Summary: The purpose of Proactive Templates, aka WhatsApp Templates, are used to initiate conversations with guests who have not yet contacted your team. These templates require WhatsApp, aka Meta, approval before use and help streamline communication by automating messages for guests.
Permissions Required: To send a message to a guest you would require one of the following roles; Converser or Brand Admin.
Why Use Proactive / WhatsApp Templates?
✅ Start conversations with guests before they message you.
✅ Pre-populate essential information for consistency.
✅ Schedule messages in advance to save time.
✅ Automate basic tasks to reduce manual effort.
Common Use Cases for Proactive / WhatsApp Templates
Sending welcome messages to arriving guests.
Informing in-house guests about events.
Sending messages to multiple guests at once.
Proactive / WhatsApp Approval Process
Proactive Templates must be approved by WhatsApp / Meta before they can be used. The approval process can take up to four days, so plan accordingly.
They must follow specific formatting rules for titles which must use underscores between words and all lowercase.
Approved templates will display a WhatsApp icon next to their name in AXP.
Proactive / WhatsApp Template Approval Timeline
WhatsApp templates require approval from Meta before they can be used. You can request a template being approved by asking Alliants team from Help & Support tab > Chat bubble.
This approval process ensures compliance with WhatsApp's policies and guidelines and can take up to four days.
This timeline applies to all types of templates, including those used for broadcasting messages to guests who haven’t messaged first.
Using Variables in Proactive / WhatsApp Templates
WhatsApp allows variables in templates to add a personalised touch and make messages more relevant.
🔹 Example Format:
Variables are enclosed in double curly brackets like this:
{{guest_name}}
✅ Benefits of Variables:
Personalised messages for each guest.
Make templates reusable for a wider audience.
📓 Note: To ensure compatibility, please verify which variables are supported for your chosen template type before use.
Sending a Pro-active/ Whatsapp Template
1. Navigate to Conversations from History tab or Bookings tab you would like to reopen or search the profile for whom you would like to start chatting with.
2. Click the reopen.
3. Select "Select a template" from the conversation window.
4. Choose the appropriate Proactive Template and fill in with details.
5. Click 'Send message'.
Common Questions
Q: What is a Proactive Template and how do I recognise one?
A: Proactive templates are WhatsApp-approved message templates that must go through a verification process before they can be used. You can identify them by three things:
the title uses underscores instead of spaces (e.g.
welcome_message),the title is entirely lower case,
and a WhatsApp logo appears next to the template name.
For example:
💡 Important: The approval process can take up to four days, so plan ahead before you need to use one.
Q: Do I always have to use a Proactive Template to message a guest on WhatsApp?
A: Not always — but it depends on whether the conversation is still active. WhatsApp keeps a conversation active for 24 hours from when the chat was last initiated. If neither the hotel nor the guest has responded within that window, the WhatsApp channel is automatically expired. Once it is expired, you must use a Proactive Template to restart it with the guest.