WhatsApp contacts in SleekFlow may include different information that helps identify the customer, such as a phone number, WhatsApp Username, BSUID, and Parent BSUID.
BSUID, or business-scoped user ID, is an identifier provided by Meta / WhatsApp to help businesses recognize a WhatsApp user more consistently within a Meta business portfolio. Unlike a WhatsApp Username, which the user can change, BSUID is a system-managed identifier used by Meta to associate WhatsApp identity information with the same customer.
In SleekFlow, WhatsApp Username, BSUID, and Parent BSUID are stored as additional contact identity properties when the data is available from Meta / WhatsApp. These properties help your team identify and manage WhatsApp contacts more accurately.
A contact can have a phone number, WhatsApp Username, BSUID, and Parent BSUID at the same time. These WhatsApp identity properties provide additional ways to identify a customer and do not replace the phone number stored in the contact profile.
No action required
You do not need to reconnect your WhatsApp channel, migrate existing contacts, or update existing flows. SleekFlow stores WhatsApp Username and BSUID automatically when Meta / WhatsApp provides the data.
What is a WhatsApp Username?
A WhatsApp Username is a user-facing identifier for a WhatsApp user.It gives the user another way to be recognized on WhatsApp, in addition to their phone number where available.
When available, SleekFlow may display a customer’s WhatsApp Username as part of their contact information. You can think of it as a display or reference field that helps your team recognize a customer in a contact profile, especially when the customer’s phone number is not available or not shown.
A WhatsApp Username is created and managed by the WhatsApp user, so it may change over time. Because of this, it should not be the only field used to identify the same customer over time. For more consistent customer identification, SleekFlow uses BSUID where available.
To learn more about creating or claiming your business username on WhatsApp, refer to our Help Center article on Creating or claiming your WhatsApp Business username.
What is BSUID?
BSUID (business-scoped user ID) is an identifier provided by Meta / WhatsApp for a WhatsApp user.
It helps platforms and businesses recognize the same WhatsApp user more consistently. In SleekFlow, BSUID is treated as a more reliable identity reference than WhatsApp Username because a customer may change their username over time.
SleekFlow mainly uses BSUID for customer identification and contact management. For example, it can help SleekFlow identify the same customer even if their WhatsApp Username or other visible profile information changes.
In most cases, you do not need to manually edit or manage BSUID.
A BSUID is not only used when a contact’s phone number is unavailable. Meta assigns a BSUID to every supported WhatsApp user within a Meta business portfolio, regardless of whether the contact’s phone number is available.
A contact can have both a phone number and a BSUID at the same time. Because a BSUID is scoped to a specific Meta business portfolio, the same WhatsApp user may have different BSUIDs when interacting with businesses that belong to different Meta business portfolios.
What is Parent BSUID?
Parent BSUID is an additional WhatsApp identity property provided by Meta after related Meta business portfolios have been merged.
It helps identify the relationship between BSUIDs that previously belonged to separate business portfolios. This allows businesses to better understand and manage customer identities across merged business portfolios.
Unlike WhatsApp Username, Parent BSUID is managed automatically by Meta and SleekFlow. You do not need to manually configure or update this property.
Most workspaces will not have a Parent BSUID for every contact. This property is only available after the relevant Meta business portfolios have been merged and Meta provides the updated identity information.
Note: To request a Meta business portfolio merge, contact SleekFlow Support.
How WhatsApp Username, BSUID, and phone number compare
WhatsApp contacts may include different identity fields depending on what information is available from Meta / WhatsApp. Phone number remains the existing WhatsApp contact identifier, while WhatsApp Username and BSUID provide additional ways to recognize and manage contacts.
Use the table below to understand how each field works in SleekFlow.
Field |
What it is |
What to know |
How SleekFlow uses it |
Phone number |
The customer’s WhatsApp phone number |
Available when Meta / WhatsApp provides it |
Used as the existing identifier for phone-number-based WhatsApp contacts |
WhatsApp Username |
A user-facing name controlled by the customer |
The customer may change it at any time |
Used as a display or reference field |
BSUID |
A system-generated identifier provided by Meta / WhatsApp |
Unique within a Meta business portfolio |
Used as a consistent identity reference for WhatsApp contacts |
Parent BSUID |
A Meta-provided identifier that links identities after business portfolio merges |
Only available after the relevant Meta business portfolios have been merged |
Helps identify relationships between BSUIDs across merged business portfolios |
If a contact does not include a phone number
Some WhatsApp contacts may not include a phone number in the information provided by Meta / WhatsApp.
If BSUID is available, SleekFlow can use it as another way to recognize the WhatsApp user.
If both phone number and BSUID are available, SleekFlow stores both as part of the contact’s identity information.
How SleekFlow stores WhatsApp identity information
SleekFlow stores WhatsApp Username and BSUID as additional contact identity information when Meta / WhatsApp provides the data.
These fields help SleekFlow recognize and manage WhatsApp contacts more accurately. They are added to existing contact information and do not replace phone-number-based WhatsApp contacts.
