There are four ways to get a Mini App into a customer's WhatsApp chat. Send it by hand from the WhatsApp Inbox, send a saved quick reply by typing /, send an approved Utility or Marketing template to a customer who has gone quiet, or let an auto reply send it on its own. Your Mini Apps are in Settings › Sales channels › WhatsApp Mini Apps. Quick replies and templates are written in Settings › Library & templates › WhatsApp Templates. Auto replies are in Settings › CRM settings › Auto replies.
Before You Start
You need three things in place before any method below will work.
| What you need | Why | Where to set it up |
|---|---|---|
| A connected WhatsApp Business account | A Mini App is delivered as a button inside a WhatsApp message. Without the connection there is no chat to send it into. | Set up WhatsApp Integration |
| At least one published Mini App | A Mini App still in draft does not appear in any send list. | How the Mini App Builder Works |
| An existing order, for delivery forms only | Schedule Delivery and Reschedule forms attach to an order you already have. There is nothing to attach them to otherwise. | Setting Up a Schedule Delivery Mini App |
Check That Your Mini App Is Published
Click the ⚙️ Settings icon in the top-right corner.
Under the Sales channels section, click WhatsApp Mini Apps.
Find your Mini App in the Mini Apps list and look at the badge on the right of its row.
Status badge
| Badge | What it means |
|---|---|
| Published (green) | Customers get this Mini App as it is now. It is ready to send. |
| Unpublished changes (amber) | Customers still get the last version you published. Your newer edits are saved but not live yet. |
| Draft (grey) | It has never been published. Customers cannot get it, and it is not in any send list. |
The One Rule That Decides Everything: the 24 Hour Window
WhatsApp does not let businesses message people whenever they like. The rule is simple:
When a customer sends you a message, WhatsApp opens a 24 hour window. Inside that window you can reply with anything you want, free of charge. Once 24 hours pass with no new message from them, the window closes and you can only send a message that WhatsApp has approved in advance.
This is a WhatsApp rule, not an EasyBiz setting, and it cannot be turned off. It exists to stop businesses spamming people.
What this means for you in practice:
| Situation | What you can send |
|---|---|
| The customer messaged you in the last 24 hours | Anything — Method 1, 2 or 4 |
| The customer has gone quiet for more than 24 hours | Only an approved template — Method 3 |
Which Method Should You Use
All four methods put the same booking form in front of the customer. They differ in who triggers the send, and whether WhatsApp has to approve your message first.
Method 1 — Send from the Inbox. You are chatting with the customer right now, and you click a button to drop the form into the conversation. Nothing to set up. This is where every shop starts.
Method 2 — Quick reply shortcut. A quick reply is a saved message your team can send by typing /. You build it once, and after that any staff member sends the same booking form in two keystrokes instead of five clicks. Best when your counter staff send the same form twenty times a day.
Method 3 — Utility or Marketing template. This is a message WhatsApp has checked and approved in advance. It is the only way to reach a customer who has not replied in over 24 hours, which makes it your tool for reminders, follow-ups and promotions.
Method 4 — Auto reply. A saved reply that watches your incoming messages and answers on its own, without a staff member touching anything. A customer messages "pickup" at 11pm and the booking form arrives immediately. This is the one that keeps working after your shop closes.
| Method | Use it when | Who sends it | Needs WhatsApp approval |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Send from the Inbox | The customer is chatting with you right now | Your staff, by hand | No |
| 2. Quick reply shortcut | Your staff send the same form many times a day | Your staff, in two keystrokes | No |
| 3. Utility or Marketing template | The customer has not replied in over 24 hours | Your staff, by hand | Yes |
| 4. Auto reply | You want it sent automatically, even at 11pm | The system, on its own | No |
Method 1 — Send Directly from the Inbox
Best for: a customer who is messaging you right now.
Click the Inbox icon in the top-right corner and click the customer's chat.
