To create your first automation Flow from scratch in Papo (https://papo.global/), access the "Flows / Chatbot" module, create a new visual flow, and add the nodes that will define the contact's journey. You will start with an initial trigger, connect actions such as sending messages or asking questions, and, after activating the Flow, you can enroll contacts to start the automation.
Flows are one of Papo's most powerful tools for automating interactions, qualifying leads, conducting surveys, and much more, all without the need for human intervention at every step. They function like a visual flowchart where you design your customer's journey.
Flow Components
Every Flow is built from a few fundamental blocks. Understanding the role of each is the first step to creating effective automations.
| Component | Description | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger (Start) | The starting point that initiates the Flow for a contact. | A contact is manually enrolled in the Flow or by another automation. |
| Action | A task that the Flow executes automatically. | Send a welcome message, add an "Interested" tag, update a contact field in the CRM. |
| Condition | A check that splits the Flow's path based on criteria. | If the contact answered "yes" to a question, follow path A; if they answered "no", follow path B. |
| Completion | The point where the automated journey ends for that contact. | After the contact receives the last message in the sequence or is transferred to an agent. |
How to Create Your Flow Step-by-Step
Building an automation might seem complex, but Papo's visual editor simplifies the process. Follow these steps to create your first Flow.
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Access the Flows Module In the side menu of your Papo dashboard, locate and click on the Flows / Chatbot option. This area centralizes all your flow-based automations.
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Create a New Flow Within the module, click the button to add a new Flow. The platform will generate an empty and inactive workflow, containing only the initial ("Start") node. Your entire automation will be built from there.
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Build the Visual Structure The Flow editor is a blank canvas where you add "nodes" (the boxes representing each step) and connect them with lines to define the logical sequence. Drag and drop components to organize your journey.
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Configure Action Nodes Click the "+" sign or an empty area to add new nodes after "Start". Each node represents an action the system should perform. Common actions include:
- Send Message: Send text, images, videos, or documents to the contact.
- Ask a Question: Capture the user's response to use in condition nodes. This is the basis for creating triage, surveys, or interactive forms.
- Add/Remove Tag: Organize and segment your contacts based on their interactions within the Flow.
- Update Contact: Modify fields in the contact's profile, such as the funnel stage in Kanban or the customer status.
- Enroll in another Flow: Route the contact to another automation, creating more complex and modular journeys.
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Use Condition Nodes to Create Branches The true intelligence of a Flow lies in its conditions. After an "Ask a Question" node, for example, you can add a condition node that creates different paths for each type of response. If the customer replies "I want to buy," the Flow can direct them to a salesperson; if they reply "I need support," the Flow routes them to the support team.
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Activate the Flow Once your flow is complete and tested, don't forget to save and activate it. Only Flows with "Active" status can receive and process contacts.
How to Enroll Contacts in a Flow
An active Flow does nothing until contacts are enrolled in it. Enrollment is the act of inserting a contact at the beginning of the journey you designed. There are several ways to do this:
- Manually: You can open a contact's profile in the CRM and choose which active Flow you want to enroll them in. Ideal for testing or one-off actions.
- In Bulk: Filter a list of contacts in the CRM and apply the action to enroll all of them in a specific Flow.
- Via Automation: Other automations or even another Flow can have the enrollment of a contact in a new flow as their final action.
- Via API: For advanced integrations, your external system (such as a website or ERP) can send a command to Papo's API to enroll a new contact in a Flow, for example, immediately after they fill out a form.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Flow and an Email Sequence?
Flows are interactive journeys that can use multiple channels (like WhatsApp) and react in real-time to user responses with complex conditions and actions. Email Sequences, such as the "Lead Nurturing" sequence that comes pre-configured in your Papo account, are linear and focused on sending a series of predefined emails at timed intervals.
Can I use Papo's AI within a Flow?
Yes. Papo was designed with AI at the center of its operations. Within a Flow, you can use artificial intelligence to interpret open-ended user responses, categorize intentions, and direct the flow more intelligently. You can even trigger Super Chat for a more natural conversation before returning the contact to the Flow or a human agent.
How do I test my Flow before activating it for everyone?
The best practice is to use a test phone number (yours, for example) registered as a contact on the platform. After building the Flow, activate it, but do not publish it. Manually enroll your test contact and interact with the automation to ensure all paths, conditions, and actions work as expected.
Can a contact be in more than one Flow at the same time?
Details regarding the simultaneous execution of Flows may vary depending on account settings. It's important to consult the platform's documentation or check business rules to understand how Papo manages competition between automations for the same contact.
What happens if a contact responds with something the Flow doesn't expect?
Good Flows anticipate alternative paths. You can configure a "default response" for invalid inputs or, in more complex cases, create a "handoff" action that transfers the conversation to a human agent. This ensures no contact is left without a response and that the customer experience is always positive.
Read also
- How to Use the Flow Library to Automate Common Tasks
- Feeding the AI: How to Create a Knowledge Base for Automatic Responses
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