The Message object - Texterchat

Messages come in two variants:

Regular messages - the actual conversation: incoming and outgoing texts, media, buttons, lists, and template sends.
System messages (systemMessage: true) - routing records describing assignment and status changes. They carry only the fields in the System messages section and have no direction, status, content or reactions.

All message timestamps are epoch milliseconds.

Returned by: Get Messages of a Chat · Send a Message to Chat · Webhook message events

Example message object

{
  "_id": "69062b15962e17ab3033f886",
  "chatChannelInfo": {
    "name": "whatsapp",
    "id": "972521234567",
    "accountId": "972586640430"
  },
  "channelInfo": {
    "id": "wamid.HBgMOTcyNTI3NzYwOTg5FQIAERgS..."
  },
  "parent_chat": "67d29e10d0c2473c648f3c9e",
  "type": "text",
  "text": "איך אפשר עוד לעזור?",
  "direction": "outgoing",
  "agent": "Bot",
  "status": 3,
  "statusHistory": [
    {
      "status": 0,
      "timestamp": 1761574714328
    },
    {
      "status": 1,
      "timestamp": 1761574715000
    },
    {
      "status": 2,
      "timestamp": 1761574715500
    },
    {
      "status": 3,
      "timestamp": 1761574716050
    }
  ],
  "timestamp": 1761574722000,
  "updatedAt": "2025-10-27T14:18:39.153Z",
  "botSessionId": "34c7c30a56278d74dc08d68194722ccc...",
  "metadata": {
    "botMsgInfo": {
      "identifier": "smart-resolve",
      "version": 210,
      "nodeName": "priority",
      "hideSummary": false
    }
  }
}

Identity & routing

Field	Type	Description
`_id`	`string`	Unique message ID in Texter
`parent_chat`	`string`	The chat this message belongs to
`chatChannelInfo`	`object`	Which channel account / contact this message belongs to: `{name, id, accountId}`
`channelInfo.id`	`string`	Provider-side message ID (e.g. WhatsApp `wamid...`). Use to correlate with provider logs and as `context` when replying. On system messages this is an internal placeholder with no provider meaning
`timestamp`	`number`	When the message was created (epoch ms)
`updatedAt`	`string`	Last update (ISO date-time) - changes e.g. when delivery status advances

Content

type selects which content fields are present.

Field	Type	Description
`type`	`string`	`text`, `media`, `contacts`, `location`, `buttons`, `list`, `postback`, `special`
`text`	`string`	Body text. Present on most `text`, `buttons`, `list` and `special` messages
`media`	`object[]`	Media items - see Media items below. Only when `type: "media"`
`buttons`	`object[]`	Reply buttons sent to the contact: `{title, payload}`. Only when `type: "buttons"`
`list`	`object`	List picker sent to the contact: `{button, sections: [{title, rows: [{title, payload, description?}]}]}`. Only when `type: "list"`
`postback`	`object`	Which button/list row the contact chose: `{payload, title?, description?}`. Incoming, only when `type: "postback"`
`contacts`	`object[]`	Shared vCard contact cards: `name {formatted_name...}`, `phones[]`, `emails[]`, `urls[]`, `addresses[]`, `org`, `birthday`. Only when `type: "contacts"`
`location`	`object`	Shared location: `{latitude, longitude, name?, address?, url?}`. Only when `type: "location"`
`special`	`object`	Channel-specific/structured content (e.g. template sends). Known flags: `redacted: true` (sensitive contents redacted), `deleted: {previousType, timestamp}` (contents removed by retention - explains “empty” messages), `isEchoMessage: true` (sent from another client, not Texter), `isHistoryMessage`, `isStatusMessage`, `unsupportedByProvider`
`context`	`object`	The message this one replies to. In API responses it is populated into a full Message object; in raw webhook payloads it may be only the provider reference `{id}`
`forwarded`	`boolean`	Whether WhatsApp marked the message as forwarded
`sensitive`	`boolean`	Whether the content is marked sensitive and should be redacted in some views
`tmpSendId`	`string	number`	Client-generated ID to match a send request to the stored message

Media items

Each entry of the media[] array:

Field	Type	Description
`mediaType`	`string`	`image`, `video`, `document`, `audio`, `sticker`
`fileId`	`string`	Internal file ID in Texter storage. Download via Generate Public Media URL
`previewId`	`string`	Internal preview/thumbnail file ID
`filename`	`string`	Original filename from the sender device
`contentType`	`string`	MIME type Example: `application/pdf`
`caption`	`string`	Caption text. Relevant for `image` and `video`
`scanned`	`boolean`	Whether the file has been scanned for threats
`metadata`	`object`	Channel / provider metadata Example: `{"frequentlyForwarded":false}`
`deleted`	`object`	`{timestamp}` - present when the file was removed by scheduled deletion; the `fileId` no longer resolves
~~`url`~~	`string`	Deprecated - Use the `fileId` download flow instead

