Introduction

Clickatell is an Enterprise WhatsApp business solution provider that enables two-way high-value conversations between you and your customers. Clickatell provides secure, cost-effective, and instant two-way text message interaction features thereby helping firms gain a global reach.

WhatsApp Integration with Clickatell for Vtiger CRM

WhatsApp Integration with Clickatell for Vtiger CRM helps you send and receive WhatsApp messages to and from your customers directly on the CRM screens. 

WhatsApp Integration with Clickatell is available for the following modules:

• Cases
• Contacts
• Deals
• Internal Tickets
• Invoices
• Leads
• Organizations
• Quotes
• Vendors

Once Clickatell is integrated with the Vtiger WhatsApp module, you can carry out WhatsApp conversations via Vtiger CRM or Mobile Phone.

Benefits of using WhatsApp Integration with Clickatell

• Helps you reduce incoming calls and e-mail volumes by efficiently assisting over chat platforms.
• Enhances customer relationships by allowing personalized messages that build trust and affinity.
• Helps you to simultaneously serve and engage with a wide range of customers.
• Reduces development dependencies, making way for easy-to-setup API’s and messaging campaigns.

In this article, you will learn about:

• Prerequisites for installing and using WhatsApp through Clickatell
• Installing Clickatell
• Configuring WhatsApp with Clickatell for Vtiger CRM
• Sending WhatsApp messages from Vtiger CRM
• Using Clickatell Templates with Vtiger CRM

Feature Availability

Prerequisites

To integrate WhatsApp and use it with Vtiger CRM through Clickatell: :

•  You must have a business account with Clickatell. 
•  Your business account with Clikatel should be Active.
•  You must enable WhatsApp Extension in Vtiger CRM.

Key Terminology 

Installation

To use  WhatsApp Integration with Clickatell, you need to first install the Clickatell extension. The Clickatell extension is not available by default in the CRM, and you will have to install it from the Extension Store.

Follow these steps to install the Clickatell extension: 

1. Log into your CRM account.
2. Click the User Menu.
3. Click Add-ons on the bottom left corner of the screen.
4. Look for the WhatsApp by Clickatell extension.
5. Click Install.

You have now installed the Clickatell extension. You need to add Clickatell as the service provider for WhatsApp.

Follow these steps to add Clickatell as a service provider.

1. Login to your CRM account.
2. Click the User Menu.
3. Click Essentials.
4. Look for Conversations.
5. Click WhatsApp.
6. Click the Settings icon.
7. Click +Add.
8. Add Configuration popup opens up.
9. Select Provider as Clickatell.

Configuring WhatsApp with Clickatell for Vtiger CRM

Let us now learn how to configure WhatsApp with Clickatell for Vtiger CRM.

This process involves to-and-fro navigation between Vtiger CRM, Clickatell, and WhatsApp screens. 

Step 1 : Adding Clickatell as Vtiger CRM WhatsApp Provider

Follow the below steps to integrate WhatsApp with Clickatell:

1. Login to your CRM account.
2. Click the User Menu.
3. Click Essentials.
4. Look for Conversations.
5. Click WhatsApp.
6. Click the Settings icon.
7. Click +Add.
8. You will be directed to the below Add Configuration screen.

9. Choose the Provider as Clickatell.
10. Select Active input as Yes.
11. Once you choose the Provider as Clickatell, Status Callback and Incoming Callback URLs fields are displayed. 
12. Copy the Status Callback and Incoming Callback URLs (to a Notepad or a document) 

With this, navigate to Clickatell.

Step 2: Adding your WhatsApp number on Clickatell

On the Clickatell screen, you will have to set up WhatsApp, Test Phones, and API Integrations. You will be able to retrieve the API Key in the API Integrations section.

Note: Keep your Clickatell login credentials before you begin.

Follow these steps to create your Clickatell WhatsApp account.

1. Login to your Clickatell account. You will be directed to the Clickatell Homepage.

      2.   Click WhatsApp. You will be directed to the WhatsApp screen.

3. Click +Create New WhatsApp Account to create your Clickatell WhatsApp account on Clickatell. Clicking the same, you will be directed to the below New WhatsApp Account screen.

4. Fill in the required WhatsApp Application details. Post-approval of your WhatsApp Application from WhatsApp, your
  Clickatell WhatsApp account will be displayed on My WhatsApp Accounts screen.

   To find your Clickatell WhatsApp account follow these steps:

1. Login to your Clickatell account. 
2. You will be directed to the Homepage.
3. Click WhatsApp.
4. You will be directed to the WhatsApp screen. Under My WhatsApp Accounts, you can find your Clickatell WhatsApp account as shown below.

