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WhatsApp Channel

The WhatsApp channel lets your AI employee receive and reply to messages on your WhatsApp Business number — automatically, 24/7.

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Optimly connects to WhatsApp via OpenWA (QR-code pairing). You do not need a Meta Business account or Cloud API access.

Requirements​

  • A phone number not currently registered on WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business
  • Access to that phone number to scan the QR code
Your existing WhatsApp number won't work

OpenWA requires a number that has never been (or is no longer) active on WhatsApp. Most businesses already use WhatsApp on their main number — that number cannot be used here.

You need a dedicated number for your AI employee. Options:

  • New SIM card — the simplest option. Buy a prepaid SIM in any carrier, use it only for Optimly.
  • VoIP number — services like Google Voice (US), Twilio, or Vonage provide virtual numbers that work with WhatsApp. Typically $1–5/month.
  • A spare business line — if your business has a secondary number that isn't on WhatsApp, use that.

Your main clinic/office number stays untouched. The AI employee gets its own dedicated number. You can publish this number separately ("WhatsApp us at +1-XXX-XXX-XXXX for instant answers").

If the dedicated number was previously on WhatsApp, delete that account first:
WhatsApp → Settings → Account → Delete my account — confirm the number and wait a few minutes for it to release.

Connect WhatsApp​

  1. Open your AI employee in the dashboard and go to the Deploy tab
  2. Under Connected Communication Channels, click Connect WhatsApp
  3. A QR code will appear — scan it with the phone that holds your WhatsApp number

WhatsApp QR connect modal showing Scan QR step 2, target number +1 (305) 555-0182, awaiting scan

  1. Once paired, the status shows the connected phone number

The employee immediately begins receiving messages. You can verify by sending a test message from another number.

Configure behavior for WhatsApp​

Open the Configure tab. The same five sections apply — Behavior, Knowledge, Capabilities, Colleagues, Appearance — and all settings affect your employee across every channel it's connected to.

Key things to set for WhatsApp:

Behavior → Instructions — be explicit about conversational style. WhatsApp conversations are more informal; instruct the employee accordingly if needed.

Behavior → When employee cannot answer — WhatsApp customers expect a response, even if it's "I'll connect you with someone." Set a clear fallback.

Capabilities → Lead capture — collects contact info during the conversation without asking customers to fill a web form.

Colleagues — if your team needs to take over on WhatsApp, define escalation paths here. Combined with Manual Mode, this gives you full coverage.

Manual Mode on WhatsApp​

Any WhatsApp conversation can be taken over by your team:

  1. Go to Conversations in the left sidebar
  2. Open the WhatsApp conversation
  3. Toggle the Manual/AI switch at the top
    • AI Active (blue): employee responds automatically
    • Manual Mode (orange): your team sends all messages

Toggle back to AI Active to hand the conversation back to the employee.

Disconnect​

To disconnect the WhatsApp number, open the Deploy tab, find the WhatsApp tile, and click Disconnect. The employee stops receiving WhatsApp messages immediately.

Related: Agent configuration reference · Manual conversation control