A Flow can automate rule-based and repetitive actions to help improve your team's productivity and efficiency. It allows businesses to increase customer engagement on their website and provide their customers with an "always-on" self-service option. Businesses can collect leads, route chats, reduce wait times, and automate basic customer service workflows.
With a Flow in place, you can maximize your time spent on the most complex, sensitive, and high-value interactions.
Flow Templates
The system provides four pre-built Flow templates. Using these templates, you can build your Custom Flow.
The table lists the following Flow templates.
Template | Description |
Lead Generation | It is used to get contact information from your visitors. |
Routing Bot | It is used to classify visitors by asking them questions and guide them to find the most suitable support agents or resources. |
Customer Support-FAQ | It is used to provide the frequently asked questions list and let your visitors help themselves. |
Forward Webchat/WhatsApp to Email | It is used to send an email when your flow receives a new visitor's information from Webchat/WhatsApp. |
Create a Web Chat Flow
You can create a Flow either of your own or by selecting from the pre-built template.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Go to your system
CloudCX installation domain, and log in with the admin account.From the left navigation menu, go to Automation> Flow Builder > Flows.
Click on the “+” button to create a new flow.
Select Wait for incoming webchat message that will trigger your Web Chat flow. Then click Next.
The New Flow page appears. If you want to create a custom flow, you can click Create your own to create; If you'd like to collect lead info via the Flow, you can select the Lead Generation template, and click Create. To learn more on the templates, see Flow Templateshttps://cloudfon.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CX/pages/edit-v2/58261530#Flow-Templates. We'll take the Create your own flow as a sample.
The Flow builder page is displayed with a Start Action. To learn more about these actions, see Flow Actions https://cloudfon.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CX/pages/edit-v2/58261530#Flow-Actions.
In the Flow builder page, you can do one of the following to customize your flow’s information:
Click the Start action to open the flow information edit page.
Click the flow name on the top right to open the flow information edit page.
You can upload an image for the flow avatar, create a name for the flow, and add the description for this flow.
You can do one of the following to add actions:
Select and drag the flow action from the left Add Step menu to the Flow Builder area and connect them in a guided workflow.
The “!” in Start action, that means the Flow is not completed, you need to search the action with “x errors” and complete that action. When the Flow is completed, the “!” will be disappeared.
Click the “+” in the Start action and select an action to add.
When you select an action, you can do the following:
Click
button to copy an action. Click
button to delete the action. Click
button to add an next step action.
You can add flow actions based on your request, you can find more details about flow actions from Flow Actions https://cloudfon.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CX/pages/edit-v2/58261530#Flow-Actions.1.
Now, you can click Publish to publish the Flow. After publishing this flow, you can select this flow when you enable Trigger a flow in Pre-Chat, Offline-Message, or when you add Go to Flow action in other flow.
If the flow has been used in Pre-Chat, Offline-Message or other flow, you need to disassociate the belonging relationship of the flow, then you can Unpublish the flow.
Flow Actions
Your Flow building process revolves around the set of actions connected in a guided workflow, whether you build a custom flow or from a template. Only agents who have permission can use these Actions to build a Flow.
Send Content
Actions | Description |
|---|---|
Send a message | This action allows you to send a message to the visitor. Each message supports adding buttons with URLs, the URL will be opened in a new window/tab. |
Send an image | This action allows you to send an image file or URL to the visitor. |
Send a menu | This action allows you to send a list of menu options for visitors to choose. The menu options remain in the chat window after visitors choose an option. |
Send quick reply options | This action allows you to send quick reply options to the visitor. The quick reply options disappear from the chat window after visitors choose an option. |
In Send Content actions, you can do the following:
Add a delay (the chatbot shows a typing indicator) to Chatbot responses to deliver multiple messages to the customer at a comfortable reading pace.
Add a message to describe each action, the description can add special characters, insert dynamic info, bold font, and links.
