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Your first WhatsApp template is the message Meta approves once so you can send it to customers outside a live conversation. VGraple CRM checks it against Meta's known rejection rules before you submit, so the most common causes of a rejected first template are caught before Meta ever sees it.
First template: first 5 of 7 steps
- 1Open Templates
- 2Start from the gallery, or start blank
- 3Name the template and pick a category
- 4Build the header, body, footer and buttons
- 5Check the risk score before submitting
Before you start
- A connected WhatsApp Business Account is required to submit (not just build) a template; see connecting your WhatsApp number if you have not yet.
- Your account needs the "Submit templates to Meta" permission, included in Owner and Admin by default, and available to a custom role.
- Decide roughly what your first template is for: a welcome message, an order or appointment confirmation, or a reminder are typical first templates, since they are simple, clearly Utility, and unlikely to be rejected.
- Nothing about template creation is plan-gated; the builder, validator, gallery and analytics are available on every plan, including Free.
- Pick something you would actually send this week rather than a placeholder example; a template you use immediately after approval tells you far more about the review process than one built purely to test the builder.
Steps
- Open Templates. From the main navigation, click Templates. If this is your first template, you land on an empty state with New Template and Gallery options.
Start from the gallery, or start blank. Click Gallery to browse ready-made templates grouped by industry (Salon and Spa, Tattoo and Piercing Studio, Cosmetic Store, Dental Clinic, Real Estate), each pre-filled with body text, sample values and a suggested category. Selecting one swaps a placeholder for your own business name. To start from nothing instead, click New Template.
Name the template and pick a category. Give it a lowercase, underscore-separated name (Meta's requirement), and choose Marketing, Utility or Authentication. A welcome or confirmation message is almost always Utility.
Build the header, body, footer and buttons. Add an optional header (text, image, video or document), write the body with numbered variables like
{{1}}for a name or order number, an optional footer, and any buttons (quick reply, URL, call, or copy code). Enter a sample value for every variable; the builder will not let you skip this.Check the risk score before submitting. The pre-submission validator scores the template 0 to 100 for rejection risk and names each factor: a missing sample value, a message that opens or closes on a variable, marketing wording in a Utility template, and more. Fix anything flagged as moderate or high before moving on.
Submit to Meta. Click Submit. The template's status changes to Pending, and VGraple CRM polls Meta for the review result.
Wait for approval, then use it. Once Meta approves the template, its status changes to Approved and it becomes available immediately from the inbox, broadcasts, flows, sequences and automation rules, wherever a template can be sent.
What you will see
A new row appears in your Templates list with the template's name, category, and status (Pending, Approved, or Rejected with a reason). Once approved, the same list starts showing a daily-synced analytics summary: sent, delivered, read and per-button-click figures pulled directly from Meta.
Settings and options
| Setting or field | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Category (Marketing, Utility, Authentication) | Meta's own classification; decides per-message pricing and whether the marketing frequency cap applies | Chosen at creation; a gallery template pre-sets a suggested category |
| Sample values | Example content for every variable, shown to Meta's reviewer | Required before submission; no default |
| Pre-submission risk score | A 0-100 estimate of rejection risk with named contributing factors | Calculated automatically every time you edit the template |
| Template name | A lowercase, underscore-separated identifier Meta treats as fixed once submitted | Chosen at creation; cannot be renamed after submission |
| Language | The language Meta reviews and approves the template in | English (India) unless changed in the builder |
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cannot submit; "no WhatsApp Business Account configured" | No channel is connected yet | Finish connecting your WhatsApp number first, then return to the template |
| Validator flags a missing sample value | A variable like {{1}} has no example text entered | Open the variable's sample field and enter a realistic example before submitting |
| Template rejected with a code like INVALID_FORMAT | Meta's raw rejection reasons are terse and unhelpful on their own | Open the template; VGraple CRM shows the plain-language cause and the exact field to fix, then resubmit |
| "This name is still reserved" when submitting | The name was used by a template deleted less than 30 days ago | Meta reserves a deleted name for 30 days; choose a different name or wait out the reservation |
| Approved template later shows as Paused | Meta paused it for quality reasons (error 132015) or sustained low quality (132016) | Review the message content; a running broadcast using this template pauses itself automatically with the reason shown |
| Template stuck on Pending for days | Uncommon, but can happen during Meta review backlogs, or a WABA-level issue | Check the WhatsApp channel card for any access or token warnings; message Support if it exceeds a few days with no change |
Related reading
Once your first template is approved, send your first broadcast with it, or use it inside your first chatbot flow for automatic replies.