Meta limits when a property can message guests on WhatsApp, so there are times you want to reach a guest and cannot send freely. A workaround is a Journey that never sends by itself. You build it and get the message approved once, then your team sends it to a guest by hand whenever it is needed, from the Inbox or from the Guests list.
How to set this up
Go to Campaigns, then Journey, and create a new campaign. See How to create a Journey campaign for the full build.
On the Trigger step, choose After external trigger (API).
Give the trigger a slug that no other system uses.
Add the WhatsApp message template and wait for Meta to approve it. See WhatsApp message templates.
Publish the campaign. A draft does not appear when your team goes to send it.
When a guest should receive the message, there are two ways to reach Send journey:
From the Inbox: open the guest's conversation, click the guest's name at the top of the chat, then click Send journey in the guest profile.
From Profiles: go to Profiles, then Guests, find the guest, and click Send journey.
Select the campaign, choose WhatsApp and the language, then send.
Every Journey needs a trigger, which is why step 2 matters. The After external trigger (API) trigger only fires when a request to the Bookboost API names the campaign's slug. With nothing calling it, the campaign stays quiet until your team sends it.
What this does not do
It does not reopen WhatsApp's 24-hour window. Sending from the Inbox works while the window is open, meaning the guest has messaged you in the last 24 hours. See Send a WhatsApp campaign via the Inbox.
It does not let you edit the message. The Inbox sends the campaign exactly as it was built and approved.
It does not skip template approval. Only campaigns with an approved WhatsApp message template appear in the list.
It is not a setting on the trigger. There is no "send by hand only" option. The API trigger is a way of choosing a trigger that never fires by itself.
Getting help
Open Talk to Us in the left menu of the platform, or email support@bookboost.io. Include the campaign name and a link to the guest's conversation, so support can see exactly what appeared in the list.