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Admins and managers can start a one-to-one conversation from Team Inbox by sending an approved WhatsApp Business API template. Acquisition lists then help eligible users review conversations connected to advertisements and broadcast workflows.

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Start a new chat

The + button beside Search conversations opens the new-chat flow. It is not shown to Employee-role users.
1

Select the recipient

Choose a country code and enter the customer’s local phone number, or search and select an existing contact found in your available conversations.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing the country picker, phone field, and existing-contact search. Save it as /images/team-inbox/new-chat-select-recipient.png.
2

Check the full number

Review the country code and phone number together. A manually entered local number must contain at least seven digits after formatting is removed.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing the completed recipient number before continuing. Save it as /images/team-inbox/new-chat-check-number.png.
3

Choose the sender

Select one of the connected WABA numbers available to you. If only one eligible number is available, Team Inbox selects it automatically.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing the connected WABA sender choices. Save it as /images/team-inbox/new-chat-choose-sender.png.
4

Choose Template & Send

Open the approved templates belonging to that sender.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing the Choose Template & Send control. Save it as /images/team-inbox/new-chat-choose-template.png.
5

Complete variables

Fill every required variable and check the message preview, language, header media, footer, and buttons.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing the template preview and completed variable fields. Save it as /images/team-inbox/new-chat-complete-variables.png.
6

Send the template

Click Send Template. Team Inbox creates or opens the conversation after the template is sent successfully.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing the final Send action and opened conversation. Save it as /images/team-inbox/new-chat-send-template.png.
A new WABA conversation must begin with an approved template. A normal text message cannot be used for the first message.
If no sender is available, connect a WABA number or ask an admin to check your channel access and number mapping.

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Review advertisement conversations

The Advertisement list appears under Acquisition for eligible non-Employee users.
1

Open Advertisement

Expand Acquisition and select Advertisement.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing Acquisition and Advertisement in Lists. Save it as /images/team-inbox/acquisition-open-advertisement.png.
2

Choose a number scope

Select All numbers or one available WABA number.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing All numbers and WABA choices. Save it as /images/team-inbox/acquisition-choose-ad-number.png.
3

Choose an advertisement

Select an ad to display the conversations attributed to it.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing the advertisement choices. Save it as /images/team-inbox/acquisition-choose-ad.png.
4

Open a customer conversation

Select a result to read and manage it without leaving the acquisition view.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing an ad-filtered conversation list and open conversation. Save it as /images/team-inbox/acquisition-open-ad-conversation.png.
The ad selector shows loading, no-ad, and error states when appropriate. A disconnected indicator identifies a source number that needs attention.

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Review broadcast-workflow conversations

The Broadcast list appears under Acquisition when the user has Broadcast permission.
1

Open Broadcast

Expand Acquisition and select Broadcast.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing Acquisition and Broadcast in Lists. Save it as /images/team-inbox/acquisition-open-broadcast.png.
2

Choose the WABA number

Select the number used for the broadcast.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing the broadcast WABA selector. Save it as /images/team-inbox/acquisition-choose-broadcast-number.png.
3

Choose the workflow

Select a broadcast workflow. Its summary can show sent and replied counts.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing workflow choices with sent and replied counts. Save it as /images/team-inbox/acquisition-choose-workflow.png.
4

Choose a result tab

Use All chats to see every conversation from the workflow, or Replied to focus on customers who responded.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing All chats and Replied with their result counts. Save it as /images/team-inbox/acquisition-broadcast-tabs.png.
The Broadcast list is for reviewing conversations connected to an existing broadcast workflow. Whether broadcast creation and other broadcast tools are available depends on the workspace configuration and the member’s Broadcast permission.

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Open a known chat in an authorized support session

Some authorized proxy or support sessions show See chat beside the search box. If the control is visible:
1

Open See chat

Click See chat beside Search conversations.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing See chat beside Search conversations. Save it as /images/team-inbox/see-chat-open.png.
2

Choose a connected number

Search and select one of the connected numbers available to the session. Review its source type before continuing.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing number search, source type, and selection. Save it as /images/team-inbox/see-chat-choose-number.png.
3

Open the customer chat

Enter the customer’s phone number and click See chat.
Add image here: Add a screenshot showing the customer number and final See chat action. Save it as /images/team-inbox/see-chat-open-customer.png.
This control is session-dependent and is not part of the normal employee workflow.

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Common reasons a new chat cannot start

  • The phone number is incomplete or has the wrong country code.
  • No connected WABA number is available to you.
  • The selected WABA became unavailable while the dialog was open.
  • No approved template belongs to the selected sender.
  • One or more required template variables are blank.
  • Your role or channel permissions do not allow the action.