Area |
How it works |
Contact properties |
SleekFlow automatically stores WhatsApp Username, BSUID, and Parent BSUID as contact properties whenever Meta / WhatsApp provides the information. |
Automatic updates |
SleekFlow automatically writes new values when these properties become available and replaces existing values whenever Meta returns updated identity information. You do not need to manually edit or save these properties. |
Contact identification |
WhatsApp Username provides a readable identity, while BSUID helps SleekFlow consistently identify the same WhatsApp user within a Meta business portfolio. |
Parent BSUID |
When Meta provides a Parent BSUID after a business portfolio merge, SleekFlow automatically stores it as part of the contact’s identity information. |
View WhatsApp identity properties
You can view a contact’s WhatsApp identity information from either the Inbox or the Contacts page.
To view these properties:
- Open a WhatsApp conversation in Inbox, or open the contact from the Contacts page.
- Open the contact info panel
- Locate the “Contact properties” section
- View the following WhatsApp identity properties, when available:
- Username
- BSUID
- Parent BSUID
These properties help you:
- confirm the contact’s current WhatsApp Username
- verify the BSUID currently associated with the contact
- identify whether a Parent BSUID has been assigned after a Meta business portfolio merge
A contact may have a phone number, WhatsApp Username, BSUID, and Parent BSUID at the same time.
Note: A contact may have a phone number, WhatsApp Username, BSUID, and Parent BSUID at the same time.
How WhatsApp identity properties are updated
SleekFlow automatically maintains WhatsApp Username, BSUID, and Parent BSUID based on the latest identity information returned by Meta.
These properties may be written or updated when:
- your business receives a WhatsApp message from the contact
- your business sends a WhatsApp message to the contact
- the contact changes their WhatsApp Username
- Meta returns updated identity information
- related Meta business portfolios are merged and Meta provides a Parent BSUID
If a property does not yet contain a value, SleekFlow automatically stores the information provided by Meta. If Meta later returns updated identity information, SleekFlow replaces the previous value with the latest one.
You do not need to manually edit or maintain these properties. SleekFlow always displays the latest information received from Meta.
FAQ
Will this affect my existing WhatsApp setup?
No. WhatsApp Username and BSUID are additional identity fields, so your existing WhatsApp setup should continue working as usual.
You do not need to reconnect your WhatsApp channel, migrate existing contacts, update existing flows, or change your CTWA setup.
Your existing setup should continue to work across WhatsApp channels, Inbox conversations, CTWA conversations, Flow Builder automations, and phone-number-based contact records.
What do I need to do?
You do not need to take any action.
SleekFlow collects WhatsApp Username and BSUID automatically when Meta / WhatsApp provides these fields through supported events. Once available, you can view or use them in supported areas of your workspace.
You do not need to enable an extra setting, reconnect your WhatsApp channel, or update existing automations.
Is WhatsApp Username the same as phone number?
No. WhatsApp Username is different from a phone number.
A phone number is the existing identifier for phone-number-based WhatsApp contacts. WhatsApp Username is an additional user-facing identifier and should not be treated as a direct replacement for phone number.
Can a customer change their WhatsApp Username?
Yes. A WhatsApp Username may be changed by the WhatsApp user.
Because of this, businesses should use WhatsApp Username as a display or reference field, not as the only field for identifying the same customer over time.
Why does SleekFlow use BSUID for customer identification?
BSUID helps SleekFlow identify the same WhatsApp user more consistently where available.
Unlike WhatsApp Username, which may be changed by the customer, BSUID is designed to support identity matching and contact management.
Is WhatsApp Username the same as my business username?
A WhatsApp Business username is different. It is used to help customers find or recognize your business on WhatsApp, depending on Meta / WhatsApp availability.
To learn more about creating or claiming your business username on WhatsApp, refer to our Help Center article on Creating or claiming your WhatsApp Business username.
Can a contact have both a phone number and a BSUID?
Yes. A BSUID is not a replacement for a phone number. Meta assigns a BSUID to supported WhatsApp users regardless of whether their phone number is available.
A contact may have a phone number, WhatsApp Username, BSUID, and Parent BSUID at the same time. SleekFlow stores these properties together when Meta provides the information.
Why do I see WhatsApp Username, BSUID, or Parent BSUID in contact profiles?
These properties appear because Meta / WhatsApp provides additional identity information for supported WhatsApp contacts.
SleekFlow automatically stores and updates these properties to help improve customer identification and contact management. Depending on the information available from Meta, a contact may display a phone number, WhatsApp Username, BSUID, Parent BSUID, or a combination of these properties.
Can I remove, hide, or edit these fields?
No. WhatsApp Username, BSUID, and Parent BSUID are system-managed contact properties. They are automatically maintained by SleekFlow based on information provided by Meta / WhatsApp and cannot be removed, hidden, or edited manually.
Can I use BSUID to send messages through API?
Not currently. API-based messaging does not yet support sending messages using BSUID.
Are these fields similar to phone number or email?
They are similar because they are all contact identity fields, but they serve different purposes:
- Phone number: The existing identifier for phone-number-based WhatsApp contacts
- WhatsApp Username: A user-facing display or reference field
- BSUID: A more consistent identity reference for WhatsApp user identification where available