Set up the WhatsApp AI assistant

The model is selected in JollyBee: open Admin → Communications → Settings and look for WhatsApp AI assistant, below the WhatsApp connection settings.

If that card is absent, the AI assistant rollout is not available on your current screen. The form containing only Phone number ID, WABA ID and Access token connects WhatsApp; it does not configure an AI model. Ask JollyBee support about availability. There is no hidden model setting in Meta that enables the missing JollyBee card.

When the card is available, follow the steps below. JollyBee calls the selected OpenAI or Anthropic model for you. Community owners do not need to create an OpenAI or Anthropic webhook or paste a provider API key into the WhatsApp form.

1. Verify your WhatsApp number

Connect your community's own number using Connect your WhatsApp Business number. The assistant requires a verified connection with incoming messages enabled; the shared platform number does not qualify.

Send a short message from a separate WhatsApp account and confirm it reaches Communications → Inbox before enabling AI. JollyBee manages the Meta webhook and account subscription. If the message does not reach Inbox, resolve the connection first.

2. Choose the provider and model

In WhatsApp AI assistant, keep Enable automatic WhatsApp replies unchecked while you prepare the settings.

Choose Anthropic (Claude) or OpenAI under AI provider, then choose one of the models listed under Model. The screen shows the selected model's standard input and output rates including JollyBee's multiplier. Compare these rates with the response quality your community needs; a more expensive model also needs a larger interaction budget.

If a provider is marked unavailable, JollyBee has not enabled that provider for this deployment. Choose an available provider or save with automatic replies disabled and contact support. Selecting a model in Meta or entering an AI key in the WhatsApp access-token field will not resolve this.

3. Write the assistant's role and approved answers

Complete the four instruction fields with information your team is happy to share with customers:

• Assistant role and community rules: explain who the assistant represents, its tone, what it can help with and when it must refer someone to the team. For example: “Help visitors plan a visit. Be friendly and concise. Use our approved information and current catalogue. Ask the team if an answer is missing. Never promise an exception to an access rule.”
• Approved answers and business information: add current opening hours, directions, contact details, visitor requirements, policies and frequently asked questions. Review these whenever operations change. Keep passwords, private member details and confidential team notes out of this field.
• Topics the assistant may cover: list the intended subjects, such as visiting, opening hours, published shop products and permits.
• Topics and requests to hand to your team: list matters that need a person, such as complaints, refunds, special discounts, accessibility arrangements that need confirmation or requests for access outside opening hours.

Use specific instructions and test them with realistic questions. Text instructions guide the model; they do not make every generated answer guaranteed correct. The commerce switches below control which supported actions are available.

4. Choose the allowed commerce actions

Review each option under Allowed commerce actions:

• Recommend products from the community store: allows the assistant to find and describe eligible items from your community's current catalogue. Check product names, prices, variants and stock in Commerce first.
• Offer permits from the community catalogue: allows the assistant to explain available permits and help visitors reach the relevant checkout. Confirm that your permit offerings and visitor requirements are ready.
• Share secure checkout and payment links: allows the assistant to supply supported checkout links. Enable this only when you are ready for customers to proceed to checkout.

You can begin with commerce actions disabled and enable them after testing the assistant's answers. Customers complete the actual checkout: availability, final price, eligibility, visit details, waivers and payment are checked there. The assistant cannot change prices, mark orders paid, issue permits or treat a customer's screenshot as verified payment.

For a direct product payment link, the customer must ask to buy a specific item and supply the required quantity, variant and receipt email. Creating a payment link can create a pending checkout or payment reference. It does not mean payment succeeded. Permit details and any guardian or waiver requirements remain in the secure checkout flow.

5. Set handoff and spending limits

Write Message when handing to your team so the customer knows what to expect. For example: “I’m passing this to our team. They will reply here during our published support hours.” Only promise a response time your team can meet.

Set Maximum AI cost per interaction (USD cents). This includes JollyBee's 2× AI rate. Set Maximum response tokens to limit the model's response size; tokens are pieces of text rather than an exact word count. Longer instructions, conversation history, responses and additional model steps can increase usage.

The AI wallet must have a positive balance and enough available funds for the interaction's reservation. A very small cap can stop a reply even when the wallet is positive. If the budget is insufficient, the conversation remains in Inbox for your team. Raise the cap only after checking the selected model's rate, or choose a model and response limit that fit your budget.

