WhatsApp Settings and Document Uploads
Choose how customers send you documents over WhatsApp — directly in the chat, via a secure browser upload link, or upload-link only for maximum privacy.
When a workflow asks a customer for a document — an ID copy, a proof of payment, a vaccination certificate — there's a choice to make: should the file travel through the WhatsApp chat itself, or through a private browser upload page? The WhatsApp settings form controls that default for your whole workspace.
Find it under Settings → WhatsApp (open settings), just below the connected numbers list.
Document Upload Modes#
The Document upload default setting offers three modes:
| Mode | What the customer experiences |
|---|---|
| WhatsApp media message | They reply with the file or photo directly in the WhatsApp chat. |
| External upload link | They receive a private, single-use link to a secure upload page. Files sent directly in chat are rejected with a reminder to use the link. |
| External upload link only | The secure upload page is required. Files sent directly in chat are rejected and audit-logged. |
The form saves as you change it — you'll see Saved with the chosen mode confirmed, or Unsaved change… while it's still writing.
Which Mode Should You Pick?#
- WhatsApp media message is the lowest-friction option — customers are already in the chat, and sending a photo takes seconds. Fine for everyday, low-sensitivity documents.
- External upload link balances convenience and privacy: the customer taps a link and uploads in the browser, so the document never sits in the WhatsApp conversation history. If they try to send the file in chat anyway, the workflow politely redirects them to the link.
- External upload link only is for sensitive documents where chat uploads must never happen. Chat uploads are rejected and audit-logged, giving you a paper trail for compliance.
For billing documents like proof of payment or debit-order mandates, External upload link is a sensible default — it keeps financial paperwork out of chat histories while staying easy for the customer.
The Secure Upload Page#
When a workflow sends an upload link, the customer lands on a private page in their browser:
- The link is single-use and time-limited — it can't be forwarded and reused later.
- The page shows what document is being asked for and accepts the upload securely.
- Once the file arrives, the workflow carries on in WhatsApp exactly as if the customer had replied in chat.
While the workflow waits for the browser upload, the conversation simply pauses — the customer can take their time.
How This Interacts with Workflows#
The upload mode is the workspace default for every Ask document step in your workflows. You set it once here, and every workflow that collects documents follows it — no per-workflow configuration needed.
Changing the mode affects new document requests from that moment on. Conversations already waiting on an upload finish under the mode they started with.
Next: link your employees to WhatsApp so conversations and actions are attributed to the right person.