How to connect WhatsApp Business and import contacts in PADMA

PADMA can link to your WhatsApp Business account to display your contacts and recent conversations within the CRM. From there you can import contacts individually or enable automatic daily import.

Important: this integration does not use the official WhatsApp Business API. It connects through the Linked Devices feature of WhatsApp. Although you will be able to continue using WhatsApp normally on your phone, this type of connection may cause the number to be blocked. Use it only if you understand and accept that risk.

Before you start

You need to:

• Have access to the WhatsApp Business account you want to link.
• Have the phone at hand to scan a QR code.
• Have permission to manage the WhatsApp integration in PADMA.
• Preferably choose an institutional number and not a personal number.

How to connect WhatsApp Business with PADMA

1. In PADMA, go to Integrations.
2. Look for the option WhatsApp and open its settings.
3. Read the warning and check I accept the risks.
4. Press Connect WhatsApp.
5. PADMA will show a QR code.
6. On your phone, open WhatsApp Business and go to Linked Devices. Depending on your phone, this option may be inside the menu or in Settings.
7. Choose Link a device and scan the QR code displayed in PADMA.
8. Wait until you see the message Connected to WhatsApp.
9. Press View contacts.

The QR code refreshes automatically. If it expires before you can scan it, wait a few seconds and use the new code.

How to manually import a contact

In WhatsApp Contacts you will find the contacts available in the linked account.

1. Check again I accept the risks to enable the import options.
2. If needed, open a conversation to review recent messages and the tags that contact has in WhatsApp.
3. Review or complete the name, email, score, and marketing method.
4. Press Import.

PADMA will first try to find an existing record using the phone number, email, or a previous WhatsApp link. If found, it will link the conversation to that record. If no match is found, it will create a new contact with the status Prospect.

Already linked contacts appear with the tag Linked. You can also activate Hide linked contacts to focus on those that still need to be imported.

How to import recent conversations

If you want to add several contacts at once, you can use Import recent conversations.

This option:

• Checks contacts who had activity in the last 30 days.
• It does not import groups or the account's own number.
• Works in the background, so you can keep using PADMA.
• Prevents starting another identical import while one is in progress.
• After a complete import, it continues from the last processed point instead of rechecking the entire period.

While the process is pending or running, you will see the message Import in progress.

How to enable automatic import

1. Go to WhatsApp Contacts.
2. Check I accept the risks.
3. Press Enable auto-import.

From that moment, PADMA will schedule an import of recent conversations once a day, at a variable time. It is not necessary to keep the contacts screen open.

While automatic import is active, the manual import button for recent conversations will not be shown. If you want to stop upcoming runs, press Disable auto-import. Disabling does not delete the contacts or the information that has already been imported.

The WhatsApp session must remain connected for imports to complete. If PADMA reports it is disconnected, return to the WhatsApp screen and link the account again.

What information can PADMA save

According to available information in WhatsApp and the conversation, PADMA can save or complete:

• First and last name.
• Phone number.
• Email written by the contact in the conversation.
• Profile picture, when available.
• The link between the PADMA record and the WhatsApp contact.
• A note indicating the contact came from WhatsApp, with the date of the first message received in the imported conversation.
• A recent extract of the conversation: messages received are saved as text; messages sent by the school appear summarized as (…).
• A brief summary of interests and previous experience.
• Missing data such as first name, last name, or estimated age when the conversation provides enough information.
• An estimated gender based on the name, when applicable.

To complete the profile, PADMA can analyze the content of the conversation. PADMA tries to fill empty fields and preserves manual notes that already exist.

WhatsApp tags can be viewed when opening the conversation from this screen but are not automatically added as PADMA tags.

What the automatic import does not do

• It does not import groups.
• It does not import all address book contacts: it takes those who had recent conversation or activity.
• It does not automatically replace correct data that is already complete.
• It does not delete contacts or WhatsApp conversations.
• It does not send messages from PADMA.
• It does not work if the linked session is disconnected.

Frequently asked questions

Can duplicate contacts be created?

PADMA tries to link each conversation with an existing record via WhatsApp, phone, or email before creating a contact. It also avoids registering the same imported communication twice. Still, it is advisable to periodically review possible duplicates, especially if a person uses different numbers or emails.

Can I continue using WhatsApp Business on the phone?

Yes. The connection is made as a linked device, so you can keep using the app on the phone.

What happens if I log out?

If you choose Log out in PADMA, the link is removed and you will need to scan a new QR code to connect it again.

Can I correct the data afterward?

Yes. Imported contacts are normal PADMA records: you can open them and correct or complete their information whenever you need.