Deploy via WhatsApp and SMS

You can make your chatbot reachable over WhatsApp and SMS by connecting it to Twilio. VectorShift provides a webhook URL that Twilio calls every time a message arrives. The chatbot processes the message through your workflow and sends the response back through Twilio. This guide walks through the full setup using WhatsApp as the example. The same steps apply to SMS: you configure the webhook in the SMS section of your Twilio console instead of the WhatsApp sandbox.

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Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• A deployed chatbot in VectorShift (toggle Deployment Enabled in the Export tab). See Share via link for deployment details.
• A Twilio account. You can use Twilio’s free sandbox for testing. Production use requires an approved WhatsApp Business Profile.
• Your VectorShift API key (found under your profile > API Keys).

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Step 1. Locate the Twilio webhook URL in VectorShift

In the chatbot builder, open the Export tab and navigate to the WhatsApp / SMS sub-tab. You will see a Twilio Webhook URL that VectorShift has generated for this chatbot. You will also see fields for your Twilio Account SID and Auth Token (you will fill these in Step 3).

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Step 2. Set up your Twilio account

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Step 2.1. Create a Twilio account

Navigate to twilio.com and sign up for an account. You will start in a sandbox environment, which is enough for testing. You will move to production at the end of this guide.

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Step 2.2. Create an API key

Go to the Manage account page and navigate to the API Keys section. Click Create API Key.

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Step 2.3. Configure the API key

Give your key a name (for example, “VectorShift Chatbot”) and select a region. You can leave the key type set to Standard.

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Step 3. Connect Twilio to VectorShift

Copy your Account SID and Auth Token from Twilio and paste them into the corresponding fields in the VectorShift Export tab.

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Step 4. Configure the Twilio sandbox

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Step 4.1. Copy the Twilio webhook URL

Copy the webhook URL from the VectorShift Export tab.

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Step 4.2. Paste it into the sandbox configuration

In the Twilio console, navigate to the WhatsApp Sandbox settings. Paste the webhook URL into the “When a message comes in” field. Leave the “Status callback” field empty.

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Step 4.3. Append your VectorShift API key to the URL

The webhook URL contains a placeholder: {VectorShift_API_Key_Here}. Replace it with your actual VectorShift API key and click Save.

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Step 5. Test in the sandbox

Follow Twilio’s sandbox instructions to connect your phone to the sandbox (you will typically send a specific message to a WhatsApp number that Twilio provides). Once connected, send a message and verify that your chatbot responds.

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Step 6. Move to production

The sandbox is for testing only. To use your chatbot with a real WhatsApp number, you need to apply for a WhatsApp Business Profile through Twilio. Fill out Twilio’s WhatsApp Request Form to begin the approval process. Once approved, update the webhook URL in your production Twilio configuration (the same URL you used in the sandbox, with your real API key appended).

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Next steps