Click to send or Business API

The School ERP sends WhatsApp in one of two ways. Click to send uses the school's ordinary WhatsApp on a phone or computer: the ERP writes the message, and a person taps Send. Business API sends by itself from the school's WhatsApp Business Platform number and brings parents' replies into the ERP. You choose in General Settings › WhatsApp Configuration, and you can change later.

Which one to choose#

Choose Click to send if:

• the school sends a modest number of WhatsApp messages;
• you want to start straight away, at no cost;
• someone in the office can tap Send for each message.

Choose Business API if:

• the school sends many messages, or wants them to go without anyone tapping;
• you want parents' replies in the ERP, shared by the office team;
• you want automatic replies, message templates and delivery ticks.

Set up click to send#

1. Open General Settings › WhatsApp Configuration.
2. Tick Send on WhatsApp.
3. In How it sends, choose Click to send — from the school's own WhatsApp, one tap each.
4. Check Default country code. It is put in front of any ten-digit number in the ERP, and is 91 for India.
5. In Open WhatsApp in, choose Whatever this device uses, The WhatsApp app or WhatsApp Web.
6. Under Sent without being asked, choose Yes for any automatic message that should go on WhatsApp.
7. Select Save WhatsApp configuration.

The WhatsApp card now shows Ready · by hand.

Send with click to send#

1. Build a queue in Communication with WhatsApp ticked. See Send notices and fee messages on WhatsApp.
2. In Communication, the WhatsApp panel shows how many messages are waiting.
3. On a row, select Send on WhatsApp. WhatsApp opens with the message already typed to that number.
4. Tap Send in WhatsApp.
5. Come back to the ERP and do the next one. The row is recorded as sent.

Set up the Business API#

1. Open General Settings › WhatsApp Configuration.
2. Tick Send on WhatsApp.
3. In How it sends, choose Business API — sent by the school's gateway.
4. Follow Connect your school's WhatsApp number.

Good to know#

• Only one way is active at a time. Changing How it sends and saving switches all WhatsApp sending over.
• Automatic messages (fee received, absence and others) go out the same way: by themselves on the Business API, or waiting for a tap on click to send.
• Click to send follows WhatsApp's own click-to-chat, so it breaks no WhatsApp rule. Tools that send from a linked phone by themselves, outside WhatsApp's terms, are not offered.

Troubleshooting#