We’ve updated how the API interacts with WhatsApp groups.

Moving forward, messages to WhatsApp groups will no longer be sent by Whin; instead, they will be sent by the API user directly from their WhatsApp account. To facilitate this, we’ve introduced a new endpoint called “enrol” where API users can link their WhatsApp account with the API by scanning a QR code. Once this linking process is complete, users can create a WhatsApp group and communicate through it programmatically.

This change comes after listening to and analyzing feedback from our longstanding users. We believe it provides a highly demanded functionality as many users expressed reluctance to have Whin in their groups. With this update, that won’t be necessary anymore.

The process starts by using the ´/enrol´ endpoint to get a QR and scan it with the whatsapp app on your mobile.

Once the enrolment is complete, you need to ask whin to create a whatsapp group. This can be achieved:

• programmatically: by making a request on the “create a group” endpoint. Learn how to do it on this video.
• manually: by sending a whatsapp to whin (the same number you used to sign-up, not the bot) with the command: whin-create-group , or click this link: https://wa.me/13022612667?text=whin-create-group Learn how to do it in this video.

When whin receives this command, it will:

• create a new group,
• join the group,
• you will be the Admin and owner of the group, and you can remove whin from it at any time.

As you’re Admin of the group, it’s all yours. Whin will remain as Member of the group too (if you wish). Whin will NOT interact with any of the messages written on the chat, you can still forward all the messages to your listener (defined on the set-url endpoint), and write to the group whatever you send to the group (using the sender to group endpoint).

You will be allowed to own a single group shared with whin. All messages you sent to a group, or all webhooks received targeted to a group, will be delivered to it.

You can use the group metadata endpoint to fetch the information from your group, like: members, group-id, roles, time of creation, subject… You can get the group-id also sending the command group-id through whatsapp to whin (the same number you used to sign-up, not the bot), or click this link: https://wa.me/13022612667?text=group-id

You may need a large number of WhatsApp groups for different use cases, every whin subscriber will only be allowed to own one group. If you need to programmatically create more, get in touch with us to discuss the options you have.

From time to time we add new whin numbers to the service to balance the load of the back-end; if you have a group created and need to add a different whin number, you can add it as a member of the group. Do not forget you are the Admin of those groups and you manage its members and roles.