Summary
Wati includes 2 ready-to-use built-in automation rules that help you instantly respond to incoming WhatsApp messages - one for welcome messages and another for out-of-office replies. In this article, you’ll learn how each rule works, when it gets triggered, and what it does, so you can stay responsive and manage customer conversations with confidence.
Instructions
Introduction to built-in (default) rules
When you sign up with Wati, you’ll find two built-in rules already set up in your account:
WA Out of Office Rule
WA Welcome Message Rule
These rules are designed to automatically respond to incoming messages based on whether they arrive during or outside of your working hours.
Note: To create or manage rules in Wati, go to Automations and click on Rules.
Important
The two built-in rules - WA Out of Office and WA Welcome Message - are free to use and come pre-configured in your Wati account.
By default the status of these rules is set to Off. If you want to use them, you can turn the status On.
You can click on Working hours setting to adjust your business hours as needed.
Modifying or customizing built-in rules
You can customize the message content in these rules, but other settings (like triggers or filters) cannot be changed. You cannot delete built-in rules either.
If you need more flexibility, you can create new custom rules. These will be charged based on your usage.
1. WA Out of Office Rule
This rule helps you handle messages that arrive outside your defined working hours.
When is it triggered?
The rule is triggered when a new WhatsApp message is received and all the following conditions are met:
Timestamp is not within your defined working hours
The contact initiates a new chat
No keyword rules match the message
Note: Click on Working hours setting to adjust your business hours as needed.
What actions does it take?
Once triggered, the rule sends the configured response. You should see the following configuration under Action.
Under Action Type you will see - Send Message
Under Message Type you will see - Text.
Under Choose from library you will see - WA Out of Office message.
Example use case: When the Out of Office Rule is used
Scenario: Your support team works from 09:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday. A customer sends a WhatsApp message on Saturday at 14:30 asking about order tracking.
What happens: The WA Out of Office Rule is triggered because the message arrives outside your working hours. The customer receives an automatic reply like:
"Thanks for reaching out! Our team is currently offline. We’re available Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 18:00. We’ll get back to you as soon as we’re back online."
This keeps the customer informed and sets expectations without requiring a live agent.
2. WA Welcome Message Rule
This rule is for sending automated welcome messages when a contact reaches out during your working hours.
When is it triggered?
The rule is triggered when a new WhatsApp message is received and all the following conditions are met:
Timestamp is within your defined working hours
The contact initiates a new chat
No keyword rules match the message
Note: Click on Working hours setting to adjust your business hours as needed.
What actions does it take?
Once triggered, the rule sends the configured response. You should see the following configuration under Action.
Under Action Type you will see - Send Message
Under Message Type you will see - Text.
Under Choose from library you will see - WA Welcome message.
These default rules ensure timely and relevant responses without manual effort. You can customize these rules or add new ones as needed to better suit your business needs.
Example use case: When the Welcome Message Rule is used
Scenario: A new customer messages your business on Tuesday at 10:00, during your working hours, asking about your product features.
What happens: The WA Welcome Message Rule is triggered because the message arrives during working hours, and it’s a new chat. The customer receives an automatic welcome message like:
"Hi there! 👋 Thanks for contacting us. One of our team members will get back to you shortly. In the meantime, feel free to check out our FAQs here: [link]"
This helps make a good first impression while the customer waits for a live response.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Overview of built-in automation rules
1. What built-in automation rules are available in Wati?
Wati includes two ready-to-use built-in automation rules: WA Out of Office Rule and WA Welcome Message Rule. These rules automatically respond to incoming WhatsApp messages based on whether the message is received during or outside defined working hours.
2. Are the WA Out of Office Rule and WA Welcome Message Rule free to use?
Yes. The WA Out of Office Rule and WA Welcome Message Rule are free to use and come pre-configured in the Wati account.
3. What is the default status of the built-in rules?
By default, the status of both built-in rules is set to Off. You must manually turn the status On if you want to use them.
4. Where can I create or manage automation rules in Wati?
To create or manage automation rules in Wati, go to Automations and click on Rules.
5. Can I modify or delete the built-in rules?
You can customize the message content in the built-in rules. However, you cannot change other settings such as triggers or filters, and you cannot delete the built-in rules.
6. What should I do if I need more flexibility than the built-in rules allow?
If you need more flexibility, you can create new custom rules. Custom rules are charged based on usage.
7. How can I adjust my business working hours?
You can adjust your business working hours by clicking on the Working hours setting and updating the hours as needed.
WA Out of Office Rule
8. What is the purpose of the WA Out of Office Rule?
The WA Out of Office Rule automatically responds to messages that arrive outside your defined working hours.
9. When is the WA Out of Office Rule triggered?
The WA Out of Office Rule is triggered when all of the following conditions are met: a new WhatsApp message is received, the timestamp is outside your defined working hours, the contact initiates a new chat, and no keyword rules match the message.
10. What action does the WA Out of Office Rule take when triggered?
When triggered, the WA Out of Office Rule sends a configured text message with the following configuration: Action Type is Send Message, Message Type is Text, and Choose from library is WA Out of Office message.
11. What is an example of how the WA Out of Office Rule works?
If the support team works from 09:00 to 18:00, Monday to Friday, and a customer sends a WhatsApp message on Saturday at 14:30, the WA Out of Office Rule is triggered because the message arrives outside working hours. The customer receives an automatic reply informing them that the team is currently offline and will respond during business hours.
WA Welcome Message Rule
12. What is the purpose of the WA Welcome Message Rule?
The WA Welcome Message Rule automatically sends a welcome message when a contact reaches out during your defined working hours.
13. When is the WA Welcome Message Rule triggered?
The WA Welcome Message Rule is triggered when all of the following conditions are met: a new WhatsApp message is received, the timestamp is within your defined working hours, the contact initiates a new chat, and no keyword rules match the message.
14. What action does the WA Welcome Message Rule take when triggered?
When triggered, the WA Welcome Message Rule sends a configured text message with the following configuration: Action Type is Send Message, Message Type is Text, and Choose from library is WA Welcome message.
15. What is an example of how the WA Welcome Message Rule works?
If a new customer sends a WhatsApp message on Tuesday at 10:00 during working hours, the WA Welcome Message Rule is triggered because the message is received within business hours and it is a new chat. The customer receives an automatic welcome message informing them that a team member will respond shortly.