can I use the api to send a message from a template (for whatsapp) ?

Question

So to start a new whatsapp conversation (to say, e.g., alert one of our customers about a status to their property which we service) we must send out an approved template.

The front api for creating a message has no such template_id field.

This should be okay, because you can `https://api2.frontapp.com/message_templates/{message_template_id}` to get the message template and then just use the body.

except

(1) this won’t fill in the tag fields automatically from the contact; and [more importantly]

(2) whatsapp rejects this message because it isn’t an approved template

it seems if we use the same body it isn’t necessarily the same template.

How can one use the api to send a template message to start a new whatsapp conversation?

Javier - Developer Relations · Accepted Answer

Just wanted to note that it’s now possible to send approved WhatsApp templates via the API, through POST /channels/:id/messages outside the 24h window, as long as the body text matches the approved template's full header+body+footer exactly, with real values substituted for variables (not {{1}} placeholders).

Some relevant documentation:
https://help.front.com/en/articles/2050#can_i_send_whatsapp_approved_templates_via_fronts_core_api
https://dev.frontapp.com/docs/application-channel-message-templates

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