---
title: Complete RCS onboarding
slug: messaging-apis/complete-rcs-onboarding
docTags: 
createdAt: 2025-10-03T07:11:15.303Z
---

## Prerequisites

Before starting the RCS onboarding process, ensure that:

- Your Exotel account is fully active (not in trial mode).
- KYC verification is completed for your account.

## Overview

To begin using RCS, you must first **create an RCS bot/agent**. This bot will serve as the messaging agent through which A2P (Application-to-Person) messages are sent to end users.

**Note:**

- Similar to how SMS uses **Sender IDs** and WhatsApp uses **Business Names/Numbers**, RCS messages will be sent via your **RCS bot name**.
- You can choose a bot name that represents your brand.

## Steps to Onboard an RCS Bot

### Step 1: Access the RCS Section

1. Log in to your **Exotel Dashboard**.
2. Click on the **"RCS"** tab in the left navigation menu.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/SK2urIgCC2ml99YyqWOSl/Wwf3sNu2FCB4fQPoX2oHs-20260729-062243.png?1739861764)

3\. You will be redirected to Exotel’s **Messaging Console**.

4\. In the **left navigation menu**, you will see two options:

- **WhatsApp**
- **RCS**

### Step 2: Create an RCS Bot

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/SK2urIgCC2ml99YyqWOSl/H55Xnh6lSXQ1NoSUveJJ5-20260729-062244.png?1739861796)

1. Under the **RCS** section, select **"Bot Management"**.
2. If no bots have been created, the page will appear blank.
3. Click on **"Create New Bot"** in the top-right corner.
4. Complete the **two-step bot creation process** as follows:

**Step 2.1: Configure Bot Type & Message Type**

- **Bot Type:** Select either **Domestic** or **International**. Currently, only **Domestic (India)** is available.
- **Message Type:** Choose the type of messages the bot will send:
  - **Promotional:** Sales, marketing, or promotional messages for customer engagement (similar to SMS promotional messages).
  - **Transactional:** Notifications and informational messages for existing customers (similar to service messages in SMS).
  - **OTP:** One-time password (OTP) messages or time-sensitive transactions.

**Note:** If you plan to send messages from multiple categories, you must create a separate RCS bot for each.

**Step 2.2: Enter Bot Details**

The details provided here define how your bot appears to end users. When a user receives an RCS message, they can click on your bot name to view business-related information.

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/SK2urIgCC2ml99YyqWOSl/wNJcDqs1gpGRxTNagQkBY-20260729-062247.png?1739862051)

Fill in the following details:

- **Bot Name:**
  - This is the name that will appear when sending RCS messages.
  - It should reflect your business, service, or campaign identity.
  - Example: If you are **XYZ Bank**, your bot name could be **XYZ Alerts** for transactional messages or **XYZ Offers** for promotions.
- **Brand Name:**
  - Your official business name as recognized by customers.
  - It helps users identify your brand when managing multiple bots.
  - Example: If you are **XYZ Technologies Pvt. Ltd.**, your brand name should be **XYZ Technologies**.
- **Short Description:**
  - A **brief tagline or summary** of your bot’s purpose.
  - It will be displayed beneath the bot’s name in user interactions.
  - Maximum **100 characters**.
  - Example: **"Get real-time updates and exclusive offers from XYZ Bank."**
- **Color:**
  - Choose a **brand-appropriate color** that aligns with your identity.
  - The color must have a **minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1** for readability.
  - Avoid **light colors**, as they may blend into a white background.
  - You can preview the selected color before finalizing it.
- **Bot Logo:**
  - This image will appear as your bot’s profile picture.
  - Maximum size: **90 KB**
  - Supported formats: **JPEG, JPG, PNG**
  - Preferred dimensions: **224 x 224 px**
- **Banner Image:**
  - This will be displayed at the top of the bot’s profile.
  - Maximum size: **360 KB**
  - Supported formats: **JPEG, JPG, PNG**
  - Preferred dimensions: **1440 x 448 px**
- **Primary Phone Number & Label:**
  - The phone number you want users to see in your business details.
  - This could be a customer support number, sales hotline, or a general contact.
  - Example: **+91 98765 43210 (Support), +91 98765 67890 (Sales)**.
  - You can add **up to 3 phone numbers**.
- **Primary Email & Label:**
  - The email address you want to display for customer queries.
  - Example: **support\@xyz.com (Support), sales\@xyz.com (Business Inquiries)**.
  - You can add **up to 3 email addresses**.
- **Primary Website & Label:**
  - A website link that users can visit for more details.
  - Example: **www\.xyz.com (Official Website), www\.xyz.com/offers (Latest Deals)**.
  - You can add **up to 3 website URLs**.
- **Terms of Use URL:** Link to your terms of service.
- **Privacy Policy URL:** Link to your privacy policy.
- **Languages:** Select the languages in which you will send RCS messages.

Please find the reference to where the above details will be displayed in the Bot Preview:

![](https://api.archbee.com/api/optimize/SK2urIgCC2ml99YyqWOSl/6-DdSh26sAzk-bPTnRtuI-20260729-062246.png?1739862051)

After filling in these details, click **"Submit"** to create your bot.

## Bot Approval & Activation

Once submitted, your bot will enter the **"Submitted"** state. You can track its status on the **RCS Bot Management** page.

- **Submitted → Created:** Once approved by our partner vendor, the bot status will change from **"Submitted"** to **"Created"**.
- **Next Steps After Bot Creation:**
  - **Add Test Devices** – Test RCS functionalities via APIs.
  - **Create RCS Templates** – Design and test RCS message templates.
  - **Complete RCS Verification** – Submit a verification form to move from staging to production, enabling messaging to a broader audience.