{"id":2125,"date":"2026-09-29T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/360dialog.com\/blog\/?p=2125"},"modified":"2026-09-28T13:34:07","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T13:34:07","slug":"whatsapp-shared-inbox-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/360dialog.com\/blog\/whatsapp-shared-inbox-team\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Manage WhatsApp as a Team with a Shared Inbox"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Manage WhatsApp as a team by connecting your business number to 360Dialog Inbox, a shared inbox on the WhatsApp Business API that gives every team member their own login, conversation assignment, tags, and saved responses.<\/strong> The WhatsApp Business app links up to four devices to one phone, which covers very small teams. 360Dialog Inbox is built for teams that need more people on one number, a clear owner for every conversation, and automations running alongside the people who answer. It is included with the Premium plan at \u20ac99 per number per month, needs no code, and runs in the browser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  1. The WhatsApp Business app supports one phone plus up to four linked devices, and a paid Meta Verified or Meta One subscription raises that to 10 devices with chat assignment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. A shared inbox on the WhatsApp Business API gives each team member their own login, with assignment, tags, user groups, and permissions on one business number.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. 360Dialog Inbox is included with the Premium plan at \u20ac99 per number per month, with no per-seat fee for added team members.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Assigning each conversation to one person prevents duplicate replies and missed messages.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. The same number can run automations through Zapier, Make, or n8n<\/a> while your team answers customers in the inbox.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

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    What Is a Shared WhatsApp Inbox and Who Needs One?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    A shared WhatsApp inbox is a web workspace where several team members send and receive WhatsApp messages through one business number at the same time, each from their own device and login. 360Dialog Inbox is our shared inbox for the WhatsApp Business API, powered by a technology layer called get.chat. It adds conversation assignment, tags, saved responses, user groups, and permissions on top of the official API.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The WhatsApp Business app already lets small teams share a number. It supports one phone and up to four linked devices at a time, such as WhatsApp Web or WhatsApp Desktop.[1] Businesses with a Meta Verified or Meta One subscription can use multi-agent, which allows up to 10 devices and adds chat assignment.[2] In both setups, access runs through devices linked to a primary phone, and linked devices disconnect when that phone goes unused for more than 14 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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    A shared inbox on the API suits teams that have outgrown those limits: more people answering than devices allowed, a need for permissions per person, or automations and people working on the same number. A printing shop taking orders in chat, a clinic front desk where three receptionists book appointments, a support team sorting requests by urgency, and a five-person sales team closing deals on WhatsApp all fit that profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If one phone and a few linked devices no longer cover everyone who answers your customers, talk to us<\/a> about moving that number into 360Dialog Inbox.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    How Does a Shared Inbox Work with the WhatsApp Business API?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    A shared inbox sits on top of the WhatsApp Business API as the interface your team works in. The API delivers messages between your business number and your customers, and the inbox is where your team reads, writes, assigns, and tags those conversations. get.chat adds a REST API, which lets your own software read and send messages, plus multi-webhook delivery and an open-source inbox UI that can be embedded in other tools.[3]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    A webhook is the web address where WhatsApp delivers the messages customers send you, and each phone number sends its events to one main webhook address.[4] 360Dialog can attach extra webhook addresses to a number.[11] get.chat receives the events and forwards each one to several endpoints you configure, which is what multi-webhook delivery means. Your inbox, your CRM, and your automation tools can all receive the same events at once, with no custom middleware to build.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The hosted inbox gives your team a shared dashboard for answering customers from multiple devices at once, with no code required.[5] Inbox owners manage users, permissions, tags, and saved responses in the inbox settings, and agents handle conversations in the browser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For teams with developers, the WhatsApp Integration API is available on every get.chat instance.[6] The get.chat overview lists messages, chats, contacts, tags, templates, and media among what it covers, so anything your team does in the inbox can also run from your own systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    How to Use Tags to Build a WhatsApp Sales Pipeline Without a CRM<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Tags in 360Dialog Inbox label each conversation with a status, which turns the inbox into a lightweight pipeline tracker. The get.chat documentation describes tags as a way to “group WhatsApp Users or manage statuses of your transactions, leads or orders.”