Add options for each action:
Add a button in the Send a message, which can be opened in a new window when the visitor clicks it;
Input an image URL or upload an image file in the Send an image, which can be sent to the visitor;
Add multiple menu options in the Send a menu for visitor to choose, to guide the visitor to get more specific support;
Add multiple reply options in the Send quick reply options, the visitor just needs to click to suitable reply option to simplify the visitor’s operation process to improve customer’s satisfaction.
Collect Info
Actions | Description |
|---|---|
Collect name | This action allows you to collect the name of the customer. This data is saved to the variable "Name". |
Collect email | This action allows you to collect the email address of the visitor. This data is saved to the variable "Email". |
Collect phone number | This action allows you to collect the phone number of the visitor. This data is saved to the variable "Phone". |
Collect company name | This action allows you to collect the company name of the visitor. This data is saved to the variable "Company". |
Collect comment | This action allows you to collect comments from the visitor. This data is saved to the variable "Comment". |
Collect variable data | This action allows you to collect custom information from the visitor and save it to a variable—for example, User Name. You can create any variable. The variable value will only exist when the current flow is alive in a chat. |
In Collect info actions, you can do the following:
Add a delay (the chatbot shows a typing indicator) to Chatbot responses to deliver multiple messages to the customer at a comfortable reading pace.
(Optional) Edit the description for each action, the description can add special characters, insert dynamic info, bold font, and links.
(Optional) In the Collect variable data action, you can do the following:
Set the reply type for visitors, the type can be Text, Text area, Single select, Multiple select, Email, Password, Date, and Time. When you select Single select or Multiple select, you also need to input options to the Option area, so that the visitor can choose.
Save Visitors Answer to a variable, you can select an existing variable in the system, or input a value to create a custom variable and select it.
Flow Operations
Actions | Description |
|---|---|
Transfer chat | This action allows you to transfer the chat to a specific agent, chat queue, or transfer the chat based on the Widget's routing rules. |
Go to Flow | This action allows you to transfer to another Flow when a present Flow is finished. |
Let AI Agent answer | This action allows you to transfer to AI Agent. Click Set AI Agent live for chatto learn more. |
In Flow Operations actions, you can do the following:
Transfer chat:
Transfer the chat to a specific agent, chat queue, or transfer the chat based on the Widget's routing rules.
Go to Flow:
Transfer the visitor to another Flow.
Let AI Agent answer:
Transfer the chat to an AI Agent. For more settings, please click Set AI Agent live for chat to learn more.
Advanced
Actions | Description |
|---|---|
Set value | This action allows you to set values for Flow Variables, Custom Variables and Pre-chat Fields. |
Send an email | This action allows you to send emails. For example, you can send the visitor's information to the company's lead collection email box. |
HTTP Request | This action allows you to make an HTTP Request component that includes triggering a webhook and fetching variables. |
Webhook | This action allows you to create a webhook request step that notifies the system about events that occur in an external system, and we will generate a URL that accepts POST calls with JSON-formatted payload. |
In Advanced actions, you can do the following:
Set value:
You can set a certain value for the variable, or input “{{“ to awake the Variable selector to select a variable as the vaule, the vaule will be displayed in Collected Leads https://cloudfon.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CX/pages/edit-v2/58261530#Collected-Leads.
Send an email:
Configure the pre-defined email, the system will automatically send an email when it get the visitor’s information.
HTTP Request:
You can make an HTTP Request component that includes triggering a webhook and fetching variables.
Webhook:
You can create a webhook request step that notifies the system about events that occur in an external system, and we will generate a URL that accepts POST calls with JSON-formatted payload.
Create a WhatsApp Flow
You can create a Flow either of your own or by selecting from the pre-built template.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Go to your system
CloudCX installation domain, and log in with the admin account.From the left navigation menu, go to Automation> Flow Builder > Flows.
Click on the “+” button to create a new flow.
Select Wait for incoming WhatsApp message that will trigger your WhatsApp flow. Then click Next.
The New Flow page appears. If you want to create a custom flow, you can click Create your own to create; If you'd like to collect lead info via the Flow, you can select the Lead Generation template, and click Create. To learn more on the templates, see Flow Templateshttps://cloudfon.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CX/pages/edit-v2/58261530#Flow-Templates. We'll take the Create your own flow as a sample.
