Messaging connection

What it is for

The school's messages are sent from the group's own accounts, never MG Tech's. Here the two accounts' keys are saved, the connection tested, a test message sent, and the connection switched off. Notices go on WhatsApp by approved templates, and by SMS when WhatsApp is not linked; sign-in codes go on WhatsApp, then SMS; campaigns go on WhatsApp only. The group pays for all its messages — sign-in codes and campaigns included — to Meta and to its SMS provider directly; they are not part of SchoolOS's price, and MG Tech charges nothing for them.

Who uses it

The page opens for whoever holds “View the messaging connection”, to look only, or “Manage the messaging connection”, to work in it. In the built-in roles: Owner. A group grants these to any role under Settings → Roles and permissions, and everyone sees only what is within their own scope.

Step by step

1. On the WhatsApp card: paste the access token, the phone number ID, the WABA ID and the app secret, then “Save”.
2. Copy the “Callback URL” and the “Verify token” into your app's settings at Meta and subscribe to the events.
3. Press “Test the connection”, then send a test message to a mobile number.
4. On the SMS card: choose the provider, type its key and the sender name, then “Save”.

How it works

Keys are encrypted before they are stored, and only their last four characters show after saving; an empty box keeps the stored key, and changing the SMS provider replaces its keys. The access token is required on the first save only, and the two IDs are digits. “Test the connection” asks Meta for the number, its quality and its messaging limit, links the WhatsApp Business account to your app — without that link no delivery reports or replies arrive — and submits SchoolOS's templates to Meta for approval. The test message on WhatsApp goes only by SchoolOS's approved general template, and on SMS as plain text. The webhook accepts only a call signed with the app secret. “Switch off” stops the account and keeps its keys: notices and sign-in codes go by the other channel if it is linked, otherwise they are recorded as not sent; saving switches it back on. The action log records which fields changed and the test's outcome, never a key or a test number. Only someone holding “Manage the messaging connection” changes it.

On the page

• WhatsApp Business: the keys, the connection's state, the test, the test message, and switching off.
• What SchoolOS last saw: Meta's check of the URL, the last event, the number's quality, and the messaging limit.
• The callback URL and the verify token, copied into your app's settings at Meta.
• SMS: the provider, the keys, and the sender name.

Part of these flows

• A WhatsApp campaign: one message to many

Questions

Delivery reports and replies don't arrive.

Save the app secret, paste the URL and token into Meta and subscribe, then press “Test the connection” so the account is linked to the app.

The test message says there is no template.

Meta has not approved SchoolOS's general template yet; see “WhatsApp templates”.

Who pays for the messages?

The group, to its providers directly: Meta bills for WhatsApp messages and the SMS provider for its own, each on the group's account with it. They are not part of SchoolOS's price, and MG Tech charges nothing for them.

Can MG Tech see or use our keys?

They are stored encrypted, only their last four characters show, and nothing is sent from an MG Tech account.