[7] A sales team might create “New lead,” “Quote sent,” “Awaiting payment,” and “Delivered,” then move each conversation to the next tag as the deal progresses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tags work the same way outside sales. A support team can tag conversations by issue type or urgency, and an order desk can track each order from “Received” to “Shipped.” Many teams run both, with one set of tags for deal stages and another for support categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Saved responses speed up the follow-up at each stage. Your team can send them while the Customer Care Window is open, which the get.chat documentation says lasts at least 24 hours after the customer’s last message and longer for chats that started from a Click-to-WhatsApp ad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    How to Assign Conversations so No Customer Gets Answered Twice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Assigning a conversation to one team member makes that person responsible for the reply, and everyone else on the team can see who owns it. 360Dialog Inbox lets your team view, assign, and respond to WhatsApp conversations together.[8] With a clear owner on every chat, each customer gets one reply, and messages stop slipping through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    User groups and permissions add control on top of assignment. You can group agents so they share the same set of rules, and set permissions for individual users so each person has the right access for their role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The effect is easy to see on a front desk where three to six people share one number. When someone is out, a manager reassigns their open conversations, and the rest of the team sees the change right away. Our playbook for setting up a shared front desk<\/a> covers the assignment routine and shift handovers step by step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Combined with tags, assignment gives each conversation two labels: where it stands (the tag) and who owns it (the assignment). Together they replace the sticky notes and screenshots that small teams fall back on when WhatsApp volume grows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    How to Connect Your Inbox Number to Zapier, Make, n8n, and Your CRM<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Every 360Dialog WhatsApp API plan includes Zapier, Make, and n8n integrations, so the number your team answers in the inbox can also run automations.[9] Our Hub documentation describes each one: Zapier connects WhatsApp to thousands of applications, Make builds multi-branch scenarios in a visual editor, and n8n runs node-based workflows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Automations and people share one queue on the same number.[10] An automated flow sends an order confirmation or an appointment reminder, and when the customer replies with a question, the assigned team member answers in the inbox. Step-by-step guides cover the WhatsApp Zapier integration<\/a> and the n8n WhatsApp integration<\/a>, and the overview of connecting your WhatsApp business number to any tool<\/a> compares the options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For CRM data, multi-webhook delivery sends the same inbound messages and status updates to your CRM while your team works in the inbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If your process calls for a full CRM or a dedicated support tool connected to WhatsApp, browse our vetted partner tools and find the right solution<\/a> for your team.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    When a Solo Setup Stops Working and a Team Inbox Starts Making Sense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    A solo setup stops working when more team members need to answer customers than your current setup supports, or when you need to know who handled which conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Generally, one team member starts answering customers from the WhatsApp Business app on their phone until volume picks up. A colleague links a second device, and for a while that covers it. Then the team grows again, automations need to run on the same number, or a manager wants to see who owns each open deal. That is the point where the number moves to the WhatsApp Business API and a shared inbox gives the team a proper workspace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Three signals typically tell teams it’s time for a change: more people need to answer than your linked devices allow, two teammates end up replying to the same customer or a message sits unanswered because everyone assumed someone else had it, or you have started copying WhatsApp contacts into a spreadsheet by hand just to track where deals stand. Any one of those means the team has outgrown the solo setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    How to Set Up 360Dialog Inbox on Your Premium Plan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Setting up 360Dialog Inbox takes three steps: register your number on the Premium plan, activate Inbox, and invite your team. Once your number is live, the inbox is ready to use in minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step 1: Register Your Number on the Premium Plan<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Start the number registration with 360Dialog and choose the Premium plan. The onboarding walks you through everything your number needs to go live on the WhatsApp Business API. Inbox is available only for 360Dialog direct clients on the Premium plan, at no extra charge. The Premium plan costs \u20ac99 per number per month and includes the Inbox, Sendout, Automation, and Measurement addons. If you are on the Regular plan at \u20ac49 per number per month, you can upgrade from your dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If your number already runs on the WhatsApp Business app, you can bring it with you. You keep your number and your audience, message history can be synced, and the app keeps working alongside the platform as long as you open it at least once every 13 days. Official Business Account status and the Calling API are unavailable on numbers that use the app and the platform together. The playbook on upgrading from the WhatsApp