Delivery & status

Field	Type	Description
`direction`	`string`	`incoming` or `outgoing`. Regular messages only
`status`	`number`	`0` Sent, `1` Accepted, `2` Delivered, `3` Seen, `4` Failed, `5` Channel Failed, `6` Deleted
`statusHistory`	`object[]`	Timeline of `{status, timestamp}` delivery/read states
`errorReason`	`string`	Why the send failed (provider error, throttling, 24h window…). Only present if delivery failed Example: `reengagement window closed`
`reactions`	`string[]`	Current emoji reactions on the message
`reactionsHistory`	`object[]`	Reaction timeline: `{timestamp, reaction?, removed?}`

Bot & automation

Field	Type	Description
`agent`	`string`	Who sent the message: `"Bot"` or an agent UID
`botSessionId`	`string`	Bot session this message belongs to - filter messages by it in Get Messages of a Chat
`metadata.botMsgInfo`	`object`	Which bot node generated this outgoing message: `{identifier, version, nodeName, hideSummary}`
`metadata.triggeredBot`	`boolean`	Whether this incoming message triggered automation/bot logic
`hideSummary`	`boolean`	Whether this message should be hidden from summaries

Templates & campaigns

Field	Type	Description
`metadata.whatsappTemplate`	`object`	Structured template send data for outgoing template messages: `{name, localization, contents}`
`metadata.bulkSendId`	`string`	Bulk / campaign batch ID for this message

Retention & deletion

Field	Type	Description
`scheduledDeletion`	`object`	Planned deletion by retention rules: `timestamp (ms), type: “full"	"contents"	"media”, setManuallyByUid?`
`special.deleted`	`object`	`{previousType, timestamp}` - set after contents were removed (the message shell remains)

System messages

Present only when systemMessage: true. System messages additionally carry _id, chatChannelInfo, parent_chat, timestamp, botSessionId and a placeholder channelInfo. They appear in Get Messages of a Chat history, but do not trigger message webhook events.

Field	Type	Description
`systemMessage`	`boolean`	`true` marks a routing/status record instead of a chat bubble
`newChatStatus`	`number`	New chat status after this routing event (same values as chat `status`)
`agent`	`string`	Who performed the action - `"Bot"` or an agent UID
`assignedToAgent`	`string`	Which agent the chat was assigned to at this moment
`assignedToDepartment`	`string`	Which department the chat was assigned to

Deprecated fields

These may still appear in responses but should not be used in new code.

Show deprecated fields

Field	Type	Description
~~`incoming`~~	`boolean`	Deprecated - Use `direction` instead
~~`outgoing`~~	`boolean`	Deprecated - Use `direction` instead
~~`received`~~	`number`	Deprecated - Epoch ms. Use `timestamp` instead
~~`botMsgInfo`~~	`object`	Deprecated - Top-level copy. Use `metadata.botMsgInfo` instead
~~`bulkSendId`~~	`string`	Deprecated - Top-level copy. Use `metadata.bulkSendId` instead
~~`providerMessageId`~~	`string`	Deprecated - Use `channelInfo.id` instead
~~`messageId`~~	`string`	Deprecated - Use `_id` instead
~~`templateId`~~	`string`	Deprecated - Use `metadata.whatsappTemplate` instead
~~`templateMessage`~~	`boolean`	Deprecated - Use `metadata.whatsappTemplate` instead
~~`templateMessageData`~~	`object`	Deprecated - Use `metadata.whatsappTemplate` instead
~~`parameters / templateParameters`~~	`string[]`	Deprecated - Flat parameter arrays. Use `metadata.whatsappTemplate` instead

Message status values

Used by status, statusHistory[].status and the messageStatus webhook field.

Value	Meaning
`0`	Sent - sent from the platform
`1`	Accepted - accepted by the provider (e.g. Meta received it)
`2`	Delivered - delivered to the recipient’s device
`3`	Seen - read/opened by the recipient (blue ticks)
`4`	Failed - failed to deliver (e.g. invalid number)
`5`	Channel Failed - system/channel level failure
`6`	Deleted - message was deleted

Content type values

Type	Direction	Content field
`text`	both	`text`
`media`	both	`media[]` (types: `image`, `video`, `document`, `audio`, `sticker`)
`contacts`	both	`contacts[]`
`location`	both	`location`
`buttons`	outgoing	`text` + `buttons[]`
`list`	outgoing	`text` + `list`
`postback`	incoming	`postback`
`special`	both	`special`

More enums and the ID cheat sheet: Enums & Common Fields.

​Identity & routing

​Content

​Media items

​Delivery & status

​Bot & automation

​Templates & campaigns

​Retention & deletion

​System messages

​Deprecated fields

​Message status values

​Content type values