> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.jelou.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Business Scoped User ID (BSUID)

> Learn about the new identifier Meta uses to represent users in WhatsApp Business and how Jelou supports it.

The **Business Scoped User ID (BSUID)** is the new unique identifier Meta uses to represent users within WhatsApp Business.

With the arrival of [Usernames](/en/connect/getting-started/whatsapp-username), some users will stop sharing their phone number with businesses. In those cases, the BSUID is the identifier that lets you keep sending and receiving messages without disrupting the conversation.

## What is the BSUID?

The Business Scoped User ID is an identifier automatically generated by Meta for each WhatsApp Business user. Its format looks like this:

```
US.13491208655302741918
```

It is made up of:

* A two-letter country code.
* A period (`.`).
* A unique alphanumeric identifier generated by Meta.

<Info>
  Unlike a phone number, the BSUID cannot be modified or chosen by the user.
</Info>

## Why did Meta create the BSUID?

Meta introduced the BSUID so users can contact businesses using a Username while keeping their phone number private.

This means businesses no longer need to rely exclusively on phone numbers to identify a customer.

## What changes for businesses?

Previously, every conversation included the user's phone number. With this update, some users will share only their BSUID.

| Before                         | Now                                          |
| ------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------- |
| Phone number                   | BSUID                                        |
| The number identified the user | The BSUID identifies the user                |
| The number was always received | Some users will no longer share their number |

<Check>
  This change is transparent for Jelou customers, since the platform supports both identifiers.
</Check>

## Rollout timeline

Meta has rolled out this functionality in stages.

| Date       | Change                                                                                             |
| ---------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| April 2026 | The BSUID started being included in all webhooks alongside the phone number.                       |
| June 2026  | Businesses were able to start reserving and configuring Usernames.                                 |
| July 2026  | WhatsApp APIs started accepting the BSUID as a recipient for sending messages.                     |
| Today      | More and more users are adopting Usernames and no longer share their phone number with businesses. |

## BSUID support in Jelou

Jelou already supports the BSUID across the entire platform. This means:

* You can keep sending and receiving messages whether the user shares their phone number or uses a Username.
* No additional configuration is required.

## Important considerations

* The BSUID is a unique identifier automatically generated by Meta.
* It cannot be edited or customized.
* The same user keeps the same BSUID for your business.
* Username adoption is gradual, so phone numbers and BSUIDs will coexist for some time.

<Warning>
  If your business has external integrations or custom developments that consume data from Jelou, review and update them to make sure they can process the BSUID as the user identifier.
</Warning>

## API documentation

We updated our API documentation to include examples and BSUID support. See the following guides:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Send messages" icon="paper-plane" href="/en/api/envia-mensajes/Envio-de-mensajes">
    Send messages using either the user's phone number or their BSUID.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Single campaign send" icon="bullhorn" href="/en/api/campanas/envio-individual">
    Send templates to a recipient identified by BSUID.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>