Template Builder UI

Sent Template Builder UI

Design the interface around Sent's v3 definition contract. The UI may import Meta material, but its canonical saved and submitted model must never be Meta's components[] payload.

Product model

Use one draft object with:

• optional category and language;
• required definition.body.multiChannel;
• optional complete body overrides for sms, whatsapp, and rcs;
• optional definition.header, footer, buttons, definitionVersion, and authenticationConfig;
• submission controls for creation_source, submit_for_review, and sandbox.

Do not expose top-level create fields named name, channels, body, header, or buttons. If the product needs an internal display label, keep it outside the Sent create payload.

Recommended editor sequence

1. Capture intent and category.
2. Write the multiChannel body.
3. Insert variables as structured entities.
4. Add optional per-channel overrides.
5. Add header, footer, and buttons where supported.
6. Review live previews and accessibility.
7. Validate locally and with sandbox: true.
8. Save a draft, then explicitly submit for provider review.

Category should not block the first keystroke, but it must be visible before submission because it affects authentication rules and WhatsApp policy review.

Variable UX

Inserting a variable creates both:

• a placeholder such as {{0:variable}}; and
• a matching entity with id, name, type, and props.sample.

Renumber atomically when variables move. Never let users edit placeholder syntax independently of the entity table. Show a clear error for naked {{1}} or IDs without definitions.

Validation matrix

Apply the exact rules in references/template-validation-matrix.md, including:

• a 1,024-character maximum for every body;
• 60 characters for header and footer;
• no footer variables;
• 10 buttons total;
• button types QUICK_REPLY, URL, VOICE_CALL, PHONE_NUMBER, and COPY_CODE with their per-type limits;
• no invented quick-reply-versus-CTA exclusivity;
• authenticationConfig and authentication restrictions;
• complete, independently valid channel overrides.

Run the bundled waba-template-author linter against serialized JSON. Server validation remains authoritative.

Channel previews

SMS

Preview plain text and estimated GSM/UCS-2 segments. Make clear that segment estimates affect billing and are not template body limits.

WhatsApp

Preview header, body, footer, and buttons. Show sample values, category, language, and provider-review impact.

RCS

Current Sent RCS guidance supports text plus up to four suggestion chips. Rich cards, carousels, and media attachments are roadmap capabilities, not current Sent builder controls. Do not generate capability declarations for unavailable features.

Channel routing belongs to the send flow, not the template editor. If routing is shown in a simulator:

• omitted channel or ["sent"] means automatic routing and fallback;
• ["rcs"] pins RCS with no cross-channel fallback;
• multiple explicit values mean broadcast and separate billable messages.

Never describe an explicit RCS-plus-SMS array as ordered fallback.

Save and review behavior

Use sandbox: true for validation. Save with submit_for_review: false. Before switching it to true, show:

• category and language;
• rendered previews with sample values;
• channel overrides;
• button actions;
• any warnings;
• the fact that provider review is an external state change.

Do not autosubmit on save.

Lifecycle UX

Resource status values currently include DRAFT, PENDING, APPROVED, REJECTED, and PAUSED. Keep an unknown-state renderer.

WhatsApp template webhook events use field: "templates", no sub_type, and no event; the status is payload.status. Provider values can include CATEGORY_UPDATED, DISABLED, and other future strings. See references/template-status-handling.md.

Accessibility and failure recovery

• Associate every error with a field and a summary.
• Do not rely on preview color alone.
• Preserve user edits after validation failures.
• Keep raw JSON inspection available for advanced users.
• Label imported Meta JSON as “Meta Cloud API source” until converted.
• Provide a diff for server normalization and provider-driven category/status changes.

Use references/template-ui-wireflows.md for state transitions. Use waba-template-author for copy and policy judgment, sent-templates for existing-resource operations, and rcs-agent-onboarding for RCS launch readiness.