HowTo: Set up Twilio for Chatbots using Whatsapp

Here you can learn how to setup Twilio in order to use Whatsapp as a messaging platform for the Chatbot generator.

Twilio Sandbox for WhatsApp allows you to prototype with WhatsApp immediately, without waiting for your Twilio number to be approved for WhatsApp.

Step 1 - Creating an account

First, create a new account at Twilio.

You'll be asked to verify your email:

Then, you'll be asked to verify your phone number:

Step 2 - Joining the sandbox

You'll have to go through some steps:

Here you can skip to dashboard:

Then go through  "All Product & Services" and select "Programmable Messaging". In a new window that appears, you have to select "WhatsApp" and it asks you if you want to activate the Sandbox.

To activate the sandbox, a page like this one appears:

Select a number from the available sandbox numbers:

There's a learn tutorial that you can follow easily.

The sandbox is pre-provisioned with a Twilio phone number.
Send “join <your sandbox keyword>” to your Sandbox number in WhatsApp to join your Sandbox.

After joining, you will receive a message from the sandbox:

See here for more details.

Step 3 - Configuring inbound message webhooks

When customers send you a WhatsApp message, Twilio sends a webhook to your application.

On the sandbox page you have to configure the URL that Twilio sends a webhook to for inbound messages.

The Chatbot generator creates a webhook (see HowTo: Integrate Chatbots using WhatsApp), under the instance's module. 

After building it, configure the URL as follows:

http://<server>/<baseURL>/<InstanceModule>.WhatsappWebhook.aspx (.NET) or http://<server>/<baseURL>/<InstanceModule>.WhatsappWebhook (Java)

This has to be configured by going through Programmable Messaging > Settings > Whatsapp sandbox settings. Note that the computer where the webhook is hosted, has to be visible from Internet:

Step 4 - Configuration Settings

In the console page, you have the Account SID and an Authorization Token. These credentials are needed to the interaction with Twilio

Account SID - Used to identify yourself in API requests
Auth Token  - Used to authenticate REST API requests

Note:

If you joined your Sandbox > 24 hours ago, you will need to send a fresh inbound message to your WhatsApp number in order to then send yourself a media message. Otherwise, you'll get the "ERROR - 63016
Failed to send freeform message because you are outside the allowed window. Please use a Template."