You say “We need WhatsApp functionality”.
The vendor says “We’ve got a WhatsApp feature!”.
You move on, thinking you’re aligned.
Spoiler: you’re not.
This is exactly how good projects go bad, because the functional requirements were vague, high-level, or completely missing. If you’re the one writing the requirements (and as a business or project owner, you usually are), this blog is your cheat sheet. We’re breaking down what functional requirements really are, why they matter, and sharing functional requirements examples that will save your next project from turning into a slow-moving disaster.
The difference between a functional requirement and a disaster
This is so important that if I could give every business owner one piece of advice it would be this; never assume a solution was built with your use case in mind.
Without clear, detailed requirements, you’re building a bridge to nowhere. A simple, well-intentioned request can lead to a solution that looks right on the surface but is completely useless in practice.
Here are some real-world functional requirements examples I’ve battled with:
Functional Requirements Example 1: Call Logging
A requirement may be for "call logging that logs time, outcome, and transcript," but the native integration simply links to a transcript and shows the time the call record is created. The activity record doesn’t include the length of the call, its direction, or which agent made the call.
Functional Requirements Example 2: WhatsApp Integrations
You ask for a solution that "sends messages from your CRM with analytics." Straightforward, right? No. What you get is a system that only sends outbound messages to a list. You can’t reply to individuals, and the "analytics" only show a simple "sent" status. You’re missing the time of the last message, the count of messages in a thread, or the number of customer responses.
Functional Requirements Example 3: Revenue Reporting
The request is for "revenue reporting and forecasting based on date and amount fields of your choice." The native solution, however, has no way to recognize variable revenue across two key payment dates, rendering the forecasts kind of useless.
Functional Requirements Example 4: A Simple Data Sync
You need to "sync data between platform X and platform Y," but in reality, the native solution only allows you to sync default properties. The majority of the data can only be synced one way. And what's worse, your agents work on the wrong platform for the sync to be effective.
These aren't hypothetical problems; they are the everyday realities of poorly scoped requirements. A broad feature request, or a high-level epic like "implement a WhatsApp integration," is just the start. The real value is in the functional requirements examples and user stories that define every single detail.
So, what are we (by which I mean you) to do?
When a team member or vendor says they can deliver a feature, don't just accept the surface level answer. Push for detail with qualifying questions. Let's revisit my WhatsApp functional requirements examples and see how we can dig in.
The necessity of qualifying questions: The devil is in the detail
Taking my earlier example, “We need WhatsApp functionality to send messages from our CRM with analytics,” here's what you should be asking:
- "Who will be sending these messages and to whom?"
- Are these to a predefined list, or in a one-on-one conversation initiated by a customer or agent?
- "What do you want to happen when a customer replies?"
- Should it go to a shared team inbox, a specific agent, or a separate platform? What's the process for a reply?
- "What does 'analytics' mean to you? What specific data points do you need to access?"
- Do you need to know message open rates, response times, or the number of messages in a conversation?
Turning a need into a clear user story
By asking these questions, you take a top-level request and transform it into a user story with no room for assumptions.
The need: “We need WhatsApp functionality to send messages from our CRM with analytics.”
The detailed user story:
As a customer service agent, I need to be able to initiate a one-to-one WhatsApp chat with a customer directly from their CRM record, so that I can provide personalized support.
I also need to receive their replies within the CRM, and for the system to log the full conversation transcript and the time of the last reply, so that I have a complete record of our interaction.
This user story leaves little to chance. It defines the persona (customer service agent), the desired action (initiate a one-to-one chat, receive replies), and the implication of the action (a complete record of interaction). It's a clear, actionable requirement that a delivery team or developer can’t misunderstand.
In conclusion;
Being diligent during scoping can feel like you’re being difficult, but it saves everyone time and effort down the line. Detailed stories protect your investment and ensure that the final solution delivers the real, tangible value your business needs.
❌ Don't start your projects with a top-level requirement. ❌ Don’t assume something was built with your business in mind. ✅ Do start with a clear vision, and keep re-asking the questions that will get you there.
