What's WhatsApp click-to-chat?
The feature allows you to start a chat with someone that has an active WhatsApp account as long as they have shared their phone number with you. By clicking the link, you can launch WhatsApp and start a conversation with any candidate from Factorial's ATS. The click-to-chat option works both from the WhatsApp app and from the internet browser.
Before opening WhatsApp, Factorial automatically checks that the phone number is valid and correctly formatted.
The system:
- Validates the number using international phone number rules.
- Prevents opening WhatsApp if the number is invalid or incomplete.
- Supports different formats:
- International prefixes (+ or 00)
- Local numbers (using the user’s country as reference)
- Normalizes formatting by removing spaces, parentheses, and hyphens.
- This ensures that WhatsApp only opens when the phone number can be used successfully.
Using WhatsApp for Employees
When contacting employees:
The system uses the employee’s phone number country to validate and format the number.
If the employee’s phone number has no country defined, Factorial uses the legal entity’s country as a fallback.
The WhatsApp icon appears only when:
- The WhatsApp integration is installed in your Factorial Marketplace.
- The functionality is enabled for your account.
If either condition is not met, the WhatsApp option will not be shown.
How to use WhatsApp in the ATS?
- Navigate to a candidate’s profile, either through a Job opening or the Candidates section
- Select your preferred candidate
- Hover over the candidate’s phone number to reveal the Whatsapp icon
- Click the Whatsapp icon to open chat
If you want all your conversations to happen through WhatsApp, make sure to make phone number a mandatory field in the application form.