Migrate a phone number to a new WABA

We are currently experiencing issues with newly created WABAs for number migration. Our engineering team is addressing the issue with priority. You may see the following error messages when attempting to migrate to a new WABA:

1. WABA ID not shared with 360dialog.

2. Destination WABA does not exist or belongs to another client.

For migration between existing WABAs the process should not fail. If you encounter any other issue, please contact our Support Team immediately.

Migrating a phone number from Classic Signup WABA to Embedded Signup WABA

Historically, WhatsApp Business API accounts could only be created in a BSP's Business Manager and shared with the client's Business Manager. This is what is named Classic Signup.

A much better model was launched in early 2022, named Embedded Signup. With Embedded Signup, a Facebook pop-up is triggered and the client creates the WABA in their own Business Manager, by going through the Integrated Onboarding.

Key differences between WABA types created by the different signup flows

Given that an Embedded Signup WABA presents much more features and visibility to clients, migrating a number from the Classic model to the Embbeded model is possible through the Migration Process. Here's how:

Rules

• This migration will only move the phone number from one WABA to another, without changing the Business Manager. Both WABAs need to be in the same Business Manager, otherwise, the process will fail.

• The client will need to go through the process themselves, as outlined in this document.

• The client must have access to the phone number to receive the OTP.

• The migration happens on a number basis. This means each number has to be moved into the WABA individually. This process presents an opportunity to strategically distribute numbers across WABAs, thereby potentially optimizing free tier usage, moving numbers to Cloud API, and related benefits.

Migration Process

1. Create a new destination WABA

In the 360dialog Client Hub > Details > Whatsapp Business account > Migrate number to a different WABA, the Client can either create a new WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) or migrate the number to an existing one.

As a Partner, you may assist the client during signup, but should never go through it on behalf of the client. The client needs to use their own 360dialog Client Hub account under their owned email address and use their own Business Manager when registering a WABA.

When a client decides to create a new WABA, they can initiate the process by selecting the appropriate option. This will activate the embedded signup feature, where they need to follow the steps outlined below.

The following steps will create a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA), which can then be used as a target account for the existing number to be migrated to.

Note that this process may undergo some difficulties along the way due to various reasons.

We are actively working alongside Meta to improve the overall experience during the number migration process. If you need assistance while creating an new WABA, don't hesitate to reach out to our Support Team.

Step 1: Fill in the Business information

The client must select from creating a New Meta Business Account or use an existing Meta Business Account.

During this step, ensure to select the appropriate Meta Business Account. It is possible to migrate a number between accounts only if the source and destination Business Manager IDs are the same. Please refer to Whatsapp Accounts Structure.

Step 2: Create a WhatsApp Business Account

In this step, the client will have the following options:

"Choose a WhatsApp Business Account"

All WABAS currently associated with the Business Manager ID provided in the previous step will be available for selection.

To create a new WABA, choose the option to "Create a new WhatsApp Business Account" and complete all the required business details in the next step.

Prefer to use clear and distinct WABA names to avoid mistakes. Take note of the existing WABA ID and Name before creating a new one for easy differentiation during the migration steps.

The new WABA account will appear in the Business Manager > WhatsApp Accounts.

Please remember to create the new WABA with a different name for better clarity during the migration.

Step 3: Create the new WhatsApp Business Profile

If the client chooses to create a new WhatsApp Business Profile, select the option "Create a new WhatsApp Business Profile" and complete all the required business details on the next screen.

Step 4: Exit the Embedded Signup process

Click Next and once the WABA is created, you can close this page and return to the 360dialog Hub migration feature.

2. Select the newly created WABA to transfer the number

Now that a new WABA is created, the client can return to the migration screen in the 360dialog Hub and move the phone number from the old WABA to this new one.

For this process to work, the WABA must be newly created and not older than 48 hours.

If you can't see the recently created WABA, go on Create new WhatsApp Business Account again, scroll down the page and select the checkbox confirming you have already created it. In the next page you will be able to add the WABA ID, which you can find in your Business Manager > WhatsApp Manager.

3. Verify ownership of the number

Once the client selects the newly created WABA, we'll prompt them to verify their phone number. They will receive a 6-digit PIN through SMS or a phone call.

4. Finish the Migration process

Once the migration process is complete, the client can ensure the successful transfer by reviewing the status of the number in their old WABA in WhatsApp Business Manager. If the status shows as "transferred," it worked correctly. At that point, they can simply delete the number from the old WABA directly within the WhatsApp Business Manager.

The 360dialog Hub will reflect the new WABA Name on the Details Page after a refresh.

Should any issues arise during this process, please contact our support team for assistance.