Workflow reference

This page lists everything you can use in a workflow and explains exactly how it behaves. To learn how to build one step by step, start with Workflows & automation.

How a workflow runs

A workflow is a set of steps. Each step is one rule: trigger → conditions → actions.

1. Something happens: a customer sends a message, a webhook is called, a follow-up falls due, and so on.
2. Wabot finds the steps whose trigger matches. For messages, the channel and message type must match too. Only steps that are on, in workflows that are on, are checked.
3. Each matching step checks its conditions. No conditions means it always runs.
4. Every step whose conditions pass runs its actions, from top to bottom. It is not “first match wins”: if two steps match the same message, both run, in no guaranteed order. The Set up panel warns you when two steps start on the same message.
5. If no step ran for a customer’s message, your AI bot answers it (when AI is on for the channel and the contact). If any step ran, even one that only adds a tag, the AI bot doesn’t answer that message.

How actions run

• Actions run in the order listed. If one fails, the next ones still run.
• Wait before sending is in seconds and is counted from the moment the trigger happened, not from the previous action. To send three messages a day apart, use 0, 86400 and 172800.
• Waiting messages are kept safely and are sent even if the server restarts. They are not cancelled if the customer replies or if you turn the step off, so keep sequences short.
• Only Send a template and Send a message can wait. Every other action runs straight away.
• Free-form messages (Send a message) only arrive within 24 hours of the customer’s last message. Outside that window, use Send a template.

Next steps

A step joined by a next step line (the Preceding Workflow condition in the form editor) runs only if the earlier step has already run successfully for the same contact.

• It still needs its own trigger, for example the customer’s next message or button tap. It doesn’t start by itself after the earlier step.
• There is no time limit: the earlier step can have run an hour or a month ago.
• Once unlocked, the step runs every time its trigger and conditions match.
• If several steps lead to it, all of them must have run.
• If the earlier and later steps both match the same message, both can run on it. Give the later step a different trigger, such as a button tap.

Runs and results

Runs shows, for each step, who it ran for and the result of each action. A message counts as successful once it is handed to WhatsApp. If WhatsApp rejects it later (for example outside the 24-hour window), the failure shows in the chat, not in Runs.

Steps that start from the clock (No reply for a while, Follow-up is due), from Pipeline stage changed or from an integration send from your default WhatsApp number. No reply for a while uses the number the conversation was on, if it’s still connected.

Triggers

Trigger	Runs when…	Settings	Gives these variables
Customer sends a message	A customer sends you a message on WhatsApp, Instagram or Messenger	Channel, message type, optional text to match	senderName, senderID and more by message type (see Variables)
Message is delivered or read	Any message you sent (from a workflow, a campaign, the inbox or the AI bot) is sent, delivered or read	None: use the Status and Template conditions	None
Started manually	You start it for chosen contacts or groups, from Contacts, a Meta lead form or Start another workflow	None	None (see Started manually)
Pipeline stage changed	A card is added to a pipeline or moves to another stage	Pipeline, stage type, from stage, to stage	deal_title, stage_name and more
No reply for a while	A conversation goes quiet for the time you set	Whose reply to wait for, how long	waiting_hours, waiting_since
Follow-up is due	A follow-up task reaches its due time, or is still open some time after it	When, how long overdue	followup_text, followup_due_at, followup_assignee, followup_overdue_hours
Webhook is called	Another system sends a POST with a JSON body to the step’s URL	The URL (shown after the first save)	The fields of the JSON body, mapped under Variables
Webhook action replies	A Send to a webhook or Run code action in another step gets a reply	Add sample response to turn the reply’s fields into variables	response and each field of the reply
Integration events (e.g. Shopify order created, abandoned checkout)	A connected integration reports the event	None	The fields of the event

Customer sends a message

Fill in the sentence When a customer sends a channel message type message that match text.

Channels: WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger. For Instagram, also choose how it’s connected: Instagram login or Facebook Page (the same option you used when linking it).

