Create and manage Template Messages

You can create and manage Template Messages using either the API or the UI. This guide explains both methods, so you can choose the option that best fits your workflow. You may combine both approaches or simply use the one that is most efficient for your scenario.

• Via API

• In the WABA Management UI

Via API

Create new WABA template

POST https://waba-v2.360dialog.io/v1/configs/templates

The message template name field is limited to 512 characters. The message template content field is limited to 1024 characters.

Headers

Name	Type	Description
D360-API-KEY*	string

Body Properties

Placeholder	Description	Sample Value
<NAME> String	Required. Template name. Maximum 512 characters.	order_confirmation
<CATEGORY> Enum	Required. Template category.	Allowed values: AUTHENTICATION, MARKETING, UTILITY
<LANGUAGE> Enum	Required. Template language and locale code.	en_US
<LIBRARY_TEMPLATE_NAME> String	Optional. The exact name of the Utility Template Library template. Learn how to create templates using Utility Template Library	delivery_update_1
<LIBRARY_TEMPLATE_BUTTON_INPUTS> Array of objects	Optional. The website and/or phone number of the business being used in the template. Note: For utility templates that contain buttons, this property is not optional. Learn how to create templates using Utility Template Library	“[ {'type': 'URL', 'url': {'base_url' : 'https://www.example.com/{{1}}', 'url_suffix_example' : 'https://www.example.com/demo'}}, {type: 'PHONE_NUMBER', 'phone_number': '[phone]'} ]"
<COMPONENTS> Array of objects	Required. Components that make up the template. See Template Elements.	See Template Elements.

Request body

Templates are composed of various text, media, and interactive components, based on your business needs. Refer to the Template Elements for a list of all possible components.

When creating a template, define its components by assigning an array of component objects to the components property in the body of the request.

For example, here's an array containing a text body component with two variables and sample values, a phone number button component, and a URL button component:

[
  {
    "type": "BODY",
    "text": "Thank you for your order, {{1}}! Your confirmation number is {{2}}. If you have any questions, please use the buttons below to contact support. Thank you for being a customer!",
    "example": {
      "body_text": [
        [
          "Pablo","confirmation_number"
        ]
      ]
    }
  },
  {
    "type": "BUTTONS",
    "buttons": [
      {
        "type": "PHONE_NUMBER",
        "text": "Call",
        "phone_number": "phone_number"
      },
      {
        "type": "URL",
        "text": "Contact Support",
        "url": "https://www.website.com/support"
      }
    ]
  }
]

Note that templates categorized as AUTHENTICATION have unique component requirements. See Authentication Templates.

200: OK

In addition, if Meta determines that a template has been miscategorized, its status will be set to REJECTED and you will receive a template status webhook indicating that it was rejected for miscategorization.

{
  "category": "MARKETING",
  "components": [
    {
      "example": {
        "body_text": [
          [
            "Lorem"
          ]
        ]
      },
      "text": "Lorem {{1}} ipsum",
      "type": "BODY"
    }
  ],
  "created_at": "2024-06-25T09:42:33Z",
  "created_by": {
    "user_id": "360dialog_user_id",
    "user_name": "360dialog_user_name"
  },
  "external_id": "template_external_id",
  "id": "template_id",
  "language": "en_US",
  "modified_at": "2024-06-25T09:42:37Z",
  "modified_by": {
    "user_id": "360dialog_user_id",
    "user_name": "360dialog_user_name"
  },
  "name": "string",
  "namespace": "string",
  "partner_id": "string",
  "quality_score": null,
  "rejected_reason": null,
  "status": "submitted",
  "updated_external": true,
  "waba_account_id": "string"
}

400: Bad Request

404: Not Found

After April 9, 2025 Meta no longer supports allow_category_change property. Previously, if set to true in a template creation request, this allowed Meta to update a template’s category to marketing automatically. This is now the default behaviour.

Get WABA templates

GET https://waba-v2.360dialog.io/v1/configs/templates

Request example

curl --request GET
--url https://waba-v2.360dialog.io/v1/configs/templates
--header 'D360-API-KEY: '
--header 'Content-Type: application/json'

See Template Statuses

Query Parameters

Name	Type	Description
filters	string	A JSON object of params and their expected values id , partner_id , business_templates.name, status , category
limit	string	Objects limit to return in the response default: 1000
offset	string	Show the results starting from an offset default: 0
sort	string	Use minus - symbol for descending sorting id , name , status

Headers

Name	Type	Description
D360-API-KEY*	string

200: OK

{
  "count": 0,
  "filters": [],
  "limit": 1000,
  "offset": 0,
  "sort": ["id"],
  "total": 0,
  "waba_templates": [
    {
      "category": "string",
      "components": [
        {
          "format": "string",
          "type": "string"
        },
        {
          "text": "string",
          "type": "string"
        }
      ],
      "external id": "string"
      "language": "string",
      "name": "string",
      "namespace": "string",
      "rejected_reason": "string",
      "status": "string"
    }
  ]
}

404: Not Found

Remove a Template Message

Before deleting a Template Message, keep the following points in mind:

• Pending delivery: Messages that have already been sent but not yet delivered (e.g., if the customer’s device is offline) will continue to attempt delivery for up to 30 days.

• After deletion: If a message is sent from a previously approved template 30 days after deletion, you will receive a "Structure Unavailable" error, and the customer will not receive the message.

• Name reuse restriction: Once a template is deleted, its name cannot be reused for 30 days. To create a new template during this period, use a different name.

