WhatsApp Automation (Beta)
Automatic WhatsApp Messages
from Your Own Business Number
WhatsApp Automation sends invoice, payment, reminder and other business messages to your customers by itself. Messages go out from your own WhatsApp Business number, connected through Meta's official WhatsApp Cloud API (WhatsApp Business Platform). You choose which events send a message and link each one to a template Meta has approved. Khata Billing then sends it in the background when you save a bill or payment, or at the time you choose.
WhatsApp Automation is in Beta
This feature is still being tested and improved. Please check the first few messages your customers receive (Activity Logs tab), and tell us through Support if anything looks wrong.
WhatsApp message charges are set and billed by Meta
Meta (the company behind WhatsApp) charges your business for WhatsApp Business messages. You pay Meta directly, in ₹, from the payment method in your Meta Business account. Khata Billing does not charge anything for these messages, does not set Meta's prices and is not responsible for Meta's charges.
What You Can Do
Switch on only the messages you want. Each one can use your own wording through a Meta-approved template.
- Send invoice details with a "View invoice" link when you save a sale invoice
- Tell customers when an invoice is updated, and thank them when it is fully paid
- Send a receipt each time you record a payment received
- Remind customers before, on or after the due date — up to 4 days you choose
- Send one outstanding balance reminder per party — weekly, every 2 weeks or monthly
- Confirm purchases and payments to your suppliers
- Get low-stock alerts and daily, weekly or monthly summaries on your own phone
- Use templates in Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil and other languages Meta approves
- See every message as Queued, Sent, Delivered, Read or Failed in Activity Logs
Your Own Number
Customers see your business name
15 Message Events
Sales, payments, purchase, stock, reports
Sending Rules
Quiet hours, minimum amounts, Do not message
Activity Logs
Delivered / Read status for 30 days
All 15 Messages You Can Switch On
Names as shown in Settings → WhatsApp Automation → Event Automation. Messages marked "You" go to your own alert number, not to a customer.
| Group | Message | Goes to | When it is sent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | Invoice Created | Customer | The moment you save a new sale invoice |
| Sales | Invoice Updated | Customer | When you edit an invoice they have already received |
| Sales | Invoice Paid | Customer | Once an invoice is fully settled |
| Sales | Invoice Due Reminder | Customer | Scheduled, once a day — for each unpaid invoice with a due date, on the days you choose |
| Sales | Outstanding Balance Reminder | Customer | Scheduled — one message per party with their total due; weekly on Monday unless you choose another day or rhythm |
| Payments | Payment Received | Customer | Each time you record money received |
| Payments | Payment Sent | Supplier | When you record a payment to a supplier |
| Parties | New Customer Added | Customer | When you add a new customer |
| Purchase | Purchase Created | Supplier | When you record a purchase from them |
| Purchase | Purchase Paid | Supplier | Once a purchase bill is fully paid |
| Inventory | Low Stock Alert | You | Checked once daily — when an item falls to or below its low-stock level |
| Inventory | Out Of Stock Alert | You | The day an item reaches zero stock |
| Reports | Daily Summary | You | Every evening — 8:45 PM, or the time you choose |
| Reports | Weekly Summary | You | Every Monday morning, for the week just closed |
| Reports | Monthly Summary | You | On the 1st of each month, for the month just closed |
Automation vs the WhatsApp Share Button
Khata Billing also has a manual WhatsApp share button on invoices and payment reminders — see WhatsApp Billing & Sharing. It keeps working exactly as before, whether or not automation is connected.
| WhatsApp share button | WhatsApp Automation (Beta) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who presses Send | You. WhatsApp opens with the message ready. | Nobody. Khata Billing sends it in the background. |
| Sent from | The WhatsApp on your phone or computer | Your WhatsApp Business number connected through Meta |
| Setup | None | One-time Meta setup: connect, payment method, approved templates |
| Meta message charges | None — you send it yourself from your app | Meta charges your business per delivered message |
| Reminders and alerts | One at a time, when you send them | Scheduled due reminders, balance reminders, stock alerts and summaries |
| Tracking | Ticks in your own WhatsApp chat | Activity Logs with Sent, Delivered, Read or Failed and the reason |
How It Works
Set it up once in Settings → WhatsApp Automation. A setup progress bar and a "Meta setup status" checklist show what is left.
- Connect your WhatsApp number: Go to Settings → WhatsApp Automation → Connection Setup. Use Quick Connect with Meta: log in to Facebook in Meta's window, choose or create your business, pick or add your number and press Allow. You can also enter your Meta details manually.
- Finish Meta's setup: Add a payment method in Meta's WhatsApp Manager. The Meta setup status checklist shows anything Meta still needs, such as its review of your account and display name.
- Send a test message: Press Send Me a Test Message. It goes to your own alert number, which must be a different phone from your connected business number.
- Choose events and link templates: In Event Automation, switch on the messages you want, or use Quick setup for your type of business. In Message Templates, link each message to a template Meta has approved.
- Set Sending Rules and Usage Limits (optional): Choose quiet hours, reminder days, minimum amounts, skip cash customers, add numbers to Do not message, and set a daily or monthly message limit.
- Switch Automation ON: Turn on the Automation switch and confirm that Meta charges your business for these messages. Messages then go out in the background.
