WhatsApp onboarding
from scratch.
This guide walks you through setting up WhatsApp Business with Enchat from the very beginning — from creating a Meta Business Portfolio, through business verification, to connecting Enchat as your messaging partner. Follow the steps in order. Your onboarding manager will join you once your business is verified.
What you're setting up, and why
To send and receive WhatsApp messages through a platform like Enchat, you need three things: a Meta Business Portfolio (formerly Business Manager), a verified business status inside that portfolio, and a WhatsApp Business Account connected to both.
Create your Meta Business Portfolio
Roughly 10–15 minutes. You'll need your business's legal name and a work email address.
Go to business.facebook.com and sign in
Sign in using the personal Facebook account that will act as the primary admin for your business. Click Create a business portfolio.
↗ Meta Business SuiteCreate the portfolio
Enter your business's legal name, your name, and a work email address. Click Create.
Confirm your email
Meta will send a confirmation email to the work address you entered. Click the link in that email to confirm ownership. Your portfolio is now created — but it is not yet verified.
Add your business details
In Meta Business Suite, go to Settings → Business info and complete every field: legal business name, registered address, country, industry, phone number, and website. Meta uses these fields during verification — any mismatch with public records will fail the check.
Verify your business with Meta
Roughly 1–3 business days. Verification proves to Meta that your business is real and you have the authority to act for it. Without it, you can't send WhatsApp messages at scale.
Open Business Verification
In Meta Business Suite, go to Settings → Security Centre → Business Verification and click Start verification.
↗ Meta Security CentreSubmit your business documents
Meta will ask for one of three proof types: (a) a government-issued business registration certificate (e.g. Certificate of Incorporation from Companies House), (b) a business utility bill, or (c) a business bank statement. Upload a clear PDF or image — all four corners of the document must be visible.
- The business name on the document must exactly match your Business Portfolio name.
- The document must be dated within the last 3 months (for utility bills and statements).
- Certificates of Incorporation do not expire and can be any age.
Submit a business phone number for verification
Meta will call or text a number registered to your business. This is not your WhatsApp number — it's a separate check for general business verification. A landline is fine. This number must appear in public business records (e.g. your Google Business Profile, Companies House filings, or your website).
Wait for Meta's decision
Review typically takes 1–3 business days, sometimes up to a week for newer businesses. You'll receive an email when the decision is made. If it fails, Meta will tell you why — see the Common issues section at the back of this guide.
Set up WhatsApp and connect Enchat
Roughly 20 minutes. The steps below apply if you are using your own phone number. If we are providing a new number for you, see the note immediately below.
Open the WhatsApp section of your Business Portfolio
Inside Meta Business Suite, open Settings → Business assets. In the left sidebar, find WhatsApp accounts. If you do not yet have a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA), click Add to create one.
↗ Meta Business Suite SettingsCreate your WhatsApp Business Account
Click Create a WhatsApp account. Give the account the legal name of your business. This is the name that will appear to your customers when they message you on WhatsApp — get it right first time, it is painful to change later.
Add your phone number
Every WhatsApp Business Account needs one phone number to route messages through. This becomes the number your customers message on WhatsApp. Enter your number in the WhatsApp account settings. It must not already be active on a personal WhatsApp or another WhatsApp Business account — if it is, deactivate it there first or use a different number. A landline or mobile both work.
Verify the phone number
Meta will send a 6-digit code to your number, either by SMS or voice call. Enter the code in the Meta verification prompt.
Add Enchat as a Business Solution Partner on your WABA
In the WhatsApp account settings, open the Partners or People & partners tab. Click Add partner → Add partner using Business ID and enter our Business ID: 957477320190058.
- Grant Enchat full control of WhatsApp Business Account messaging permissions.
- Grant Enchat view access to WhatsApp Business Account analytics.
- Do not grant any payment or billing permissions — those stay with you.
Confirm the connection
Once Enchat's Business ID has been added as a partner, a confirmation message will appear in Meta Business Suite. You will also receive an email confirmation from Meta. Forward this email to your Enchat onboarding manager — we use it to verify that the partner link is live on our side.
Hand over to Enchat
That's it from your side. Our onboarding team will now:
- Provision the WhatsApp Cloud API connection on our platform.
- Configure your voice agent (the WhatsApp number doubles as the inbound voice number).
- Build your initial message templates and submit them to Meta for approval.
- Train the AI on your FAQs, tone, and escalation rules.
- Schedule a go-live call with you once everything is ready, typically 3–5 working days.
What happens next
From the moment Enchat is added as a partner on your WABA, the onboarding clock starts. Here's the standard timeline — we'll communicate clearly at each stage.
Day 0 — Partner connection confirmed
You complete the steps in this guide and we receive the partner confirmation from Meta.
Days 1–2 — Platform provisioning
We set up your tenant in the Enchat platform, configure your WhatsApp number, and link your voice agent. You receive a login for your unified inbox.
Days 2–4 — Message templates & AI training
We draft your first WhatsApp message templates (appointment confirmations, reminders, etc.) and submit them to Meta for approval. We train the AI on your FAQs, SOPs, tone of voice, and escalation preferences.
Day 5 — Go-live call
30-minute call to walk you through your unified inbox, test the AI live, and flip the switch. Your WhatsApp and voice are live from this call.
Common issues
If any step above doesn't behave as described, check here first. If you're still stuck, email onboarding@enchat.co.uk and we'll jump on a call within the hour during UK business hours.
Phone verification code not arriving
Meta's SMS delivery can be patchy, particularly for UK landlines. Try the voice call option instead. If that also fails, the number may already be flagged — contact us and we'll investigate.
Partner ID not recognised
Double-check that you've entered our Business ID exactly — it's a 15-digit number, no spaces, no dashes: 957477320190058. If it still doesn't work, make sure you're adding it under WhatsApp accounts → Partners, not under Apps or System users (those are for different integrations).
Templates keep getting rejected
Meta's template rules are strict — no promotional language in utility templates, no ALL CAPS, no vague variables without context. Don't worry about this: our team handles template submissions on your behalf. If you have specific wording you need approved, send it to us and we'll reformat it to Meta's guidelines.
Business verification failed
The most common cause is a name mismatch — the name on your Meta portfolio does not match the name on your uploaded document. Check both exactly. Otherwise Meta will state the reason by email; forward it to us and we'll tell you the fix.