Chief of Staff on WhatsApp
What it does
Talk to your Chief of Staff from WhatsApp, just like messaging a colleague. Ask about your workspace ("What's overdue this week?", "How's the pipeline?"), tell it what to do ("Create a task to send the Q3 update by Friday", "Email Priya the deck link"), send voice notes, or snap a photo of a business card or receipt. Anything that creates, changes or sends something waits for you to tap Approve first. You can also get your briefings, approvals and routine results on WhatsApp.
Who can use it
- Anyone in your organization with access to Chief of Staff can connect their own WhatsApp number. Each person connects their own number and only sees and does what their role allows — exactly as in the app.
- Organization Owners and Admins can switch WhatsApp off for the whole workspace.
- WhatsApp is switched on per workspace by Nautis. If you don't see the WhatsApp tab described below, it isn't available for your workspace yet.
Where to find it
Open Chief of Staff in the sidebar, click Settings, then the WhatsApp tab. WhatsApp notification switches live under Chief of Staff → Notifications → Settings.
Connect your WhatsApp number
- Go to Chief of Staff → Settings → WhatsApp and click Connect WhatsApp.
- A QR code and a short message such as LINK ABC123 appear. Then either:
- On a computer: scan the QR code with your phone's camera app (not the scanner inside WhatsApp — that one only reads WhatsApp Web codes). WhatsApp opens with the message already typed.
- On your phone: tap Open WhatsApp.
- Or send the message yourself to the Nautis number shown under the code.
- Send the message as it is. You'll get "✅ Connected to your workspace" on WhatsApp, and the settings page switches to connected on its own.
The code works once and expires after 10 minutes — click Get a new code if it runs out.
Connect by messaging Nautis first
- Send any message to the Nautis WhatsApp number.
- Nautis replies with a connect link (valid for 15 minutes). Tap it and sign in to Nautis.
- If you belong to more than one workspace, choose the one WhatsApp should act in, then tap Connect this number.
You need a Nautis account first — sign up on the website, then connect.
Ask questions and get things done
- Message your Chief of Staff in plain words, in English, Hindi or Hinglish. It answers from your workspace data — tasks, pipeline, meetings, investors, finances and more.
- When you ask for a change, you get a message showing exactly what will happen, with Approve and Reject buttons:
- Tap Approve to run it — you'll get "✅ Done" with the result.
- Tap Reject to cancel — nothing changes.
- Want it different? Just reply with the change ("make it shorter", "due Monday instead") and you'll get an updated version to approve.
- When only one action is waiting, you can also type yes or no (or haan / nahi).
- If it needs to know where something goes (which task board, pipeline or category), you get a list — tap Choose and pick one, then approve.
- Emails, messages and social posts show the recipients, subject and full text before you approve.
- Several related changes arrive as one numbered plan with Approve all.
Voice notes, photos and files
- Voice notes — record as usual. You first get "🎙" with what was heard, so a mis-hearing is caught before anything happens, then the answer. Transcription follows the languages you set in Chief of Staff → Settings → Voice.
- Voice replies — turn on Answer voice notes with a voice note in the WhatsApp tab (or send /voice on). Your voice notes are then answered with a voice note in your Chief of Staff's voice, plus the text.
- Photos and files — send them with or without a message. With no message, your Chief of Staff works out what it is:
- a business card → a new contact (and an offer to add a lead),
- a receipt or bill → an expense,
- whiteboard or handwritten notes → a note, with tasks for action items,
- a deck, contract or document → a short summary, then it asks what you'd like done. As always, you approve before anything is saved.
Get notifications on WhatsApp
- Go to Chief of Staff → Notifications → Settings and find the WhatsApp card.
- Choose what arrives on WhatsApp:
- Briefings — your morning briefing (and evening debrief / Monday digest when they're on) with the top items.
- Approvals waiting — when a routine or background run needs your OK. Approve or reject right from WhatsApp.
- Routine results — each routine run's result, plus failures and pauses.
- Friday receipt — what your Chief of Staff did for you this week.
- If you haven't messaged your Chief of Staff in the last 24 hours, WhatsApp shows a short notice first (a WhatsApp rule). Tap its button — Show briefing, Review, Show result or Show summary — to see the full update.
Commands
- /help — what you can ask and the commands.
- /org — see your workspaces; /org 2 switches to the second one.
- /new — start a fresh conversation.
- /voice on or /voice off — voice replies to your voice notes.
- STOP — disconnect this number.
Switch workspace or disconnect
- Switch workspace: send /org on WhatsApp, or pick one under Workspace WhatsApp acts in in the WhatsApp tab.
- Disconnect: click Disconnect in the WhatsApp tab (or send STOP on WhatsApp). Your conversation history stays in Nautis and you can reconnect anytime.
- Owners and Admins: under Workspace access, turn off Allow WhatsApp in this workspace to stop everyone using it for this workspace. Linked numbers stay linked.
Tips & limits
- Your WhatsApp conversation also appears in the Chief of Staff chat list as WhatsApp, so you can continue it in the app.
- Deleting anything is only possible in the app, never from WhatsApp.
- Actions in connected apps (from Integrations, such as Gmail or Slack) aren't available on WhatsApp yet — use the app for those.
- Messages, voice notes and voice replies use AI credits, like chat and Talk in the app.
- Files up to 15 MB: PDF, Word, Excel, CSV, text and photos. Videos, stickers and locations aren't supported yet.
- WhatsApp group chats aren't supported — it's one-to-one with your Chief of Staff.
- Quiet hours and focus sessions apply to WhatsApp notifications too, and you'll get at most 12 a day.
- If you send messages very fast, it asks you to wait a minute before answering more.
Frequently asked questions
Is my data safe on WhatsApp?
Your number only identifies you — every request runs as you, with your role's permissions, and nothing changes without your Approve. Messages you send travel through WhatsApp, so keep very sensitive details in the app. Send STOP anytime to disconnect.
Why didn't the QR code work?
Scan it with your phone's normal camera app. The scanner inside WhatsApp (Linked devices) only accepts WhatsApp Web login codes, so it shows "Invalid QR code". You can also just send the LINK message to the Nautis number yourself.
I belong to two workspaces. Which one does WhatsApp use?
The one you chose when connecting. Send /org to see your workspaces and /org 2 (or another number) to switch, or change it in the WhatsApp tab.
Can someone else use my number to see my workspace?
Connecting needs both your Nautis sign-in and a message from the phone itself, so a number can't be linked without access to your account. If your phone changes hands, click Disconnect in the app.
Why did I get a short notice instead of my full briefing?
WhatsApp only lets businesses send pre-approved notices if you haven't messaged in the last 24 hours. Tap the notice's button and the full update arrives right away.
It misheard my voice note — what happens?
You see the "🎙" transcript before the answer, and any change still waits for your Approve, so nothing happens by mistake. Reply with a correction, or set the languages you speak in Settings → Voice for better transcription.
I don't see the WhatsApp tab.
WhatsApp isn't switched on for your workspace yet, or your workspace admins have turned it off. Ask an Owner or Admin, or contact Nautis support.
Still need help?
Our team answers every message. Already a customer? Open a support ticket from inside Nautis.