the findBySystemField API does not support searching by the WhatsApp ID

Question

Hello,We have a critical issue in our flows.Recently, we have received some whatsapp messages form our new users. These users were created via Direct channel and don't save the "phone" field, but only "whatsapp ID".Our API flows search the user by "findBySystemField" API for the phone, but they can't find the user. Then we try to create the user but the Whatsapp ID already exists error is triggered (and Whatsapp ID isn't showed by API).How can we manage this situation? Something changed and we are receiving a lot of these errors. We cannot resolve this using custom fields, because we would not be able to fix the existing customer base.It is a critical issue for us, and it did not happen in the previous versions.Does anybody else have this issues?

cata_rendon · Answer

Hi ​@Benny, you're right, findBySystemField only takes email or phone, whatsapp_id isn't supported there. This isn't new though, it's been reported for a while (open idea thread here if you want to add your case: https://community.manychat.com/ideas/subscriper-api-for-whatsapp-phone-3091), so I'd guess the spike is more from new WhatsApp Direct signups than a behavior change.For your existing base: create a custom field (like whatsapp_number), then run a one time automation that sets it from the WhatsApp ID system field, sent as a broadcast to your whole WhatsApp subscriber list. Once that's done, findByCustomField will find them. Do the same on new contact creation going forward.Since createSubscriber doesn't return the existing ID on a duplicate error, check findByCustomField first and only create if nothing comes back.Hope this help!Cata

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