Below the message box, click the Mini App icon (a finger tapping). A panel opens titled Attach Mini-App.
- Click the Mini App you want to send. Under each name you see the text of the button your customer will tap.
- Confirm the details above the message.
For pickup bookings and sign ups you will see a Select Customer (Optional) field. Click it to see the contacts saved with this chat's number, and pick the right one. You can leave it empty.
For delivery bookings you will see a Select Order field. You must choose which order this delivery belongs to, so the date the customer picks lands on the right job.
Type the message that appears above the button, for example: Here is our booking form. Tap the button below to choose your pickup date and time. The send arrow stays grey until you do.
Click the send arrow at the bottom right.
Where Quick Replies and Templates Live
Methods 2 and 3 both start in the same place: the WhatsApp Templates page. It shows your templates one type at a time, with a tab for each type (Utility, Marketing, Authentication and Quick reply) and a search box at the top. While you type a search, it shows matches from every tab.
Click Settings in the top navigation bar.
Under the Library & templates section, click WhatsApp Templates. On some accounts this section is called Library.
To start a new one, click New template. A new page opens with the same tabs. Pick the tab for the type you want, then click Add next to the message you want to start from.
When you open a template, your changes save as you type. Nothing reaches customers until you click Publish (for a quick reply) or Submit for approval (for a Utility or Marketing template) at the top right.
Method 2 — Quick Reply Shortcut
Best for: staff who send the same form all day. Two keystrokes instead of five clicks.
Set it up once
Go to Settings › Library & templates › WhatsApp Templates.
Click New template, then click the Quick reply tab.
Next to Mini App action, click Add. Pointing at a row shows that message on the phone preview first.
In the New WhatsApp Template window, enter a Template Name. This name is only seen by your team, and it is what staff search for when they type /. Make it obvious, for example Send Pickup Booking Form.
(Optional) Choose a Template category. Think of a category as a folder: if your team has twenty saved messages, folders make the list easier to read. You can leave it empty.
Set the Default reply status. This decides what happens to the conversation after your staff send this message.
| Choose | What happens to the conversation |
|---|---|
| Replied | Marked as done and moves out of your Pending list |
| Pending | Stays in your Pending list so your team remembers to follow up |
- Click Create. The new quick reply opens in the editor.
In the Buttons section, choose your Mini App in the Mini App dropdown. Type the Button text the customer will tap, such as Book Pickup. If you leave it empty, the Mini App's own button text is used.
(Optional) Edit the Body text — this is the message that appears above the button. Type @ to drop in the customer's name so the message does not read like a machine wrote it.
Click Publish at the top right, then Publish again in the window that opens.
Group quick replies into categories (optional)
Once you have at least one quick reply, a Template Categories button appears on the Quick reply tab of the list, next to the first heading.
Click Template Categories.
Click Add Category, type a name such as Mini Apps Booking Forms, and click Save.
To put a quick reply in a category, open it, click Template Settings below its content, and pick the Template category.
Categories only tidy up the WhatsApp Templates list. A quick reply with no category still shows in the list, and still shows when staff type /.
Send it
Open the customer's chat in your WhatsApp Inbox.
Type / in the message box.
Pick your saved message from the list that appears. Keep typing after the / to search by name.
Confirm the customer or the order if you are asked, then click Send.
Method 3 — Utility or Marketing Template
Best for: customers who have gone quiet for more than 24 hours.
A template is a message you write in advance and send to WhatsApp for checking. Once WhatsApp approves it, you can send it to a customer at any time, even months after they last spoke to you. This is the only way to reach a quiet customer.
| Type | Use it for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Utility | Something about an order the customer already has | "Your bag is ready — pick your delivery date" |
| Marketing | Promotions and anything selling | "20% off this week — book a pickup" |
Go to Settings › Library & templates › WhatsApp Templates.
Click New template, then click the Utility or Marketing tab.
Next to a ready design, for example Special Offer on the Marketing tab, click Add. Pointing at a design shows it on the phone preview first.
