Sending Messages
Besides the reminders QraOnline sends automatically, you can send WhatsApp messages by hand — to one person, or to a whole class at once.
Your center's WhatsApp connection has to be Active first. See Connecting WhatsApp.
Placeholder. Watch a template message being picked, filled in, previewed, and sent to a whole class.
Where to find it
- In the left sidebar, click WhatsApp.
- You'll see four tabs: Composer, Direct, Templates, and Bulk.
If your connection isn't active yet, this page shows a Configure WhatsApp button instead and takes you to My Center → WhatsApp. Once active, a gear icon next to the tabs takes you back there any time.
WhatsApp only lets a business start a conversation with a pre-approved template. So the Composer is the tab you'll use most. Typing free text only reaches people who messaged your number in the last 24 hours.
Sending to a group — the Composer
This is the main way to send. Use it for a class, all your students, or everyone attending a meeting.
- Open the WhatsApp → Composer tab.
- Step 1 — Pick a template. The row of chips shows every template currently switched on for your center. Click one.
- Step 2 — Pick recipients. What you see here depends on the template you chose:
| Template about | Who you can pick from |
|---|---|
| Payments | Students with an unpaid balance. You can narrow it to a specific month. |
| Salaries or System | Your full student or teacher list. |
| Meetings | Choose an upcoming meeting, then its attendees. |
| Class schedules or Courses | Choose a class, then its students or teachers. |
Use the search box to filter by name or phone number, or tick select all to take everyone currently listed.
- Step 3 — Fill in the blanks. Templates have gaps that need filling, like a class name or an amount. Anything QraOnline already knows — the person's own name, for instance — is filled in for you automatically. You only type what's left.
- Check the preview on the right. It shows a real WhatsApp-style message bubble with your center's name and photo, exactly as the recipient will see it.
- Click Send.
You'll see a confirmation of how many messages are being sent. They go out over the next few moments.
Anyone without a phone number on file is skipped automatically rather than breaking the whole send. The count on screen tells you how many were skipped.
Sending to one person — Direct
For a quick one-off message.
- Open the WhatsApp → Direct tab.
- Fill in the form:
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Send to | Specific phone number, Specific class, All students, All teachers, Selected students, or Selected teachers. |
| Message type | Text. (Image is listed but not available yet.) |
| Message text | What you want to say. Up to 4096 characters. |
- Click Send.
Because this is your own wording rather than an approved template, WhatsApp only delivers it if the person messaged your number within the last 24 hours. If you're starting the conversation, use the Composer instead.
Sending to a pasted list of numbers — Bulk
Use this when the people you're messaging aren't students or teachers in your center.
- Open the WhatsApp → Bulk tab.
- Paste one phone number per line. Common formats all work (
+212612345678,0612345678,00212612345678). You'll immediately see how many numbers are valid and which lines had a problem. - Choose a mode:
- Template — pick a template and fill its blanks, same as the Composer. This is the reliable choice.
- Manual — type your own text. Same 24-hour limitation as Direct.
- Click Send.
Seeing what templates you have — Templates tab
The WhatsApp → Templates tab lists every template your center can send, grouped by topic. For each one you'll see:
- A preview of the exact message wording, in your center's sending language.
- Whether it's currently Enabled or Disabled for your center.
- Whether it's a timed Reminder.
- Who it goes to.
This tab is read-only. To switch a template on or off, go to Controlling Messages.
The wording is fixed and approved by WhatsApp in advance. Nobody can rename or reword a template from inside QraOnline. If you need different wording, contact us.
Sending a reminder from a single record
Some pages give you a shortcut. On a payment row or a meeting attendee list, look for a Send WhatsApp reminder action. It opens the same flow with the right template already chosen and the details filled in from that record — you just check the preview and send.
If something goes wrong
The Composer says "No templates available". Every WhatsApp template is switched off for your center, or your connection isn't ready. Check Controlling Messages.
A student never got the message. Usually a missing or wrong phone number on their record. Check it on their profile in Managing Students. If you sent free text rather than a template, the 24-hour rule likely blocked it.
A template I want isn't in the list. Only templates currently enabled for your center appear. Switch it back on in Controlling Messages.
Can teachers send WhatsApp messages? No. This is an admin feature, and only admins with permission to manage notifications can send.