Product updates
2021
23 Nov 2021: Button messages
2 Nov 2021: Playbooks Launch
20 Sept 2021: The end of Chatbase
9 Sept 2021: Data Export API
9 August 2021: Thread data export
22 June 2021: You know best!
21 June 2021: Sample content for templates
17 June 2021: Important security improvements
8 June 2021: Community Playbooks
18 March 2021: Improved billing transparency
17 March 2021: Share the amazing work you do
8 March 2021: Contextual replies and profile settings that suit you
22 Feb 2021: Button automation
18 Feb 2021: Updates to the fallback channel
17 Feb 2021: Contacts and labels data added to BQ
10 Feb 2021: Temporary limitations while we do a Search infrastructure upgrade
5 Feb 2021: Snappier and easier-to-use modals
3 Feb 2021: Add media to templates
27 Jan 2021: Add media or stickers to custom replies
21 Dec 2020: A last big release to celebrate the year
2 Dec 2020: Delete a template, get more insights and send stickers via the API
17 Nov 2020: Delete a user message
23 October 2020: Insights
19 October 2020: Hidden numbers by default
8 September 2020: Contact Profile
11 August 2020: Learn in Turn
3 August 2020: Add a list to your Exact match automations
30 July 2020: Manage your message template spend
15 July 2020: Data storage and rejection reasons
10 July 2020: WhatsApp profile and Login
2022
21 Nov 2022: A new look user interface!
18 Nov 2022: Build with feedback
13 Oct 2022: Reminders are in Beta!
11 Oct 2022: Building blocks
10 Oct 2022: New Turn.io Developer Docs
19 Sept 2022: More fields available in the Data Export API
15 Sept 2022: Shorter messages are better
13 Sept: Changes to the contact details API endpoint
7 Sept 2022: Stack improvements
1 Sept 2022: Learn to Build with Stacks.
19 Aug 2022: Better human support with Message Collections
18 Aug 2022: Deprecating Goals
17 Aug 2022: Build for your audience
16 Aug: Pick a date range
28 July 2022: Custom voice notes
14 July 2022: Get Stacking! Build more complex services.
4 July 2022: Faster insights
29 Jun 2022: Reminders are live!
8 Jun 2022: Track your conversations
3 May 2022: Reach out with Reminders
21 Apr 2022: Payments made easy!
3 Apr 2022: Follow up at an exact local time
20 Mar 2022: Small changes, big wins!
8 Mar 2022: Security enhancements
16 Feb 2022: Add resources to Playbooks and export Contacts
26 Jan 2022: Try out emojis in buttons, but no more 'templates' in sandboxes
5 Jan 2022: Use buttons in threads
2023
12 Dec 2023: Never start from scratch
2 Aug 2023: PUT and PATCH functions now available within stacks
26 Jul 2023: Uninterrupted conversations
19 Jul 2023: More freedom and flexibility with code blocks
14 Jul 2023: Get your stack results in BigQuery
12 Jul 2023: Start a stack from another stack
8 Jul 23: Your name, your number
4 Jul 2023: Better chat and insights performance
30 June 2023: Stacks logging API (beta)
27 Jun 203: Visualised connections
19 Jun 2023: Add notes on the Canvas
14 Jun 2023: Speed up conversation assignment
26 May 2023: Microsoft Single Sign-on
15 May 2023: The latest Canvas improvements
24 Apr 2023: Logging in Stacks
20 Apr 2023: The no-code Canvas is live!
28 Mar 2023: Important changes to template categories
30 Mar 2023: Integrate with Huggingface.co
23 Mar 2023: Answer conversations on mobile
20 Mar 2023: Act on the user's last interaction
17 Mar 2023: Scan the list for unassigned chats
10 Mar 2023: Template with buttons in stacks
9 March 2023: More data in BigQuery!
16 Feb 2023: More possibilities for scheduling stacks
13 Feb 2023: Automatically mark messages as DONE
3 Feb 2023: Search with quick picks or date&time filters
17 Jan 2023: Add hyperlinks to Playbooks
11 Jan 2023: Export specific responses from Stacks
23 Aug 2023: Block a user
22 Nov 2023: The new Inbox
30 Aug 2023: A series of Trust and Safety Playbooks
12 Sep 2023: Templates on the Canvas
18 Oct 2023: Interruption-free conversations on Turn
19 Dec 2023: Triggers in Build
13 Sep 2023: A dedicated Unassigned collection
5 Sep 2023: Hide personal information
16 Oct 2023: A reimagined Turn Helpdesk
18 Oct 2023: More joy on the Canvas!
16 Jan 2023: Voice note transcriptions
3 Aug 2023: Suggested replies
18 Oct 2023: An improved billing system
16 Oct 2024: Channel API
16 Oct 2024: Improvements to the human-bot experience
11 Oct 2024: Multiple AI assistants
9 Oct 2024: WhatsApp shortcuts
9 Oct 2024: Automatic closure of inactive chats
7 Oct 2024: Export Message Status Data from the REST API
26 Sep 2024: Introducing staging for Journeys
23 Sep 2024: AI translations in the Inbox
10 Sep 2024: Journey Rest API
29 Aug 2024: Send reminders to Segments
