> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://knowledge.flowella.io/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Before you start: what you need to set up Flowella > Check the Meta and WhatsApp accounts you need before you set up Flowella, what a HubSpot connection adds, and how long each part of setup takes. Use this checklist before you open the [Recommended setup guide](https://knowledge.flowella.io/onboarding.md). 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](https://knowledge.flowella.io/meta/business-portfolio.md) | | 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](https://knowledge.flowella.io/meta/phone-numbers.md), [Coexistence](https://knowledge.flowella.io/meta/co-existence.md) | | 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](https://knowledge.flowella.io/meta/business-verification.md) | | 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](https://knowledge.flowella.io/meta/payment-method.md) | > [!WARNING] > > 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](https://knowledge.flowella.io/troubleshooting/error-131042.md). See Meta's [pricing on the WhatsApp Business Platform](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/pricing) and [Pricing and WhatsApp message categories](https://knowledge.flowella.io/account/pricing-and-conversation-categories.md). ## 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](https://knowledge.flowella.io/api-reference/introduction.md) 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](https://knowledge.flowella.io/hubspot/setup.md) | | An active HubSpot subscription | Flowella's HubSpot settings list it as a requirement for connecting. | [HubSpot connection](https://knowledge.flowella.io/hubspot/setup.md) | | 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](https://knowledge.flowella.io/app/form-design-best-practices.md) | | 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](https://knowledge.flowella.io/hubspot/workflow-actions.md) | | 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](https://knowledge.flowella.io/hubspot/custom-channel.md) | > [!TIP] > > 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](https://knowledge.flowella.io/account/plans-and-limits.md). | | 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](https://knowledge.flowella.io/send-your-first-flow.md) 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](https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/templates/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](https://knowledge.flowella.io/app/bulk-send.md). 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](https://knowledge.flowella.io/meta/payment-method.md). ## Next steps > **[Set up Flowella](https://knowledge.flowella.io/onboarding.md)** > > Follow the Recommended setup guide in the app. > **[Send your first Flow](https://knowledge.flowella.io/send-your-first-flow.md)** > > Go from a HubSpot form to your first Flow submission in HubSpot. This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.