------------------------------- Once the number is connected, the API stops being a technical chore and becomes your sales channel. ### Serve customers with multiple agents With [WhatsApp Multi-agent](https://www.mercately.com/whatsapp/multiagente), several agents work the same number, each with their own inbox, with automatic assignment by team, workload, schedule or tag, manual reassignment and central supervision. Our guide to [multiple users on WhatsApp](https://blog.mercately.com/en/multiple-users-whatsapp) goes deeper. ### Automate with chatbots With [no-code chatbots](https://www.mercately.com/chatbots) you design flows in a visual editor: welcome, lead qualifying questions, in-chat catalog, inactivity reminders and handoff to an agent. For ideas, see our [WhatsApp chatbot](https://blog.mercately.com/en/whatsapp-chatbot) guide. ### Turn on MIA, the AI agent [MIA](https://www.mercately.com/mia) answers 24/7 in your brand's tone, replies using your catalog and knowledge base, qualifies leads, spots buying intent and hands off to a human when needed. ### Send campaigns Send bulk messages with approved templates, segmented by tag or pipeline stage. How much you can send depends on Meta's policies and messaging limits, which grow as your account keeps good quality. ### Sell and collect payment in the chat Share catalog products, create orders and send payment links with [digital payments](https://www.mercately.com/pagos-digitales), with automatic payment confirmation inside the conversation. ### Add more channels and numbers Instagram and Facebook Messenger can feed the same inbox. And if you run several branches, the [multi-number CRM](https://www.mercately.com/whatsapp/multinumero) connects several numbers in one account. Common mistakes when integrating the API ---------------------------------------- - **Choosing a temporary number.** Switching numbers later means rebuilding customer trust. Pick the permanent one. - **No access to the Meta portfolio.** Confirm who the admin is before you start. - **A display name unrelated to the brand.** A frequent reason for rejection. - **Bulk messaging without permission.** Only message contacts who agreed to hear from you. Blocks and reports lower your number's quality. - **Forgetting messaging costs.** Meta charges per delivered message by category and country. Estimate your spend with the [WhatsApp API pricing calculator](https://www.mercately.com/calculadora-precios-whatsapp-api). - **Launching without testing.** Ten minutes of testing keeps your first customers out of a broken flow. How Mercately helps ------------------- Mercately is an [AI-powered conversational CRM](https://www.mercately.com/crm) for WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger, built for businesses in Latin America. As an official Meta Partner, it runs on the official WhatsApp Business API and supports you with guided setup, so the connection does not depend on having your own technical team. Once connected, you get the shared inbox, multi-agent, chatbots, MIA, campaigns, pipelines and payments in one place. See every feature on the [WhatsApp CRM](https://www.mercately.com/productos-whatsapp) page or check the [plans](https://www.mercately.com/precios). **[Try Mercately free for 15 days, no credit card required](https://app.mercately.com/register).** ## FAQ ### What do I need to connect the WhatsApp Business API to Mercately? A phone number dedicated to the API that can receive a code by SMS or voice call, a Meta business portfolio (Business Manager) with admin access, a display name that matches your brand and your company details for business verification\. The Mercately team guides you through the setup\. ### Can I use the number I already have on the WhatsApp Business app? A number registered on the API does not work the same way it does on the regular app\. If you want to keep your current number, review your options with the Mercately team before you start so you do not lose chat history or interrupt customer service\. ### Do I have to verify my business with Meta? Business verification is how Meta confirms your company is real\. It is needed to raise your messaging limits and to access certain features, so it pays to have your documents ready from day one\. ### How long does the integration take? It mostly depends on Meta's reviews, such as the display name check, business verification and template approval, and on having your requirements ready\. That is why fixed timelines are not reliable\. Mercately's guided onboarding helps you move forward without getting stuck\. ### What can I do after connecting WhatsApp to Mercately? Run the number with multiple agents, auto-assign chats, build no-code chatbots, turn on MIA to answer 24/7, send campaigns with approved templates, manage sales pipelines and collect payments with links inside the chat\. ## Structured data ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https://blog.mercately.com/en/connect-whatsapp-business-api-to-mercately#article","headline":"How to connect the WhatsApp Business API to Mercately: requirements and steps","description":"Step-by-step tutorial to connect the WhatsApp Business API to Mercately: Meta requirements, setup steps, templates and what you can do next.","datePublished":"2026-11-08T04:00:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-11-08T04:00:00.000Z","inLanguage":"en","mainEntityOfPage":"https://blog.mercately.com/en/connect-whatsapp-business-api-to-mercately","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://blog.mercately.com/#editorial-team","name":"Equipo Mercately"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://blog.mercately.com/#organization","name":"Mercately","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://blog.mercately.com/_astro/logo-symbol-color.D1u1M7H6.svg"}}} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https://blog.mercately.com/en/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"WhatsApp","item":"https://blog.mercately.com/en/whatsapp/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"How to connect the WhatsApp Business API to Mercately: requirements and steps","item":"https://blog.mercately.com/en/connect-whatsapp-business-api-to-mercately"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Organization","@id":"https://blog.mercately.com/#organization","name":"Mercately","url":"https://blog.mercately.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://blog.mercately.com/_astro/logo-symbol-color.D1u1M7H6.svg"}} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Organization","@id":"https://blog.mercately.com/#editorial-team","name":"Equipo Mercately","parentOrganization":{"@id":"https://blog.mercately.com/#organization"}} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","inLanguage":"en","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What do I need to connect the WhatsApp Business API to Mercately?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"A phone number dedicated to the API that can receive a code by SMS or voice call, a Meta business portfolio (Business Manager) with admin access, a display name that matches your brand and your company details for business verification. 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