Once your WhatsApp Business Account is connected to seven.io, you can send messages through the webapp or the API.
Sending via the Webapp
- Log in to dashboard.seven.io.
- Navigate to Conversations.
- Select an existing WhatsApp conversation or start a new one by entering the recipient's phone number.
- Compose and send your message.
If no active session exists with the recipient, you must send a template message first to initiate the conversation.
Template Messages vs. Session Messages
WhatsApp distinguishes between two types of messages:
Template Messages
- Pre-approved message templates registered with Meta
- Required to start a conversation with a user or to message them outside the 24-hour session window
- Must be submitted for review and approved by Meta before use
- Can include parameters/placeholders for personalization
Session Messages (24-hour Window)
- Free-form messages you can send after a user has replied to you
- The session window lasts 24 hours from the user's last message
- Within this window, you can send any supported message type without using a template
- Once the window expires, you must use a template message again
Supported Message Types
seven supports all message types available through Meta's Cloud API:
- Text - plain text messages
- Image - JPEG, PNG images with optional caption
- Video - MP4 videos with optional caption
- Document - PDF, Word, Excel and other file types
- Location - geographic coordinates with name and address
- Contact - vCard contact information
- Interactive - messages with buttons or list menus
Sending via API
Developers can send WhatsApp messages programmatically using the seven REST API. This is useful for automated notifications, transactional messages, and integrating WhatsApp into your own applications.
For details on API endpoints, authentication, and request formats, refer to the seven API documentation.