Modules / PIMS on WhatsApp
Dispense · Distribute · Approve
Everyday PIMS tasks. Right in WhatsApp.
Dispense items, record distributions, check stock and approve transfers through an app your team already knows. PIMS guides each task in the user’s chosen language, saves the transaction and sends a PDF copy to the chat. Staff keep the same access and permissions they have in PIMS.
- Step-by-step guidance
- 7 languages
- Access you control
- PDF records in chat
PIMSWhatsApp Business accountExample: paracetamol x 10
paracetamol x 10
What you can do
From frontline services to stock approvals
Dispense items
Select the prescriber, enter the diagnosis and find the beneficiary. Then add the items and quantities to dispense. PIMS checks available stock and dispensing limits as you go.
Distribute items
Record the items given to a beneficiary from your chosen department. PIMS saves the distribution and sends a PDF copy to the chat.
Register beneficiaries
Find a beneficiary by name and date of birth or by ID. Register someone new using your organization’s required details, including consent.
Check stock
See how much of an item is available in one or all of your departments, and receive a PDF with the full breakdown.
Review and approve
Review the PDF record, then approve or reject transfers, stock counts and stock adjustments. You can also release approved transfers.
View key figures
Get today’s figures and key indicators for your department, using the same data shown on your PIMS dashboard.
Find and reverse records
Find a dispensing or distribution record by its reference number or beneficiary ID. Share its PDF, or reverse the transaction and record the reason.
Work in your language
Choose from seven languages: English, Arabic, French, Spanish, Somali, Amharic and Swahili. Guidance is provided in the language you select.
Keep control of access
Each WhatsApp number is linked to a PIMS user account. Staff can only access the departments and perform the actions allowed for that account.
Why it matters
Keep work moving, wherever your teams are
Accurate records matter at every location. Limited equipment, busy schedules and delays in reporting can make them harder to maintain.
Limited access to computers
Equipping remote sites with computers and on-site IT support can be difficult. WhatsApp gives staff another way to complete key PIMS tasks from a phone with an internet connection.
Less time to learn a new system
Busy teams need tools that are easy to follow. Familiar chat controls and step-by-step prompts help staff learn everyday tasks as they work.
Delays in records and approvals
Waiting to reach a computer can hold up approvals and leave stock records out of date. Staff can record transactions and review requests directly from their phones.
PIMSWhatsApp Business accountBuilt for your team
Simple for staff. Clear oversight for managers.
- No extra app: staff use WhatsApp on a phone linked to their PIMS account.
- One step at a time: clear questions, buttons and lists guide staff through each task.
- The same access rules: staff keep the departments and permissions assigned to them in PIMS.
- Records you can follow: transactions are saved in PIMS, with PDFs for dispensing, distributions, stock checks and approvals.
- Managed in PIMS: an administrator connects your WhatsApp Business account and links staff mobile numbers.
Common questions
Questions about PIMS on WhatsApp
Do staff need another app?
No additional PIMS app is needed. Staff use WhatsApp on their phones. An administrator first links each mobile number to the staff member’s PIMS account.
What can staff do through WhatsApp?
Staff can dispense items, record distributions, register beneficiaries, check stock and view dashboard summaries. They can also find or reverse dispensing and distribution records, approve or reject transfers, stock counts and stock adjustments, and release approved transfers. Available actions depend on each user’s PIMS permissions.
Who can access PIMS through WhatsApp?
Only mobile numbers linked to a PIMS user account can access the service. Each user can access only the departments and actions allowed by their PIMS permissions.
Does it work offline?
WhatsApp requires mobile data or Wi-Fi. For locations without a connection, PIMS offers offline functionality through its own application, which syncs records when connectivity returns.
Which languages are supported?
English, Arabic, French, Spanish, Somali, Amharic and Swahili. Staff choose their language at the start of the conversation.
How do we get started?
Your organization needs a WhatsApp Business account connected through Meta’s Cloud API. A PIMS administrator adds the account details in PIMS settings, checks the connection using the built-in tools and links staff mobile numbers to their PIMS accounts.
Get a first-hand look
See PIMS on WhatsApp in action.
See how staff record a distribution, dispense items and approve a transfer from their phones, and how each transaction appears in PIMS.
