When you route WhatsApp conversations to a widget connected to Slack, incoming WhatsApp messages appear as chat invitations in your Slack channel. Agents reply directly from Slack, and responses are sent back to the customer through WhatsApp. This guide covers how the integration works and how to configure routing.
Pré-requisitos
- WhatsApp Business connected to Social Intents (see Setting Up WhatsApp Business)
- A chat widget connected to Slack (see Connect to Slack)
Routing WhatsApp to Slack
Select the Widget
Go to Settings > Outbound Settings. Under Route Inbound to Chat App, select the widget that is connected to your Slack workspace and channel.
Verify the Slack Channel
Confirm that the widget's Slack integration is configured to post to the correct channel. Go to My Widgets > your widget > Settings to check the target channel.
Test
Send a WhatsApp message to your business number from a personal phone. The message should appear in your Slack channel as a new chat invitation.
What Agents See in Slack
When a WhatsApp message arrives, Social Intents posts a chat invitation to your configured Slack channel. The invitation includes the customer's phone number, source label (WhatsApp), and initial message.
Channel Mode vs. Thread Mode
By default, each WhatsApp conversation creates a new dedicated Slack channel. Social Intents automatically creates and names the channel for each conversation, and agents reply within that channel. This gives every conversation its own space with a clean, focused view of a single customer interaction.
Alternatively, you can switch to thread mode, where WhatsApp conversations are posted as threaded replies within your existing Slack channel. Each conversation becomes its own thread, keeping all conversations organized in a single channel rather than creating new channels for each one.
To switch between modes, go to My Widgets > your widget > Settings and look for the Slack conversation format option. Choose Channels (default) or Threads based on your team's preference.
When to Use Each Mode
- Channels (default) - Best for teams that want each conversation fully isolated. Easier to manage when multiple agents handle different conversations simultaneously.
- Threads - Best for teams that prefer a single channel view with all conversations visible as threads. Keeps your Slack workspace from accumulating many channels.
Escalation Routing
You can route WhatsApp conversations to different Slack channels based on conversational topic. Create Escalate Chat to Human actions in AI Actions and assign each route to a specific Slack channel. For example:
- Sales inquiries route to #sales-chats
- Support questions route to #support-chats
- General questions route to #general-chats
See Escalation Routing for configuration details.
Chatbot com IA
If the widget has an AI chatbot enabled, the chatbot responds to WhatsApp messages before any Slack notification is sent. When the customer needs a human agent or triggers an escalation, the conversation is handed off to your Slack channel with full context.
Perguntas frequentes
Can I route WhatsApp to a different Slack channel than website chats?
Yes. Create a separate widget for WhatsApp conversations and connect it to a different Slack channel. Then route WhatsApp inbound to that widget in Outbound Settings.
Do agents need WhatsApp installed?
No. Agents respond entirely from Slack. They do not need a WhatsApp account or the WhatsApp app.
How do Slack notifications work for WhatsApp messages?
WhatsApp messages trigger the same Slack notifications as website chats. Agents receive channel notifications based on their Slack notification preferences.