WhatsApp Business Automation via Rube MCP
Automate WhatsApp Business operations through Composio's WhatsApp toolkit via Rube MCP.
Prerequisites
- •Rube MCP must be connected (RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLS available)
- •Active WhatsApp connection via
RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONSwith toolkitwhatsapp - •Always call
RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLSfirst to get current tool schemas - •WhatsApp Business API account required (not regular WhatsApp)
Setup
Get Rube MCP: Add https://rube.app/mcp as an MCP server in your client configuration. No API keys needed — just add the endpoint and it works.
- •Verify Rube MCP is available by confirming
RUBE_SEARCH_TOOLSresponds - •Call
RUBE_MANAGE_CONNECTIONSwith toolkitwhatsapp - •If connection is not ACTIVE, follow the returned auth link to complete WhatsApp Business setup
- •Confirm connection status shows ACTIVE before running any workflows
Core Workflows
1. Send a Text Message
When to use: User wants to send a text message to a WhatsApp contact
Tool sequence:
- •
WHATSAPP_GET_PHONE_NUMBERS- List available business phone numbers [Prerequisite] - •
WHATSAPP_SEND_MESSAGE- Send a text message [Required]
Key parameters:
- •
to: Recipient phone number in international format (e.g., '+14155551234') - •
body: Message text content - •
phone_number_id: Business phone number ID to send from
Pitfalls:
- •Phone numbers must be in international E.164 format with country code
- •Messages outside the 24-hour window require approved templates
- •The 24-hour window starts when the customer last messaged you
- •Business-initiated conversations require template messages first
2. Send Template Messages
When to use: User wants to send pre-approved template messages for outbound communication
Tool sequence:
- •
WHATSAPP_GET_MESSAGE_TEMPLATES- List available templates [Prerequisite] - •
WHATSAPP_GET_TEMPLATE_STATUS- Check template approval status [Optional] - •
WHATSAPP_SEND_TEMPLATE_MESSAGE- Send the template message [Required]
Key parameters:
- •
template_name: Name of the approved template - •
language_code: Template language (e.g., 'en_US') - •
to: Recipient phone number - •
components: Template variable values and parameters
Pitfalls:
- •Templates must be approved by Meta before use
- •Template variables must match the expected count and format
- •Sending unapproved or rejected templates returns errors
- •Language code must match an approved translation of the template
3. Send Media Messages
When to use: User wants to send images, documents, or other media
Tool sequence:
- •
WHATSAPP_UPLOAD_MEDIA- Upload media to WhatsApp servers [Required] - •
WHATSAPP_SEND_MEDIA_BY_ID- Send media using the uploaded media ID [Required] OR - •
WHATSAPP_SEND_MEDIA- Send media using a public URL [Alternative]
Key parameters:
- •
media_url: Public URL of the media (for SEND_MEDIA) - •
media_id: ID from upload response (for SEND_MEDIA_BY_ID) - •
type: Media type ('image', 'document', 'audio', 'video', 'sticker') - •
caption: Optional caption for the media
Pitfalls:
- •Uploaded media IDs are temporary and expire after a period
- •Media size limits vary by type (images: 5MB, videos: 16MB, documents: 100MB)
- •Supported formats: images (JPEG, PNG), videos (MP4, 3GPP), documents (PDF, etc.)
