Message Template Approval Guide 1-5 min approval
Detailed guide for creating and approving the official ZeroRTO NDR Interactive Utility message template inside your Meta WhatsApp Business Manager.
1. Why You Must Choose "UTILITY" Category
Meta strictly categorizes message templates into Utility, Marketing, or Authentication:
UTILITY Category
Relates directly to an ongoing transaction (post-purchase delivery update). Approved in under 5 minutes, lowest per-message cost, and bypasses marketing opt-in barriers.
MARKETING Category
Costs 3x to 5x more per message, subjected to strict delivery quotas, and customers can easily block promotional messages. Never include discounts in this initial template.
2. General Template Configuration
In your Meta WhatsApp Manager, navigate to Message Templates > Create Template:
- Category:
Utility - Template Name:
rescuedrop_ndr_alert(Lower-case and underscores only) - Language:
English (US)oren_US(Match the language code in ZeroRTO settings) - Header: None (Keep it clean to prevent approval delays)
3. Copy-Paste Template Body
Paste the exact text below into the Body field of your Meta template editor:
Hi 1, your parcel for Order #2 could not be delivered today by 3 (AWB: 4). When should our delivery executive re-attempt? Please tap an option below to update your instructions:
4. Dynamic Variable Mapping & Sample Values
Meta requires sample values for each placeholder during review. Enter these exact samples:
| Variable | Mapped WooCommerce Data | Type | Required Sample Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Customer First Name | Text | John |
| 2 | WooCommerce Order ID | Number | 1024 |
| 3 | Active Courier Name | Text | Delhivery Direct |
| 4 | Consignment AWB / Tracking Code | Alphanumeric | AWB-99882200 |
6. Final Customer Experience Preview
Here is the interactive delivery failure alert as rendered on the customer's phone:
Hi John, your parcel for Order #1024 could not be delivered today by Delhivery Direct (AWB: AWB-99882200).
When should our delivery executive re-attempt? Please tap an option below to update your instructions:
7. 4 Rules to Guarantee 100% Approval
- Never add promotional words: Do not write words like "Discount", "Offer", "Sale", or "Buy" inside this alert body. Meta will instantly classify it as Marketing.
- Always provide sample values: Leaving any of the four variable sample fields empty during submission causes automated instant rejection.
- Do not put consecutive variables: Never write
1 2side-by-side without separating text. - Match exact language code: Ensure the language selected in Meta (e.g.
en_US) matches thewa_template_langfield in your WordPress ZeroRTO settings.