Yes, you can set up Papo (https://papo.global/) to serve customers on WhatsApp in 5 steps: create your account, connect a WhatsApp inbox, add agents, set business hours with an away message, and prepare your first automated AI reply. Sign-up doesn't require a card, and the first user is free.
Summary of the 5 steps
| Step | What to do | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Create account | Enter your name, email, WhatsApp, and password, or sign in with Google; complete the verification. | The dashboard opens with a sales funnel, project, and email sequence ready to go. |
| 2. Connect WhatsApp | In Settings → Inboxes, add an inbox and choose WhatsApp via Meta's official API. | WhatsApp messages start landing in the Papo inbox. |
| 3. Add agents | In Settings → Agents, add the people who will handle conversations. | Your team starts receiving and replying to conversations. |
| 4. Set hours and away message | Configure business days and hours and write the away message. | Outside business hours, the customer receives a notice and the conversation isn't assigned to an agent. |
| 5. Prepare the automated reply | In Prompt and AI, describe your company, products, prices, and hours. | The AI replies in seconds, qualifies the lead, and transfers to a human when needed. |
Step 1: create your Papo account
Go to the Create your free account screen. You can use the Continue with Google button or fill in the fields:
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Your name | Full name |
| Login email | |
| WhatsApp / phone | Number with area code, required |
| Password | At least 6 characters, with an uppercase letter, lowercase letter, number, and special character |
| Verification | A simple sum, such as "What is 3 + 4?" |
After clicking Create account and start, you go straight to the dashboard. No card is required. The new account already comes with a Sales funnel, a Sales Department project, and a Lead nurturing email sequence ready to edit.
Step 2: connect WhatsApp
In the dashboard, go to Settings → Inboxes and click to add an inbox. Choose WhatsApp (official API) — the recommendation is to connect with Meta's Cloud API. If your account setup has providers available, they may also appear as an option, but the official route is the most recommended.
Complete the pairing or scan the QR code, as shown on the screen, and add the agents who will handle this inbox. After that, messages from the connected number appear in Conversations.
Note: WhatsApp voice calls use a different module. The inbox you connect here is for text messages and written support.
Step 3: add agents
With the channel connected, go to Settings → Agents and add the people who will reply on WhatsApp. The first user on the platform is free. Each additional user is part of the paid plan.
Adding your team is important because conversations that arrive within business hours will be distributed to available agents — by rotation or manually, depending on the inbox settings.
Step 4: set business hours and away message
Papo lets you configure the days and hours your team is available. When enabled, the system stops assigning new conversations to agents outside business hours and sends a personalized automated message.
In the Settings panel, find the Business Hours section. You can:
- Check the days of the week your company operates.
- Set the start and end time for each day.
- Write the away message that will be sent outside business hours.
Example away message:
"Hello! Thank you for reaching out. We're currently outside our business hours, which are Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM. Your message has been received and our team will reply as soon as we're back. Thank you!"
What happens to conversations outside business hours is simple: the customer receives the message immediately, and the conversation stays in the general queue without being assigned to an agent. Response time only starts counting when the team comes back online.
Step 5: prepare your first automated reply
To reduce first response time, set up the AI. In the side menu, open Prompt and AI and describe your company, products, prices, and hours. With that, Papo can reply in about 2 seconds, qualify the lead, and open a flow in the Kanban when there's purchase intent.
If you don't want to enable AI for all conversations yet, the minimum recommendation is to have your away message well configured. That way, no customer is left without a reply — even when the team is offline.
Who this setup makes sense for
These 5 steps work for businesses that want to centralize WhatsApp support without improvising:
- Sales teams that need to reply quickly and not lose leads.
- Support teams that want to organize the queue and avoid notifications outside business hours.
- Companies with more than one channel, since Papo can also connect Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, SMS, and email in the same inbox.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a credit card to get started?
No. Sign-up doesn't require a card, and the first Papo Global user is free forever.
Can I create my account with Google?
Yes. Use the Continue with Google button on the sign-up screen and skip typing your name, email, and password.
Which WhatsApp connection should I choose?
The recommendation is to choose WhatsApp (official API) and connect with Meta's Cloud API. Other provider options may appear depending on your account setup.
What happens to messages that arrive outside business hours?
The customer receives the away message, and the conversation stays in the inbox without being assigned to an agent. It enters the queue to be distributed when support resumes.
Can I add more than one agent?
Yes. In Settings → Agents, you add the people who will handle conversations. The first user is free; additional users are part of the paid plan.
Do I need to enable AI to serve customers on WhatsApp?
No. AI helps you reply quickly and qualify leads, but you can start with just human agents and an away message. Details on each feature are on the website.
Read also: How to check if your channel is connected in Papo and what to do if it drops · How to set different business hours for each team or inbox
First user R$ 0, no card required, with a dashboard ready to connect WhatsApp and start serving customers.