> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.digifist.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Templates

> WhatsApp message templates in Galantis — the pre-approved messages required for all campaigns, automations, and proactive outbound messaging.

Templates are the foundation of every outbound message in Galantis. Every campaign broadcast, every automation action node, and every proactive message sent outside a 24-hour conversation window requires a WhatsApp template that has been submitted to and approved by Meta before it can be used.

A template is not just a message — it is a structured artifact with a fixed format, a category declaration, optional dynamic variables, and a status that Meta controls. Understanding how templates work, what they require, and how Meta evaluates them is essential before building any campaign or automation.

## How templates work in Galantis

Templates are created in Galantis, submitted to Meta for review, and used in campaigns and automations once approved. The lifecycle moves through four states: `DRAFT` → `PENDING_APPROVAL` → `APPROVED` or `REJECTED`. Only `APPROVED` templates can be used to send messages.

At send time, dynamic variable placeholders in the template body — `{{1}}`, `{{2}}` — are populated with real customer or order data, producing a personalized message for each recipient while the template structure remains fixed and Meta-approved.

## Guides in this section

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Template Categories" icon="folder" href="./template-categories">
    Marketing vs Utility — what each category means and when to use it.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Creating Templates" icon="pen-to-square" href="./creating-templates">
    Headers, body, footer, buttons, and how to build and submit a template.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Template Formats" icon="table-columns" href="./template-formats">
    Single Rich Card, Multi Rich Card, SPM, MPM, and Whole Catalog structures.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Approval Lifecycle" icon="arrows-rotate" href="./approval-lifecycle">
    DRAFT, PENDING\_APPROVAL, APPROVED, and REJECTED — what each status means.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Variables & Localization" icon="sliders" href="./variables-localization">
    Dynamic variable mapping and per-language template management.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Template Quality" icon="signal" href="./template-quality">
    How Meta evaluates template quality and how to keep templates healthy.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Before creating your first template

Two decisions shape every template before you write a single word of copy:

**Category first** — decide whether the message is Marketing or Utility. This is a compliance decision, not a formatting one. The category you declare must accurately reflect the message's purpose. Getting this wrong is the most common cause of rejection. See [Template Categories](./template-categories).

**Format second** — decide whether you need a standard message, a product card, a carousel, or a catalog-based format. Format choice depends on your campaign type and whether you have a Meta Catalog connected. See [Template Formats](./template-formats).

## Where templates are used

| Feature           | Template requirement                                                                             |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Campaigns**     | All campaigns require an `APPROVED` template                                                     |
| **Automations**   | Every Action Node requires an `APPROVED` template                                                |
| **Inbox**         | Required when the 24-hour conversation window is closed                                          |
| **Back-in-Stock** | The restock notification is sent via an automation Action Node — requires an `APPROVED` template |

## Related guides

* [Campaigns — Compliance Checks](/whatsapp/campaigns/compliance-checks) — Pre-launch template status validation
* [Automations — Actions](/whatsapp/automations/actions) — How templates are assigned to Action Nodes
* [Compliance — Templates vs Session Messages](/whatsapp/compliance/templates-vs-session) — When templates are required vs session messages