Summary
The Wati MCP server lets you create, view, update, and manage Wati chatbots, chatbot triggers, automation rules, and bot actions by chatting with an AI assistant such as ChatGPT or Claude. Instead of navigating the Wati dashboard to configure every step, you can describe the action you want in plain language and let the connected assistant perform it through Wati MCP.
This guide explains how to connect Wati MCP, create and manage chatbots and automation rules using prompts, switch between Wati workspaces, and troubleshoot common MCP issues.
Important: The actions described in this guide are also available through the Wati user interface (UI). This guide focuses specifically on performing these actions through the Wati MCP server using a connected AI assistant.
Instructions
Before you start: Connect to the Wati MCP server
To manage Wati resources through an AI assistant, you need:
A Wati account with access to the relevant workspace.
The appropriate role and permissions to perform the requested actions.
An MCP-compatible AI assistant connected to Wati.
How to connect Wati MCP to an AI assistant
Open your MCP-compatible application, such as ChatGPT or Claude.
Add Wati as an MCP connector using the server URL:
https://mcp.wati.io/mcp.Sign in with your Wati credentials and complete the connection setup.
Return to your AI assistant and verify that the connection is working.
You can also use Wati AI, which is already connected to Wati. To verify your connection, ask:
"Which Wati workspace am I in?"
The assistant should return your workspace ID and WhatsApp number.
Create a chatbot using Wati MCP
You can create a Wati chatbot by describing the conversation flow you want in a prompt. The AI assistant drafts the chatbot, lets you review it, and saves it to your Wati account when you approve the changes.
Step 1: Describe the chatbot you want to create
Tell the assistant what the chatbot should do. Include the chatbot name, welcome message, questions, buttons, and conversation flow.
Example prompt:
"Draft a chatbot called Golf Trip Leads. Greet the customer, ask if they want a Group trip or a Solo trip with 2 buttons, then ask for their travel month and tell them someone will contact them within a day."
Step 2: Review the chatbot draft
The assistant presents the proposed chatbot flow, including its messages, buttons, and questions. The draft is not saved yet.
Review the proposed flow and request changes using natural-language prompts.
Example prompt:
"Add a third button for Corporate trips."
Continue reviewing and refining the draft until it meets your requirements.
Step 3: Save the chatbot using Wati MCP
Once you're satisfied with the chatbot, ask the assistant to save it.
Example prompt:
"Save it."
The assistant saves the chatbot to your Wati account and provides a link to open it in Flow Builder.
Step 4: Update a saved chatbot using Wati MCP
You can ask the assistant to update a previously saved chatbot by name. Each save creates a new version, and earlier versions are retained.
Example prompt:
"Update the Golf Trip Leads chatbot to add a question about the customer's budget."
To inspect or edit the saved chatbot directly in the Wati UI, log in to your Wati account and go to Automations > Chatbots. Select the chatbot to open it in Flow Builder.
Add or manage chatbot triggers using Wati MCP
A chatbot trigger determines when a chatbot starts. Using Wati MCP, you can ask the assistant to add a trigger to an existing chatbot and enable or disable that trigger.
Wati supports the following chatbot triggers:
Trigger type | When the chatbot starts | Example prompt |
Keyword | When a customer sends a specified word or phrase | "Start Golf Trip Leads when someone sends GOLF." |
Any new message | When a customer sends any message | "Start the Welcome bot on every new message." |
Contact field change | When a contact attribute is created or updated | "Start the Onboarding bot when |
How to enable or disable a chatbot trigger
New triggers are turned off by default unless you ask the assistant to enable them.
To enable a trigger, use a prompt such as:
"Turn the GOLF trigger on."
To disable a trigger, ask:
"Turn off the GOLF trigger."
Tip: Test a keyword trigger using your own phone before enabling it for all customers. This helps you verify that the chatbot responds as expected.
How to create automation rules using Wati MCP
An automation rule performs an action automatically when a specified event occurs. Using the Wati MCP server, you can describe the event and the action in a prompt, validate the configuration, save the rule, and enable it when you're ready.
What events can trigger an automation rule?
You can create automation rules through Wati MCP for the following events:
A WhatsApp message is received, including a message that matches specified keywords.
A customer has not replied.
A contact attribute is created.
A contact attribute is updated.
What actions can an automation rule perform?
An automation rule can perform the following actions:
Route a chat to a team.
Assign a chat to a specific agent or return it to the last agent who handled it.
Send a text reply or an approved WhatsApp template.
Update contact attributes, except when the rule is triggered by a contact attribute change.
Step 1: Describe the automation rule
Tell the assistant what event should trigger the rule and what action it should perform.
