Partner Stories

Dynamics 365 ACS WhatsApp is Retiring. Your Migration Guide!

Published by Inogic

If your Dynamics 365 team talks to customers on WhatsApp through Azure Communication Services (ACS), the clock is running. Microsoft will retire ACS Advanced Messaging with WhatsApp on September 30, 2028. That leaves roughly 24 months to move your number, templates, and automations. It is plenty of time for a planned migration and too little for a rushed one.

Key Takeaways

  • ACS is being retired as a standalone service on September 30, 2028, and WhatsApp Advanced Messaging is on the retirement list.
  • From October 23, 2026, new customers cannot sign up for retiring ACS services.
  • Existing ACS WhatsApp integrations keep working until retirement, but with no new features and fixes only.
  • Teams integration does not extend the life of retiring services.
  • Dynamics 365 teams can switch to WhatsApp4Dynamics by Inogic, which links WhatsApp to Dynamics 365 CRM through Meta WhatsApp Business or Twilio.

What Did Microsoft Announce?

Microsoft splits ACS into two groups:

  • Retired (unavailable after Sept 30, 2028): Email, SMS, Chat, Rooms, Direct Routing, Job Router, UI Libraries, and Advanced Messaging with WhatsApp.
  • Breaking change (supported only with Teams-aligned services): Calling SDK, Call Automation, Recording, Audio Streaming, and Closed Captions.

After the cutoff, API and SDK calls that rely on retired services may return errors.

Who Is Affected?

Check these three areas:

  1. Custom apps built on the ACS Messaging SDK and Event Grid for WhatsApp.
  2. Dynamics 365 WhatsApp channels configured through ACS, which follow Microsoft’s separate Dynamics 365 retirement guide.
  3. Anything downstream of Event Grid subscriptions, such as Logic Apps, Azure Functions, and reports.

Microsoft’s Azure Advisor Service Retirement workbook and the open-source ACS Resource Explorer can help you find affected resources.

Why Plan Your ACS Migration Now?

  • Identity changes: WhatsApp usernames and Business-Scoped User IDs (BSUIDs) mean your app or Dynamics contact records must handle more than phone numbers. If your logic uses the phone number as the customer key, audit it now.
  • Number and template lead time: Moving a number requires WhatsApp’s phone number migration process, and the destination provider must support it. Templates belong to each WhatsApp Business Account (WABA), so inventory them before cutover.

Microsoft points Dynamics 365 customers toward Dynamics 365 Contact Center and partner providers. If your goal is WhatsApp inside Dynamics 365 CRM, connected directly to Meta, read on.

Why Choose a Direct Meta API Architecture?

Today: Customer → WhatsApp → Meta → ACS (Messaging SDK/Event Grid) → your app or Dynamics channel
Direct: Customer → WhatsApp → Meta Cloud API → WhatsApp4Dynamics → Dynamics 365

Removing the ACS layer gives you:

  • Fewer moving parts: No Event Grid plumbing and no ACS retirement risk.
  • Simpler billing: ACS bills an ACS usage fee plus Meta fees through Azure. A direct setup pays Meta’s rates plus the app license.
  • Predictable pricing: Meta has charged per message since July 1, 2025, and may change prices only on the first day of each quarter, so budget reviews fall on four dates a year.
  • Massive reach: WhatsApp passed 3 billion monthly active users in 2025.

The trade-off is that you manage your own Meta Business Manager, WABA, and API credentials.

What Does WhatsApp4Dynamics Offer?

WhatsApp4Dynamics is part of the Inogic Omnichannel suite, which combines WhatsApp, Text SMS, and Live Chat inside Dynamics 365 CRM (Online | Dataverse). Setup is straightforward: get your Meta API credentials, install the app, open WhatsApp4Dynamics > Configurations, and enter your details.

CRM-aware conversations

  • Start a chat from any Case, Opportunity, Lead, or Contact without typing a number.
  • Create Leads, Contacts, Cases, and custom records from a chat, with Dynamic Field Mapping filling in the data.
  • Keep timestamped chat history linked to records, so new owners inherit full context.
  • Assign chats and consult colleagues internally without involving the customer.

Templates and automation

  • Send text, media, buttons, and quick replies with static or dynamic variables.
  • Trigger messages from workflows and Power Automate, such as order confirmations and appointment reminders.
  • Run pre- and post-chat questionnaires and write answers back to the record.
  • Share images, videos, PDFs, and Word files in the customer’s language.

AI assistance

InoWiz AI provides smart reply suggestions, chat summaries, and sentiment analysis. An AI chatbot can answer from SharePoint, websites, and uploaded documents.

Ready to Move Beyond ACS Before 2028?

Download WhatsApp4Dynamics with a 15-day free trial from Inogic Website or Microsoft Marketplace, or reach out to the Inogic team at [email protected].

FAQs

Is Azure Communication Services being retired?
Yes. ACS retires as a standalone offering on September 30, 2028, while Teams-aligned scenarios such as Teams Phone Extensibility remain supported.

Can new customers still use ACS WhatsApp?
No. From October 23, 2026, new sign-ups for retiring ACS services are closed.

How do I integrate WhatsApp with Dynamics 365 without ACS?
Use WhatsApp4Dynamics, which connects the Meta WhatsApp Business Platform API to Dynamics 365. Enter your Meta API details under Configurations and chat from CRM records.

Do I need a BSP for the WhatsApp Business Platform?
Not necessarily. You can use Meta’s Cloud API directly with Meta Business Manager credentials, which is how WhatsApp4Dynamics works.

Can WhatsApp chats create Leads and Cases in Dynamics 365?
Yes. Leads, Contacts, Cases, and custom-entity records can be created straight from a conversation.