WhatsApp Flows

With WhatsApp Flows, you can design comprehensive customer journeys directly within WhatsApp. Customers can complete tasks such as browsing products, placing orders, or providing feedback without switching platforms. Flows enhance user experiences by guiding them step by step and offering seamless, intuitive interactions.

WhatsApp Flows feature a library of components, layouts, and connectors that you can customize with customer data to create experiences tailored to your business needs.

WhatsApp Flows are also available in our other solutions:

• Answers: Add end-to-end custom workflows to your chatbot, enabling interactive tasks such as filling forms or booking appointments, all within the WhatsApp chat.
• Broadcast: Use WhatsApp Flows in Broadcast to send large-scale, personalized one-way interactive messages to your audience.
• Moments (Early access): Use WhatsApp Flows in customer journeys to perform interactive tasks, like booking appointments or collecting data, while seamlessly continuing the flow after completing the task.

Create a Flow

Use the Flow Builder interface inside the WhatsApp Manager to create, edit, or duplicate Flows.

1. Go to WhatsApp Manager (opens in a new tab) and select Account tools > Flows.

2. Select Start building Flows to begin.

   

3. Name and categorize your Flow:

   • Enter a name for your Flow and select the appropriate category.
   • Choose a template to use as a starting point:
     • Without Endpoint: For static elements.
     • With Endpoint: For dynamic elements, such as data population or navigation control.

• Preview the template on the right, then select Create.

  

4. After creating your Flow, the Flow JSON editor opens with a live preview on the right.

   • Define screens and components for your Flow.
   • Select Run to preview any changes, such as updating titles or other parameters.
   

5. Once satisfied with your Flow, select Save.

Publish a Flow

When you create a Flow or edit and save the modified Flow JSON content, it remains in the Draft state. Draft flows are available only for testing - if you want to send your Flow to a larger audience, you need to publish it.

To publish a Flow:

• Resolve all validation errors and publishing checks (opens in a new tab).
• Ensure the Flow meets the design principles (opens in a new tab) of WhatsApp Flows.
• Ensure the Flow complies with WhatsApp Terms of Service (opens in a new tab) and WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy (opens in a new tab).
• Once ready, open the three-dot menu next to Save and select Publish.

Send a Flow

You can send WhatsApp Flows as:

• Template messages - Do not require a 24-hour customer service window between you and the recipient before the message can be sent.
• Interactive messages - These can only be sent to a user when a customer service window is open between you and the user.

Once ready, refer to our WhatsApp over API documentation and head over to WhatsApp API (opens in a new tab) to start engaging your customers!

Manage a Flow

You can manage your WhatsApp Flows and monitor their status on our web interface (opens in a new tab) or take full control over them by using our WhatsApp API (opens in a new tab).

In the web interface, you can view WhatsApp Flows at both channel and sender level.

View Flows at the channel level

1. In the web interface (opens in a new tab), navigate to Channels and Numbers > Channels and select WhatsApp.

2. Open the Flows tab to see all your Flows.

   • You will find details such as the WABA they belong to, Flow ID, First flow screen, and Status.
   • You can copy the Flow ID and First flow screen element, if needed.
   

View Flows at the sender level

1. In the web interface (opens in a new tab), navigate to Channels and Numbers > Channels and select WhatsApp.

2. Open the Senders tab.

3. Select the three-dot menu next to the desired sender and choose View Flows.

   • You will see all Flows associated with the sender, including the Flow ID, First flow screen, and Status.
   • You can copy the Flow ID and First flow screen element if needed.
   • You can also change the status of your Flows.
   

Flow status

WhatsApp Flows can transition through several statuses during their lifecycle. These statuses determine how the Flow can be used and whether it is available for customers.

Status	Description
Draft	A Flow enters the Draft state when it is first created or edited, and is available only for testing purposes. Draft Flows can be deleted if no longer needed. However, a published flow cannot be reverted to draft.
Published	When a Flow is ready for sending, you can move it to Published state. In order to maintain consistency, published Flows cannot be modified or deleted. If changes are required, you must create a new Flow based on the original. A published Flow can transition to Deprecated or Throttled status, based on system monitoring or user decisions. If the Flow is no longer needed or you need to remove it, you can deprecate it.
Deprecated	Deprecated Flows can no longer be sent to users but may still exist on user devices, and you may still see responses from those Flows
Throttled	WhatsApp may move your Flow to Throttled if its endpoint is detected as unhealthy, meaning it shows signs of instability, such as slow response times or errors. While throttled, sending is limited to 10 messages per hour. If the Flow's endpoint health improves, it will transition back to Published. If conditions worsen, WhatsApp can block it.
Blocked	Blocked Flows occur when endpoint performance significantly deteriorates. This is done to ensure that users are not exposed to degraded experiences. While in this state, the Flow cannot be sent or opened. If the endpoint improves, WhatsApp can revert the Flow status to Throttled and eventually to Published.

Manage Flow status

In the web interface (opens in a new tab), you can change the status of a Flow, depending on their current status.

To change the status, open the Flows view at the sender level and select the three-dot menu next to the desired Flow. Choose one of the available statuses to transition the Flow.

• Draft: You can publish or delete the Flow.
• Published: You can deprecate the Flow.
• Throttled or Blocked: You can deprecate the Flow to prevent further issues.