20 Aug 2024: A version history for Journeys
15 Aug 2024: Faster and more reliable
17 Jul 2024: Close and unassign a conversation
17 Jun 2024: More subscription details
14 Jun 2024: Deleting a contact
13 Jun 2024: Simulator improvements
12 Jun 2024: More than one trigger option
12 Jun 2024: Retiring the Turn NLU integration
7 Jun 2024: Manage custom fields via People Settings
28 May 2024: More informative chat previews
24 May 2024: Allow Reminders to start a journey
24 May 2024: Start a chat with People
20 May 2024: People
20 May 2024: Routing automatically distributes chats
20 May 2024: Journey logs
9 May 2024: Data and variables in journeys
7 May 2024: Get journey specific Sentry errors
19 Apr 2024: Start a journey from the inbox
10 Apr 2024: Duplicate or delete journeys in bulk
9 Apr 2024: React to messages
4 Apr 2024: Reactions
2 Apr 2024: Backwards incompatible change on Flow Results API
27 Mar 2024: First-time visitors
25 Mar 2024: Handling late responses
22 Mar 2024: Basic operator insights
19 Mar 2024: Pin your favourite collections
14 Mar 2024: Get 10% discount
26 Feb 2024: "First Message Received At" profile field
20 Feb 2024: Mentions
16 Feb 2024: Give us feedback
13 Feb 2024: More filtering options in triggers
6 Feb 2024: Improve team work with notes
6 Feb 2024: Update profile fields block
30 Jan 2024: Convert Threads to Journeys
29 Jan 2024: Warning emails when conversation credits are low
24 Jan 2024: Pin your favourite profile fields
24 Jan 2024: Journeys are the way forward
16 Jan 2024: Branch the journey
9 Jan 2024: The conversation is yours
FAQs
General FAQs
What is an MAU (Monthly Active User)?
Can I use Turn.io in my country?
What is Turn.io?
Approving Facebook business manager account
Can I get a free trial?
What is Google-backed?
What support do I get with my subscription?
Product FAQs
Subscription statuses explained
Can I format content with bold, italics etc?
How to help a user that is stuck within a Journey?
How to change our chat service display name?
My sandbox isn't working? How do I connect?
Can I attach more than one image, audio clip, video or document to a message?
My emoji trigger isn't working?
If a journey is updated, what happens to people in an active session?
How do I extract data out of Turn.io?
Can I edit and/or delete a custom profile field?
What are 'goals'?
What are 'collections'?
How to work as a team
What media can I use in messages?
Why is my video not sending?
How to setup subscription billing
Why can't I see chats that I've sent messages to?
What is the difference between a member and an admin?
How do I add other contact fields?
What are the options to get data from Turn.io?
I found a bug..
How to add team members?
WhatsApp FAQs
Can I use WhatsApp Groups on the API?
Can you give me examples of approved message templates?
What languages are allowed for message templates?
Why has my template(s) been rejected?
How are conversations charged?
Example of user-initiated vs business-initiated conversations
Can I send a free-form message?
Are all conversations paid?
Developer FAQs
How secure is my data?
Securing Data Localization in the Desired Region During Bigquery Integration
What is 1013 error code?
Webhook Troubleshooting
Implications of moving to the WhatsApp Cloud API
Why am I seeing error code "131056"?
Get started!
Get a WhatsApp line: Step-by-step instructions, with a video
Your WABA application checklist
Display name guidelines
What is Business Verification?
Your Business Verification checklist
Help! I got an error whilst doing embedded sign-up?
Help! I'm struggling to get my business verified?
Help! I uploaded the wrong document for Business Verification?
Help! The "Start Verification" button is greyed-out?
Help! Why hasn't my display name been approved?
Help! Our display name got rejected?
Help! What happens if we're not verified within 30 days?
Help! I can see my number in Turn but it's not working?
Help! Can I have a WhatsApp number for a different country than my business registration?
Help! We are a government entity, how do we do Facebook business verification?
Help! What is a Facebook Business Manager Account?
Help! What is a BSP?
What number do I need for my service?
Help! What is two-factor authentication (2FA)?
Is it possible to set-up WhatsApp on my phone using my chatbot service number?
How to create a sandbox in a new organisation
How to Plan for Growth on WhatsApp
How to use Turn.io
Journeys
A video masterclass on Journeys
Get started with journeys
The available trigger types in Journeys
How to set up time-based triggers?
