How do I connect WhatsApp to a CRM?

Connecting WhatsApp to a CRM means your business number sends and receives messages through the official WhatsApp Business API, and those chats are saved against lead and contact records. There are three ways people do it. Only two of them are safe.

Three ways to connect

Option	How it works	Good for
CRM with WhatsApp built in	The CRM connects your number to the API itself, through Meta's embedded signup	Teams that sell mainly on WhatsApp and want one tool
WhatsApp provider plus your CRM	A WhatsApp platform runs the API and syncs chats or contacts to your CRM through an integration	Teams already committed to a CRM like HubSpot, Salesforce or Zoho
Browser extension on WhatsApp Web	Reads and automates your normal WhatsApp	Not recommended: unofficial and risky for your number

For example, Wati's website, checked on 1 November 2026, lists integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot and Zoho CRM. Check each provider's own integration page for what syncs: chats, contacts, deals or only notifications.

Steps for a CRM with WhatsApp built in

1. Get your Meta business ready. Have access to your Meta business portfolio. Business verification is worth doing early: it is one way to raise your messaging limit from 250 to 2,000.
2. Decide on the number. Use a new number, or connect the number you already use in the WhatsApp Business app with coexistence.
3. Run embedded signup. From inside the CRM, log in to Facebook in Meta's window, pick your business portfolio, add the number and display name, and verify it with the code Meta sends.
4. Invite your team and set rules. Decide who sees which leads and how new chats are assigned.
5. Create templates. Submit the templates you need for follow-ups and reminders. Meta can take up to 24 hours to review each one.

Keeping the WhatsApp Business app

With coexistence, Meta lets the same number work in the WhatsApp Business app and through the API. Messages sent from the app stay free, while API messages follow API pricing. Contacts and up to the last 6 months of one-to-one chats can be synced. A few app features stop, including new broadcast lists, and group chats are not synced.

What to check before you choose

• It uses the official WhatsApp Business API.
• Chats are linked to a lead with an owner, stage and history, not just stored.
• Several people can reply from one number with clear assignment.
• Leads from your other sources, like ad forms and website forms, arrive in the same place.
• You can see the cost of a broadcast before sending.

How salestrack helps

salestrack has WhatsApp built in. You connect your number through Meta's embedded signup from inside the app, keep the WhatsApp Business app with coexistence if you want, and every chat lands in a shared inbox linked to a lead. Step-by-step: connect your WhatsApp number. Other sources are listed on integrations.