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WhatsApp

How to fall back to SMS when bulk WhatsApp messages fail

When launching a bulk WhatsApp send, open the fallback section, turn on Fallback to SMS, and write the SMS to use when Meta refuses delivery (for example, because of the US marketing message restriction). Only the channel that delivered is billed; results show in Contacts › Bulk Actions.

Updated on

Before you start

  • WhatsApp must be connected in Settings › WhatsApp, and you need a number with SMS enabled in Elooo System.
  • Contacts need a valid phone number with country code and must have agreed to receive messages from your business, on both WhatsApp and SMS.
  • The fallback only exists for bulk sends; it doesn't apply to one-to-one messages in conversations or to workflows.
  • Meta restricted WhatsApp marketing messages to US users. The fallback was built mainly for that case, but it applies whenever Meta returns a delivery failure.
Where to find it

Contacts › select contacts › WhatsApp icon › Send WhatsApp › Fallback Settings › Fallback to SMS

Step by step

Set up the send with a fallback

  1. Open Contacts and select the contacts (or one of your Smart Lists) you want to message.
  2. In the action bar, click the WhatsApp icon and choose Send WhatsApp.
  3. Pick the approved template that will go out on WhatsApp.
  4. Open the Fallback Settings section and turn on Fallback to SMS.
  5. Write the SMS that will be sent if WhatsApp fails. Keep it short, stay within the SMS character limit, and include how the customer can opt out.
  6. Review the summary (WhatsApp template + SMS text) to make sure both say the same thing.
  7. Name the action, choose to send now or schedule it, and confirm.

See what went out by SMS

  1. Open Contacts › Bulk Actions and find the send by name.
  2. Open the statistics: contacts where WhatsApp failed and the SMS was sent show with that status.
  3. If both WhatsApp and SMS fail, the log shows both failures; there are no automatic retries.

Tips

  • If you send a lot of marketing content, rewrite templates in a utility tone (information about an order, appointment, or the customer's account): Meta approves and delivers them more readily, and the fallback is used less.
  • Write the SMS as a complete message, not as a "copy" of the WhatsApp: the customer only sees one of the two.
  • Watch the fallback rate in the send statistics; if it's high, review your template categories.

Common problems

  • I don't see the SMS fallback option → It's only available in bulk WhatsApp sends. Make sure you chose Send WhatsApp from the contact selection, not a message inside a conversation.
  • The SMS didn't go out even though WhatsApp failed → The fallback only fires when Meta returns a clear failure (policy, inactive account, rejected template). Temporary network failures, manual cancellations, and destinations without SMS don't trigger it.
  • I was billed for the SMS → That's expected: only the channel that delivered is billed. If WhatsApp failed and the SMS went through, you pay for the SMS.
  • The SMS got cut off → It exceeded the character limit. Shorten the text or remove long links.

Frequently asked questions

Does the fallback change my workflows?

No. It only affects delivery for that bulk send; sequences and follow-ups set up elsewhere stay the same.

Does it work outside the US?

Yes, whenever Meta returns a delivery failure, in any country.

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