Message types

Channel	Message types
WhatsApp	Text, Click-to-WhatsApp ad message, Interactive quick reply buttons, Interactive list message, Image, Video, Document, Audio, Flow, Order, Payment
Instagram	Text, Quick Reply, Post Back, Comment, Image, Video, Document, Audio
Messenger	Text, Quick Reply, Post Back, Comment, OptIn, Coupon, Image, Video, Document, Audio

WhatsApp message type	Runs when the customer…	Notes
Text	Writes a message
Click-to-WhatsApp ad message	Sends the first message from your Click-to-WhatsApp ad	Adds the ad’s variables. If no ad step matches, Text steps answer it
Interactive quick reply buttons	Taps a reply button, in a message from a workflow or in a template	Match on the button’s title. button_reply_identifier holds what was tapped
Interactive list message	Picks a row from a list	Match on the row’s title
Image, Video, Document, Audio	Sends that kind of file	The caption is the message text. For audio, the text is the transcription if your plan includes it
Flow	Submits a WhatsApp Flow	Choose the flow under Select a flow. Each form field becomes a variable
Order	Places an order from your catalog	Use the Total Amount condition to check the order value
Payment	Pays (or fails to pay) for a catalog order	status is success, failed or pending. Payments for custom payment requests don’t start this trigger

Stickers, shared locations, shared contacts and reactions don’t start workflows.

Text to match: contains, is exactly, starts with or is not. Leave it empty to run on every message of that type. Matching is case-sensitive (Price doesn’t match price), and spaces count. For button and list replies, the text is the button or row title.

Message is delivered or read

Runs for every status update of every message you send, including campaigns and the step’s own messages. Always add two conditions:

• Status: Sent, Delivered or Read.
• Template: the template you’re following up on.

Without them the step runs for every message of the account, and a step that sends a message can set itself off again.

Pipeline stage changed

Setting	Options
Pipeline	The pipeline to watch (required)
Only when the new stage is	Open, Won, Lost (none ticked = any)
From stage	Any stage (includes new cards) or one stage
To stage	Any stage or one stage

A stage change made by a workflow starts other pipeline workflows only one level deep, so two workflows can’t keep moving a card back and forth. Needs Pipelines turned on in Settings → Pipelines.

No reply for a while

Setting	Options
Start when	The customer hasn’t replied (after any message you send them, including campaigns) or Nobody has replied to the customer (any reply from your team, the AI bot or a workflow counts)
After no reply for	5 minutes to 30 days

Each new message restarts the wait. It runs once per silence: after it has run for a contact, it won’t run again until the other side writes. Because broadcasts also start the customer-side wait, add a condition such as Contact of a Group to limit it.

Follow-up is due

Setting	Options
Start	When it falls due, or When it’s still open after its due time
Overdue by	5 minutes to 30 days (for the second option)

Runs once per follow-up, for every follow-up in the account (including ones created by hand and by workflows) that is linked to a contact. In the “still open” case, nothing happens if it was completed in time.

Webhook is called

• Send a POST with a JSON body to the URL. Wabot answers straight away and runs the step in the background.
• The step runs only when both its switch and the workflow’s switch are on, and when its conditions pass. Conditions can use Variable and Preceding Workflow.
• Map the body’s fields under Variables with paths starting with body., for example body.phone for {"phone": "919876543210"}.
• Tell the actions who to message with Phone number variable, e.g. {{phone}}. The number must include the country code. A variable named name gives a new contact its name.
• Choose the sending number with Select Channel, or leave it empty for your default number.
• For an image, document or video, put the file’s public link in URL Variable: a variable such as {{invoice}}, a fixed link such as https://example.com/brochure.pdf, or a link with variables such as https://example.com/invoices/{{order_id}}.pdf.
• Hand off to an AI bot and Save data do nothing here: there’s no customer message to answer and no order to save.
• Free-form messages only arrive within the 24-hour window; to reach a new customer, send a template.

Webhook action replies

Starts after a Send to a webhook or Run code action gets a reply. Paste an example reply with Add sample response: each field becomes a variable, e.g. {{response}} for the whole reply or {{order_id}} for response.order_id. A reply with an error code (4xx or 5xx) also counts. A timeout doesn’t.

Conditions

Conditions are extra checks under Advanced → Conditions. The step runs only if they pass.