The Flow builder page is displayed with a Start Action. To learn more about these actions, see Flow Actions https://cloudfon.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CX/pages/edit-v2/58261530#Flow-Actions.
In the Flow builder page, click the flow name on the top right to customize your flow’s information. You can create a name for the flow, and add the description for this flow.
Click the Start action to select a WhatsApp account for this flow. If there is no account can be selected, click Setup a WhatsApp Channel Account switch to Inbox > Channel > WhatsApp to add WhatsApp account first, you can find more details from WhatsApp 3.1.4 WhatsAPP.
You can do one of the following to add actions:
Select and drag the flow action from the left Add Step menu to the Flow Builder area and connect them in a guided workflow.
The “!” in Start action, that means the Flow is not completed, you need to search the action with “x errors” and complete that action. When the Flow is completed, the “!” will be disappeared.
Click the “+” in the Start action and select an action to add.
When you select an action, you can do the following:
Click
button to copy an action. Click
button to delete the action. Click
button to add an next step action.
You can add flow actions based on your request, you can find more details about flow actions from Flow Actions https://cloudfon.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CX/pages/edit-v2/58261530#Flow-Actions.1.
Now, you can click Publish to publish the Flow. After publishing this flow, this flow will be triggered when a customer send messages to this WhatsApp account.
Flow Actions
Your Flow building process revolves around the set of actions connected in a guided workflow, whether you build a custom flow or from a template. Only agents who have permission can use these Actions to build a Flow.
Send Content
Actions | Description |
|---|---|
Send WhatsApp message | This action allows you to send a message to the visitor. The message including Text, Media, Interactive, Template. |
In Send Content actions, you can do the following:
Text:
Input a text, the text can add special characters and insert dynamic info.
(Optional) Enable the action Wait for a response, set the timeout duration for this interactive action, and select or create a variable for customer’s response.
Media:
Select the media type, the media supports Image, Audio, Video, File, Location.
Input the media URL, the media URL can be opened and the media can be downloaded from the URL.
(Optional) Input the caption for the media.
(Optional) Enable the action Wait for a response, set the timeout duration for this interactive action, and select or create a variable for customer’s response.
Interactive:
Select the option type, the option supports Reply buttons and List.
(Optional) If you choose Reply buttons, select the Header type, the header supports Text, Image, Video, and Document.
Fill in the Header. If the Header type is Image, Video, or Document, you need to input the image, video or document URL to the Header URL.
Input a message to the Body, the message with a maximum of 1024 characters.
(Optional) Fill in the Footer.
Add options, if you choose Reply buttons, you can add up to 3 options; if you choose List, you can add up to 10 List items in one section or in more than one sections.
Enable the action Wait for a response, set the timeout duration for this interactive action, and select or create a variable for customer’s response.
Template:
Select and click a template under this WhatsApp account. Also, you can select a language in L
(Optional) Enable the action Wait for a response, set the timeout duration for this interactive action, and select or create a variable for customer’s response.
All the templates are collect from your WhatsApp account, if there is no template can be selected, you need to go to Meta WhatsApp Manager > message templates > Manage templates to create.
Collect Info
Actions | Description |
|---|---|
Wait for a response (Deprecated) | This action allows you to collect customer responses and assign the response to a variable value. |
Flow Operations
Actions | Description |
|---|---|
Reassign Ticket | This action allows you to reassign the ticket to a specific agent, chat queue, or reassign the ticket based on the Inbox's routing rules. |
Branch | This action allows you to set specific user paths for different conditional steps in the flow. |
Date/Time | This action allows you to control flows based on time and date. |
Let AI Agent answer | This action allows you to transfer to AI Agent. Click Set AI Agent live for chat to learn more. |
In Flow Operations actions, you can do the following:
Reassign Ticket:
Reassgin the ticket to a specific agent, chat queue, or reassign the ticket based on the Inbox's routing rules.
