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Send Location Message

Sends a location message with geographic coordinates via the WhatsApp Business Cloud API. Recipients can view the location on a map within WhatsApp.

Common Properties​

  • Name - The custom name of the node.
  • Color - The custom color of the node.
  • Delay Before (sec) - Waits in seconds before executing the node.
  • Delay After (sec) - Waits in seconds after executing node.
  • Continue On Error - Automation will continue regardless of any error. The default value is false.
info

If the ContinueOnError property is true, no error is caught when the project is executed, even if a Catch node is used.

Inputs​

  • Phone Number ID - WhatsApp Business Phone Number ID from Meta Developer Portal.
  • To Phone Number - Recipient's phone number with country code (without + sign). Example: 1234567890.
  • Latitude - Latitude coordinate of the location (decimal degrees). Range: -90 to 90.
  • Longitude - Longitude coordinate of the location (decimal degrees). Range: -180 to 180.

Options​

  • API Version - Meta Graph API version. Default is 21.0.
  • Location Name - Name of the location (e.g., business name, landmark).
  • Address - Address of the location (e.g., street address, city).
  • Access Token - WhatsApp Cloud API Access Token credential (required).

Output​

  • Response - The complete API response object containing message details and status.

How It Works​

The Send Location Message node sends geographic coordinates to a WhatsApp user. When executed, the node:

  1. Validates all required inputs (coordinates must be valid)
  2. Retrieves the access token from the credential
  3. Constructs the location message payload with coordinates
  4. Adds optional name and address if provided
  5. Sends a POST request to the WhatsApp API
  6. Returns the API response with message details

Requirements​

  • A WhatsApp Business Account in Meta Developer Portal
  • Access Token with appropriate permissions
  • Valid latitude and longitude coordinates
  • Optional: Location name and address for better context

Error Handling​

The node will return specific errors in the following cases:

  • Empty or invalid Phone Number ID
  • Empty or invalid recipient phone number
  • Invalid latitude (must be -90 to 90)
  • Invalid longitude (must be -180 to 180)
  • Invalid access token
  • Network connectivity issues

Coordinate System​

WhatsApp uses the WGS84 coordinate system (standard GPS coordinates):

  • Latitude: North-South position (-90° to +90°)
    • Positive: North of equator
    • Negative: South of equator
  • Longitude: East-West position (-180° to +180°)
    • Positive: East of Prime Meridian
    • Negative: West of Prime Meridian

Example: Send Store Location​

Inputs:

  • Phone Number ID: 123456789012345
  • To Phone Number: 14155551234
  • Latitude: 37.7749
  • Longitude: -122.4194

Options:

  • Location Name: Our Main Store
  • Address: 123 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94103

Result: Recipient sees a map pin with the store name and address, can tap to open in Google Maps or Apple Maps.

Example: Delivery Location​

Use Case: Send delivery location to driver

Inputs:

  • Phone Number ID: 123456789012345
  • To Phone Number: {{driver.phone}}
  • Latitude: {{order.deliveryLatitude}}
  • Longitude: {{order.deliveryLongitude}}

Options:

  • Location Name: {{customer.name}}'s Delivery Address
  • Address: {{order.deliveryAddress}}

Example: Meeting Point​

Use Case: Share meeting location with attendees

Inputs:

  • Phone Number ID: 123456789012345
  • To Phone Number: {{attendee.phone}}
  • Latitude: 40.7580
  • Longitude: -73.9855

Options:

  • Location Name: Times Square Meeting Point
  • Address: Times Square, Manhattan, NY 10036

Usage Notes​

  • Coordinates should use decimal degrees format (not degrees/minutes/seconds)
  • Name and address are optional but highly recommended for clarity
  • Recipients can tap the location to open in their preferred maps app
  • Location messages show a map preview in the chat
  • Accuracy depends on coordinate precision (6 decimal places is typical)
  • The map provider used depends on the recipient's device and settings

Tips for RPA Developers​

  • Validate coordinates before sending (check range limits)
  • Use geocoding services to convert addresses to coordinates
  • Store location data in your database for reuse
  • Include both name and address for better user experience
  • For precision: use 6-7 decimal places in coordinates
  • Consider user privacy when sharing locations
  • Test location accuracy on different map apps
  • Implement reverse geocoding to get address from coordinates

Coordinate Precision​

Decimal places and their accuracy:

  • 1 decimal place: ~11 km precision
  • 2 decimal places: ~1.1 km precision
  • 3 decimal places: ~110 m precision
  • 4 decimal places: ~11 m precision
  • 5 decimal places: ~1.1 m precision
  • 6 decimal places: ~0.11 m precision (typical for GPS)

Geocoding Integration​

Convert addresses to coordinates using geocoding services:

Google Geocoding API:

// Get coordinates from address
const address = "123 Market St, San Francisco, CA";
const geocodeUrl = `https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=${encodeURIComponent(address)}&key=YOUR_API_KEY`;

// Response includes latitude and longitude

OpenStreetMap Nominatim (Free):

const address = "123 Market St, San Francisco, CA";
const nominatimUrl = `https://nominatim.openstreetmap.org/search?format=json&q=${encodeURIComponent(address)}`;

// Response includes lat and lon

Common Use Cases​

Business Location Sharing:

  • Store locations
  • Office addresses
  • Service centers
  • Branch locations

Delivery & Logistics:

  • Delivery addresses
  • Pickup points
  • Warehouse locations
  • Route waypoints

Event Management:

  • Meeting points
  • Event venues
  • Conference locations
  • Parking areas

Customer Service:

  • Nearest service center
  • ATM locations
  • Partner locations
  • Support centers

Example: Dynamic Location from Database​

// Fetch location from database
const store = await db.query('SELECT * FROM stores WHERE id = ?', [storeId]);

// Send location
const locationMessage = {
  phoneNumberId: '123456789012345',
  toPhoneNumber: customer.phone,
  latitude: store.latitude,
  longitude: store.longitude,
  locationName: store.name,
  address: `${store.street}, ${store.city}, ${store.state} ${store.zip}`
};

Common Errors and Solutions​

Error: Invalid latitude

  • Ensure latitude is between -90 and 90
  • Use decimal degrees, not DMS format
  • Check for typos in coordinates

Error: Invalid longitude

  • Ensure longitude is between -180 and 180
  • Use decimal degrees format
  • Verify coordinate signs (+ or -)

Error: Location not accurate

  • Increase decimal precision
  • Verify coordinates using Google Maps
  • Use geocoding service for accurate conversion

Best Practices​

  • Always include location name and address
  • Validate coordinates before sending
  • Use appropriate precision (6 decimal places)
  • Test locations on different devices
  • Consider privacy implications
  • Use standard coordinate formats
  • Provide clear context with name/address
  • Verify location accuracy with maps
  • Store frequently used locations
  • Follow WhatsApp Business Policy

Privacy Considerations​

  • Only share locations with user consent
  • Don't share personal addresses without permission
  • Consider data protection regulations
  • Use business locations when possible
  • Implement opt-out mechanisms
  • Log location sharing for audit
  • Comply with GDPR and local laws