How Can I Configure the WhatsApp Trigger to React Only to New Incoming Messages?

Below is some guidance on how to limit your WhatsApp Trigger node to only fire on incoming (received) messages:

Explanation

The WhatsApp Trigger node’s “Messages” event will fire for any activity related to a message—including sent messages, status updates, and reads. There isn’t a built‑in configuration option that distinguishes incoming messages from other message events. To work around this, you can add a filter step right after the trigger to check the properties of the incoming webhook payload and only proceed if the message qualifies as an incoming message.

Workaround Using an IF Node

1. Inspect the Payload:
   Use a “Set” or “NoOp” node or simply enable execution data logging to see the entire payload coming from the WhatsApp Trigger node. Look for a property that shows the message direction (for example, a field in the webhook payload might indicate if the message is sent or received). Often this can be the sender’s ID or a flag that differentiates inbound messages from outbound ones.

2. Add a Conditional (IF) Node:
   Insert an IF node after your WhatsApp Trigger to check for the condition that matches an incoming message. For example, if the payload includes a field such as direction or if you can compare the sender’s ID against your own WhatsApp Business account ID, you can branch the workflow accordingly.

Example Workflow Structure

Below is a simplified example of how your workflow might look:

MERMAIDCopied
flowchart TD
    A[WhatsApp Trigger Node
(Event: Messages)]
    B[IF Node]
    C[Process Incoming Message]
    D[Terminate or Return Execution]
    
    A --> B
    B -- "Message is Incoming" --> C
    B -- "Not Incoming" --> D

Example IF Node Configuration

If your WhatsApp payload includes a property (for example, message.direction) and inbound messages have the value "inbound", configure your IF node with the following condition:

• Field: {{$json["message"]["direction"]}}
• Operation: Equals
• Value: inbound

If the property naming is different (for instance, comparing from with your business number), adjust the IF node accordingly:

JSONCopied
{
  "conditions": {
    "string": [
      {
        "value1": "={{$json[\"from\"]}}",
        "operation": "neq",
        "value2": "YourBusinessNumber"
      }
    ]
  }
}

In this example, the IF node allows the workflow to proceed only if the incoming message does not originate from your own business number—that is, it only processes messages coming from external users.

Final Notes

• Testing:
  It’s a good idea to test your workflow by examining the debug output from the WhatsApp Trigger node so you can identify the correct field(s) to filter on.

• Documentation:
  The n8n docs for the WhatsApp Trigger node list the supported events, but for further refinements (such as filtering specific events) implementing a post-trigger filter is the recommended approach.

By implementing an IF node filter immediately after the trigger, you can ensure that only incoming messages continue through your workflow, helping to limit workflow executions and better manage your execution quota.