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MessageBird WhatsApp/Facebook Messenger

This tutorial described how you can add WhatsApp support using https://messagebird.com/en/ product.

Usefull information regarding integration

  • During integration we will be using https://whatsapp-sandbox.messagebird.com/v1/conversations/ sandbox address.
  • After you go live you have to switch to production https://conversations.messagebird.com/v1/conversations/

Setting webhook address for production​

To set webhook listener execute this curl command after replacing these variables

  • <live access key> - your live api/access key
  • <channel id from MessageBird back office> - channel id from MessageBird back office
  • <identifier> - your identifier
  • <lhc install path> - install path of Live Helper Chat
curl -X POST "https://conversations.messagebird.com/v1/webhooks/" \
  -H "Authorization: AccessKey <live access key>" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "events": ["message.created","message.updated"],
    "channelId": "<channel id from MessageBird back office>",
    "url": "https://<lhc install path>/index.php/webhooks/incoming/<identifier> from lhc back office>",
    "settings": {
       "expected_http_code" : "2xx"
    }
  }'

Update webhook

curl -X PATCH "https://conversations.messagebird.com/v1/webhooks/<webhook ID>" \
-H "Authorization: AccessKey <live access key>" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"events": ["message.created","message.updated"]
}'

List webhooks

curl -X GET "https://conversations.messagebird.com/v1/webhooks/" \
-H "Authorization: AccessKey <live access key>"

Delete webhook

curl -X DELETE "https://conversations.messagebird.com/v1/webhooks/<webhook ID>" \
-H "Authorization: AccessKey <live access key>"

Incoming webhook definition​

First you have to create an incoming webhook. You can import configuration download it here

You will need to do few bits now

  • Change Identifier to any random string.
  • Choose a department
  • Click Show integration information.
    • In Attributes set your access_key
    • After you go live change https://whatsapp-sandbox.messagebird.com/v1/conversations/ to https://conversations.messagebird.com/v1/conversations/
  • Set scope to messagebird if it's missing.

Save changes.

Sample of webhook this configuration support

{
    "contact": {
        "id": "3637e85836bd49a185c8cabd62a88f8c",
        "href": "",
        "msisdn": 37065272274,
        "displayName": "Remigijus Kiminas",
        "firstName": "",
        "lastName": "",
        "customDetails": [],
        "attributes": [],
        "createdDatetime": "2021-08-07T05:13:01Z",
        "updatedDatetime": "2021-08-07T05:13:01Z"
    },
    "conversation": {
        "id": "2386ce6e75af4286a5617f7900c498dd",
        "contactId": "3637e85836bd49a185c8cabd62a88f8c",
        "status": "active",
        "createdDatetime": "2021-08-07T05:13:01Z",
        "updatedDatetime": "2021-10-28T05:00:01.084071333Z",
        "lastReceivedDatetime": "2021-10-28T05:07:13.735316379Z",
        "lastUsedChannelId": "13e2cb41651e4af5a31bd379145433b5",
        "messages": {
            "totalCount": 0,
            "href": "https://whatsapp-sandbox.messagebird.com//v1/conversations/2386ce6e75af4286a5617f7900c498dd/messages"
        }
    },
    "message": {
        "id": "4587a9c901d7426ba66eb2ec153c68dd",
        "conversationId": "2386ce6e75af4286a5617f7900c498dd",
        "platform": "whatsapp",
        "to": "+447418310508",
        "from": "+37065272274",
        "channelId": "13e2cb41651e4af5a31bd379145433b5",
        "type": "text",
        "content": {
            "text": "Gggg"
        },
        "direction": "received",
        "status": "received",
        "createdDatetime": "2021-10-28T05:07:13Z",
        "updatedDatetime": "2021-10-28T05:07:13.735327939Z"
    },
    "type": "message.created"
}

How do I add another phone number?​

After you have completed all configurations you can just

  • export your working Incoming webhook
  • re-import and change Identifier.
  • Set webhook in another phone number

All the rest should work out of the box.

Rest API calls setup​

One time configuration

This will be required for an admin messages being send back to visitor (WhatsApp).

You can import configuration download it here

Import configuration. You do not need to change anything once imported.

Bot setup​

One time configuration

We need to set a bot which trigger will be executed upon webhook event.

You can import configuration download it here

  • Set correct Rest API which you imported previously and method to call.

Configuration should look like

Webhook configuration​

One time configuration

Identical webhooks should be setup for these events

  • chat.web_add_msg_admin
  • chat.workflow.canned_message_before_save

Webhook configuration is needed for an admin messages being send back to visitor.

  • Make sure you put correct value for whatsapp it's a scope from Incoming webhook - scope attribute

If you did everything correct you should have it all working. Without coding a single line.