How to use the Branch block in journeys?
How to use Data in journeys?
Can I switch between code and no-code journeys?
Save important responses to the contact profile or as downloadable results
How to use the Settings sidebar?
Where do I start with code journeys?
Build chat journeys specific to your audience
How to download and duplicate code journeys
Where do I find code journey documentation?
Can I switch between a code and a no-code journey?
Using media in no-code journeys
AI-powered
How to integrate with an AI provider
How to provide relevant contextual information for your AI assistant
Use the AI blocks to craft your AI-powered chat service
How to best use the GenAI Playbooks
Specify which model to use
Unpacking Playbooks: Alex the Delight Planner
Helpdesk
Contacts
Search and Label
Collections, Assign and Roles
How to create and use collections
How to assign or share a conversation
Team roles
Search for sent or received or all messages
Seamless handover between a human and a bot
How to block a user?
How to get location data over WhatsApp?
How to manage personal information on the helpdesk?
Automatically assign chats
People
Reminders
How to send or schedule a reminder?
How many people can I send Reminders to?
Contact search examples
Understanding Reminders' statuses and stats
Content
How to load content
How users engage with content
Structure and plan your content
Create your first menu
How to send custom replies
How to send custom voice notes?
How to add a button message
How to upload stickers
How to delete a message that a user sent?
Message templates
How to re-connect with users using message templates
Create and submit your template(s) for approval
Send message templates to users
How to add buttons to a template
How to add media to a template
Delete or copy a template
Automation
How to set up basic automations
The available trigger types in Automations
The available action types
How to set up advanced automations
How to set up multiple language automation
How to set up a follow-up timer
Automation tips & tricks
Triggers explained: Message received STARTS WITH...
Triggers explained: Message received EXACTLY matches...
Triggers explained: Message received does NOT exactly match...
Triggers explained: Message received is a BUTTON PRESSED...
Triggers explained: Message received is from a specific COUNTRY...
Triggers explained: Message received is AUTOMATICALLY labelled...
Triggers explained: Message received from a specific CONTACT PROFILE......
How to send stickers in automation
How to set up a sequential content delivery experience using Automation and Custom Profile Fields
How to send 'Welcome back' message to returning users
Use a follow up timer based on local time
Threads
The ABC of threads
How to create a thread
Different thread card types
How to add skip logic to your thread
How to use personalisation in threads
Start a thread when a user reply with a button.
Export your thread data
Create a sequential learning experience with Threads
How to log in to your account
Overview of the Turn.io user interface
What is Chat for Impact?
Chat for Impact
Why the world loves WhatsApp
An introduction to the WhatsApp Business Platform
Chat for Impact Community hub
The WhatsApp Business Platform
Conversation-billing changes effective June 1, 2023
Three key rules of engagement
A closer look at the WhatsApp Business API
Understanding conversation-based pricing
Message types: Session vs. Template messages
Message template rules
Message template troubleshooting
Reasons why your template(s) gets rejected
You need opt-in to initiate messages
Human escalation path required
WhatsApp Terms & Privacy Policy updates
WhatsApp's quality rating and messaging limits
Examples of how to upgrade to the next tier
Important updates to template categories
Connect with your users on chat
Great ways of marketing your chat service
Use a ‘wa.me’ link and QR code to market your service
Get user consent in a WhatsApp conversation
Use automation to collect opt-in
Manage your online presence by updating your WhatsApp profile
Design an impactful solution
Create good chat service content
Varying interpretations of emoji
Changing behaviour is difficult. Here's some help!
Guiding and tracking
Set up a data connection to BigQuery
Understand your BigQuery data and queries
Conversation billing
How to top up your 'available amount' for conversations?
Refining Raw Turn Data in BigQuery
Example queries for your data
Insights
For developers
Turn.io API documentation
Integrations
Where do I find my credentials for the Message Template API?
How do I create message templates via the API?
Upload and send a sticker via the API
Replacing the Contact Export API
New to webhooks?
Custom Integrations
How to set up a RapidPro integration
Notify your team over email when someone needs urgent help
Getting data from the Contacts API endpoint
Getting Suggested Replies with ChatGPT
Upload media to Turn in order to use in code-based journeys
Spanish Articles
Una introducción a la WhatsApp Business API
Echar un vistazo más de cerca a la WhatsApp Business API
Tres reglas clave de participación
Tipos de mensajes: Mensajes de sesión versus plantilla
Necesita de adhesión para iniciar mensajes
Se requiere un proceso humano de escalamiento
Calificación de calidad y lÃmites de mensajerÃa de WhatsApp
Actualizaciones de los Términos de Servicio y la PolÃtica de Privacidad de WhatsApp
- All Resources
- Product updates
- 2022
- 14 July 2022: Get Stacking! Build more complex services.
