WhatsApp channel setup

Sendero uses Kapso for WhatsApp orchestration and keeps Sendero as the source of truth for tenants, trips, wallets, billing, escrow, audit, and handoff records.

Paid workspaces connect their own WhatsApp Business number. Free workspaces can review readiness requirements, but live WhatsApp operation requires upgrading and connecting a dedicated number.

Prerequisites

• A paid Sendero workspace and tenant admin access.
• A Meta user with access to the Business Portfolio that owns the WhatsApp Business number.
• A WhatsApp Business number that can be connected through Kapso.
• A valid business payment method in Meta if you want business-initiated template messages.

Setup Steps

1. Open Dashboard -> Channels -> WhatsApp -> Connect.
2. Select the setup region and optionally enter the number you intend to connect.
3. Click Create setup link. Sendero asks Kapso to mint a tenant-scoped setup link.
4. Open the Kapso-hosted setup page, sign in with the correct Meta user, and approve the WhatsApp Business connection.
5. Return to Sendero and click Refresh. Sendero waits for Kapso's whatsapp.phone_number.created event and resolves the connected phoneNumberId to your workspace.
6. Review the brand profile, submit the required templates and WhatsApp Flow pack, then run the setup test.
7. Go live after the dashboard shows the Kapso/Meta phone health checks, webhook state, and workflow trigger state as ready.

What Sendero Activates

After Kapso confirms the phone number, Sendero:

• Persists the WhatsApp install state for the tenant.
• Registers or replaces the Kapso inbound-message workflow trigger.
• Publishes the tenant travel agent workflow package.
• Submits the template and WhatsApp Flow pack.
• Sends a test message when the phone is healthy enough to receive it.
• Shows the exact Kapso and Meta readiness state in the dashboard.

Troubleshooting

The setup link is stuck on pending.

Click Create setup link again. If it still stays pending, verify that the workspace is paid and the Sendero production environment has Kapso API credentials configured.

Kapso says the link must be opened by the project owner.

Use the tenant-scoped setup link created from the Sendero dashboard. Old owner-only project setup links are not valid for tenant onboarding.

Webhook verification is pending.

Send a WhatsApp message to the connected number, then click Refresh. Meta often marks webhook verification only after the first message hits the number.

Messaging is blocked or limited.

Check the Meta Business Account review and payment-method status. A new number can receive messages while business-initiated templates may remain blocked until Meta finishes review or a payment issue is fixed.

The dashboard shows a stale fake or sandbox number.

Create a new setup link and reconnect a tenant-owned number. Sendero no longer provisions shared test numbers for tenant channels.

Safety Model

WhatsApp can collect requests, intake trip details, show non-sensitive status, and create handoffs. Financial or privileged actions such as payments, refunds, escrow settlement, wallet transfers, passport vault access, and policy overrides require a signed web session, passkey, or Sendero approval gate.

Sendero never trusts tenant IDs typed into WhatsApp. Paid tenant traffic is resolved from phoneNumberId -> WhatsAppInstall -> tenant.

Observability

Each run preserves the Kapso execution ID, WhatsApp WAMID, webhook event, Sendero trace ID, tenant ID, trip ID when known, and workflow run ID. Use the channel dashboard and inbox audit views to inspect delivery, workflow, and handoff state.