WhatsApp inside Bitrix24: conversations, templates, and automation on the record.

What the integration enables

• Incoming WhatsApp messages create leads or land on existing records by phone match
• Agents reply from the CRM card; managers see full conversation history
• Automation sends approved templates on triggers: new lead, appointment, payment due, stage change
• Follow-up and re-engagement cadences with quiet hours and opt-out handling
• Message volume and response-time dashboards per agent

How to connect WhatsApp to Bitrix24

• Choose the connection type (below) based on message volume, number of agents, and whether you need automated templates
• Register or migrate your WhatsApp Business number with the chosen provider
• Connect it to a Bitrix24 Contact Center open channel so chats arrive in the CRM
• Set routing: which agents or queues receive chats, and working-hours behaviour
• Bind chats to CRM: create leads from unknown numbers, attach to existing contacts by phone
• Submit message templates for approval, then build automation rules that send them on CRM triggers

WhatsApp connection options documented by Bitrix24

• Twilio — rent or transfer a number in Twilio and connect it in Contact Center; Bitrix24 charges nothing for the integration, Twilio bills per message (Bitrix24's docs cite around US$0.005 per session message) and needs a paid Twilio balance
• Edna.io (edna Pulse) — suited to service notifications such as order updates and appointment reminders, with approved message templates; a paid service with connection, licence, and messaging fees
• Instant WhatsApp — lets customers message you from your website without formal WhatsApp Business registration
• Marketplace apps and other providers (BSPs such as 360dialog) — connected through Bitrix24 Market apps or a custom Contact Center connector
• WhatsApp channels need a commercial Bitrix24 plan, and replies outside the 24-hour window require approved templates

Native connector, marketplace app, or WhatsApp Business API?

• Bitrix24's native WhatsApp connector — quickest start; good for teams that mostly reply to inbound chats
• Bitrix24 Marketplace apps — fast to install and often cheap per number; check limits on templates, group chats, and automation before committing
• WhatsApp Business API via a BSP — required for high volume, multiple numbers, approved templates at scale, and reliable automation
• Whichever you choose, the CRM side (routing, lead creation, automation, dashboards) is where most projects succeed or fail — that is the part we build

Template strategy and the 24-hour window

WhatsApp Business API allows free-form replies only within 24 hours of the customer's last message; outside that window you must use pre-approved templates. This single rule shapes the whole automation design: welcome and reminder flows must be template-based, agents must be nudged to reply while the window is open, and re-engagement needs approved template copy. We design and submit templates as part of the project so flows do not stall at provider review.