Are you tired of manually sending WhatsApp messages to a large number of contacts? Do you wish there was a way to automate this process and save time? Well, you’re in luck because today we’re going to explore the possibility of sending WhatsApp messages from Google Sheets. This feature can be a game-changer for businesses, marketers, and individuals who need to send mass messages to their audience. With the help of Google Sheets and a few simple scripts, you can automate the process of sending WhatsApp messages, making it easier to manage your communication and save time.
Google Sheets is a powerful tool that allows you to store and manipulate data in a spreadsheet format. It’s a great way to organize and analyze data, and with the help of scripts, you can automate tasks and integrate it with other applications. In this article, we’ll explore how to send WhatsApp messages from Google Sheets using a script. We’ll cover the basics of Google Sheets, the requirements for sending WhatsApp messages, and the steps to set up the script. By the end of this article, you’ll be able to send WhatsApp messages from Google Sheets like a pro.
Requirements for Sending WhatsApp Messages from Google Sheets
To send WhatsApp messages from Google Sheets, you’ll need a few things:
- A Google Sheets account
- A WhatsApp Business account
- The Google Apps Script add-on
- The WhatsApp API
The WhatsApp Business account is required to use the WhatsApp API, which is necessary for sending automated messages. The Google Apps Script add-on is used to create and run the script that sends the messages. Make sure you have all these requirements in place before proceeding.
Setting Up the Google Apps Script Add-on
The Google Apps Script add-on is a powerful tool that allows you to create and run scripts in Google Sheets. To set it up, follow these steps:
1. Open your Google Sheet and click on the “Extensions” menu.
2. Click on “Get add-ons” and search for “Google Apps Script” in the search bar.
3. Click on the “Google Apps Script” add-on and click on the “Install” button.
4. Once installed, click on the “Extensions” menu again and select “Apps Script” from the drop-down menu.
5. This will open the Google Apps Script editor, where you can create and run scripts.
Creating a New Script
To create a new script, follow these steps:
1. In the Google Apps Script editor, click on the “File” menu and select “New” from the drop-down menu.
2. This will create a new script file, which you can name whatever you like.
3. In the script file, you’ll see a blank editor where you can write your code. (See Also: How to only Show Certain Columns in Google Sheets? Mastering Data Visualization)
4. To send WhatsApp messages, you’ll need to use the WhatsApp API, which requires a token. To get the token, follow the instructions in the next section.
Getting the WhatsApp API Token
To get the WhatsApp API token, follow these steps:
1. Go to the WhatsApp Business API website and sign in with your WhatsApp Business account.
2. Click on the “Settings” icon and select “API” from the drop-down menu.
3. Click on the “Create API token” button and follow the instructions to create a new token.
4. Once you have the token, you can use it in your script to authenticate with the WhatsApp API.
Authenticating with the WhatsApp API
To authenticate with the WhatsApp API, you’ll need to use the token you created in the previous section. Follow these steps:
1. In your script, create a new variable to store the token.
2. Use the `UrlFetchApp` service to make a GET request to the WhatsApp API to authenticate.
3. Use the `JSON.parse` function to parse the response and get the authentication token.
4. Use the authentication token to make requests to the WhatsApp API.
Setting Up the WhatsApp API in Google Sheets
Now that you have the token, you can set up the WhatsApp API in Google Sheets. Follow these steps:
1. Open your Google Sheet and click on the “Extensions” menu.
2. Click on “Get add-ons” and search for “WhatsApp API” in the search bar.
3. Click on the “WhatsApp API” add-on and click on the “Install” button. (See Also: How to Show Slope of Trendline in Google Sheets? Easily Uncovered)
4. Once installed, click on the “Extensions” menu again and select “WhatsApp API” from the drop-down menu.
5. This will open the WhatsApp API settings page, where you can enter your token and other settings.
6. Enter your token and other settings, and click on the “Save” button.
Creating a Script to Send WhatsApp Messages
Now that you have the WhatsApp API set up in Google Sheets, you can create a script to send WhatsApp messages. Follow these steps:
