FAQ
Last Updated: November 2019
What is a bot?
A bot is a software application that is programmed to do certain tasks. It is an automated service, powered by rules and sometimes artificial intelligence. A bot is designed to interact with a user to provide valuable information or execute tasks. When applied to business processes, it can run a range of tasks from very basic to highly sophisticated ones.
What is a chatbot?
A chatbot represents and guides interactions between a bot and a user over a chat app. A chatbot provides a practical method to dispense automated services to users in a direct, immediate and friendly way.
What is a message?
A message is a single text sent by a participant in a conversation.
What is a conversation?
A conversation is any number of messages interchanged between participants. A conversation usually has a beginning and an end. It also has a purpose.
How do we count messages?
Based on the previous definitions, WhatABot plans count all outgoing and incoming messages. This means, it counts not only the number of messages a user sends to a bot, but also each bot response.
How do we count conversations?
We count conversations as any number of messages interchanged by a single user and a single bot during a single day.
What channels do we use?
WhatABot is currently available on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and webchat. We will be adding new channels based on market demand.
What is a WABA?
WABA stands for WhatsApp Business Account. It refers to WhatsApp approved accounts associated to a phone number that have access to the official API for automation purposes.
Does WhatABot support WABAs?
How to request a WABA?
This process is done thru GupShup.io. To start the process, please click on option Channels/WhatsApp. Then click on Create a Line. You will need the following information:
Provide the phone number you want to have your WABA associated to. This number must not be registered to a WhatsApp account. If so, please close the account related to that number and wait for 7 days to make it usable in a WABA.
Provide contact information (e-mail address, phone number, legal name, address, city, postal code, and type of business)
Once we receive the Facebook Business ID, the valid phone number, and the contact information, we will request your WABA to WhatsApp. During the process we will send a link to approve GupShup to request your WABA in your name. This will be sent via SMS.
This might take between 2 to 5 working days, but it usually is approved within 2 working days.
When approved, the last step will be to receive a verification code that WhatsApp sends to the phone number via WhatsApp. This must be coordinated as we need to enter that code in our system before it expires.
After the WABA has been approved, it will be available in Chat-Bots within 1 hour under the left menu Channels/WhatsApp.
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