Sherlock, the Swapcard AI agent, can answer your participants directly on WhatsApp. By default, it uses the Swapcard WhatsApp number. If you have branded apps, you can connect your own WhatsApp Business account instead, so participants chat with Sherlock under your organization's name.
This article explains how to request a WhatsApp number, connect it with Meta, link it to one or more branded apps, share it with your participants, and follow your WhatsApp usage.
Before you start
Make sure the following requirements are met:
You are an organization admin. The WhatsApp settings are not visible to other roles.
Your organization has the Full White Label add-on.
Your organization is verified.
You have created at least one branded application.
If your organization is not verified or has no application yet, the Request a phone number button is greyed out. A banner at the top of the page tells you what is missing, with a button to contact support or to create an application.
💡 Good to know: Swapcard provides the phone number for you. You cannot connect a phone number you already own.
Step 1: Request a WhatsApp phone number
Go to your Organization settings and open the WhatsApp settings tab.
Click Request a phone number. A form opens.
Fill in all the required fields, including the country of the phone number and your legal entity in this country.
Click Submit.
ℹ️ Note: If a required field is missing, the form cannot be submitted and the missing fields are highlighted. If your request is rejected, the Request a phone number button is displayed again so you can submit a new request.
Step 2: Connect your WhatsApp account with Meta
Once your number is ready, connect it to a Meta Business account.
Click Add WhatsApp account. A window opens.
Click Connect with Meta. The Meta signup window opens.
Follow the steps in the Meta window. When asked, enter your phone number and choose to receive the verification code by text message.
Because Swapcard owns the number, the verification code is displayed directly in the Swapcard window. Copy it.
Paste the code into the Meta window to confirm.
Once the code is validated, the Meta window closes and you move on to the next step.
Step 3: Link the WhatsApp account to your branded apps
Choose which branded app(s) this WhatsApp account will serve.
In the list of your organization's branded applications, check the app(s) you want to link.
Click Save.
A confirmation message is displayed and you are taken to the linked applications page, where your WhatsApp phone number appears next to each linked app.
ℹ️ Note: You must select at least one application to save. An app can only be linked to one WhatsApp account at a time. Apps already linked to another account are marked as such, with a tooltip explaining why.
Step 4: Share your WhatsApp number with participants
From the linked applications page, you can share the number with your participants using these actions:
Action | What it does |
Copy URL | Copies a link that opens a WhatsApp chat with your number |
Copy phone number | Copies the phone number in international format |
Download QR code | Downloads a QR code image that opens the WhatsApp chat when scanned |
💡 Tip: Add the QR code to your onsite signage, badges, or event emails so participants can start chatting with Sherlock in one scan.
Manage your WhatsApp accounts
From the linked applications page, you can keep your setup up to date:
Edit: change which applications are linked to the WhatsApp account, then click Save.
Delete: remove the WhatsApp account and all its app links. Confirm to apply the change, or cancel to keep everything as is.
You can connect several WhatsApp accounts to your organization, for example one per brand or per app.
Find your WhatsApp number at event level
In the Studio of your event, go to AI Agent to see which WhatsApp number Sherlock uses for this event:
Your event is linked to a branded app with a connected WhatsApp account: your own phone number is displayed, with the URL and QR code, and the copy and download actions.
Your event is linked to a branded app without a WhatsApp account: a Manage WhatsApp account button takes you to the WhatsApp settings of your organization.
Your event is not linked to a branded app: the Swapcard WhatsApp number is displayed, with its URL and QR code. A banner invites you to create your own WhatsApp account from your organization settings.
Follow your WhatsApp usage
WhatsApp messages have a cost. Your contract includes a WhatsApp budget, and you can follow how much of it you have used.
Go to your Organization settings and open Plans & Billing.
Find the WhatsApp usage row. It shows your current usage against your budget (for example, $12.00 / $50.00), with a progress bar, like the Participants and Exhibitors rows.
The progress bar turns red when your usage reaches or goes over your budget. Click Contact app support to ask for more budget.
Usage alerts
Organization admins receive an email at two key moments:
80% of the budget used: a warning email is sent once per contract period, with a link to contact support.
100% of the budget used: an email lets you know the budget is fully used, with a link to contact support.
What happens when the budget is fully used
Type of message | Behavior after 100% |
Participants chatting with Sherlock | ✅ Sherlock keeps answering normally |
Marketing messages sent by Sherlock | ⛔ Blocked and not sent |
Authentication messages sent by Sherlock | ⛔ Blocked and not sent |
💡 Good to know: When your budget is updated in your contract, the new amount is automatically displayed in Plans & Billing.
Important notes and limitations
Only organization admins can see and manage WhatsApp settings.
The Full White Label add-on, a verified organization, and at least one branded app are required.
Phone numbers are provided by Swapcard. You cannot bring your own number.
Each branded app can be linked to only one WhatsApp account at a time.
Events not linked to a branded app use the Swapcard WhatsApp number.
Connecting your own WhatsApp account lets participants reach Sherlock in the messaging app they already use every day, under your organization's brand. Once your number is linked and shared, keep an eye on your usage in Plans & Billing so Sherlock can keep sending reminders and updates throughout your events.