Before you start: what you need to set up Flowella

Use this checklist before you open the Recommended setup guide. Most of the waiting happens on Meta’s side, so start the Meta items first.

Meta and WhatsApp

You need	Why	How to
A Meta business portfolio (Meta Business Manager account) with admin access	You connect WhatsApp through Meta’s sign-up flow, where you choose the portfolio, the WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) and the phone number.	Business portfolio
A phone number you can verify for WhatsApp	Meta registers the number to your WABA. To keep using a number that is already on the WhatsApp Business app, use Coexistence.	Phone numbers, Coexistence
Meta business verification, complete or under way	Flowella can’t create Flows until Meta shows your business as verified. Until then, Connect WhatsApp shows In progress in the setup guide.	Business verification
A payment method on your WABA in Meta, set as Default	Meta charges for each delivered template message, and for replies after the first 1,000 free service messages per number each month. Flowella does not check your card.	Meta payment method

Without a payment method, Meta stops delivering replies once a number has used its 1,000 free service messages for the month. Template sends can also fail with error 131042. See Meta’s pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform and Pricing and WhatsApp message categories.

HubSpot (for Flows and HubSpot automation)

You can use the Inbox, templates and bulk sends with WhatsApp alone. Connect HubSpot to build Flows from HubSpot forms in the app, send from HubSpot workflows and log WhatsApp activity on contacts. Developers can also create Flows through the Flowella API without HubSpot.

You need	Why	How to
Super Admin access to the HubSpot account you connect	Flowella’s HubSpot settings ask for a Super Admin before you connect.	HubSpot connection
An active HubSpot subscription	Flowella’s HubSpot settings list it as a requirement for connecting.	HubSpot connection
A HubSpot marketing form, ideally with an email field	Flowella builds each Flow from a HubSpot marketing form. HubSpot attaches a form submission to a contact by email address, so an email field makes sure each answer lands on a contact.	Form design best practices
HubSpot workflows, which come with HubSpot’s Professional and Enterprise plans	Needed to send templates and Flows from a HubSpot workflow. Without them, the two HubSpot workflow steps in the setup guide show Not applicable, and you send from Flowella instead.	HubSpot workflow actions
Sales Hub or Service Hub Professional or Enterprise (optional)	HubSpot requires one of these for custom channels, which bring WhatsApp conversations into the HubSpot conversations inbox.	HubSpot custom channel

After you connect HubSpot, open Settings → HubSpot in Flowella. The Capabilities card lists what your connection unlocked. Custom workflow actions must be under Unlocked before you can send from HubSpot workflows.

Flowella and your phone

You need	Why
A Flowella account	New accounts start with a 14-day free trial. See Plans and limits.
Your own phone with WhatsApp, on a different number from your business number	You send test templates and Flows to yourself. Meta does not deliver a message when the sender and recipient numbers are the same.

How long setup takes

The setup guide shows an estimate for each of its 14 steps. Together they add up to about 76 minutes of hands-on time.

Part of setup	Setup guide steps	Estimate
Connect	Name your organisation, Connect WhatsApp, Connect HubSpot	About 16 minutes
First messages	Add your starter templates, Send a test template, Send your first reply	About 10 minutes
HubSpot and Flows	Send a template from HubSpot, Create a HubSpot form, Create a Flow, Send a Flow from HubSpot, Connect your Flowella HubSpot Inbox	About 40 minutes
Team and plan	Invite a teammate, Set your notifications, Start your subscription	About 10 minutes
Total	14 steps	About 76 minutes

The Send your first Flow tutorial covers the steps you need for a first Flow submission in HubSpot: about 50 minutes, using the same estimates. Some steps also wait on Meta:

Template review. Meta reviews every template before you can send it. Meta says a decision can take up to 24 hours. See Meta’s template review guide.
Business verification. Meta reviews your business on its own timeline. You can carry on with other steps while you wait, but you can’t create Flows until verification is complete.

If you don’t have everything yet

My HubSpot plan doesn't include workflows

You can still connect HubSpot, build Flows and send them from Flowella with a test send or a bulk send. Answers still go to the HubSpot form. The setup guide marks Send a template from HubSpot and Send a Flow from HubSpot as Not applicable and leaves them out of your progress.

Meta business verification isn't finished

Connect WhatsApp anyway and work through the steps that don’t need verification, such as templates, test sends and inbox replies. Create your Flows once Meta shows your business as verified.

I haven't added a card in Meta

The setup guide ticks Payment method in Meta as soon as WhatsApp connects, because Flowella can’t see your Meta billing. Add the card in Meta before you send to customers. See Meta payment method.

Get Started

Essentials

Using the App

Settings

Meta & WhatsApp Setup

HubSpot Integration

Flows & Campaigns

API Reference

Troubleshooting

Changelog

Before you start: what you need to set up Flowella

Meta and WhatsApp

HubSpot (for Flows and HubSpot automation)

Flowella and your phone

How long setup takes

If you don’t have everything yet

Next steps

Set up Flowella

Send your first Flow

​Meta and WhatsApp

​HubSpot (for Flows and HubSpot automation)

​Flowella and your phone

​How long setup takes

​If you don’t have everything yet

​Next steps

Set up Flowella

Send your first Flow

Meta and WhatsApp

HubSpot (for Flows and HubSpot automation)

Flowella and your phone

How long setup takes

If you don’t have everything yet

Next steps