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How to query templates and identify recategorization via API

  • Updated

Index

  1. Introduction
  2. What you can query
  3. API Endpoint
  4. Main response fields
  5. How to identify recategorized templates
  6. Relation with the Blip Portal
  7. Best practices

Introduction

With the evolution of Meta's policies, it is common for message templates to undergo automatic recategorization (for example, from Utility to Marketing).

With this in mind, Blip provides a way to query this information via API, allowing you to have greater control and visibility — similar to what is already displayed in the Portal.

 

What you can query

Through the API, it is possible to obtain:

  • Current template category (category)

  • Previous category (previous_category)

  • Template status (e.g., APPROVED)

  • Language

  • Message content

  • Indication of whether the template was recategorized

Important rules:

  • If the previous_category field is filled, it means the template was recategorized.

  • To optimize the query, it is possible to filter by template name using the templateName parameter, replacing the variable TEMPLATE_NAME in the request example. This parameter is optional and represents the name of the template you want to search for.

     

API Endpoint

Request:

{
  "id": "{{$guid}}",
  "to": "postmaster@wa.gw.msging.net",
  "method": "get",
  "uri": "/message-templates-enriched?templateName={TEMPLATE_NAME}"
}

 

Main response fields

The API response returns a list of templates with various information. Below are the most relevant fields for recategorization analysis:

Field

Description

category

Current template category (e.g., MARKETING, UTILITY)

previous_category

Category before recategorization

status

Template status (e.g., APPROVED)

language

Template language

components

Message content (body, variables, etc.)

Response example:

{
  "id": "2840164927483649",
  "category": "MARKETING",
  "components": [
    {
      "type": "BODY",
      "text": "Olá, {{1}}! ..."
    }
  ]
  "language": "pt_BR",
  "last_updated_time": "2026-03-20T20:25:51.000Z",
  "name”: “eventos_conversas”,
  “rejected_reason”: “NONE”,
  "status": "APPROVED",
  "previous_category": "UTILITY",
}


How to identify recategorized templates

To identify whether a template has been recategorized:

  • Check if the previous_category field exists and is filled

  • Compare it with the category field

Example:

category

previous_category

Interpretation

MARKETING

UTILITY

Template was recategorized

MARKETING

null

Template was not recategorized

 

Relation with the Blip Portal

In the Portal, this information appears in the template list:

  • “Recategorized” = Yes → previous_category filled

  • “Recategorized” = No → previous_category empty

In other words, the API replicates exactly the same logic displayed in the interface.

 

Best practices

  • Monitor recategorized templates to avoid impacts on cost and delivery

  • Review content that may be interpreted as marketing

  • Create internal alerts based on the previous_category field

  • Use this query for auditing and template governance

 

Important! 

Currently, Blip notifies all bot administrator users, who are linked to the template's WABA, via email whenever a template category change occurs. Learn more here.

 

For more information, visit the discussion on the subject at our community or videos on our channel. 😃

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