Build a chatbot with the Flow Builder

An Automation Rule sends one reply. A flow holds a whole conversation: it asks questions, offers buttons and takes a different path for each answer.

Create a flow

1. Open Flow Builder in the sidebar and click New Flow.
2. Enter a Flow Name, e.g. "Lead Qualification", and click Create Flow.
3. The canvas opens with a Start node. This is the first message your customer sees. Click it to edit the text.

Click any node to open Configure Node on the right. Make your changes, then click Apply.

Add nodes

Pick a node from Add Node. They're grouped into:

Branch with buttons and menus

• Button Choice: a message with up to 3 buttons. Each button becomes its own branch, so connect each one to the step that should follow that answer.
• List Menu: use this when you need more options, with up to 5 items, each a branch.

Ask questions and use the answers

Ask Question waits for the customer's reply and saves it:

• Save Answer As: the variable name, e.g. travellers. Use it in any later message as {{travellers}}.
• Expected Input: Text (any reply), Number, Email address, Phone number or Date. Invalid answers are asked again (Re-ask sets how many times), and you can set Min and Max for numbers.
• Save to contact (optional): also store the answer on the contact's profile, e.g. city or travel_date, so your team sees it in the inbox.

Under the message and question fields there are one-tap Insert buttons for {{name}}, {{phone}}, {{email}} and every answer you've saved:

> Thanks {{name}}! Our team will call you about your {{travellers}}-person honeymoon 💚

Turn it on and save

1. Switch the flow to Active in the top bar.
2. Click Save Flow. If something's missing (for example, no Start node), you'll see a warning first.

Start the flow from a rule

Flows don't start on their own. You start them from an Automation Rule:

1. Go to Automation Rules → New Rule.
2. WHEN: choose First Message from Contact to greet every new customer, or Keyword Match (e.g. menu, start, hi) to start it on request.
3. THEN: add Start Chatbot Flow and pick your flow.
4. Save Rule.

Good to know

• While a customer is in a flow, the flow is in charge. Their replies go to the flow, not to your Automation Rules, until the flow finishes or the session expires (24 hours).
• See where people drop off. Click Stats in the builder to see how many contacts reached each step.
• Test it yourself. Message your business number from your own WhatsApp after saving, the same way a customer would.