Template Flow Builder — Conversational Flows

The Template Flow Builder lets you connect WhatsApp templates together so that when a contact taps a button, the next template is sent automatically. This creates a rule-based conversational flow — a bot-like experience — without any AI or live agent.

Overview links: Documentation Home · Settings Overview

Where to Find This

• Templates in the sidebar → Create Template.
• The flow graph canvas opens once you start building and adding buttons.

Before You Start

• Connect a WhatsApp Business account in Settings → Platforms.
• Templates go through Meta review — only approved templates can be sent. Plan for this when building multi-step flows.
• If any node in your flow uses a Flow button, publish that form to WhatsApp first. See WhatsApp Flow Forms.

Step 1: Create the Entry Template

Where: Templates → Create Template

Start with the first message in the conversation — the one you will broadcast or send manually.

1. Set event, category, platform, and build mode.
2. Write the body — keep it short, give the contact a clear reason to tap.
3. Set template type to Interactive → Button.
4. Add Quick Reply buttons — one for each branch in your conversation (e.g., Pricing, Support, Track order). Up to 3 buttons.

Step 2: Connect Buttons to Next Templates

For each Quick Reply button, set what happens when the contact taps it.

1. Select a button in the builder.
2. Choose an action type:
   • Send Template — automatically sends a chosen template to the contact. Pick an existing template or create a new one inline.
   • Webhook — calls an external URL (for CRM updates, order lookups, integrations). Can also be paired with a template send.
3. If you chose Send Template, pick or create the template for that branch.
4. Repeat for each button across all templates in the flow.

Step 3: Build Out Each Branch

Each template in the flow can itself have buttons with further actions. There is no hard limit on depth — a branch can have 2 steps or 10. A few guidelines:

• End each branch with a terminal template — a message with no further buttons, or a CTA URL/Phone button that closes the conversation.
• Keep messages short. Contacts are on mobile — long bodies get truncated or ignored.
• If a branch needs to collect structured data, use a Flow button (opens a WhatsApp Form) as the terminal step rather than multiple text exchanges.
• If a branch should create a ticket or notify your team, add a Webhook action on that button.

Step 4: Save the Flow

Saving a multi-template flow happens in two phases automatically:

1. Phase 1: all templates in the graph are created first.
2. Phase 2: the button-to-template connections (actions) are wired between them.

If a connection fails to save, an error is shown. Fix the indicated template and save again — the system will retry the failed connections.

Step 5: Submit & Use

• Each template in the flow must be submitted for Meta approval separately.
• Once the entry template is approved, you can broadcast or send it — even if downstream templates are still pending. They will send automatically when tapped (once approved).
• Send the entry template via Broadcasts, a Workflow, or directly from the Inbox.

Common Issues

• Button tap sends nothing: the action was not saved, or the connected template is not yet approved. Check the template status in Templates.
• Form not in Flow button dropdown: the form has no published WhatsApp Flow. See WhatsApp Flow Forms.
• Flow save error on connections: one or more button-to-template links failed. The error message names the template — fix it and save again.
• URL/Phone button has no action option: only Quick Reply buttons support Send Template or Webhook actions.
• Invalid interactive type: check the platform capabilities — Instagram and Facebook don't support all interactive types.

How This Connects to Contacts

• Templates with variables require contact data at send time. Map each {{1}} to a contact field or static value when sending via broadcast.
• Variables in downstream templates (sent by button tap) are resolved from the same contact record — no extra mapping needed.
• For CSV broadcasts, add numbered columns matching your variables.

Next Steps

• Templates Setup — all template types and button limits
• Personalization & Variables
• Broadcasts Overview
• WhatsApp Flow Forms