---
title: "Forward the chat to a staff number"
description: "Turn on Forward to WhatsApp Number / Group so a staff phone gets the incoming chat."
slug: "/features/autoresponder/forward-staff"
---

In this tutorial, you will forward an incoming chat to a staff WhatsApp when the **Default Reply** runs.

**Time needed:** 10 minutes

## Before you start

Make sure:

- The account **Default Reply** is **Enabled**.
- You know the staff WhatsApp number.

> This is under **Lead Management** on the Default Reply page. It is not Live Chat assign, and it is not the Chatbots Leads Forwarder tool.

## 1. Open Lead Management

On the left menu, click **Autoresponder**.

On the account card, click **Configure**.

Scroll to **Lead Management**.

## 2. Turn on WhatsApp forward

Set **Forward to WhatsApp Number / Group** to **Yes**.

In **WhatsApp Number / Group ID**, enter the staff number.

Use the country code, with no `+` and no spaces. For more than one staff number, separate with commas. Wabot rotates them.

**Right:** `60123456789`  
**Wrong:** `+60 12-345 6789`

In **Forwarded Message**, type what the staff should see.

> New chat from #wa_name# (#wa_number#): #message#

You can use `#wa_number#`, `#wa_name#`, `#message#`, and `#ads_id#`.

Click **Save**.

<figure class="doc-shot-ph shot-01-forward-whatsapp" data-shot="01-forward-whatsapp.png">
  <div class="doc-shot-ph-frame" role="img" aria-label="Forward to WhatsApp Number / Group">
    <span class="doc-shot-ph-kicker">Screenshot example</span>
    <strong class="doc-shot-ph-title">Forward to WhatsApp Number / Group</strong>
    <span class="doc-shot-ph-hint">Clean UI. No real names, emails, or chats.</span>
  </div>
</figure>

## 3. Send a test

From a customer test phone that is not excluded, message the connected account.

Check the staff phone for the forwarded WhatsApp.

The customer should still get the Default Reply if **Status** is **Enable**.

## Make sure it worked

This tutorial worked when:

- **Forward to WhatsApp Number / Group** stays on **Yes** after **Save**.
- The staff phone receives the forwarded message.
- The customer test phone still receives the Default Reply.

## If it didn’t work

### Only the customer got a reply

- Confirm the setting is **Yes**, then **Save**.
- Check the staff number format.
- Confirm the Default Reply actually sent. If it did not fire, the forward will not either.

### The staff number is the same as the customer

Use two different phones for the test.

### You wanted Live Chat assign

Assign is in **Live Chat**. This page only forwards a WhatsApp copy to a number.

## Next

The Default Reply can greet the customer and alert staff. You can go back to the Autoresponder list, or set keyword replies in Chatbots.

[Autoresponder →](/category/autoresponder)