Odoo 19 WhatsApp Setup Readiness: Accounts, Webhooks and Templates
Check Enterprise and Business Platform requirements, configuration entries, template windows and a two-way acceptance plan without claiming tested delivery.
Applicability
For Odoo 19, subject to the plan, hosting, apps, permissions and provider eligibility described below; not every database has these enabled.
Research method
Research based on Odoo 19 and applicable official policies; no new Odoo operation, payment or messaging tests.
Confirm that you need WhatsApp Business Platform rather than a direct connection to the phone's WhatsApp Business app. Odoo 19's native integration is Enterprise-only and does not work in Community. This is a setup-readiness guide: no account, message or delivery test was created.
Contents
- Establish account and number ownership
- Follow the documented configuration entries
- Verify the webhook and subscribe to events
- Separate the service window from templates
- Record separate two-way acceptance outcomes
Establish account and number ownership
Prepare managed Meta business/developer access, a WhatsApp Business Platform account and a suitable business number. Personal WhatsApp and ordinary Business App accounts are incompatible with the native integration. For an existing number, review Meta migration requirements rather than assuming phone-app usage remains unchanged.
A small Hong Kong team should identify the business-account owner, number administrator and responding staff so access survives personnel changes. Check actual verification, number and permission requirements. Odoo subscription and Meta messaging charges are separate; no fixed messaging price or free-sending promise is assumed here.
Follow the documented configuration entries
In Odoo use WhatsApp → Configuration → WhatsApp Business Accounts → New. Map Meta's Phone Number ID, Access Token, App ID, WhatsApp Business Account ID and App Secret into their corresponding fields; Name is an internal label. Restrict credential handling to authorized administrators and keep secrets out of articles, screenshots and chats.
The documented Test Connection checks configuration and supports obtaining the Callback URL and Webhook Verify Token. Do not treat a temporary token as a permanent production credential; follow the official permanent-token and permission instructions. A successful connection check does not prove inbound delivery.
Verify the webhook and subscribe to events
Use Odoo's Callback URL and verification token in Meta's WhatsApp configuration, then subscribe to the required events. Odoo 19 lists account_update, message_template_quality_update, message_template_status_update, messages and template_category_update. Pasting a URL without subscribing to messages is not completed inbound setup.
Confirm that the live number/Phone Number ID belongs to the same account and set the Odoo users responsible for notifications. If outbound works but inbound does not, inspect callback verification, subscriptions, number mapping and assignment before rebuilding templates.
Separate the service window from templates
WhatsApp policy defines a 24-hour customer service window that opens or resets with each user message. Policy-compliant non-template replies are permitted inside it; outside it, use approved templates and meet permission/purpose requirements. Templates are therefore not the only possible message type in every situation.
Odoo 19 also describes a 15-day conversation-notification routing behaviour. That is an Odoo operator-notification rule, not Meta's free-form reply deadline. An existing Discuss thread does not grant permission to send arbitrary replies outside the service window.
For a fictional quotation notice, define where customer name, quotation reference and link variables come from; align the template model and record fields before submitting for Meta approval and synchronizing status. Unapproved or paused templates are not ready to use. No template was submitted for this article.
Record separate two-way acceptance outcomes
A later authorized acceptance exercise should retain connection-check results, outbound status to a designated consenting recipient, that number's reply appearing in Odoo, correct staff notification and outside-window template behaviour. Reconcile message identifiers and timestamps; clicking Send does not prove delivery or reading.
For missing inbound messages, compare Meta events and the Odoo account. For template failure, check approval, language, variables and service-window conditions. For partial notifications, inspect staff configuration and existing conversation routing. Next complete the account, number, ownership and responder checklist before arranging connection work.
Sources
- Odoo 19 WhatsApp
Enterprise-only compatibility, configuration, webhook subscription, templates and operator routing.
Source checked
- WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy
24-hour customer service window, approved templates outside it, permissions and policy obligations; no fixed message price asserted.
Source checked