# Avox API Go-Live Checklist > Everything to check before sending real customer traffic through the Avox API - number, account, keys, code, statuses, and WhatsApp's own rules. Source: https://docs.theavoxai.com/avox-api/go-live Work through this list before your integration sends real customer messages. Each item links to the page with the detail. ## Your number and account - **The number shows Connected.** On [Connections](https://docs.theavoxai.com/connections), the number's status is **Connected**, and on [Health](https://docs.theavoxai.com/health), **Check health now** reports "Can send messages" with no issues. - **Your plan is active and includes API access.** Without an active plan, every send fails with [`subscription_inactive`](https://docs.theavoxai.com/api/errors#subscription_inactive); on a plan without API access, with [`api_not_in_plan`](https://docs.theavoxai.com/api/errors#api_not_in_plan). See [Billing](https://docs.theavoxai.com/billing) and [Plans](https://docs.theavoxai.com/plans). - **The display name is approved** and is the name you want customers to see. See [Display names](https://docs.theavoxai.com/whatsapp/display-names). - **Templates are approved** for every message your system starts - order updates, reminders, codes - in every language you'll send. See [Templates](https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates) and [Template approval](https://docs.theavoxai.com/templates/approval). - **You have the customer's opt-in** to receive WhatsApp messages from you, as WhatsApp's policies require. - **Critical alerts reach someone.** On [Compliance](https://docs.theavoxai.com/compliance), keep **WhatsApp account alerts** on, so your team is emailed when Meta sends an account alert or a template is rejected, paused or disabled. ## Your keys - **A dedicated live key per system**, created by an Admin in **Settings > API Keys** with **Live key** chosen. See [Authentication](https://docs.theavoxai.com/avox-api/authentication). - **Production uses the live key.** A test key (`avx_test_...`) answers `200` but never sends. Check your production responses don't carry `Avox-Test-Mode: true`. See [Testing](https://docs.theavoxai.com/avox-api/testing#1-test-mode). - **Stored as a server secret** - environment variable or secrets manager, never in a browser, an app, or a repository. - **Test passes** on the key: "Working - routes to" the right number. See [Testing](https://docs.theavoxai.com/avox-api/testing). - **Old and test keys are revoked** once nothing uses them. Keep a test key only if your CI still uses it. - **A rotation plan** your team has written down: **Rotate**, pick a grace period, deploy the new key, then check on the **API logs** that the old key has gone quiet. See [Rotating a key](https://docs.theavoxai.com/avox-api/authentication#rotating-a-key). - **IP restriction (optional).** If your servers have fixed addresses, ask [Support](https://docs.theavoxai.com/support) to limit the key to them. ## Your sending code - **Branches on `error.code`**, not on the message text or the status alone. See [API errors](https://docs.theavoxai.com/api/errors). - **Sends an `Idempotency-Key`** - one per message, reused on every retry of that message. See [Idempotency](https://docs.theavoxai.com/avox-api/idempotency). - **Retries only what's retryable**, honouring `Retry-After` and backing off with jitter. See [Rate limits](https://docs.theavoxai.com/avox-api/rate-limits). - **Handles `meta_unavailable` deliberately** - the message may already be out. - **Logs `X-Request-Id`** (or `error.request_id`) for every failed call, so [Support](https://docs.theavoxai.com/support) can find it. - **Stores `message_id`** for every success, so statuses and replies can be matched to it. - **Sends templates to start conversations** and other types only inside the 24-hour window. See [Messaging window](https://docs.theavoxai.com/whatsapp/messaging-window). - **Uses full international numbers** in `to`, with the country code. - **Paces bulk sends** through a queue instead of firing them all at once. - **Has a timeout** on each HTTP call, so a slow network can't hang a worker. ## Statuses and replies - **Someone checks delivery.** [Logs](https://docs.theavoxai.com/logs) shows the `sent`, `delivered`, `read` and `failed` statuses of your API messages. See [Delivery statuses and replies](https://docs.theavoxai.com/avox-api/webhooks). - **`biz_opaque_callback_data` is set** on important sends, so a status is easy to tie to your own record. - **Replies have an owner.** Customer replies arrive in the [Inbox](https://docs.theavoxai.com/inbox) - decide who on your team answers them, and set up [Automation](https://docs.theavoxai.com/automation) for common questions. - **Failed statuses are reviewed**, including codes WhatsApp reports after accepting a message. See [Meta error codes](https://docs.theavoxai.com/meta-error-codes). - **If your server receives messages**, message forwarding points at your production Endpoint URL, your server checks the `Avox-Signature` header with the current signing secret, and **Send test event** shows **Delivered**. See [Receive messages](https://docs.theavoxai.com/avox-api/webhooks#receive-messages). ## WhatsApp's own limits - **You know your messaging limit.** New numbers start with a limit on how many people they can start conversations with each day. It shows as **Messaging tier** on [Health](https://docs.theavoxai.com/health) once Meta reports it. See [Quality and limits](https://docs.theavoxai.com/whatsapp/quality-and-limits). - **You ramp up gradually** rather than sending your whole list on day one. - **Someone watches quality.** A drop in quality can lower your limit and pause templates. [Health](https://docs.theavoxai.com/health) shows **Quality history** and the delivery rate. ## On launch day **1. Start small** Send to a small group first and watch the results for an hour. **2. Watch the API logs** Open **API logs**, pick your live key and choose **Error** in the status filter to spot unexpected error codes. Each code links to its fix on [API errors](https://docs.theavoxai.com/api/errors). **3. Watch delivery** On [Health](https://docs.theavoxai.com/health), check the delivery rate holds steady. **4. Watch for key warnings** In **Settings > API Keys**, check no key shows a warning such as **Requests are failing** or **Hit its per-minute limit**. **5. Then scale** Increase volume step by step, keeping an eye on **Quality history**.