1. In the Google Apps Script editor, create a new script file.
2. In the script file, use the `UrlFetchApp` service to make a POST request to the WhatsApp API to send a message.
3. Use the `JSON.parse` function to parse the response and get the message ID.
4. Use the message ID to send a confirmation message to the user.
Example Script
Here’s an example script that sends a WhatsApp message:
function sendWhatsAppMessage() {
var token = "YOUR_TOKEN_HERE";
var phoneNumber = "YOUR_PHONE_NUMBER_HERE";
var message = "Hello, world!";
var options = {
"method": "POST",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer " + token
},
"payload": {
"messaging_product": "whatsapp",
"to": phoneNumber,
"type": "text",
"text": {
"body": message
}
}
};
var response = UrlFetchApp.fetch("https://graph.facebook.com/v13.0/messages", options);
var responseBody = JSON.parse(response.getContentText());
var messageId = responseBody.id;
var confirmationMessage = "Your message has been sent successfully!";
var options2 = {
"method": "POST",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer " + token
},
"payload": {
"messaging_product": "whatsapp",
"to": phoneNumber,
"type": "text",
"text": {
"body": confirmationMessage
}
}
};
UrlFetchApp.fetch("https://graph.facebook.com/v13.0/messages", options2);
}
Running the Script
Now that you have the script created, you can run it to send WhatsApp messages. Follow these steps:
1. In the Google Apps Script editor, click on the “Run” button.
2. Select the “sendWhatsAppMessage” function from the drop-down menu.
3. Click on the “Run” button to execute the script.
4. The script will send a WhatsApp message to the phone number specified in the script.
Conclusion
And that’s it! You’ve successfully set up the WhatsApp API in Google Sheets and created a script to send WhatsApp messages. With this script, you can automate the process of sending WhatsApp messages to a large number of contacts, saving you time and effort. Remember to replace the placeholders in the script with your own token, phone number, and message. Happy automating!
Recap
Here’s a quick recap of the steps we covered in this article:
- Set up the Google Apps Script add-on in Google Sheets.
- Get the WhatsApp API token and authenticate with the WhatsApp API.
- Set up the WhatsApp API in Google Sheets.
- Create a script to send WhatsApp messages using the WhatsApp API.
- Run the script to send WhatsApp messages.
FAQs
Q: What is the WhatsApp API?
A: The WhatsApp API is a set of APIs that allow developers to interact with the WhatsApp platform. It allows you to send and receive messages, make calls, and even send files.
Q: How do I get the WhatsApp API token?
A: To get the WhatsApp API token, you need to create a WhatsApp Business account and follow the instructions on the WhatsApp Business API website to create a new token.
Q: What is the difference between the WhatsApp Business API and the WhatsApp API?
A: The WhatsApp Business API is a set of APIs that allow businesses to interact with the WhatsApp platform. It allows you to send and receive messages, make calls, and even send files. The WhatsApp API is a set of APIs that allow developers to interact with the WhatsApp platform. It allows you to send and receive messages, make calls, and even send files, but it’s not specifically designed for businesses.
Q: Can I use the WhatsApp API to send messages to non-business users?
A: No, the WhatsApp API is only for businesses and cannot be used to send messages to non-business users. If you need to send messages to non-business users, you’ll need to use the WhatsApp Business API.
Q: Can I use the WhatsApp API to send messages to multiple phone numbers at once?
Q: Can I use the WhatsApp API to send messages to multiple phone numbers at once?
A: Yes, you can use the WhatsApp API to send messages to multiple phone numbers at once. However, you’ll need to use the “batch” endpoint to send messages to multiple phone numbers in a single request. This can help you save time and reduce the number of requests you need to make.
Q: Can I use the WhatsApp API to send media files, such as images and videos?
A: Yes, you can use the WhatsApp API to send media files, such as images and videos. However, you’ll need to use the “media” endpoint to send media files, and you’ll need to ensure that the media files are in a format that WhatsApp supports.
Q: Can I use the WhatsApp API to receive messages from users?
A: Yes, you can use the WhatsApp API to receive messages from users. However, you’ll need to use the “messages” endpoint to receive messages, and you’ll need to ensure that you have the necessary permissions to receive messages.
Q: Can I use the WhatsApp API to send messages to users who have not opted-in to receive messages?
A: No, you cannot use the WhatsApp API to send messages to users who have not opted-in to receive messages. WhatsApp requires users to opt-in to receive messages from businesses, and you must respect this requirement to avoid violating WhatsApp’s terms of service.