14 July 2022: Get Stacking! Build more complex services.
Updated by Pippa
With Stacks, powered by Build, you can build more complex chat services with less effort!
Connect your Facebook page or your content spreadsheet, create list messages, setup complex branch logic and much more.
Since we started building automation tools at Turn.io, our objective has always been the same: How might we enable social impact teams to automate repetitive actions at scale so they can spend more of their time on the human-to-human connection that drives lasting positive impact?
We started simple. First came global Automations which we proved were incredibly fast at enormous scale (Traffic after a post from Mark Zuckerberg about WHO WhatsApp service was a great test 😄). Next came Threads for simple linear flows (e.g. short surveys, onboarding, opt in, health screenings). These features are powerful and cover a wide range of simple, effective social impact use cases. But we know that for complex, highly personalised use cases, we needed to design more powerful automation features that are even easier to use for everyone and extensible for our highly technical customers.
We call this new generation of features: Build. We're launching the Alpha version on Monday 18 July so highly technical teams can start to test it out, and we'll be launching a Beta version with a no-code, drag and drop user interface in the coming weeks.
What is Build? What are Stacks?
Build is a set of features that make it easier to build more complex, more personalised automated chat services in Turn.io.
The first Build feature is called Stacks (equivalent to a Flow in other products).
A chat service will typically be created using multiple stacks, each stack providing the user with a different content topic or feature. e.g. Menu Stack, Onboarding Stack, Topic 1 Stack, Topic 2 Stack and Survey Stack.
What can I do with the Alpha version of Build?
Everything you can do today with Automation and Threads combined plus the following:
- Connect to live content sources.
- Connect to a FB page: Every time you post to Facebook the post is published on your WhatsApp service. (See it in action for State Emergency Services of Ukraine News here)
- Connect to an RSS feed: Get real-time updates from an RSS feed into your WhatsApp line. (Watch this demo video with BBC content or Test it here)
- Connect to a Google sheet: If you're managing your content and translations in a spreadsheet, connect your Sheet directly and structure your content and automations in your sheet. No more copy/paste
- Create new WhatsApp message types.
- List messages: Messages including a menu of up to 10 options. This type of message offers a simpler and more consistent way for users to make a selection when interacting with a business.
- Dynamic Reply Buttons: Use real-time data on your button text. Great for dynamic content such as available appointment times.
- Set the timeout.
- Unlike Threads which has a 5 min timeout (after which a user reply exited from the Thread), you can set a custom timeout for Stacks.
- Use expressions.
- Create messages with variables (e.g. @name, @appointment_time).
- Perform calculations (e.g. Create quizzes with scores, solve maths problems).
- Find more examples in our docs.
- Export chat flows and run them on any compatible flow engine.
- Build is compatible with the Flow Interoperability Standards and the Elixir flow runner powering Build will be released as open-source.
- Export Stack data.
- Like Threads, Stack data is exportable as a CSV.
- Stack data also follows the Flow Interoperability Standards and can be exported as a JSON file and used in interoperable analytics tools.
Stacks is how you access and use all of this automagic-ness in Turn.
Sound fun, but a little overwhelming? Get started with our Stacks Playbooks for a Maths Quiz, Facebook Page, RSS feed or Translations. We'll continue to add Playbooks for common use cases so you can learn from examples.
When will it be available?
Stacks, powered by Build, will be made available by mid July so that you can test it out and give us feedback.
What to expect of the July Alpha launch?
The Alpha version of Build requires some technical expertise as you will need to use our domain-specific coding language (DSL) to build your own Stacks. While it is pretty easy to learn, if you'd rather wait for our drag-and-drop user interface it will be launched with Build Beta in the coming weeks.
- Documentation so that early adopters can start familiarising themselves with the language and its capabilities. The documentation is live at https://whatsapp.turn.io/docs/ for both Stacks and the API to retrieve the results captured by Stacks (Flow Results API).
- Build's Alpha Interface includes a code block to write DSL code and a live simulator that you can use to test your Stack as you create it. The simulator also allows you to test your experience with with different user profiles.
Has Build been tested on real services?
Yes. Build Stacks are live for the following use cases:
- State Emergency Services of Ukraine: Use the Facebook Page Stack to publish news directly from their Facebook page to their News menu item on WhatsApp.
- International Fact Checking Network: Use a Stack to manage their entire chatbot functionality which is connected to a live database of fact checks and is in multiple languages.
Next steps?
We’re continuing to finalise designs for the Build 2.0 Beta which will include a no-code interface for those of you who prefer drag and drop over code. We're also making Threads compatible with Build so that there is a seamless transfer from one to the other in future. Exciting things to come! We can't wait to see what you build...