Who It Is For
"Quick setup for your type of business" fills in a starting point for each of these. You can change anything before you save.
Free vs Premium
WhatsApp Automation works the same on both plans. Premium is ₹1,499/year (₹999/year with code SAVE500) — see Pricing.
| Feature | Free | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp Automation (Beta) and Quick Connect with Meta | Included in Free | Included |
| All 15 message events and Quick setup for your type of business | Included in Free | Included |
| Message Templates, Sending Rules and Do not message list | Included in Free | Included |
| Usage Limits and Activity Logs (last 30 days) | Included in Free | Included |
| Manage on the web and in the Android/iPhone app | Included in Free | Included |
| Invoices you can create (each can send an Invoice Created message) | Up to 10 GST invoices a day (100 in any 30 days) | Unlimited |
| WhatsApp message charges | Billed by Meta directly — Khata Billing adds no charge | Billed by Meta directly — Khata Billing adds no charge |
| How many customers you can message a day | Set by Meta, not by your plan | Set by Meta, not by your plan |
Good to Know
Requirements, limits and what WhatsApp Automation does not do.
What you need
- A Facebook login. Meta uses it only to confirm who you are; a Facebook page is not required.
- A business portfolio in Meta. You can pick an existing one or create one in Meta's window while connecting.
- A phone number for WhatsApp Business that can receive an SMS or call for the OTP. A number on normal (personal) WhatsApp must be deleted from that app first.
- A payment method in Meta's WhatsApp Manager. Without one, Meta does not deliver invoices, reminders or other template messages.
- Meta-approved message templates (category Utility) for invoices, receipts and reminders. Meta usually reviews a template within 24 hours, sometimes up to 48.
- A valid mobile number on each party. Messages go to the first valid mobile number saved on the party (in India, 10 digits starting with 6, 7, 8 or 9). A party without one is skipped.
- An alert number for your own alerts and the test message. It must be a different phone from your connected business number.
Limits and what it does not do
- It is in Beta. Check the first messages your customers receive in Activity Logs.
- Connecting is not the same as sending. Meta may review your account and display name first; switching on is refused while Meta is still reviewing or blocking the account.
- WhatsApp delivers a plain message only to someone who messaged your business in the last 24 hours. Everything else needs an approved template.
- Meta usually starts new, unverified businesses at about 250 different customers in 24 hours. Meta raises this after business verification. Khata Billing cannot change it.
- Messages are text with a "View invoice" link. No PDF is attached, and templates with media or header variables cannot be used.
- Messages are sent in the background, usually a minute or two later — not instantly. Quiet hours hold customer messages until they end.
- Usage Limits cap how many messages Khata Billing sends. They are not a rupee spending limit at Meta.
- One WhatsApp number can be connected to one company at a time.
- No bulk broadcast or offer campaigns, no birthday wishes and no "Invoice Cancelled" message — only the 15 events listed above.
- Khata Billing does not read your WhatsApp chats. With "Let customers reply STOP" on, a reply is only checked for the stop words.
Meta sets its prices and can change them. See Meta's current WhatsApp prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WhatsApp Automation free in Khata Billing?
WhatsApp Automation is included in the Free plan and in Premium. Khata Billing does not charge for WhatsApp messages. Meta charges your business for them and bills you directly, in ₹, to the payment method in your Meta Business account.
Which number do my customers receive the messages from?
From your own WhatsApp Business number, connected through Meta. Khata Billing never sends from a shared number, so your customers see your business name, not Khata Billing's.
What do I need before I start?
A Facebook login, a phone number for WhatsApp Business, a business portfolio in Meta (you can create one in Meta's window while connecting), a payment method in Meta's WhatsApp Manager, and Meta-approved message templates for invoices and reminders.
How is this different from the WhatsApp share button?
With the share button you tap WhatsApp on a document, WhatsApp opens with the message ready, and you press Send yourself. WhatsApp Automation sends by itself when you save a bill or payment, or on a schedule, from your connected WhatsApp Business number. It needs a one-time Meta setup and Meta charges per message. Both work side by side.
Can I keep using the WhatsApp Business app on my phone with the same number?
Yes, if you connect with Connect my Business App number and Meta offers that option for your number (WhatsApp Business app 2.24.17 or newer). A number on normal (personal) WhatsApp must first be deleted from that app, or you can use a different number.
Can I stop messages at night or to certain customers?
Yes. Sending Rules let you set quiet hours, skip cash and walk-in customers, skip small amounts, and add numbers to a Do not message list. You can also let customers reply STOP to stop messages.
Why is WhatsApp Automation marked Beta?
The feature is still being tested and improved. Check the first few messages your customers receive in Activity Logs, and tell Khata Billing through Support if anything looks wrong.
Can I manage WhatsApp Automation from the mobile app?
Yes. In the Android or iPhone app, open Settings → WhatsApp Automation (Beta) to manage events, templates, Sending Rules, limits and logs. Quick Connect itself opens Meta's window in a browser, so the first connection is done on the Khata Billing website.
Related Features
Try WhatsApp Automation (Beta) — Free
Create your free Khata Billing account, then open Settings → WhatsApp Automation to connect your WhatsApp Business number. No credit card needed for Khata Billing; Meta bills WhatsApp messages directly.
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