Get started: Preparing quick replies and WhatsApp templates

You are currently in step 2 Preparing quick replies and WhatsApp templates of the Get started checklist. To confidently handle conversations, you want to be proactive and consistant by preparing messages before engaging with customers. This starts with preparing quick replies and WhatsApp templates in Spotler Message. This ensures smooth and professional communication across conversations.

Difference between quick replies and WhatsApp templates

You can find both Quick replies and WhatsApp templates in the Settings module under Quick replies. You will recognize them by their symbol. Click on the tabs below for an explanation on both.
Quick reply 3.png

Quick replies

Quick replies are predefined short responses you trigger in the chat window of your conversation by typing / or clicking on the / icon. Quick replies can include variable values highlighted in yellow, which are dynamically filled based on contact information, such as the first name.

WhatsApp templates

WhatsApp templates are predefined, pre-approved messages required to initiate a WhatsApp conversation outside of the 24-hour window. You can have proactive templates and reactive templates.

Once a contact replies, you can freely respond without templates for 24 hours. Outside that 24-hour window, only these approved templates can be used.

Step 1. Add WhatsApp templates

Let's first add a WhatsApp template to your Spotler Message account. 

⏩ Skip if ready

If your account already contains a WhatsApp template, click through the existing one(s) to see the contents and details of your templates. If you don't see the option to add or edit WhatsApp templates, it means your administrator manages these templates for your team. You can still view them and, more importantly, use them in your conversations. 

Click on the blue Add icon, followed by Add WhatsApp template to open the setup wizard. 
WhatsApp 1.png

This wizard walks you through 7 steps to take. Have a look at this Help Center article to follow these steps: Add WhatsApp template

When submitted, the template is sent to Meta for approval. This can take a few minutes. After that, the template is visible in your Quick replies overview.

📚 Need more guidance?

Step 2. Add Quick replies

Now we add a Quick reply to your account. Again click on the blue Add icon, but now followed by Add quick reply. A new setup wizard opens that contains 3 steps.
Quick reply 1.png

Follow the steps in this Help Center article to create your own Quick replies, designed to save you time in customer interactions: Add Quick reply.

Working with WhatsApp templates and Quick replies

With these WhatsApp templates and Quick replies in place, it's time to put them to use. You do this in the Conversations module of Spotler Message by typing a / or clicking the / icon in the compose bar of a chat window. Here, you will find all your available templates or quick replies.
2025-11-21_11h10_50.png

You can also search for specific ones, by adding text after the /, such as in the example below with a WhatsApp template for delayed orders. By just typing /delay, it is filtered down to this one template, making it much more efficient to work with many templates and quick replies.
2025-11-21_11h12_54.png

As you've seen in the video and this article, you use the templates in quick replies in your conversations. Therefor, let's head to the next step and learn more about this module.

👉2️⃣ Go to Step 2: Managing your first conversation