> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://polser.gitbook.io/polser-docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://polser.gitbook.io/polser-docs/features/templates.md).
# Templates
The Templates section (in the left menu) is where you configure the message Polser sends on its own, either automatically or as the opening of a conversation.
### Before touching anything, one distinction
Some of these messages are **entirely yours**: you write them, turn them on, and edit them right here, with no approval and no waiting. Others are based on **Meta templates**: they live in Meta, go through an approval process, and Polser either connects them or lets you create and edit them.
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The reason for the split is WhatsApp's 24-hour rule: anything sent inside an open conversation is yours to write freely, while anything that reaches a contact outside that window must ride on a Meta-approved template.
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The section groups these into three kinds of template: **autoreplies**, **start new chat**, and **broadcasts**.
### Autoreplies
Autoreplies are messages Polser sends automatically **inside the service window** (less than 24 hours since the contact's last message), the moment someone writes to you. There are three:
* **Off business hours**: sent when a contact messages you outside your configured working hours.
* **Weekends**: sent on weekends, to let people know you're away.
* **Custom**: a free slot for anything else (a holiday, a special event).
Because they go out inside the open window, autoreplies are **not** Meta templates. You write, activate, and deactivate them here, with no approval and no delay. This is the only fully editable, instant part of the Templates section. Each card has its own toggle, so you can turn any autoreply on or off independently without affecting the others.
### Start new chat
This is the very first message a brand-new contact receives. Here you don't write the text: you choose, **for each number**, which Meta template is used as the opening message. When you open the setup you see the list of your numbers, and next to each one a dropdown with the available templates.
Two things to keep in mind:
* **The opening template lives in Meta, not in Polser.** What you do here is connect an existing, approved template to a number.
* **Only templates whose name starts with `new_chat` appear in the dropdown.** If you create an opening template in Meta and don't name it that way (or it isn't approved yet), you won't see it in the list.
This template is **mandatory**: a number without an opening template can't start new conversations.
### Broadcast templates
Broadcast templates are the ones used in mass campaigns. This page covers how the templates themselves are **created and edited**; for building and sending a campaign, see the [Broadcasts](https://polser.gitbook.io/polser-docs/features/broadcasts) page.
#### Creating a broadcast template from Polser
You can now create broadcast templates directly in Polser, without going into Meta's WhatsApp Manager. Use the **+ Broadcast** button at the top of the Templates section.
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You fill in:
* **Template name.** Choose it carefully: it **cannot be changed** later.
* **Message body.** The text of the template. Use **Add variable** to insert placeholders (`{{1}}`, `{{2}}`) for the parts that change per contact, such as a name or a code.
When you create the template, Polser registers it and sends it to Meta for approval. Even though creating it is now quicker, **Meta still has to approve every template**, and that can take **up to 24 hours** before you can use it. Plan with margin: a template you need for Monday's campaign shouldn't be created Monday morning.
**While a template is waiting for approval, its card shows a clock icon.** Hovering over it confirms the status ("Meta can take up to 24 hours to approve this template"). Once Meta approves the template, the clock disappears and the template is ready to use.
#### Editing an existing broadcast template
Opening a broadcast template lets you edit the essentials (the text and the position of the variables) for quick corrections without leaving Polser. If the template uses variables, you also provide a **sample value** for each one, so Meta can review it in context.
Avoid deleting the variables, and remember that any change goes back through Meta approval, which again can take up to 24 hours.
#### If you create the template in Meta instead
Polser's in-app creation covers text templates with variables. For anything richer, an image or video header, buttons, or other interactive elements, you'll need to create the template directly in Meta's WhatsApp Manager. You can still edit a template that was created in Polser, but adding advanced media or interactive components has to be done in Meta.
When you create a broadcast template in Meta, its **name must contain the word `broadcast`** for Polser to recognize it. A campaign template without that word won't show up as an option when you send. The full step-by-step for creating templates in Meta is documented on the [Broadcasts](https://polser.gitbook.io/polser-docs/features/broadcasts) page.
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Templates are available for both mobile and web applications within Polser, but **they can only be edited in the browser**.
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Planned enhancements
Future improvements include:
* **Define autoreplies for each phone number** individually, to adapt to team members in different timezones or with different holidays.
* **Template creation**: Ability to design new templates from scratch. Broadcast delivered ✅, more coming!
* **Multilingual Support**: Enable auto replies in multiple languages to cater to a diverse customer base. Use language variation for Meta templates.