What you can check

Condition	Checks	Comparisons	Available on
Message Content	The message text, button or row title, or caption	is, is not, contains, does not contain, starts with	Customer sends a message, Message is delivered or read
Tagged Message	The conversation tags on the message	is any of, is none of	Customer sends a message
Contact of a Group	The contact’s groups	is any of, is none of	Customer sends a message, Started manually, Pipeline stage changed, No reply for a while, Follow-up is due
Channel	The number, Instagram account or Page the message came in on	is one of, is not any of	Customer sends a message, Message is delivered or read
Variable	Any of the step’s variables	is, is not, contains, does not contain, starts with, is greater than, is less than	Every trigger except Started manually and Message is delivered or read
Total Amount	The order total (price × quantity of every item)	is, is not, is greater than, is less than	Customer sends a message → Order
Status	The message status: Sent, Delivered, Read	is any of, is none of	Message is delivered or read
Template	Which template the message was	is any of, is none of	Message is delivered or read
Prompt satisfied	Whether the conversation meets a goal you describe, checked by AI	is met, is not met	Customer sends a message
Preceding Workflow	Whether earlier steps have run for this contact (see Next steps)	is	Every trigger except Started manually

How comparisons work

Comparison	True when…
is / is not	The value is exactly the text you entered, or isn’t. Case-sensitive, spaces count
contains / does not contain	The text appears anywhere in the value, or doesn’t. Case-sensitive. An empty value contains nothing
starts with	The value begins with the text. Case-sensitive
is any of / is none of	At least one of the chosen items applies, or none does
is one of / is not any of	(Channel) the message came in on one of the chosen channels, or on none of them
is greater than / is less than	Both sides are numbers and the comparison holds. Currency signs and thousands separators are ignored (₹1,250.50 = 1250.5). If either side isn’t a number, it’s false
is met / is not met	The AI judges that the conversation reaches the goal, or doesn’t. Each check uses an AI request

Groups and AND / OR

• Rules inside a group are joined with AND (all must be true) or OR (any one is enough). Groups are joined the same way. Up to 6 groups per step.
• The joins are read from left to right: A AND B OR C means (A AND B) OR C. To mix them differently, use groups.
• A missing join counts as AND.
• An OR next to a Preceding Workflow rule lets the step run without the earlier step. Keep the link joined with AND.

Actions

Action	What it does	Can wait?
Send a template	Sends an approved WhatsApp template to the customer or another number	Yes
Send a message	Sends a free-form message: text, media, buttons, a list, a catalog, a flow or a payment request (within the 24-hour window)	Yes
Add to groups or tags	Adds the contact to groups and tags	No
Mark as lead	Flags the contact as a lead, so it counts in lead reports	No
Assign to team member	Gives the chat to a teammate, takes turns, picks the least busy one, or unassigns	No
Create follow-up	Adds a task to the Follow-ups page	No
Move deal to stage	Moves the contact’s card to a stage, and can create one	No
Create deal	Adds a card for the contact to a pipeline	No
Mark deal won or lost	Moves the card to the pipeline’s first won or lost stage	No
Change deal owner	Gives the card to a teammate or to the chat’s assignee	No
Update deal value	Sets the card’s value to a number or a variable	No
Hand off to an AI bot	Lets an AI bot answer the conversation	No
Send to a webhook	Sends data to another system’s URL (REST or GraphQL)	No
Run code	Runs your JavaScript and passes its result on	No
Save data	Adds the message’s data to the customer’s order	No
Update a state value	Stores a value per contact or per workflow for later steps	No
Repeat a step	Runs another step’s actions again for this contact	No
Start another workflow	Runs a Manual workflow for this contact	No
Integration actions (e.g. Shopify)	Call the connected integration	No

Send a template

Setting	What it does
Send to	The customer (who started the step) or Another number (with country code, digits only)
Template	Any approved template
Wait before sending	Seconds, from the time of the trigger
Variables	Fill each template variable. For Name pick Customer name, Customer phone no. or Other; for Email Customer email; for custom variables type the value, or exactly one variable like {{senderName}}
Media	The header image, video or document, for templates that have one

A custom variable must be exactly one {{variable}}. Text around it, as in Hi {{senderName}}, is sent as written. State variables and Flow answers can’t be used in templates. A missing value isn’t checked before sending, so WhatsApp may reject the message.