Business app<\/a> helps you decide whether to keep the app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step 2: Activate Inbox and Set Up Your Workspace<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Once Premium is active, activate Inbox from your dashboard. Open the inbox settings to create tags for your pipeline stages or support categories, add saved responses, and set up user groups and permissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Step 3: Invite Your Team<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Add team members from your 360Dialog dashboard. Each person logs in with their own account and sees the full conversation history from the moment they join. Adding people carries no per-seat fee on the Premium plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    360Dialog is an Official Meta Solution Partner trusted by more than 100,000 businesses. Inbox extends that infrastructure with a team workspace that needs no code and no separate subscription.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    With assignment, tags, and team logins covered in one plan, activate your inbox<\/a> on the Premium plan at \u20ac99 per number per month and invite everyone who answers your customers.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    What Is a Shared WhatsApp Inbox?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    A shared WhatsApp inbox is a web-based workspace where multiple team members send and receive WhatsApp messages through one business number at the same time, each with their own login. It runs on the WhatsApp Business API and adds conversation assignment, tags, saved responses, and permission controls, so a team can divide the work on one number without duplicate or missed replies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Can Multiple People Use One WhatsApp Business Number at the Same Time?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Yes. The WhatsApp Business app lets up to four linked devices use one number alongside the main phone, and Meta Verified or Meta One subscribers can link up to 10 devices with chat assignment. Teams that need more people, a login and permissions for each person, or automations on the same number use the WhatsApp Business API with a shared inbox like 360Dialog Inbox.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How Much Does 360Dialog Inbox Cost?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    360Dialog Inbox is included with the Premium plan at \u20ac99 per number per month, plus Meta’s WhatsApp messaging fees. Adding team members carries no per-seat fee, so the monthly price stays the same as your team grows. The Regular plan at \u20ac49 per number per month excludes Inbox, and higher-volume plans are listed on the 360Dialog pricing page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Do I Need a CRM to Use a Shared WhatsApp Inbox?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    A CRM is optional for a shared WhatsApp inbox. Tags and assignment in 360Dialog Inbox track where each deal stands and who owns it, directly inside the inbox, with stages like “New lead,” “Quote sent,” and “Awaiting payment.” Teams that already use a CRM can link it through multi-webhook delivery, the REST API, or the Zapier, Make, and n8n integrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    How Is 360Dialog Inbox Different From the WhatsApp Business App with Linked Devices?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    The WhatsApp Business app connects up to four linked devices to one phone, or up to 10 with a Meta Verified or Meta One subscription, and those devices depend on the primary phone staying active. 360Dialog Inbox runs on the WhatsApp Business API, gives each team member their own login with no per-seat fee, and adds user groups, permissions, a REST API, and automations on the same number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Sources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    [1] WhatsApp Help Center, “About Linked Devices on the WhatsApp Business App.” https:\/\/faq.whatsapp.com\/647349420360876<\/a> Accessed September 24, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    [2] WhatsApp Help Center, “About Multi-Agent.” https:\/\/faq.whatsapp.com\/395911122612120<\/a> Accessed September 24, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    [3] get.chat Documentation, “Build on WhatsApp, Without the WhatsApp Business API Headaches.” https:\/\/docs.getchat.360dialog.io\/<\/a> Accessed September 24, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    [4] get.chat Documentation, “Multiple Webhooks for WhatsApp.” https:\/\/docs.getchat.360dialog.io\/guides\/1-multiple-webhooks\/<\/a> Accessed September 24, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    [5] get.chat Documentation, “get.chat WhatsApp Web Inbox.” https:\/\/docs.getchat.360dialog.io\/inbox\/<\/a> Accessed September 24, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    [6] get.chat Documentation, “APIs.” https:\/\/docs.getchat.360dialog.io\/apis\/<\/a> Accessed September 24, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    [7] get.chat Documentation, “get.chat WhatsApp Web Inbox,” settings reference. https:\/\/docs.getchat.360dialog.io\/inbox\/3-admin-panel\/<\/a> Accessed September 24, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    [8] 360Dialog Documentation, “Getting Started.” https:\/\/docs.360dialog.com\/docs\/hub\/getting-started<\/a> Accessed September 24, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    [9] 360Dialog, “WhatsApp Business Platform Pricing.” https:\/\/360dialog.com\/pricing<\/a> Accessed September 24, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    [10] 360Dialog, “Shared WhatsApp Inbox for Teams.” https:\/\/360dialog.com\/inbox<\/a> Accessed September 24, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    [11] 360Dialog Partner Documentation, “Set multiple webhooks for Phone Number.” https:\/\/docs.360dialog.com\/partner\/onboarding\/webhook-events-and-setup\/set-multiple-webhooks-for-phone-number<\/a> Accessed September 28, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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