How to Set Up WhatsApp automation in Retainful

Once your WhatsApp Business Account is approved, you can start setting up WhatsApp automation in Retainful. The first step is to create and submit your message templates for Meta’s approval. These templates will be used later in your automations.

Step 1 – WhatsApp Settings Overview

Go to Settings → WhatsApp in your Retainful dashboard.

Here you can:

• View and manage your approved WhatsApp phone numbers.

• Monitor your account quality and status.

• Create new message templates and submit them to Meta for approval.

💡 Tip: You’ll need at least one approved template before you can start using WhatsApp automation.

Step 2 – Create a New Template

In the WhatsApp Settings page, click on the Create New Template button.

You’ll be taken to the Choose a Template page (screenshot above), where you can select from pre-designed templates or create one from scratch.

Available categories include:

• Cart Reminder – Recover abandoned carts by sending reminders.

• Cart Reminder with Exclusive Coupon – Same as above, but with an added incentive.

• Thank You + Coupon – Build loyalty by thanking customers with a discount.

• Remind Customers to Redeem Coupon – Encourage coupon usage before it expires.

• Last Chance Urgency – Send a final nudge with urgency messaging.

💡 Tip: Start with one of the pre-designed templates for quicker approval, as they follow Meta’s formatting rules.

When setting up WhatsApp automation in Retainful, you’ll first need to create message templates in the Template Editor and submit them to Meta for approval. These templates include your message text, personalization, buttons, and an unsubscribe footer. Once approved, you can assign them to automation workflows.

👉 See the full guide

Step 4: Use Approved Templates in Automations

Once approved, your templates will be available when you create or edit automations in Retainful. You can add them to flows like Abandoned Cart Recovery, Post-Purchase Thank You, and more.

To include SMS messages within your automations:

1. Go to the Automation section in your Retainful dashboard.

1. Open or create a workflow (e.g., Abandoned Cart, Welcome Series, Order Follow-up).

1. Click on the ‘+’ (Add Block) icon in the workflow editor.

1. Select the ‘send WhatsApp message’ block from the options.

1. Select one of the approved templates

Step 5: Go Live with Your Workflow

After adding the WhatsApp blocks to your automation and customizing the messages with your approved templates, you can make the workflow live.

Once activated, Retainful will automatically send WhatsApp messages to your customers based on the triggers you’ve set — whether it’s cart recovery, thank you notes, or coupon reminders.

This ensures your store stays connected with customers in real time, helping you recover more sales and improve engagement seamlessly.