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Social Media: Migrate a WhatsApp number to GorgiasUpdated an hour ago

Who can use this feature?

• The account owner and admins can connect and manage WhatsApp integrations (You need full access to the relevant Meta business portfolio)
• Everyone (except Observers) can view and reply to WhatsApp tickets
Can be used with any connected store

If you've previously set up a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) through another platform, such as Zendesk, Twilio, or 360dialog, use the migration wizard to move the number into Gorgias. The migration takes place in four steps: Disable 2FA, Create WABA, Migrate Number, and Verify.

Follow the steps that apply to your situation

This article covers how to migrate a WhatsApp number you set up with another provider, such as Zendesk, Twilio, or 360dialog. If that doesn't apply to you, go to the article that best matches your situation for the most relevant setup instructions:

Your situationArticle
You've never used WhatsApp and want to use a phone number you ownSet up WhatsApp with your own phone number
You subscribe to the Voice or SMS add-on and want to use a Gorgias phone numberSet up WhatsApp with a Gorgias phone number
Your number is in use by an existing WhatsApp accountSet up WhatsApp with a reused number
Your integration is already set up and you want to rename or delete itManage your WhatsApp integration

Before you start

  • Set up a Meta business portfolio.
  • Have full access to the Meta business portfolio that owns the WhatsApp Business Account you're migrating from, and to the one that will own the number in Gorgias.
  • Have a phone number you own available as a placeholder. This number can't already be in use by a WhatsApp account. See Step 2.
  • Don't disconnect the number from your current provider before you start. Migration is designed to move a live number, not to reconnect one you've already released.

Open the migration wizard

You must migrate your existing phone number before you can set up a WhatsApp integration and start receiving messages in Gorgias. When you click Migrate From Another Provider, you'll be guided through the migration steps in Gorgias's migration wizard.

  1. From your helpdesk, click the Settings icon in the bottom-left corner.
  2. In the menu, locate Apps, then select App store.
  3. Search for and select WhatsApp.
  4. Click Migrate From Another Provider.

Keep the wizard open as you work through the four steps below.

Step 1: Turn off two-step verification

Meta won't move a number that still has two-step verification switched on, so turn it off in the WhatsApp Business Account your current provider set up.

  1. In your WhatsApp Manager phone number settings, find the WhatsApp number you want to migrate.
  2. Click Settings on the far right of that number's row.
  3. Click Two-step verification.
  4. Click Turn off two-step verification.
  5. Open the confirmation email Meta sends to the admin of your Meta business portfolio, then click the link to confirm.
  6. Return to Gorgias in your browser, then click Next on the migration wizard.

Step 2: Create a WhatsApp Business Account through Gorgias

You need to add the number you're migrating to a WhatsApp Business Account that Gorgias manages. You'll need to create a placeholder WhatsApp integration, using a phone number you own during setup.

If you've previously created a WhatsApp Business Account through Gorgias, click Skip Step and move on to Step 3.

You can delete your placeholder integration once the migration is finished.

  1. In the wizard, click Create WhatsApp Business. A Meta window opens.
  2. Follow Meta's steps to create your WhatsApp Business Account and register the placeholder number.
  3. Return to the wizard and click Next.
Note: Don't use the number you're migrating as the placeholder. It needs to stay registered with your current provider until the migration is finished.

Step 3: Enter your WABA ID and phone number

Now tell Gorgias which WhatsApp Business Account to migrate into and which number to move.

  1. In the wizard, enter your Gorgias WABA ID.
  2. Enter the WhatsApp phone number.
  3. Under Choose how you want to verify your number, select Text Message or Phone Call.
  4. Click Next.

To find your WABA ID, open your Meta account overview, look under WhatsApp accounts for the account you created through Gorgias, click the more options button, then click Copy WhatsApp account ID.

Note: Meta has to recognize the number as belonging to the WhatsApp Business Account you entered. If it doesn't, the wizard returns an error saying the phone number doesn't belong to your WhatsApp Business Account.

Step 4: Verify the number

Meta sends a one-time code to the number you're migrating. Once the number is verified, Gorgias registers it, creates the integration, and imports the message templates from that WhatsApp Business Account.

  1. In the wizard, enter the code in Verification code.
  2. Click Verify & finish.

What Gorgias sets up for you

While creating the integration, Gorgias completes the following tasks in the background:

  • Two-step verification. Gorgias sets a two-step verification PIN on the number as part of registering it with Meta.
  • Billing with Meta. Meta bills Gorgias for WhatsApp conversation charges, and your WhatsApp tickets are then billed to you as helpdesk tickets. You'll never see a bill from Meta for using WhatsApp with Gorgias.
  • Your existing templates. Gorgias imports the message templates associated with that WhatsApp Business Account from Meta.
  • A dedicated view. Gorgias creates a view named WhatsApp - [integration name] that lists open tickets from that number. You can edit it like any other view.

What's next

FAQ

Is there an additional cost to add WhatsApp to Gorgias?

The WhatsApp app is free to install on every Helpdesk plan.

WhatsApp tickets count toward your ticket usage the same way tickets on any other channel do: a ticket becomes billable when an agent sends a public reply on it.

Why does the migration wizard ask me to create a second WhatsApp Business Account?

Migrating moves your number into a WhatsApp Business Account that Gorgias manages, and that account has to exist before the number can land in it. Creating it requires registering a number, which is why you connect an unused placeholder number first. You can delete the placeholder integration once your real number has been migrated.

Should I migrate, or delete the number and connect it as new?

Migrate. Connecting as new requires the number to be free of any WhatsApp Business Account, which means releasing it at your current provider first. The migration wizard moves the number without that step.

What happens to my message templates after migration?

Gorgias imports the templates from the WhatsApp Business Account automatically and keeps their statuses in sync as Meta reviews them. You'll find them on the Templates tab of the integration.

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