If you already have an existing Clickatell WhatsApp account click the same.
Follow these steps to Add a Test Phone:

1. Click Test Phones on the Homepage. You will be directed to the Test Phones screen.

2. Choose your desired Country Code and enter the Phone Number.

3. Click Add to add a test phone. The entered phone number will now be available in the My Test Phones list view.

With this, you can send and receive WhatsApp Messages on the Phone Number you have added.

Step 3: Integrate APIs and retrieve the API Key

Follow these steps for API Integrations and retrieving the API Key:

1. Click WhatsApp on the Homepage. You will be directed to the WhatsApp screen,
2. Under My WhatsApp Accounts, click on your WhatsApp Account for API Integrations and retrieving the API Key.

3. You can setup API for your account here. Under One API Details, choose Setype as Sandbox if you are testing and Production if you want to start using WhatsApp. 

4. Under API Settings and Reply Callbacks, paste the Incoming Callback URL in the Enter target address field. 
5. Under Enable Delivery Notifications, paste the Status Callback URL in the Enter target address field.

6. Click Next.
7. You will be directed to the API Details & Test Phones screen, where you will find the API Key in One API Details section.

8. Click Copy to copy the API Key.
9. Click Next.
10. You will be directed to the below screen, which will allow Clickatell to send WhatsApp messages to your customers directly. Since you need to send WhatsApp messages from the CRM, click Skip.

11. If the WhatsApp number was successfully added to your Clickatell account, a confirmation message is displayed on the screen as shown below.

12. Click Done for Now.

You will now have to navigate back to Vtiger CRM.
 

Step 4: Adding API Key in Vtiger CRM

Follow these steps to add the API Key (you copied on the Clickatell screen):

1. Login to your CRM account.
2. Click the User Menu.
3. Click Essentials.
4. Look for Conversations.
5. Click WhatsApp.
6. Click the Settings icon.
7. Click +Add.
8. Add Configuration popup opens up.
9. Provider displays as Clickatell.

1. Paste the API Key in the API Key section.
2. Click Save.
3. You will be directed to the below screen where you can see Clickatell is successfully added as the Provider.

4. You can now view the Clickatell WhatsApp record added to the WhatsApp module List View screen. 

Displaying WhatsApp - Clickatell Records

You can view all WhatsApp records in the WhatsApp List View.

1. Select Clickatell in the Source field to view WhatsApp records with Clickatell as the service provider, 
2. Click on a record to view its details.  

The Detailed View of a Clickatell WhatsApp record looks like the image shown above displaying messages sent and received.

This completes the WhatsApp Integration process with Clickatell for Vtiger CRM.

Sending WhatsApp Messages from Vtiger CRM 

You can send WhatsApp messages:

• From the desktop version of Vtiger CRM as well as the Vtiger CRM Mobile app. 
• Via Clickatell for all the modules where the WhatsApp Integration feature is available.
• From Vtiger CRM to customers which are only Clickatell WhatsApp Templates.
• Once the user replies, you can accordingly send the personalized replies only within 24 hours from the response.
• From the List view as well as the Summary view in all the modules where the WhatsApp Integration feature is available.

Let us see how.

Sending WhatsApp messages from List View 

Here, for instance, let us consider the Contacts module. 

Follow these steps to send WhatsApp messages via Clickatell: 

1. Login to your CRM account.
2. Click the User Menu.
3. Click Essentials.
4. Look for Lead & Contact Management.
5. Click Contacts.
6. Hover the mouse on your desired Contact record to whom you want to send the message to.
7. Click WhatsApp from the options that are displayed.

8. You will be directed to the Send WhatsApp Message popup.

9. Choose the appropriate Phone Number.
10. Select the required WhatsApp Template 
    1.  Attach files if needed.
    2. Note: Approved WhatsApp templates saved in the WhatsApp Template module are displayed here.

       11. Click Send.

You have now sent a WhatsApp message to the selected customer.

Viewing WhatsApp messages 

You can view WhatsApp messages between Vtiger CRM and customers in the Detailed View of the contact record. 

The Activity section displays WhatsApp messages and different delivery statuses such as Delivered, Failed, and Read.

Sending WhatsApp messages from record Summary View 

Note:

You can only send WhatsApp messages via record Summary View after the customer responds. You can use this section to reply and continue the WhatsApp conversations.

Follow these steps to continue WhatsApp conversations from the record Summary view.

1. Login to your CRM account.
2. Click the User Menu.
3. Click Essentials.
4. Look for Lead & Contact Management.
5. Click Contacts.
6. Click the Contact record to whom you want to reply
7. Scroll down the icons available on the right corner of the screen and click WhatsApp.

You can reply and continue personalized/non-personalized WhatsApp conversations in the input box provided. You can also make voice calls, attach images, videos, send WhatsApp Templates by clicking the options available in the input box as shown below.

