ConvoBox · Glossary
Plain-English definitions of the WhatsApp Business API, templates, pricing, messaging limits, Flows, click-to-WhatsApp ads and more, for business owners and marketers.
The WhatsApp Business API (now delivered as the WhatsApp Cloud API by Meta) is the official way for medium and large businesses to send and receive WhatsApp messages from software instead of a phone. It supports approved message templates, many agents on one number, chatbots, catalogs and integrations. Businesses access it through Meta directly or through a provider such as ConvoBox, an Official Meta Tech Partner.
See it in ConvoBoxThe WhatsApp Business app is Meta's free mobile app for small businesses. It works on one or a few devices, has broadcast lists limited to 256 contacts who saved your number, and has no API access. Businesses usually move to the WhatsApp Business API when they need a team inbox, automation, integrations or larger broadcasts.
See it in ConvoBoxA WhatsApp message template is a pre-approved message format that a business must use to start a conversation or to message a customer outside the 24-hour customer service window. Meta reviews every template. A template has an optional header (text, image, video or document), a body with variables, an optional footer and up to several buttons.
See it in ConvoBoxMeta groups WhatsApp templates into three categories: marketing (offers, launches, newsletters), utility (updates about an existing order, booking or account) and authentication (one-time passcodes). The category affects how the message is priced and reviewed.
See it in ConvoBoxThe customer service window is the 24-hour period that starts whenever a customer messages a business on WhatsApp. Inside this window the business can reply with free-form messages; outside it, the business must use an approved message template.
See it in ConvoBoxSince 1 July 2025, Meta charges for the WhatsApp Business Platform per delivered template message, with rates that depend on the template category and the recipient's country. Since 1 October 2026, replies inside the 24-hour customer service window are free for the first 1,000 service messages each month per business number, and charged per message after that. Meta's charges are separate from the ConvoBox subscription.
See it in ConvoBoxMessaging limits cap how many unique customers a business can send business-initiated template messages to in a rolling 24-hour period. Limits start at a low tier for new numbers and rise step by step, up to unlimited, as the business keeps sending messages customers engage with. The current tiers are listed in Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform documentation.
See it in ConvoBoxThe quality rating is Meta's score of how customers have received a business's recent messages, based on signals such as blocks and reports. A high rating helps a number move to higher messaging limits; a low rating can restrict sending. Segmented, relevant messages and an easy unsubscribe protect the rating.
See it in ConvoBoxAn opt-in is a customer's permission to receive WhatsApp messages from a business. WhatsApp's policies require businesses to collect opt-in before sending business-initiated messages and to honour requests to stop. ConvoBox includes a built-in unsubscribe option that excludes opted-out contacts from marketing.
See it in ConvoBoxA WhatsApp broadcast sends one approved template to many opted-in contacts at once through the WhatsApp Business API. Unlike broadcast lists in the WhatsApp Business app, an API broadcast can reach any opted-in contact, include media and buttons, be scheduled, and report delivery, read and click rates.
See it in ConvoBoxA shared team inbox lets several agents answer customers from one WhatsApp Business number at the same time, each with their own login. It adds chat assignment, private notes, quick replies, CRM details and access control to every conversation.
See it in ConvoBoxA WhatsApp chatbot is an automated conversation that starts from a trigger, such as a keyword or an ad click, and follows designed steps: messages, buttons, lists, questions, conditions and handover to a person. A no-code builder such as ConvoBox lets businesses create chatbots without programming.
See it in ConvoBoxInteractive messages are WhatsApp messages with tappable elements: reply buttons (up to three quick answers), list messages (a menu of up to ten options) and call-to-action buttons that open a link or start a call. They make chatbots and templates easier to answer than free text.
See it in ConvoBoxWhatsApp Flows are native, multi-screen forms that open inside a WhatsApp chat, with fields such as text inputs, dropdowns and date pickers. Businesses use Flows for appointment booking, lead capture, sign-ups and feedback without sending customers to a website.
See it in ConvoBoxA WhatsApp catalog is a list of products attached to a business account, with names, prices and images. Customers browse it in the chat and send a cart to the business as an order, which can then be paid with a payment link.
See it in ConvoBoxClick-to-WhatsApp ads are Facebook and Instagram ads whose button opens a WhatsApp chat with the business. ConvoBox tags each chat from a CTWA ad with the campaign and ad name so the team knows what the customer saw.
See it in ConvoBoxMeta Lead Ads are Facebook and Instagram ads that collect a customer's details in an instant form without leaving the app. ConvoBox imports these form entries into its CRM with mapped fields and can send a WhatsApp message to the lead within seconds.
See it in ConvoBoxConversion signals are events a business sends back to Meta, such as a lead becoming qualified or a purchase, so the ad system can optimise for real results and find similar people. ConvoBox sends CRM stage changes to Meta as conversion signals.
See it in ConvoBoxCOD confirmation is the practice of asking a customer to confirm a cash-on-delivery order, usually with Confirm and Cancel buttons, before the order is shipped. It reduces return-to-origin (RTO) losses. ConvoBox writes the answer back to the Shopify order as a tag.
See it in ConvoBoxAbandoned cart recovery is a sequence of reminders sent to shoppers who started checkout but did not complete it. On WhatsApp, ConvoBox sends up to three timed reminders with the product photo, a one-tap link back to the cart and an optional coupon, and credits recovered orders to the reminder that won them.
See it in ConvoBoxA drip campaign is a series of messages sent automatically on a schedule after a trigger. In ConvoBox, any CRM stage can have its own drip: the first message is sent the moment a lead moves into the stage, and the drip stops when the lead replies or moves on.
See it in ConvoBoxThe Model Context Protocol is an open standard that lets AI assistants such as Claude use tools and data from other applications. The ConvoBox MCP server lets Claude read contacts, conversations, broadcast results and the CRM pipeline, and draft messages for review.
See it in ConvoBoxGet started today
Connect your number to the official WhatsApp Business API and launch your first broadcast, chatbot or Shopify automation the same day.