Process next-step notification via WhatsApp API

The scenario sends the client a personalized WhatsApp template when the process moves forward or a next step is required.

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Use case overview

The scenario sends the client a personalized WhatsApp template when the process moves forward or a next step is required. The message includes the client name, process or case context, and what happens next. A static URL button opens the portal, status page, or knowledge base.

Template example

Hello, {{1}}! For your process "{{2}}", the next step is: {{3}} If you need help — we are here.

Open portal

{{1}}
customer name
{{2}}
process or case context (e.g. loan application, order #12345, onboarding)
{{3}}
next step description (e.g. upload documents, wait for manager call)
“Open portal”
button — fixed in the Meta template

WhatsApp Business API for next step notification

When to use it

Reach for this scenario when a business process moves forward — an application enters review, an order reaches a new stage, onboarding needs action — and the client still has no open WhatsApp chat, so only an approved template can explain what happens next. It fits SaaS teams nudging users after signup, B2B businesses updating applicants on review or scheduled calls, and agencies pushing next-step events from CRM, ERP, or custom workflow engines via webhook.

Fewer drop-offs mid-process

Three body variables carry the customer name, process or case label, and next step text in WhatsApp, so the client sees what to do next without hunting email or logging into a portal on their own.

Fewer "what's my status?" tickets

The template fires when the process advances or a next-step trigger hits in CRM, portal, or backend, so the client gets the update proactively instead of opening a support ticket to chase status.

No manual status updates

The system resolves the phone number and process fields from the event and builds the personalized template automatically — no rep retypes the next step for each client.

One tap to portal or docs

A static URL button fixed in the Meta template opens the portal, status page, or knowledge base; only the three body variables are sent via the API.

Delivery logged for follow-up

Delivery result is logged after send, so CRM or back office can follow up on failed deliveries or stalled processes without guessing whether the client was notified.

Workflow

Trigger
The process advances or a next-step trigger fires in CRM, portal, or backend.
event · triggered
Capture event
The system resolves the recipient phone number and process fields.
phone: "+…"
Build & send
A personalized template message is built with three body variables and a static URL button.
POST /sendTemplate
Delivered
The client receives the WhatsApp notification with process context and next step.
delivered
Status tracked
Delivery result is logged; errors are handled according to platform rules.
status: "read"

Technical implementation

Prerequisites

1MSG API Key · How to get API Key
WhatsApp Business account · How to Connect WABA
WhatsApp Template · How to Approve WABA Template
Customer opt-in · How to Manage Customers Consent

Code examples

#!/usr/bin/env bash
set -euo pipefail

# === Configuration (replace "___" placeholders) ===

API_BASE_URL="https://api.1msg.io"        # production 1MSG API base URL
CHANNEL_ID="___"                           # channel ID from 1MSG dashboard
API_TOKEN="___"                            # channel JWT token (Bearer)

TEMPLATE_NAME="___"                        # approved template name
TEMPLATE_NAMESPACE="___"                   # template namespace (required — send fails without it)
TEMPLATE_LANGUAGE="___"                    # template language code, e.g. "en"



# === Test data ===
TEST_PHONE="___"                 # client phone in international format
TEST_CUSTOMERNAME="___"         # {{1}} customer name
TEST_PROCESS="___"         # {{2}} process name
TEST_NEXTSTEP="___"         # {{3}} next step

PHONE_NORM="$(printf '%s' "$TEST_PHONE" | tr -cd '0-9')"

for pair in "CHANNEL_ID=$CHANNEL_ID" "API_TOKEN=$API_TOKEN" \
            "TEMPLATE_NAME=$TEMPLATE_NAME" "TEMPLATE_NAMESPACE=$TEMPLATE_NAMESPACE" \
            "TEMPLATE_LANGUAGE=$TEMPLATE_LANGUAGE" "TEST_PHONE=$TEST_PHONE" \
            "TEST_CUSTOMERNAME=$TEST_CUSTOMERNAME" \
            "TEST_PROCESS=$TEST_PROCESS" \
            "TEST_NEXTSTEP=$TEST_NEXTSTEP"; do
    val="${pair#*=}"
    if [ -z "$val" ] || [ "$val" = "___" ]; then
        echo "Missing configuration value: ${pair%%=*}" >&2
        exit 1
    fi
done

if [ -z "$PHONE_NORM" ]; then
    echo "Error: phone number has no digits after normalization" >&2
    exit 1
fi

URL="${API_BASE_URL%/}/${CHANNEL_ID}/sendTemplate"

# params carries body ONLY. Button text is fixed in the Meta template — no button param.

# {{1}} customer name → ${TEST_CUSTOMERNAME}
# {{2}} process name → ${TEST_PROCESS}
# {{3}} next step → ${TEST_NEXTSTEP}
read -r -d '' PAYLOAD <<JSON || true
{
  "phone": "${PHONE_NORM}",
  "template": "${TEMPLATE_NAME}",
  "namespace": "${TEMPLATE_NAMESPACE}",
  "language": { "policy": "deterministic", "code": "${TEMPLATE_LANGUAGE}" },
  "params": [
    {
      "type": "body",
      "parameters": [
        { "type": "text", "text": "${TEST_CUSTOMERNAME}" },
        { "type": "text", "text": "${TEST_PROCESS}" },
        { "type": "text", "text": "${TEST_NEXTSTEP}" }
      ]
    }

  ]
}
JSON

RESPONSE="$(curl -s -w '\n%{http_code}' -X POST "$URL" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer ${API_TOKEN}" \
    -d "$PAYLOAD")"

HTTP_CODE="$(printf '%s' "$RESPONSE" | tail -n1)"
BODY="$(printf '%s' "$RESPONSE" | sed '$d')"

case "$BODY" in
    *'"sent":true'*) ok=1 ;;
    *) ok=0 ;;
esac

if [ "$HTTP_CODE" -ge 200 ] && [ "$HTTP_CODE" -lt 300 ] && [ "$ok" -eq 1 ]; then
    echo "Message sent to client."
    echo "API response: $BODY"
else
    echo "Send failed. HTTP status: $HTTP_CODE" >&2
    echo "$BODY" >&2
    exit 1
fi

Response and delivery status

HTTP 2xx and JSON "sent": true mean 1MSG accepted the message for sending — not that it already reached the customer's phone. Save the id field (looks like wamid.…) to correlate delivery callbacks.

200 OKResponse

{
  "sent": true,
  "message": "Sent to [email protected]",
  "description": "Message has been sent to the provider",
  "id": "wamid.HBgLMzgwNjM5..."
}

sent
Accepted for sending — not yet on the customer's phone
id
Store it; delivery callbacks and hookInfo are keyed on this

Delivery statuses and webhooks →

Common errors

Status	API response	Cause	Fix
200	Message was not sent: template is not defined	namespace, template or language is missing from the request body.	Send all three. Take namespace and the exact template name from GET /templates; language is an object: {"policy": "deterministic", "code": "en"}.
200	template name (…) does not exist in <language>	The template is approved in a different language than the one requested.	Use the exact language code the template was approved in (for example es_MX is not the same as es). Check it in GET /templates.
200	Message was not sent: provide chatId, phone, bsuid, or username	No recipient the channel could resolve.	Pass exactly one recipient: phone (country code plus number, digits only), chatId (for example [email protected]) or bsuid.