Auto-link WhatsApp numbers to clients

What it is

When someone messages your firm from a number that is not on file, the conversation lands as Unclassified instead of creating a placeholder record. Auto-link by phone finds contacts and leads whose phone number matches and links those conversations for you.

Who can do it

Anyone who can create activities. It only looks at conversations on lines you are allowed to see.

Steps

• Open WhatsApp in the sidebar.
• Click "Auto-link by phone". The button appears only when at least one direct conversation is unlinked.
• A preview window opens: "Auto-link conversations by phone number". It shows how many conversations were scanned.
• Review the lists, then click "Link N conversation(s)".
• A confirmation shows how many were linked.

How matching works

• Numbers are compared by their last 10 digits, so +91, a leading 0 and spaces do not matter.
• A conversation is linked only when exactly one contact or lead matches.
• If a number matches more than one record it is listed as "match more than one record - not linked". Open that conversation and choose the right record yourself.
• If the matching record already has another WhatsApp conversation, it is listed for you to merge instead of creating a second link.
• Numbers with no matching contact or lead are only counted.

Linking one conversation by hand

• Open the conversation and click "Link to lead/contact".
• Choose Contact or Lead, search by name, email or phone, and pick the record.
• If that record already has a WhatsApp conversation you are asked "Merge conversations?". Merging combines the message history and cannot be undone.

Common problems

• Link button is disabled: nothing in the preview can be linked safely. Fix duplicates or add the phone number to the contact first.
• A client's number is not matching: check the phone is saved on the contact record and has at least 10 digits.