- Enter a Template Name, set the Default reply status, and click Create. The new template opens in the editor.
Edit the Body, and the Header or Footer if you want. The phone preview on the right shows the message as your customer will get it.
Scroll to Buttons. Some designs arrive with a button already on them. Special Offer, for example, comes with a Book Now button that opens a website.
You have three choices:
Keep both buttons. Click the ready-made button and fill in its URL type and Website URL, for example your own booking page. Then click Add button, set Button Type to Open mini App, pick your Mini App, give it text such as Book Pickup, and click Add.
Change the order. Drag a button up or down by its grip handle to decide which one the customer sees first.
Remove the other button. Click the ⋮ next to it and choose Delete, then add your Mini App button.
This is how the new Mini App button looks before you click Add:
With two buttons, use the grip handle to move one, or the ⋮ menu to delete one:
- Click Submit for approval at the top right.
- In the Submit for META review window, check the WhatsApp account under Select WhatsApp Account, then click Submit.
What happens next: the WhatsApp review
WhatsApp reads every Utility and Marketing template before allowing it, to stop businesses spamming people. Approval usually takes a few minutes, sometimes a few hours. You do not need to do anything while you wait. The template's status in the WhatsApp Templates list shows when it is approved.
Send it
Open the customer's chat in your WhatsApp Inbox.
Below the message box, click the Template icon. A panel opens titled Template message.
Choose your approved template and click Send.
The customer receives your message with a button that opens the Mini App.
Method 4 — Let EasyBiz Send It Automatically
Best for: answering the customer the second they ask, including at 11pm when nobody is at the counter.
An auto reply is a standing instruction you give EasyBiz once: when a message like this arrives, send this reply. Put a Mini App button on that reply, and the booking form goes out on its own — no staff, no waiting.
Below are three ready-made recipes. Copy the settings exactly, change the words to suit your shop, and you are done. Full details on every setting are in Setting Up Auto Reply Rules for Your WhatsApp.
Where to Set It Up
Click the ⚙️ Settings icon in the top-right corner.
Under the CRM settings section, click Auto replies.
Click Add reply at the top of the Replies list.
- Pick where to start. Ready-made replies are grouped under Welcome, Operational and Confirmation, with Blank at the bottom.
- In the Add reply window, type a Name and click Add. A ready-made reply fills in its own name, which you can change.
The reply opens with its Name, Status, Conditions, Reply Message, Action and Send frequency. Nothing is saved until you click Save at the top right.
Recipe 1 — A Customer Asks to Book a Pickup
Your customer types "can I book a pickup" at any hour. EasyBiz sends the booking form immediately.
| Setting | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Start from | Blank |
| Name | Send pickup form when customer asks |
| Conditions | Click Keyword match. Type pickup and leave the dropdown on Contains. |
| Reply Message | Sure, we can arrange a pickup for you. Tap the button below to choose your date and time. |
| Action | Action type Open mini App, choose your pickup Mini App, Button text Book Pickup |
| Send frequency | Once per conversation |
Recipe 2 — Someone Messages After You Close
Your shop shuts at 8pm. A customer messages at 11pm. Instead of silence, they get your opening time and a booking form they can fill in tonight.
| Setting | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Start from | After Working Hours |
| Name | After hours notice |
| Conditions | Already filled in with After business hours. Leave it. |
| Reply Message | Hi, thanks for messaging! We are closed now and will reply from @Next Available Time. If you would like to book a pickup, you can do it right now using the button below. |
| Action | Action type Open mini App, choose your pickup Mini App, Button text Book Pickup |
| Send frequency | Once per 24 hours |
Recipe 3 — A Stranger Messages Your Shop for the First Time
Somebody who has never ordered from you sends their first message. They get a welcome and a sign up form, so their name and address are saved before they book anything.
