Summary
Want to automate WhatsApp notifications for your Google Calendar events? This guide walks you through integrating Wati with Google Calendar using Pabbly Connect. This integration enables automated WhatsApp messages for booking confirmations and reminders, ensuring better communication and fewer missed meetings.
Instructions
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure you have:
A Wati account with API access.
A Google Calendar account where meetings are scheduled.
A Pabbly Connect account (free or professional version).
A pre-created WhatsApp message template for booking confirmations and reminders.
The attendee's phone number included in the event details (preferably in the description).
Note: This integration can also be done via Zapier by following similar steps.
Steps to Integrate Wati with Google Calendar
This integration follows a process via Pabbly Connect:
1. Capture New Events from Google Calendar
Log in to Pabbly Connect and create a new workflow.
Choose Google Calendar as the trigger app.
Select New Event as the trigger event.
Connect your Gmail account and authorize access.
Create a test meeting and ensure Pabbly captures the meeting details, including the attendee's phone number.
2. Extract the Attendee's Phone Number
Choose Text Formatter by Pabbly as the next step.
Select Text Parser as the action event.
Specify the text that appears before and after the phone number in the event description.
Extract the phone number from the meeting details.
3. Send the Booking Confirmation Message
Choose Wati as the app.
Select Send Template Message as the action event.
Connect your Wati account (enter API Endpoint and Access Token).
Map the extracted phone number from Step 2.
Choose the WhatsApp template message from the dropdown.
If the template contains variables, map their values accordingly.
Click Save & Send Test Request to trigger a test message.
4. Determine the Reminder Timing
Choose Date/Time Formatter by Pabbly.
Select Add/Subtract Time as the action event.
Map the event's start time into the Enter Date field.
Set the expression (e.g., "1 hour before" or "10 minutes before").
Choose From Format:
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ssZand To Format:YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss.
5. Convert Time for Pabbly's Delay Feature
Choose Date/Time Formatter by Pabbly.
Select Format Date Only.
Set From Format:
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:mm:ssZand To Format:YYYY-MM-DD HH:mm:ss.
6. Set Up a Delay Until the Reminder Time
Choose Delay by Pabbly.
Select Delay Until as the action event.
Map the formatted date from Step 5 into the Delay Date field.
7. Verify If the Event Still Exists
Choose Google Calendar as the app.
Select Get Event as the action event.
Map the Event ID from Step 1.
Click Save & Test Request to fetch event details.
8. Check Event Status Before Sending a Reminder
Choose Filter by Pabbly.
Set Condition: Status from Step 7 equals "confirmed".
If the event is still scheduled, proceed to the next step.
9. Send the Reminder Message via WhatsApp
Choose Wati as the app.
Select Send Template Message.
Map the attendee's phone number.
Select the WhatsApp reminder template.
Map variables such as
meeting_titleandmeeting_time_left.Click Save & Send Test Request to trigger the reminder.
Summary of Pabbly Steps
Steps 1-3: Capture new events and send confirmation messages.
Steps 4-6: Set up the reminder timing.
Steps 7-9: Verify event status and send reminder messages.
By following these steps, you can automate WhatsApp notifications for Google Calendar meetings, ensuring seamless scheduling and improved communication with attendees.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General Questions
1. What is the purpose of integrating Wati with Google Calendar?
→ This integration allows you to send automated WhatsApp notifications for Google Calendar events, including booking confirmations and reminders. It helps improve communication and reduces missed meetings.
2. Do I need a paid account to set up this integration?
→ You need a Wati account with API access and a Pabbly Connect account, which can be free or professional. Google Calendar is free to use.
3. Can I use Zapier instead of Pabbly Connect for this integration?
→ Yes, you can use Zapier to set up a similar workflow, but this guide focuses on using Pabbly Connect.
Setup and Configuration
4. What do I need before setting up this integration?
→ You need:
A Wati account with API access.
A Google Calendar account where meetings are scheduled.
A Pabbly Connect account.
A WhatsApp message template for confirmations and reminders.
Attendee phone numbers included in the event details.
5. How do I capture new events from Google Calendar?
→ In Pabbly Connect, create a new workflow, select Google Calendar as the trigger app, and choose "New Event" as the trigger event. Then, connect your Gmail account and authorize access.
6. How do I extract the attendee's phone number from Google Calendar?
→ Use "Text Formatter by Pabbly" with the "Text Parser" action event. Define the text before and after the phone number in the event description to extract it.
7. How do I send a WhatsApp confirmation message?
→ In Pabbly Connect, choose Wati as the app and "Send Template Message" as the action event. Connect your Wati account, map the extracted phone number, and select the WhatsApp template message.
Reminder Messages
8. How do I schedule a reminder message before an event?
→ Use "Date/Time Formatter by Pabbly" to add/subtract time from the event's start time. Then, convert it to a format compatible with Pabbly’s delay feature and set up a delay.
9. How do I ensure the reminder is only sent if the event still exists?
→ Before sending the reminder, use Google Calendar’s "Get Event" action in Pabbly Connect to check if the event is still confirmed. Use "Filter by Pabbly" to proceed only if the event status is "confirmed."
10. Can I customize the reminder message?
→ Yes, you can select a predefined WhatsApp template and map dynamic variables such as meeting_title and meeting_time_left to personalize the message.
Troubleshooting
11. Why is my WhatsApp message not being sent?
→ Check the following:
Ensure the attendee's phone number is included in the Google Calendar event.
Verify that Wati API access is correctly set up in Pabbly Connect.
Confirm that the selected WhatsApp template is approved and active in Wati.
Make sure the event status is "confirmed" before the message is triggered.
12. What should I do if the extracted phone number is incorrect?
→ Double-check the text formatting rules in the "Text Formatter by Pabbly" step to ensure the correct portion of the description is parsed.
13. How can I modify the timing of reminder messages?
→ In the "Date/Time Formatter by Pabbly" step, adjust the "Add/Subtract Time" action to specify how much time before the event the reminder should be sent.