Table of Contents
Overview: How WhatsApp Sharing Works
WhatsApp sharing allows you to send 7taps courses directly to learners' phone numbers.
When you share via WhatsApp:
7taps sends on your behalf - Messages come from 7taps' WhatsApp Business account, not your personal number
Learners receive a message with your custom text and a link to start the course
No replies accepted - This is a one-way delivery channel for course distribution
SMS backup available - For learners without WhatsApp (recommended and enabled by default)
⚠️ Important Limitations:
WhatsApp sharing requires credits (consumption varies by plan - see below)
Phone numbers must include country codes
Messages cannot be edited or cancelled once sent
This feature is not available on the Free Edition plan
Credit Requirements by Plan Type
WhatsApp sharing consumes credits based on your 7taps plan:
Quick Comparison Table
Plan Type | WhatsApp Credits | SMS Credits | Notes |
Free Trial | 100 credits | 20 credits | Renewable credits during trial |
Free Edition | 0 credits | 0 credits | WhatsApp sharing not available |
Paid Plans | Varies by plan | 2,000 credits/month | Contact us to setup plan amounts |
How Credits Are Consumed:
1 WhatsApp message = 1 credit
Sharing to 10 learners = 10 credits
Each reminder sent = 1 additional credit per learner
Need more credits? Contact 7taps support to discuss your needs.
How to Share a Course via WhatsApp
Step 1: Select WhatsApp as Your Sharing Method
Open your course in 7taps
Click the Share button (purple button in top right)
Select the WhatsApp option from the sharing methods grid
Step 2: Add Phone Numbers
In the phone number field:
Enter or paste phone numbers with country codes
Format: +[country code][phone number] (e.g., +12125551234 for US, +447911234567 for UK)
Press Enter or click Add after each number to add it to your list
Add multiple numbers - there's no limit to how many you can include
Country Code Examples:
United States: +1
United Kingdom: +44
Canada: +1
Australia: +61
Germany: +49
France: +33
Spain: +34
Mexico: +52
Each phone number appears as a chip/tag that you can remove by clicking the ✖ icon.
Step 3: Review Previously Shared Contacts (Optional)
The "Previously shared with" dropdown shows phone numbers for any contact who has previously received this specific course through any sharing method (WhatsApp, SMS, or via the Learners feature with associated phone numbers).
This helps you:
Avoid duplicate sends
Quickly re-share with the same group
Track which contacts have already been reached
Step 4: Customize Your Message
Click "Custom sharing message" to expand the message editor.
Default Message:
Your course is ready to start.
'[Course Name]'
Customization Options:
Maximum 248 characters (including spaces)
Emojis supported 😊
Character counter shows remaining space
Click "Reset to default message" to restore the original text
What to include in your message:
Clear call-to-action
Context about why they're receiving this
Any deadline or time-sensitive information
The course title (automatically included in default)
Step 5: Configure SMS Backup (Recommended)
SMS backup delivery is checked by default and highly recommended.
Why use SMS backup? If a learner's phone number isn't registered with WhatsApp, 7taps automatically delivers the course via SMS instead. This ensures everyone receives the course regardless of their WhatsApp status.
How it works:
✅ Checkbox enabled (default): Course attempts WhatsApp delivery first, falls back to SMS if needed
❌ Checkbox disabled: Only attempts WhatsApp delivery, learners without WhatsApp won't receive the course
SMS Credit Consumption:
SMS uses separate credits from your plan
Free Edition: 0 SMS credits (not available)
Free Trial: 20 SMS credits
Paid Plans: 2,000 SMS credits/month
📖 Learn more: Complete SMS Sharing Guide
Step 6: Set Up Automatic Reminders (Optional)
Click "Send reminder in 2 days" to configure when non-active learners receive follow-ups.
Reminder Settings:
Choose any interval from 1-15 days after initial send
Reminders only go to learners who haven't opened the course yet
Each reminder consumes 1 additional credit per learner
You can edit the reminder message separately from the initial message
Default Reminder Message:
REMINDER: New microlearning for you: [Course Name]
REMINDER: 7taps has invited you to view [Course Name].
It's quick, fun, and simple to start. Just click below and off you go!
You can customize this message or reset it to default.
Remember: If you set automatic reminders, wait until after those are sent before using the manual "Remind" feature in analytics (see below).
Step 7: Send Your Course
Once everything is configured:
Review the number of learners (displayed as "Send to X learner(s)")
Click "Send to [X] learner(s)"
Confirm your send - you cannot edit or cancel after this point
⚠️ Important: Once sent, you cannot modify recipient lists, messages, or cancel delivery.