| Setting | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Start from | New Customer Welcome |
| Name | New customer welcome |
| Conditions | Already filled in with New customer, New conversation and Within business hours. Remove Within business hours with the ✕ if you want it to work at night too. |
| Reply Message | Welcome to our shop! Please tap below to save your details, so we can serve you faster next time. |
| Action | Action type Open mini App, choose your Customer Sign Up Mini App, Button text Register |
| Send frequency | Once per conversation |
The Words You Can Drop Into the Message
Type @ in Reply Message to insert information EasyBiz fills in for you. Which ones appear depends on the conditions you added.
| Available in every reply | What it shows |
|---|---|
| @Next Available Time | The next time your shop opens, e.g. Monday at 09:00 |
| @Current Date | Today's date |
| @Current Time | The time right now |
| Only after you add App submitted | What it shows |
|---|---|
| @Customer Name | The customer's name |
| @Order Number | Their order number |
| @Pickup Date / @Pickup Time | The pickup time they chose |
| @Delivery Date / @Delivery Time | The delivery time they chose |
Test It Before Customers See It
Leave Status on Testing: replies only to the Test Group. Every new reply starts there, so no customer can receive it yet.
Click Save at the top right.
Under Settings at the bottom of the Auto replies page, click Test Group and add your own mobile number, then click Save.
Message your own shop number from your phone and check the reply and the button.
Open the reply, change Status to Live: replies to every customer, and click Save.
FAQs
Which method should I start with?
Method 1. It needs no setup at all. Add Method 4 next so customers who message you after closing time still get a form, then Method 2 once your staff are sending the same form several times a day.
Where did the WhatsApp settings page go?
Its parts now have their own pages. Mini Apps are in Settings › Sales channels › WhatsApp Mini Apps. Auto replies, Business Hours and the Test Group are in Settings › CRM settings › Auto replies. Quick replies and templates are in Settings › Library & templates › WhatsApp Templates. Nothing you set up before was lost.
Can I put a Mini App link on my website or print a QR code?
No. A Mini App only opens inside a WhatsApp conversation, so there is no web link and no QR code for it. If you want a printed QR code that starts a WhatsApp chat with your shop, use Lead Sources instead.
Why is my message box locked for some customers?
They have not messaged you for more than 24 hours, so WhatsApp has closed the free messaging window. Only an approved Utility or Marketing template can reach them now.
Why is my Mini App not in the list when I try to send it?
It is still a draft. Open it, click Publish, and it will appear.
My Mini App says Unpublished changes. What do customers get?
The last version you published. Your newer edits only reach customers after you click Publish again, and the badge then turns back to Published.
Do I need WhatsApp approval for every method?
Only for Method 3. Inbox sends, quick replies and auto replies all work the moment you publish or save them, because they only ever go to someone who messaged you first.
Do I have to give every quick reply a category?
No. Categories only group the list on the WhatsApp Templates page. Quick replies with no category still show there, and still come up when staff type /.
What happens if a customer starts the form and does not finish it?
No order is created. The order is only made when they tap the button on the last screen. But their name, phone number and address are saved to your customer list as soon as they finish those screens. You can find them under Sales, then Contacts, and follow up with them in WhatsApp.
Will an auto reply spam my customers?
Not on the default setting. Once per conversation sends the form a single time and will not send again until that conversation is closed and reopened.
Can I test an auto reply before customers see it?
Yes. Leave its Status on Testing, add your own number to the Test Group on the Auto replies page, and message yourself. Change it to Live and click Save when you are happy.
Can I send a delivery Mini App without choosing an order?
No. A delivery form has to be attached to an order that already exists, so the date the customer picks lands on the right job.
My template was rejected by WhatsApp. What now?
Rejections are almost always about wording that reads like an advert in a Utility template. Write it again as a Marketing template, or soften the wording, and submit again. Remember you can only edit once every 24 hours.
What's Next
Learn how each booking form is built so you can adjust one to suit your shop: How the Mini App Builder Works.