• Template elements: For details on the components available in a Template Message, see Template Elements.

How to remove a Template Message

You can delete a WABA Template Message by using either its name or template ID.

• Remove by template ID

• Remove by template name

Refer to Get WABA templates to get a template name or ID.

Remove by template ID

To delete a template message by ID, you may need to retrieve the ID and in the request by including the template's ID:

• Only the template with the specified Template ID will be deleted.

• Each template has a unique ID for each language, so make sure you use the correct Template ID when making a deletion request.

DELETE https://hub.360dialog.io/api/v2/partners/{partner_id}/waba_accounts/{waba_account_id}/waba_templates/{template_id}

Request example

curl --request DELETE
--url https://hub.360dialog.io/api/v2/partners/{partner_id}/waba_accounts/{waba_account_id}/waba_templates/{template_id}
--header 'D360-API-KEY: '
--header 'Accept: application/json'

Path Parameters

Name	Type	Description
partner_id	string	The ID of the partner
waba_account_id	string	Internal 360dialog ID of the waba account
template_id	string	The ID of the template

Headers

Expected outcomes

Success (200: OK)

This message confirms the deletion of a template.

{
  "meta": {
    "developer_message": "template =`{template_id}` was deleted",
    "http_code": 200,
    "success": true
  }
}

Error (404: Not Found)

Remove by template name

Deleting a template by name deletes all templates that match that name (meaning templates with the same name but different languages will also be deleted).

DELETE https://waba-v2.360dialog.io/v1/configs/templates/{template_name}

Request example

curl --request DELETE
--url https://waba.360dialog.io/v1/configs/templates/{template_name}
--header 'D360-API-KEY: '
--header 'Content-Type: application/json'

Path Parameters

Name	Type	Description
template_name	string	Name of the template (can be fetched with the get WABA templates request)

Headers

Expected outcomes

200: OK

This message confirms the deletion of a template.

{
    "meta": {
        "developer_message": "template name=`<template_name>` was deleted",
        "http_code": 200,
        "success": true
    }
}

404: Not Found

Edit WABA template

POST https://waba-v2.360dialog.io/v1/configs/templates/{external_id}

Request example

curl --request POST
--url https://waba.360dialog.io/v1/configs/templates/{external_id}
--header 'D360-API-KEY: '
--header 'Content-Type: application/json'

Path Parameters

Name	Type	Description
external_id*	string	external id (can be fetched with the get WABA templates request)

Headers

Name	Type	Description
D360-API-KEY*	string

In the WABA Management UI

The Template Management feature in the 360Dialog WABA Management UI supports both text and media templates. To manage Template Messages in the UI you will need to access the Template Manager: the Template Manager supports both text and media templates and has the following functions:

• Create and preview new template messages

• Monitor current approval status of all your templates

• Copy and Delete templates

• Add different template Languages

• Allow template category change

• Edit Templates

Access

Each WABA has it's own set of Message Templates. To access your Message Templates, find the WABA number you would like to add a Message Template to in the Numbers page > Manage > Templates.

In WhatsApp Account > Manage Templates.

Overview

This is the Template Management home page where you can get an overview of all Templates under your number.

• Delete Template

• Replicate Template. Useful for creating variants of a similar template

• Add different language to a template

• Edit Templates

• See Templates Category

Edited templates will be submitted to Meta for approval once in a 24-hour window or up to 10 times in a 30-day window.

The edited version will appear in the 360dialog hub with the "last sync" date, referencing to when it was last submitted. See Meta's Template Editing rules.

Template Verification Process

Template messages must be submitted to Meta for review before they are available to use. The status of this review can be seen by the color of the template language. Please review our tips on Template Messaging before submitting any templates for review.

Draft

Templates with a gray background are in draft mode and have not been submitted for review by Meta yet.

Pending

Approved

Rejected

Untitled

Create a template

To create a Message Template, click on the blue Add Template button in the home page.

When creating your template, you will need to include the following information:

• Template Name

  • Name can only contain lowercase alphanumeric characters and underscores ( _ )

• Template Category

  • See Template Categories

• Template Language

  • Language that the template is written in

• Allow Template Category Change

  • Selecting Yes to this value will allow Meta to assign whatever category they determine to be appropriate to avoid template rejection due to miscategorization.

• Template Type

  • Standard (text only) or Media Template

360dialog Client Hub v1

360dialog Client Hub v2

Creating Standard (text only) Templates:

Standard Message Templates only have a BODY section. In order to add a variable, insert {{#}} at the given position, where # represents the variable index, which needs to start at {{1}}

Preview feature with variable insertion

Creating Media Templates

The Media Templates have more building blocks and features. It consists of the following building blocks:

Header

The Header is optional and serves as the title or header of your template. It supports the following:

• Text

• Image

• Document

• Video

Body

Footer

Button

All Templates require a Body. Headers, Footers, and Buttons are optional.

Example Media Template with Image, Body, Call to Action Button and Placeholder Variables

Important: all media examples must be urls that point to a valid media file.

Visit our Template Messaging for more information about creating template messages and best practices.

Creating templates with Buttons

Through the 360dialog Client Hub, you can add buttons and combinations as per our Buttons documentation.

Sample Templates

For all accounts, WhatsApp already registers a number of pre-approved sample templates. These templates can be used at any time and cannot be deleted.

Sample templates always have sample_ in the name.

Appeal Template Rejections

Rejected Template messages can be appealed via the Account Quality section in Meta Business Manager.