# WhatsApp Automation

Automatically reply to WhatsApp messages based on keywords, with files and an action that saves contacts to a Follow-up list.

WhatsApp automation replies to messages sent to your WhatsApp number automatically, based on keywords. For example: a customer types *PRICE*, and your price list is sent right away.

{% wa-demo name="Kopi Senja" jam="10.12" caption="A customer types PRICE and gets the price list right away" %}
user: PRICE
bot: Hi! Here's the Kopi Senja price list ☕ Palm sugar iced coffee Rp22,000, Americano Rp20,000. What would you like?
{% endwa-demo %}

{% hint style="info" %}
This guide is for the **new dibales.ai dashboard**. Still on the old layout? See [Set Up Automation (CTWA)](/whatsapp/setup-automation-ctwa).
{% endhint %}

## Before you start

- **The Pro plan**. WhatsApp is available on the Pro plan.
- **A connected WhatsApp number**. If it isn't connected, the Automation page shows **WhatsApp not connected**. Connect it first through [Connect Your Accounts](/dashboard/mulai/hubungkan-akun).
- **Another WhatsApp number** to test with, such as your personal number (not the number connected to the agent).
- **A Follow-up list** (optional), if you want to use the Actions step. See [Create a List](/dashboard/whatsapp/follow-up/buat-list).

#### 1. Open WhatsApp Automation

![The WhatsApp automation list](/assets/dashboard/whatsapp/waa-01-daftar.png)

1. In the sidebar, open **WhatsApp** › **Automation**. On a phone, open the menu first with the ☰ icon at the top right.
2. Click **Create automation**.

Fill in the **Automation name** at the top left of the editor, for example *Full price list*.

***

#### 2. Set up the Trigger

A WhatsApp automation checks every message sent to your number.

![The WhatsApp automation trigger](/assets/dashboard/whatsapp/waa-03-pemicu.png)

1. **Matching rule**: **Contains**, **Exact match**, **Starts with**, or **Any words** (every incoming message triggers the automation). Click the question mark icon next to it for an example of each rule.
2. **Keywords**: for example *PRICE, PRICELIST*. Separate them with commas. Upper and lower case are treated the same.

When several automations match at once, the order is: **Exact match**, **Starts with**, **Contains**, then **Any words**.

***

#### 3. Write the Message reply

![The WhatsApp message reply](/assets/dashboard/whatsapp/waa-04-balasan.png)

1. **Message**: write the reply. Click **First name**, **Last name**, or **Full name** under **Insert** to include the customer's name.
2. **Attach files**: add images, PDFs, or other files, up to 5 files per message. The message can be empty when there are files.
3. **Add message**: add the next message, up to 5. They're sent in order.

One automation can send several messages in one go, for example text and then a catalog image.

***

#### 4. Add Actions (optional)

Actions add a contact to, or remove it from, a [Follow-up](/dashboard/whatsapp/follow-up) list when this automation is triggered. For example: customers who ask for prices are added to a *Price Leads* list automatically, then get follow-up messages from Follow-up.

![WhatsApp automation actions](/assets/dashboard/whatsapp/waa-05-aksi.png)

1. Click **Add action**, choose **Save contact to list** or **Remove contact from list**, then choose the list.

No list yet? Create one first with [Create a List](/dashboard/whatsapp/follow-up/buat-list), then come back here.

Click **Create automation** at the top right. The automation is active right away.

***

#### 5. Share the WhatsApp link

Each automation has a WhatsApp link (wa.me) that fills in its first keyword. The link isn't available for the **Any words** rule. Put it in your bio, ads, or a website button, so prospects only need to tap **Send**.

![The WhatsApp automation menu](/assets/dashboard/whatsapp/waa-02-menu.png)

1. Click the **⋯** icon on an automation's row, then choose **Copy WhatsApp link**. The same menu also has **View details**, **Pause**, **Duplicate**, **Edit**, and **Delete**.

***

#### 6. Try it

1. From another WhatsApp number, send a message with the keyword to the connected number, for example *PRICE*. You can also use the WhatsApp link from step 5.
2. The reply arrives on that number, in the order of the messages you set up.
3. If you used Actions, open the list in **WhatsApp** › **Follow-up**. The number is now in the list.

## Troubleshooting

| Problem | Fix |
| --- | --- |
| **WhatsApp not connected** shows, or *WhatsApp isn't connected. Connect it before saving.* | Connect the number in **WhatsApp** › **Account connection**, then save again. |
| The automation stopped and says *Can't resume because WhatsApp isn't connected.* | When WhatsApp disconnects, active automations stop. Reconnect the number, then click **Resume**. |
| The test message gets no reply | Make sure you sent it from another number (not the agent's number), the keyword fits the **Matching rule**, and the automation isn't paused. |
| You can't save: *Already used by another automation: …* | That keyword is already used by another automation. Change the keyword, or edit the old automation. |
| *Add at least one reply message or one action.* | Fill in at least one message under **Message reply**, or add one action. |
| *Choose a list.* | In the Actions step, choose the Follow-up list. No list yet? Create one with [Create a List](/dashboard/whatsapp/follow-up/buat-list). |
| **Copy WhatsApp link** doesn't show | The link isn't available for the **Any words** rule. |