# Setting up the connection

{/* AUTO-SYNCED SOURCE: this page lives in apps/app/src/modules/wa-bot/docs/ and is mirrored into the docs app by `bun sync:module-docs`. Edit it in the module, not in apps/docs. */}

<Lead>
The connection is the first step towards a running bot: you link your WhatsApp Business number securely through Meta's official flow, add a few details about your office and take the bot live. The wizard under **Setup > Connection** (Einrichtung > Verbindung) guides you through four steps.
</Lead>

## Prerequisites

Before you start you need three things. The wizard lists them again in the **Start** step (the German UI labels are quoted):

<Checklist>
  <ChecklistItem>
    **A WhatsApp Business number.** "Am besten eine eigene Büro-Nummer, nicht Ihre private." (Ideally a dedicated office number, not your private one.) Your private number always stays untouched.
  </ChecklistItem>
  <ChecklistItem>
    **Your business details.** "Name des Büros, so wie Ihre Kundschaft ihn kennt." (Your office name, the way your customers know it.)
  </ChecklistItem>
  <ChecklistItem>
    **A privacy page.** "Ein Link genügt. Pflicht, damit der Bot live gehen darf." (One link is enough. Required before the bot may go live.) The link must start with https.
  </ChecklistItem>
</Checklist>

## The wizard in four steps

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start">
    An overview of the prerequisites and the process. You see at a glance what is still missing.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Connect (Verbinden)">
    You link your number through the official Meta popup (see below). Once linked, this step shows your connected number.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Details (Angaben)">
    You fill in the required and optional texts: office name, privacy page, availability and handover note. **Speichern** (save) stores them and the app confirms "Ihre Angaben sind gesichert." (your details are saved).
  </Step>
  <Step title="Live">
    The checklist shows whether everything is ready. **Jetzt live schalten** (go live now) puts the bot into operation.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Connecting the number through Meta

In the **Verbinden** step, **Mit WhatsApp verbinden** (connect with WhatsApp) starts the official Meta flow: a Meta popup opens where you link your WhatsApp Business account and the number. The app shows "WhatsApp öffnet sich" (WhatsApp is opening) with the hint "Folgen Sie den Schritten im Popup." (follow the steps in the popup).

Three promises always hold:

- "Ihre private Nummer bleibt unangetastet" (your private number stays untouched)
- "Verschlüsselte Verbindung, offiziell von Meta" (encrypted connection, officially from Meta)
- "Jederzeit wieder trennbar" (can be disconnected at any time)

<Info title="Requesting the connection">
If the Meta flow is not yet enabled for your account, the step shows **Verbindung anfragen** (request connection) instead: "Die Verbindung über Meta wird gerade für Ihr Konto vorbereitet." (the Meta connection is being prepared for your account). You can already fill in your details in the meantime; the team will enable you.
</Info>

## Your details

In the **Angaben** step you store the texts the bot works with:

<DefinitionList>
  <DefItem term="Name Ihres Büros (office name, required, 3 to 40 characters)">
    "So begrüßt der Bot Ihre Kundschaft." (This is how the bot greets your customers.) The name appears in the greeting and wherever the bot mentions your office.
  </DefItem>
  <DefItem term="Datenschutz-Seite (privacy page, required for going live)">
    "Ein Link zu Ihrer Datenschutzerklärung. Pflicht fürs Live-Schalten." (A link to your privacy policy, required for going live.) Only complete https addresses are accepted, because this link goes directly to your customers.
  </DefItem>
  <DefItem term="Erreichbarkeit (availability, optional, up to 120 characters)">
    "Was der Bot über Ihre Antwortzeiten sagt." (What the bot says about your response times.) For example "werktags von 9 bis 18 Uhr" (weekdays from 9 am to 6 pm).
  </DefItem>
  <DefItem term="Notiz bei Übergabe (handover note, optional, up to 200 characters)">
    "Interner Hinweis für die Kollegin, die ein Gespräch übernimmt." (An internal note for the colleague who takes over a conversation.) Only you and your team see this note, never the customer.
  </DefItem>
</DefinitionList>

<Tip title="Company profile as fallback">
The bot automatically fills empty fields from your central company profile in the platform settings. Maintain them once, use them everywhere. Values entered in the bot override the profile at any time.
</Tip>

## Going live

The **Live** step checks three conditions (the go-live gate):

- **Nummer verbunden** (number connected)
- **Büro-Name gesetzt** (office name set)
- **Datenschutz-Link gesetzt** (privacy link set)

When all three are met, the page says "Alles bereit" (all set): "Ihre Angaben sind vollständig. Schalten Sie den Bot jetzt live." If something is missing it says "Fast geschafft" (almost there) and asks you to connect a number and fill in office name and privacy link.

After clicking **Jetzt live schalten**, the app confirms "Ihr Bot ist live" (your bot is live) and the page shows: WhatsApp inquiries to your number are now answered automatically, around the clock. (The app inserts your connected number at this point.)

## Pausing and resuming the bot

On the live page you can stop the bot at any time with **Bot pausieren** (pause bot) and start it again with **Bot fortsetzen** (resume bot). While paused, the bot keeps recording all incoming messages but does not reply. Your team can still write in the [inbox](/tools/wa-bot/inbox) as long as the 24-hour window is open. The same switch is called **Bot antwortet** (bot replies) in the [settings](/tools/wa-bot/einstellungen).

## Disconnecting the number

**Verbindung trennen** (disconnect, in the wizard) or **Nummer trennen** (in the settings under **Gefahrenzone**, the danger zone) ends the connection. The confirmation dialog states clearly what happens:

<Warning title="Really disconnect the number?">
"Der Bot stoppt sofort, der gespeicherte Zugriffs-Schlüssel wird gelöscht. Der Gesprächsverlauf bleibt erhalten. Eine neue Verbindung läuft wieder über den Meta-Assistenten." (The bot stops immediately, the stored access key is deleted. The conversation history is kept. A new connection runs through the Meta wizard again.)
</Warning>

The access key is deleted immediately and completely; conversations and contacts are kept. You can reconnect the same or a different number at any time later.

## Connection status and quality

You can see the current state of your number in the wizard, in the footer of the tool sidebar ("Verbunden" or "Nicht verbunden") and in the settings on the **Verbindung** tab:

<DefinitionList>
  <DefItem term="Verbunden (connected)">The number is linked and ready to use.</DefItem>
  <DefItem term="Einrichtung läuft (setup in progress)">Meta is still setting up the number. This can take a moment.</DefItem>
  <DefItem term="Verbindung gestört (connection disrupted)">The connection to Meta is interrupted. What to do then is covered in [troubleshooting](/tools/wa-bot/troubleshooting).</DefItem>
  <DefItem term="Getrennt (disconnected)">No number is connected.</DefItem>
</DefinitionList>

The status card additionally shows WhatsApp's **quality rating** for your number: "gut" (good), "noch keine Bewertung" (no rating yet) or a downgrade to yellow or red. On a downgrade, the workspace owner is notified immediately. The rating keeps itself up to date automatically.

## Next steps

After connecting, continue with the [flows](/tools/wa-bot/flows) and a test run in the simulator. All texts and switches can be found later in the [settings](/tools/wa-bot/einstellungen). Back to the [WhatsApp bot overview](/tools/wa-bot).