> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.zenfinder.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.zenfinder.ai/getting-started/quick-start.md).

# Quick Start

### Send your first message

### 1. Get your API key

Generate a key in Business Manager, scoped to `zenfinder_business_messaging`. See Authentication.

### 2. Find your Phone Number ID

Every message is sent *from* a specific `phoneNumberId` tied to your ZBA. You'll find this in Business Manager under your account's registered numbers.

### 3. Send a text message

```bash
curl -X POST https://api.zenfinder.ai/business/v1.0/{phoneNumberId}/messages \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer zf_live_xxxxxxxxxxxx" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "messaging_product": "zenfinder",
    "to": "2348012345678",
    "type": "text",
    "text": { "body": "Hi! Your order is on its way." }
  }'
```

### 4. Read the response

A successful send returns a `zmid`-prefixed message ID:

```bash
{
  "messaging_product": "zenfinder",
  "messages": [
    { "id": "zmid.HBgLMjM0ODAxMjM0NTY3..." }
  ]
}
```

Hold onto this ID — it's how you'll correlate delivery status and read receipts back to this specific message.

### 5. Try a template message

For anything outside the 24-hour free-form messaging window (e.g. marketing, or the first message to a new recipient), you'll need an approved **template**. See the Templates section of the API reference to create one — reviews are handled automatically and are typically fast.

### 6. Handle errors gracefully

Requests can fail for reasons like an unapproved template, a blocked recipient, or an expired messaging window. See Errors & Idempotency for the full error code table and how to safely retry.

### Common first-integration gotchas

* **`to` must be digits-only E.164** (no `+`, no spaces) — this becomes the recipient's `zen_id`.
* **`messaging_product`** — send `"zenfinder"` (or `"whatsapp"` if porting existing code); it's never echoed back as anything but `"zenfinder"`.
* **Idempotency-Key** — always set this header on sends from any code path that might retry, to avoid double-sending. See the next page.


---

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