6. Fund the two JollyBee wallets

Use the AI wallet and Message wallet links in the assistant card:

• AI wallet: holds USD credit for model usage. JollyBee totals the provider's usage cost for the interaction, multiplies it by two, then rounds the resulting charge up once to the next USD cent. For example, USD 0.006 of provider usage becomes USD 0.012 before rounding, so the AI wallet charge is USD 0.02. This example is not a fixed price per conversation.
• Message wallet: covers JollyBee's fee for a successful AI reply. Use the amount and currency displayed on your assistant screen; this wallet's currency may differ from the USD AI wallet.
• Meta account: separately pays Meta's applicable WhatsApp charges. Funding either JollyBee wallet does not pay or replace your Meta bill.

JollyBee reserves funds before processing and returns unused reserved amounts after settlement. The final AI charge reflects recorded model usage; a reply that fails to send can still have incurred AI cost. An uncertain provider or payment outcome can leave a reservation held for review. Check assistant activity before retrying or asking support to reconcile a hold.

7. Save and run a controlled test

Check that the number is verified, the provider is available and both wallets have enough credit. Select Enable automatic WhatsApp replies, then Save assistant settings. This enables replies for incoming customers, so choose a quiet time and keep a team member watching Inbox. Test messages use the same billing rules as other messages.

1. From a separate WhatsApp account, ask a question whose answer you entered, such as your published opening hours. Confirm the answer and AI disclosure in the conversation.
2. Ask about information you deliberately did not provide. Confirm the assistant does not invent an answer and refers the question to your team. If this pauses the conversation, review it under Conversations with your team, select Resume AI, then send a fresh message before continuing the test.
3. If product or permit recommendations are enabled, ask what is available and compare the answer with your catalogue.
4. If links are enabled, request a checkout link and open it to review the item, quantity, price and permit details. Stop before submitting payment or completing any free checkout. Use a controlled test item if you specifically test direct product payment links, because generating one can create a pending payment reference.
5. Ask to “speak to a human” and check the conversation under Conversations with your team in assistant activity. Reply through Inbox and confirm the assistant remains paused.
6. Review the conversation, select Resume AI when appropriate, and send a fresh message to test the resumed conversation. Resume applies to the next incoming message; it does not replay earlier questions.
7. Finally, send STOP from the test account and confirm automated replies stop. Keep that conversation paused unless the person has clearly asked to resume automated assistance.

To turn off automatic replies for the community, clear Enable automatic WhatsApp replies and select Save assistant settings. Your team can continue managing conversations in Inbox.

Review activity and take over a conversation

WhatsApp assistant activity lists recent interactions, the selected model, status, provider cost, AI wallet charge and message fee. Use View conversation to inspect the exchange. This is recent activity rather than an unlimited billing archive; the wallets show their own transactions.

AI stays paused after a handoff or a human reply. Conversations with your team shows paused conversations and Resume AI returns control after your team has reviewed the issue. If the conversation is still processing or awaiting review, resolve that state before resuming. For replies sent directly from the WhatsApp Business app, first confirm with support that coexistence reply updates reach JollyBee.

Troubleshoot missing replies

• No AI assistant card: ask support about the rollout. The WhatsApp connection form alone does not enable AI.
• Provider unavailable: choose an available provider or ask JollyBee support to enable the requested one.
• Connect or verify your number: complete the verified connection and check that a new message reaches Inbox.
• No message in Inbox: ask support to check the Meta webhook, WABA subscription and phone mapping. Model settings cannot repair a missing inbound connection.
• Message in Inbox, but no AI response: check that automatic replies were saved as enabled, both wallets have funds, the AI cap covers the selected model, and the conversation is not paused. Test with a new text message rather than an old message or attachment.
• Conversation paused: inspect the reason and respond as a person where needed. Resume only when the issue is resolved and automated replies are appropriate; respect a customer's STOP request.
• Reply window closed: ask the customer to send a fresh message, or use an appropriate approved WhatsApp template through your communications workflow. The assistant does not bypass Meta's 24-hour reply window.
• Review status or funds remain reserved: contact support with the community, conversation and approximate time. The outcome needs checking before another payment link or charge is attempted. Do not send access tokens, app secrets or payment details in a support screenshot.