Send a message

Message type	What you set	Limits
Text only	The text	4096 characters
Media based	A file (image, video, document or audio) and its caption	Caption 1024
Quick Reply	Header (text, image, video or document), text and buttons	Up to 3 buttons, 20 characters each
Call to Action	Header, text and one button with a link	Button 20 characters
Interactive List	Header, body, footer, sections with rows (title and description) and the button label	Row title 24, description 72
Catalogue	A single product, several products or the whole catalog, with text	Needs a catalog linked to the number
Flow	Header, body, footer, the flow and its button text	Button 25 characters
Payment	Catalog Payment for the order just placed, or Custom Payment with your own items and amounts	Razorpay. Custom payments are in INR

Instagram and Messenger have their own types: Text only, Media based, Quick Reply, Generic Template, Button Template, Comment Reply (to a comment), and on Messenger also Coupon, Receipt, Product and OptIn templates.

Variables work in the text and the caption. If any variable used there is missing or empty (or 0), the message isn’t sent and the run shows it as failed. Headers, footers, buttons and list rows are sent as written.

Send to a webhook

Setting	What it does
API type	REST or GraphQL
URL	Where to send. Can contain {{variables}}
Method	POST or GET (GET sends no body)
Headers	Key and value pairs. {{name}} in a header means a state value
Input data as	Body, Query or Path parameters (REST)
Payload / Query and Variables	The JSON to send. {{variables}} in it are filled in; unknown ones are sent as written

The request times out after 15 seconds. To use the reply, start another step with Webhook action replies.

Team actions

Assign to team member

Setting	Options
How to choose	A specific teammate, Round-robin (take turns), Least busy (fewest chats waiting for a reply), Unassign
Teammate(s)	One, or two or more for round-robin and least busy
Only if the chat isn’t assigned yet	Leaves chats that already have someone
Keep AI bot replies on	Off: assigning turns the AI bot off for that chat

Create follow-up

Setting	Options
Follow-up	What to do, up to 160 characters. Can use {{name}} (the contact’s name) and the trigger’s variables
Due in	0 to 365 minutes, hours or days
For	The chat’s assignee (or the account owner), A specific teammate, or Nobody
Link it to the contact’s open pipeline card	Shows the follow-up on the card too

Mark as lead has no settings.

Pipeline actions

All need a Pipeline. When the step was started by Pipeline stage changed, they change that card. Otherwise they change the contact’s most recently updated open card in that pipeline, and do nothing if there isn’t one.

Action	Settings
Move deal to stage	Move to stage; Create one in this stage if the contact has no open card (with an optional product and quantity)
Create deal	Stage (default: first open stage), Title (can use variables; empty = contact name and card label), Value, Owner, product and quantity, Skip if the contact already has an open card (on by default)
Mark deal won or lost	Won or Lost
Change deal owner	A specific teammate or The chat’s assignee
Update deal value	A number or a variable, e.g. {{order_total}}. ₹1,250.50 is read as 1250.5

Hand off to an AI bot

Setting	What it does
Select AI bot	The bot that takes over
Idle Time and Time Format	How long the customer can be quiet before the bot hands back
Response Prompt Count	How many answers before the bot asks if the customer is satisfied
Exit Message	Sent when the idle time passes, with Yes and No buttons

The bot answers the current message straight away, if AI is on for the channel and the contact and the message has text. Until the idle time passes or the customer taps Yes, their messages that don’t match another step go to this bot.

Data and workflow control

Action	Settings and behaviour
Run code	Your JavaScript. The step’s variables can be used in it, e.g. {{senderName}} or a webhook field such as {{order_id}}. Its result starts any Webhook action replies step linked to it
Save data	Orders: adds the incoming message’s data (such as an address from a Flow) to the customer’s order
Update a state value	Select a state variable and Value (one of the step’s variables). An empty value fails
Repeat a step	Runs the chosen step’s actions again for this contact, without checking its conditions. Don’t point a step at itself
Start another workflow	Runs the Manual workflow you choose for this contact, from the number you choose

Variables

Write a variable as {{name}}. The Variables section of a step lists the ones you can use, with a copy button.