- •SEND_MEDIA requires a publicly accessible HTTPS URL
4. Reply to Messages
When to use: User wants to reply to an incoming WhatsApp message
Tool sequence:
- •
WHATSAPP_SEND_REPLY- Send a reply to a specific message [Required]
Key parameters:
- •
message_id: ID of the message being replied to - •
to: Recipient phone number - •
body: Reply text content
Pitfalls:
- •message_id must be from a message received within the 24-hour window
- •Replies appear as quoted messages in the conversation
- •The original message must still exist (not deleted) for the quote to display
5. Manage Business Profile and Templates
When to use: User wants to view or manage their WhatsApp Business profile
Tool sequence:
- •
WHATSAPP_GET_BUSINESS_PROFILE- Get business profile details [Optional] - •
WHATSAPP_GET_PHONE_NUMBERS- List registered phone numbers [Optional] - •
WHATSAPP_GET_PHONE_NUMBER- Get details for a specific number [Optional] - •
WHATSAPP_CREATE_MESSAGE_TEMPLATE- Create a new template [Optional] - •
WHATSAPP_GET_MESSAGE_TEMPLATES- List all templates [Optional]
Key parameters:
- •
phone_number_id: Business phone number ID - •
template_name: Name for the new template - •
category: Template category (MARKETING, UTILITY, AUTHENTICATION) - •
language: Template language code
Pitfalls:
- •New templates require Meta review before they can be used
- •Template names must be lowercase with underscores (no spaces)
- •Category affects pricing and approval criteria
- •Templates have specific formatting requirements for headers, body, and buttons
6. Share Contacts
When to use: User wants to send contact information via WhatsApp
Tool sequence:
- •
WHATSAPP_SEND_CONTACTS- Send contact cards [Required]
Key parameters:
- •
to: Recipient phone number - •
contacts: Array of contact objects with name, phone, email details
Pitfalls:
- •Contact objects must follow the WhatsApp Business API contact schema
- •At least a name field is required for each contact
- •Phone numbers in contacts should include country codes
Common Patterns
24-Hour Messaging Window
- •Customers must message you first to open a conversation window
- •Within 24 hours of their last message, you can send free-form messages
- •After 24 hours, only approved template messages can be sent
- •Template messages can re-open the conversation window
Phone Number Resolution
1. Call WHATSAPP_GET_PHONE_NUMBERS 2. Extract phone_number_id for your business number 3. Use phone_number_id in all send operations
Media Upload Flow
1. Call WHATSAPP_UPLOAD_MEDIA with the file 2. Extract media_id from response 3. Call WHATSAPP_SEND_MEDIA_BY_ID with media_id 4. OR use WHATSAPP_SEND_MEDIA with a public URL directly
Known Pitfalls
Phone Number Format:
- •Always use E.164 format: +[country code][number] (e.g., '+14155551234')
- •Do not include dashes, spaces, or parentheses
- •Country code is required; local numbers without it will fail
Messaging Restrictions:
- •Business-initiated messages require templates outside the 24-hour window
- •Template messages cost money per conversation
- •Rate limits apply per phone number and per account
Media Handling:
- •Uploaded media expires; use promptly after upload
- •Media URLs must be publicly accessible HTTPS
- •Stickers have specific requirements (WebP format, 512x512 pixels)
Template Management:
- •Template review can take up to 24 hours
- •Rejected templates need to be fixed and resubmitted
- •Template variables use double curly braces: {{1}}, {{2}}, etc.
Quick Reference
| Task | Tool Slug | Key Params |
|---|---|---|
| Send message | WHATSAPP_SEND_MESSAGE | to, body |
| Send template | WHATSAPP_SEND_TEMPLATE_MESSAGE | template_name, to, language_code |
| Upload media | WHATSAPP_UPLOAD_MEDIA | (file params) |
| Send media by ID | WHATSAPP_SEND_MEDIA_BY_ID | media_id, to, type |
| Send media by URL | WHATSAPP_SEND_MEDIA | media_url, to, type |
| Reply to message | WHATSAPP_SEND_REPLY | message_id, to, body |
| Send contacts | WHATSAPP_SEND_CONTACTS | to, contacts |
| Get media | WHATSAPP_GET_MEDIA | media_id |
| List phone numbers | WHATSAPP_GET_PHONE_NUMBERS | (none) |
| Get phone number | WHATSAPP_GET_PHONE_NUMBER | phone_number_id |
| Get business profile | WHATSAPP_GET_BUSINESS_PROFILE | phone_number_id |
| Create template | WHATSAPP_CREATE_MESSAGE_TEMPLATE | template_name, category, language |
| List templates | WHATSAPP_GET_MESSAGE_TEMPLATES | (none) |
| Check template status | WHATSAPP_GET_TEMPLATE_STATUS | template_id |
When to Use
This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.