Branch:
Click Add new branch to enter the new branch edit page.
Define the logical expression, you can use meet all, meet any, or use logic expression to trigger the branch.
Click
button to add a condition for the branch to trigger.
If you select “use logic expression” to set routing rules, please note：
Conditions need to be added before input expression, otherwise the system will prompt “Invalid logical expression.”
The parentheses must come in pairs and be written as half-width.
Or, And are not case sensitive. Space should be added before and after.
The precedence of logical operators in order from highest to lowest is: (), And, Or.
The number used in the expression must exist in the identifier number list.
If you have 5 conditions, you can use Expression like (1 or 2 or 3) and (4 and 5). This expression means the branch will be triggered when any of the 1 to 3 conditions is met as well as condition 4 and condition 5 are met. The number here is the condition identifier number.
Date/Time:
Select a Timezone for this WhatsApp flow.
Click Add new branch to enter the new branch edit page.
Fill in a name in Condition Name.
Select Within or not for the below data and time.
Configure the time, weekday and date. If you don’t configure any data in time, weekday and date, the time in this condition is Always.
(Optional) Click New OR Rule to add a new time in this condition.
(Optional) Click Add new branch to add another condition and configure time.
Let AI Agent answer: Transfer the WhatsApp conversation to an AI Agent. For more settings, please click Set AI Agent live for chat to learn more.
Advanced
Actions | Description |
|---|---|
Set value | This action allows you to set values for Flow Variables, Custom Variables and Pre-chat Fields. |
Send an email | This action allows you to send emails. For example, you can send the visitor's information to the company's lead collection email box. |
HTTP Request | This action allows you to make an HTTP Request component that includes triggering a webhook and fetching variables. |
Webhook | This action allows you to create a webhook request step that notifies the system about events that occur in an external system, and we will generate a URL that accepts POST calls with JSON-formatted payload. |
In Advanced actions, you can do the following:
Set value:
You can set a certain value for the variable, or input “{{“ to awake the Variable selector to select a variable as the vaule, the vaule will be displayed in Collected Leads https://cloudfon.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/CX/pages/edit-v2/58261530#Collected-Leads.
Send an email:
Configure the pre-defined email, the system will automatically send an email when it get the visitor’s information.
HTTP Request:
You can make an HTTP Request component that includes triggering a webhook and fetching variables.
Webhook:
You can create a webhook request step that notifies the system about events that occur in an external system, and we will generate a URL that accepts POST calls with JSON-formatted payload.
Manage Flows
The flow list will display all created flow’s information, including Flow Name, Display Name, Status, Invocations, Created by, Last Updated by, Last Update. You can manage flows, download and import flows, and check flows log.
Import: Click Import button and click Click to select your file to select a JSON file. Then click Import flow to upload the flow.
The import file type must be JSON file, otherwise you can not upload the file.
Edit: Click on the “Edit” icon to open the edition window for editing the flow.
Copy: Click on the “Copy” icon to copy a flow and open the edition window for editing the copied flow.
Logs: Click on the “Logs” icon to open the logs board.
In the logs board, you can check Trigger Visitors, Status, Start Time, End Time, Duration, Last step and click 
to check Visitor Flow Detail for each trigger, also you can check the following data for this flow.
Total | The total number of times a flow was triggered. |
|---|---|
Completed | Trigger and complete any automated process the number of visitors to the branch. |
Failed | The number of times a flow failed due to an exception. |
Cancelled | The number of times a flow is terminated by a guest or stopped by an agent. |
Download: Select a flow and click on the “Download” icon to download the flow.
Delete: Select a flow and click on the “Delete” icon to delete the flow.
If the Web Chat flow has been used in Pre-Chat, Offline-Message or other flow, you need to disassociate the belonging relationship of the flow, then you can delete the Web Chat flow.
Templates: Click the Template tab, you can select a template to create a template flow.
Collected Leads
All the customer’s information collected from flow will be recorded in Automation > Flow Builder > Collected Leads, you can select a lead and click 
to check the lead details.