Example prompt:
"When a contact's lead_stage changes to Hot, assign them to the Sales team."
Step 2: Validate the automation rule
Before saving the rule, the assistant checks its configuration and identifies any missing information.
If the assistant asks for additional details, provide the information needed to complete the rule. For example if there is no sales team in your Wati account, assistant will flag it.
Step 3: Save and enable the automation rule
New automation rules are saved in the off state unless you ask the assistant to enable them.
After reviewing the configuration, ask:
"Turn the Hot lead rule on."
The rule will then be enabled, subject to the successful completion of the requested action and your Wati permissions.
View or disable existing automation rules using Wati MCP
You can also use Wati MCP to inspect and manage existing rules, including rules originally created in the Wati dashboard.
Example prompts:
"Which rules are on?"
"Show me the Black Friday rule."
"Turn off the Black Friday rule."
Manage chatbots, automation rules, and bot actions using Wati MCP
Wati MCP supports natural-language requests for viewing and managing existing chatbots, automation rules, and bot actions.
A bot action is a reusable action configuration, such as a text reply, template message, chat-routing action, agent assignment, or contact attribute update.
Use the following example prompts to perform common tasks through your connected AI assistant.
Task | Example prompt |
List chatbots | "List my chatbots." |
View a chatbot's flow | "Show me the Golf Trip Leads flow." |
List saved bot actions | "List my routing actions." |
Create or update a bot action | "Create an action that routes chats to the Support team." |
List teams available for chat routing | "What teams do I have?" |
List available agents and AI agents | "List my AI agents." |
List contact attributes | "What contact fields can I use?" |
View existing automation rules | "Which rules are on?" |
View a specific automation rule | "Show me the Black Friday rule." |
The assistant can also retrieve a chatbot's full flow, inspect earlier chatbot versions, show the details of an automation rule, check available rule configuration options, and validate a rule before saving it.
You do not need to remember the names of the underlying MCP tools. Describe the action you want to perform, and the assistant will select the appropriate operation.
How to switch between Wati workspaces using MCP
If your Wati login has access to multiple workspaces, you can switch between them through the same AI assistant conversation.
Step 1: List your accessible workspaces
Ask:
"Which Wati workspaces can I access?"
The assistant lists the available workspace IDs and their associated WhatsApp numbers.
Step 2: Switch to another workspace
Ask:
"Switch to workspace 111501."
Replace 111501 with the workspace ID you want to access.
The first time you switch to a workspace, the assistant provides a sign-in link. Open the link, sign in to the target workspace, and return to the conversation.
After the initial sign-in, switching back to that workspace is quicker.
Important: Wati MCP actions apply only to the currently active workspace. If you create or update a chatbot or automation rule in one workspace, you cannot view or manage that configuration from another workspace unless it also exists there.
Important things to know when using Wati MCP
Deleting chatbots, rules, and triggers: Deletion is not supported through chat yet. You can turn off supported items using the assistant or delete them in the Wati dashboard.
Approved WhatsApp templates: An automation rule or bot action that sends a template requires the template to be approved in Wati.
Changes affect real conversations: Saved chatbots and automation rules are real configurations. Once enabled, they can affect actual customer conversations. Test changes before enabling them for all customers.
Updating an automation rule: When you ask the assistant to update a rule, it saves the entire rule again. The rule's run counts may restart from zero.
Bulk operations: Requests involving many changes can take longer. If you receive a "try again" message, wait a few seconds and repeat the request.
Permissions: The assistant can only perform actions permitted by your role in the active Wati workspace.
Troubleshooting Wati MCP issues
Use the following guidance to troubleshoot common problems when creating or managing Wati resources through the MCP server.
Error or issue | How to resolve it |
"Session not found" or "can't reach live data" | Send the same request again. It usually works on the second attempt. |
"Rate-limiting requests" | Wait about 10 seconds before trying again. If the issue continues, reduce the number of tasks in a single message. |
A chatbot or automation rule returns "Not found" | Verify that you are in the correct workspace by asking, "Which Wati workspace am I in?" |
"Sign-in required" when switching workspaces | Open the sign-in link, sign in to the target workspace, and return to the conversation. If the link has expired, ask the assistant for a new one. |
A chatbot does not respond to a keyword | Ask, "Is the trigger on?" New triggers are created in the off state by default. |
The assistant says an automation rule is invalid | Review the missing information identified by the assistant, provide the required details, and ask it to validate the rule again. |
"Team or operator does not exist" | Ask the assistant to list the available teams or operators, then select the correct one. |
If the issue persists, contact Wati Support. Include the time of your request and the prompt you sent to the AI assistant, or share a screenshot showing these details along with any error message.