Checking the Message Delivery Status of Whatsapp messages

Once you have sent a message on Whatsapp, you can check its status by heading to the Information section. 

Here, you can view the API Response and Failed Reason. If your message wasn't successfully delivered, the API Response field will display authentication failed. The Failed Reason field will also give you more information on why the message was not sent.

Using Clickatell WhatsApp Templates with Vtiger CRM

With Vtiger CRM, when you use Clickatell as your WhatsApp Service Provider, you will have to use Clickatell WhatsApp Templates created by you on Clickatell and approved by WhatsApp to send WhatsApp messages to your customers. 

Follow these steps to create Clickatell Templates on Clickatell:

1. Login to your Clickatell account.
2. Click WhatsApp. You will be directed to My WhatsApp Accounts screen.
3. Look for Message Templates.

4. Click Add New Template. You will be directed to the New Message Template screen.

1. In the Template Details section, provide a name, category, and language.
2. In the Template Content section type in your WhatsApp Message content as per the rules mentioned, which is the prime step, and choose the required Header, Footer, and Buttons options.
3. Click Submit.
4. You will be directed to the Templates screen where the Clickatell WhatsApp Template created by you is successfully displayed under Message Templates. With this, you have successfully created the Clickatell WhatsApp Template.

5. This Clickatell WhatsApp Template created by you will have to be approved by WhatsApp. 
6. Post WhatsApp approval, copy the approved Clickatell WhatsApp Template Body.

Navigate back to Vtiger CRM.

Follow the below steps to use Clickatell WhatsApp Template on Vtiger CRM:

1. Login to your CRM account.
2. Click the User Menu.
3. Click Marketing.
4. Look for Marketing Enablement.
5. Click WhatsApp Templates.
6. Click +Add Template.

You will be directed to the Create WhatsApp Template page.

Enter the below details:

• Content: Paste the copied Clickatell WhatsApp Template Body in the Content section.
• Template Name: Provide a name to the Clickatell WhatsApp Template.

Note: 

The Clickatell WhatsApp Template names provided here are the Select WhatsApp Template dropdown list on the Contacts module.

• Assigned to: Creator of the Template.
• Module: The only desired modules where you want the specific Clickatell WhatsApp Templates to be available.
• Merge Field: The selected fields will display and add to the Clickatell WhatsApp Template Content.

Note: 

The field’s data selected here will by default appear in the Contacts module> Send WhatsApp Message> Message Body section.

       6. Click Save.

You have now successfully created the Clickatell WhatsApp Template on Vtiger CRM.

You will now be able to view the successfully created Clickatell WhatsApp Template record added to the List View on the WhatsApp Template module, as shown below.

WhatsApp opt-in settings for Clickatell 

The WhatsApp opt-in is a field available in a few CRM module records under Basic Information > WhatsApp opt-in in the Summary View and Detailed View. It provides WhatsApp opt-in options. WhatsApp opt-in options are WhatsApp messaging options available for sending and receiving WhatsApp messages with Clickatell. You can select the following WhatsApp opt-in options for your contacts, leads, organizations and vendors based on your preferences:

1. Single opt-in: It lets you send outgoing messages and receive incoming messages from WhatsApp using Clickatell.
2. User opted out: It lets you receive incoming messages and does not let you send outgoing messages from WhatsApp using Clickatell.
3. None:  It lets you send outgoing messages and receive incoming messages from WhatsApp using Clickatell.

The WhatsApp opt-in options are available for the following modules:

• Contacts
• Leads
• Organization
• Vendors

Follow these steps to select a WhatsApp opt-in option while creating or editing a record for a contact, lead, organization and vendor:

Note: For instance, we have considered the Contacts module, you can go to any module mentioned above.

1. Log into your CRM account.
2. Click the User Menu.
3. Click Essentials.
4. Look for Lead & Contact Management.
5. Select Contacts.
6. Click +Add Contact.

or

7. Select a Contact record.
8. Go to the Summary View or Detailed View of the record.
9. Go to Basic Information.
10. Look for the WhatsApp opt-in field. Select a suitable WhatsApp opt-in option.

You have now successfully selected a WhatsApp opt-in option for a contact in CRM.

Note: The WhatsApp opt-in options are available for all the WhatsApp providers Vtiger CRM is integrated with.

Disabling WhatsApp Integration With Clickatell

Admin users can disable WhatsApp Integration with Clickatell in Vtiger CRM by disabling the Clickatell extension.

Follow these steps to disable the Clickatell feature:

1. Log in to your CRM account.

2. Click the User Menu.

3. Click Settings.

4. Look for Module Management.

5. Click Modules.

6. Uncheck WhatsApp by Clickatell extension.

7. Once you uncheck the Whtsapp by Clickatell extension, the below success message is displayed.

Once you disable the Clickatell extension, the Clickatell option won’t be visible anymore.