Built-in variables

Variable	Value	Added by
senderName	The customer’s WhatsApp profile name	Customer sends a message, Webhook action replies
senderID	The customer’s phone number	Same
button_reply_identifier	The button that was tapped	Interactive quick reply buttons
ad_headline, ad_body, ad_source_url, ad_source_id, ad_source_type, ctwa_clid	Details of the ad the customer clicked	Click-to-WhatsApp ad message
Each Flow field, e.g. {{preferred_date}}	The customer’s answer	Flow
status	success, failed or pending	Payment
response and each field of the reply	The reply of the webhook or Run code	Webhook action replies (after Add sample response)
Each field of the event	The event’s data	Integration triggers
deal_id, deal_title, deal_value, deal_currency, pipeline_name, stage_name, previous_stage_name, owner_name, deal_items	The card that moved	Pipeline stage changed
waiting_hours, waiting_since	How long and since when the conversation has been quiet	No reply for a while
followup_text, followup_due_at, followup_assignee, followup_overdue_hours	The follow-up’s text, due time, assignee and hours overdue	Follow-up is due
name	The contact’s name (or number)	Always, in follow-up text and deal title and value

Your own variables

Click Add variable under Advanced → Variables. Names use letters, numbers and _, starting with a letter.

Source	Value	Example
From trigger data	A path into the trigger’s data. The first part names where it comes from (messageMetadata., body., response., timer.), the rest is the field	body.customer.email reads customer.email from a webhook body
Fixed value	The same text every time	A discount code

Variables you add are kept when you change the trigger, channel or message type.

State variables

States keep a value per contact (or per workflow) between steps and over time, for example the customer’s chosen language. Create them from States in a workflow card’s menu: State (the name), Value (the default), Type (e.g. Contact state) and Data type. Every step can use them as {{state}}; set them with Update a state value. They work in messages, conditions and webhooks, but not in templates.

Where variables work

Place	What’s available	If a value is missing
Send a message text and caption	Everything: trigger data, Flow answers, your variables, states	The message isn’t sent (failed)
Send a template variables	Trigger data and your variables (not Flow answers or states)	Sent empty, or as written if it isn’t one of the step’s variables; WhatsApp may reject it
Send to a webhook URL and payload	Everything	Sent as written, e.g. {{phone}}
Variable condition	Everything	The condition compares an empty value
Create follow-up text, Create deal title, Update deal value	name, the trigger’s variables (webhook, timer, pipeline, integration), your variables, states	Left empty
Update a state value	Trigger data, your variables, states	The action fails
Run code	Trigger data (including a webhook body or reply), your variables, states	undefined

Started manually

Manual workflows run for the contacts or groups you choose, from Contacts (Trigger Workflow), a Meta lead form or Start another workflow. They work differently from automatic ones:

• Only Contact of a Group conditions are used (with the first group chosen).
• Each action waits its time after the previous action. Leave the template wait at 0, because it’s applied twice.
• Send a message can’t use variables: a message with {{variables}} stops the run. Templates can use the Name and Email presets and fixed values.
• These actions work: Send a template, Send a message, Add to groups or tags, team actions and pipeline actions. Webhooks, Run code, AI hand-off, states, Save data, Repeat a step and Start another workflow are not run.
• Manual runs don’t show in Runs and don’t unlock next steps.

Limits

Item	Limit
Steps per workflow	10 in the form editor
Condition groups per step	6
Quick reply buttons	3
Wait before sending	No maximum (in seconds)
No reply / overdue wait	5 minutes to 30 days
Follow-up due	Up to 365 days
Follow-up text, deal title	160 characters
Webhook timeout	15 seconds; replies up to 64 KB are kept
Sending retries	5 attempts, then the message is dropped

Not available yet

Note

These are on our list. Until then, use the workaround.

You might want…	For now
A trigger at a date or time (e.g. an appointment reminder)	Create a follow-up for a teammate, or set a reminder from the inbox
To stop a sequence when the customer replies	Keep sequences short, and use No reply for a while for the nudge
A wait on team or pipeline actions	Use No reply for a while or Follow-up is due to act later
Order items as variables	Check the value with Total Amount
A payment trigger for custom payment requests	Only catalog orders start Payment
A trigger for stickers, locations, contacts or reactions	Not supported