Central is a messaging app for conversations between businesses and people. From the Central channel in Botmaker, you decide how your customers see you and how they find you. Conversations are still handled by the same bots and agents you already use.

You can:

• Set up the logo, description, and colors for each account.
• Set up a welcome message with options.
• Activate your own link and choose whether you accept anonymous users or only registered ones.
• Appear (or not) in Central search.
• Integrate the chat into your website or app, and create new chat accounts.

Prerequisites

Access to your Botmaker account with permissions to manage Channels & Integrations. You don't need to connect Central: Botmaker has already created an account for each WhatsApp line in your project.

To take ownership of your account (Step 7), you need your own personal Central account.

Redirection from WhatsApp to Central isn't set up here, but from the WhatsApp channel. We explain how in the article "WhatsApp to Central redirection: keep serving your customers without interruptions".

Key concepts

Chat account: each Central account your customers can chat with (for example, "Sales" or "Support"). It may or may not have a WhatsApp number linked to it.

Own link: your account's unique address, in the format https://central.chat/chat/your-account-name.

Anonymous / registered user: an anonymous user chats without logging in and you don't know their number; a registered user has logged in to Central, so you know who they are and their history follows them across all their devices.

Business directory: Central's search feature (Business section) where your customers can find you by your brand name.

Central Business Manager: Central's own admin panel, with some features in addition to Botmaker's.

How to set up your Central account

Step 1: Go to the Central channel

Go to the left sidebar menu → Channels & Integrations → Channels and open Central. You'll see one account for each WhatsApp line, created automatically. Click the one you want to set up.

Step 2: Set up the profile and look

In the My Business section, upload your logo and add a description: it's the first thing your customer sees when they find you. Then choose a color template or click Custom to use your brand colors. Save your changes.

Step 3: Set up the welcome message

Set the question and the options your customer sees when they open a new conversation, before they type (for example, "Place an order" or "Talk to support"). To remove an option, tap the X.

Step 4: Activate your own link

Activate the link, type the name you want to use, and save. Once saved, it's fixed and registered in your name, so choose it carefully. Use it in buttons, emails, and social media, or generate a QR code with the options below it. It works even if your customer doesn't have the app or an account.

Step 5: Decide who can message you and whether you appear in search

• Anonymous users: if you leave the option checked, anyone can message you without logging in. If you uncheck it, only registered users can: the person is asked to log in with a QR code (if they have the app) or with their phone number and a code sent by SMS. [[PENDING: confirm the name of the option]]
• Visibility in the directory: when checked, your account appears in Central search. When unchecked, it keeps working through redirection, your link, and your QR code, but it doesn't appear when someone searches for you.

Note: to see what your customer sees, save, copy the link, and open it in an incognito window.

Step 6: Integrate the chat into your site or app

In Integrate into my site or app, choose Website to get the webchat code, or Android/iOS for your app's widget (SDK). With the Central webchat, your customers can log in and keep their history between your site and the Central app.

Step 7: Take ownership of your account

Since Botmaker created the accounts for you, this step gives you ownership of them. In Presence on Central, click Give me access and scan the QR code from your personal Central account (or tap the link). You'll become the administrator in the Central Business Manager.

How to create a new chat account

You don't need a phone number. Go to Channels & Integrations → Channels → Central, click + New (at the top left), choose New chat account, and fill in the name and an alias. Then set it up by following the previous steps.

Important considerations

• No cost: Central is 100% free for Botmaker customers on all plans, including its premium features (webchat, SDK, and notifications).
• Your bots work the same way: Central supports all Botmaker formats, and conversations have end-to-end encryption.
• Invite your customers to download the app: once logged in, they get notifications, can type while offline, and keep their history on any device.

To set up the invitation your customers receive on WhatsApp, check out the article "WhatsApp to Central redirection: keep serving your customers without interruptions".

Remember to visit our Help Center for further information.