Meta Cloud API onboarding

This is the end-to-end path to connect Callduck to the official Meta WhatsApp Cloud API. Callduck is ready to connect once you provide credentials — the account, app, and number all live in your Meta Business Portfolio, and several steps depend on Meta's own review, not Callduck.

Before you start

• A business with a legal name, website, and a phone number that is not already active on the WhatsApp consumer or Business app.
• Access to business.facebook.com and developers.facebook.com.

1. Create a Meta Business account

Create a Meta Business Portfolio at business.facebook.com. This is the container for your WhatsApp Business Account, apps, and users.

2. Create and verify a Meta app

In Meta for Developers → My Apps → Create App, choose the Business type. Business verification is Meta's process and may require documents proving your business is real. You can test before verification, but production messaging limits and going live depend on it.

3. Add the WhatsApp product

Open your app → Add products → WhatsApp → Set up. Meta creates a test WhatsApp Business Account and a free test phone number so you can try sending immediately.

4. Test number, then production number

1. Use the test number to send template messages to a few verified recipients while you build.
2. When ready, add your real production number in WhatsApp → API Setup, verify it by SMS or voice, and register it. A number can only live on one WhatsApp platform at a time.

5. System User + permanent access token

Temporary tokens expire in ~24 hours. For production, create a System User in Business Settings → Users → System Users, assign it your app and WhatsApp Business Account, and generate a permanent access token. Paste it into Callduck under Channels → WhatsApp.

6. Required permissions

When generating the token, grant:

• whatsapp_business_messaging — send and receive messages
• whatsapp_business_management — manage templates and account settings

7. Going from test to live

> Going live is Meta's gate, not Callduck's. You typically need: business verification approved, a registered production number, at least one approved template, and your app moved out of development mode.

Once your credentials are in Callduck and the webhook is verified, switch the channel to Cloud API and send a real test message to yourself.

Next

• WhatsApp Business Account
• Phone Number ID, WABA ID & Business Account ID
• Webhook callback URL