What Learners Experience
On WhatsApp
When a learner receives your WhatsApp message:
They see a message from "7taps Microlearning" (Business account)
The message includes your custom text and the course name
A "Start" button appears below the message
Tapping "Start" opens the course in their mobile browser
No WhatsApp login or app download required to take the course
The course works immediately in any browser
Note: The WhatsApp message itself cannot receive replies - it's a one-way delivery system.
Visual Example
See screenshot showing the learner's WhatsApp view with the business account notification and Start button.
Tracking WhatsApp-Shared Courses
Accessing Analytics
Navigate to your course
Click Analytics
Click the Learners tab
Use the Channel dropdown filter
Select WhatsApp
This filters your analytics to show only learners who received the course via WhatsApp.
Available Metrics
For each WhatsApp-shared learner, you can see:
Metric | What It Means |
Status | Either "Opened" or "Completed" |
Time spent | Total time learner spent in the course (shows only after completion) |
Score | Quiz/assessment results if applicable |
Last activity | Most recent date/time the learner accessed the course |
Status Definitions:
Opened: Learner clicked the WhatsApp link and started the course
Completed: Learner finished all cards in the course
Note: "Opened" status means the learner actually clicked through to start the course, not just that they opened the WhatsApp message.
Filtering and Searching
Use the analytics filters to:
Quick filter: See all WhatsApp shares across all your courses
Search: Find specific learners by phone number
Download: Export WhatsApp learner data for reporting
Manual Reminders for Non-Engaged Learners
If a learner hasn't opened the course yet, you can send a manual reminder from the analytics view.
How to Send Manual Reminders
Go to Analytics > Learners tab
Filter by WhatsApp channel
Find learners who haven't opened the course
Click the "Remind" button next to their phone number
Confirm the reminder send
When to Use Manual Reminders:
After automatic reminders have been sent (if configured)
When you need immediate follow-up with specific learners
For time-sensitive course deadlines
Credit Consumption: Each manual reminder = 1 credit per learner
Best Practice: If you set up automatic reminders during initial sharing, wait until after those are delivered before sending manual reminders to avoid duplicate messages.
Common Questions & Considerations
Q: Can I share with international phone numbers?
Yes. There are no geographic restrictions for WhatsApp sharing. Just ensure you include the correct country code for each number.
Q: What happens if I run out of credits?
Contact 7taps support. If you need more credits for your use case, reach out to discuss expanding your plan limits.
Q: Can I edit a message after sending?
No. Once you click send, the delivery cannot be edited or cancelled. Double-check all details before confirming.
Q: How do I know if someone has WhatsApp vs. received via SMS?
You can't distinguish this in analytics. When SMS backup is enabled, the system automatically determines the best delivery method. Both appear as WhatsApp shares in your analytics.
Q: Why don't my messages receive replies?
By design. 7taps uses a WhatsApp Business account to send on your behalf. This is a one-way delivery channel optimized for course distribution, not conversation. If you need the ability to receive and manage replies, we recommend sharing by either Teams or Slack.
Q: Can I use the same phone number list for multiple courses?
Yes. The "Previously shared with" feature shows phone numbers from prior shares of the same course, but you can manually enter any list for any course.
Q: Is there a limit to how many people I can share with at once?
No known limit. You can add as many phone numbers as needed, though credit consumption scales accordingly (1 credit per recipient).
Q: Are there rate limits on sending?
No known rate limits. However, very large sends (hundreds or thousands) may benefit from batching - contact support if you have concerns about bulk delivery.
When to Use WhatsApp Sharing
WhatsApp sharing is ideal when you need to:
✅ Reach mobile-first audiences
Frontline workers without regular computer access
Field teams, retail staff, or distributed workforces
Learners in regions where WhatsApp is the dominant messaging platform
✅ Ensure immediate delivery
Time-sensitive training that needs instant access
Just-in-time learning for urgent situations
Breaking news or policy updates
✅ Minimize friction
No LMS login required
No app download needed
Learners already check WhatsApp frequently
✅ Personal, direct communication
Feels more personal than email
Higher open rates than traditional channels
Direct-to-phone delivery
Consider alternatives when:
You need two-way conversation (use email or Slack instead)
Credits are a major constraint (use Link or QR sharing)
You need detailed delivery confirmation (use email with read receipts)
Need Help?
If you have questions about WhatsApp sharing or want to discuss your specific use case, reach out to our support team.
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