Setting up WhatsApp notifications

WhatsApp notifications are available as an optional add-on for both Harmony and Harmony Plus.

The add-on costs €15 + IVA per month and includes 300 WhatsApp messages per billing period. Additional messages cost €0.07 + IVA each, depending on the spending option selected by the restaurant.

Email notifications are always sent. WhatsApp is an additional communication channel and does not replace email.

1. Activate the WhatsApp add-on

Before the WhatsApp settings become available, activate the add-on from Plans/Billing.

Once the add-on has been added, the WhatsApp page will appear in Settings. Switching on notifications in the WhatsApp settings does not purchase the add-on — it must first be added through Plans/Billing.

2. Review message usage

At the top of the WhatsApp settings page, the restaurant can see:

• Messages sent this month: the number sent during the current calendar month.
• Billing-period allowance used: the number used from the 300 messages included in the current billing period.
• Additional message cost: charges for messages sent above the included allowance.

Messages sent this month and Billing-period allowance used may show different figures when your billing period does not begin on the first day of the calendar month.

3. Enable WhatsApp notifications

Turn on Enable WhatsApp notifications.

The restaurant can then choose which types of WhatsApp notification it wants to send.

4. Confirmations

Enable Confirmations to send booking confirmations by WhatsApp.

Use Minimum guests and the optional Maximum guests fields to control which party sizes receive them.

For example, setting the minimum to 6 means WhatsApp confirmations will only be sent for bookings of six or more guests. This allows restaurants to reserve WhatsApp messages for larger or more important bookings.

5. Reminders

Enable Reminders to send a WhatsApp reminder before the reservation.

The restaurant can set:

• The minimum number of guests.
• An optional maximum number of guests.
• How many hours before the booking the reminder should be sent.

Reminders are only sent for reservations made on a previous day. Same-day reservations do not receive a reminder. If a confirmation is pending, or was accepted during the previous hour, the reminder waits before being sent.

6. Guest message alerts

Enable Guest message alerts to notify guests by WhatsApp when the restaurant sends them a message through their booking.

The WhatsApp notification contains a link that allows the guest to open their booking and read the message.

Each alert counts towards the monthly WhatsApp allowance. The normal email notification is still sent.

7. Choose what happens after 300 messages

Under After the 300 included messages, choose one of the following:

• Suspend WhatsApp messages: WhatsApp notifications stop immediately when all 300 included messages have been used.
• Accept €0.07 + IVA per additional message: messages continue and each additional message is charged.
• Accept charges up to a monthly maximum: set a maximum additional monthly spend. WhatsApp messages stop automatically when that maximum is reached.

Click Save after changing the settings.

8. Guest permission on the public booking form

The Booking updates option appears on the public booking form only.

Guests can choose:

• Email only
• Email + WhatsApp

There is no WhatsApp-only option. Email communications are always sent. If the guest does not give WhatsApp permission, they continue to receive the normal email notifications. WhatsApp notifications are sent in the language attached to the booking.