fmSMS Now Supports Sending WhatsApp Templates with the Vonage Messages API

Earlier this year we updated fmSMS, our FileMaker solution for sending and receiving SMS messages from the Claris FileMaker Platform, to support sending messages to WhatsApp users via the Vonage Messages API. We’ve just realised a minor update to this integration to now also support sending WhatsApp Message Templates using the Vonage API for WhatsApp.

WhatsApp divides messages into two different types: Template messages and Session messages. These determine when you can initiate a message to a WhatsApp user.

WhatsApp has a concept of a 24 hour customer care window, during which a business can freely message an end user. The 24 hour window can be initiated in two ways:

• An end user sends a message to the business
• A business sends a templated message to the end user. The 24 hour window starts as soon as the end user replies.

Templates must be approved by WhatsApp before they can be used to send messages to an end user. When the 24 hour window expires, a new 24 hour customer care window must be initiated again. Being able to send WhatsApp Message Templates is important if you wish to initiate new conversations with your customer.

You can download a trial version of fmSMS to test with the Vonage Messages API from the Databuzz website. More information on sending WhatsApp message with the Vonage Messages API and fmSMS is available on our support site.