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Start a flow when someone taps a button

Start a flow when a customer taps a quick-reply button or a list row that no running flow is waiting for, matched on any tap, the button's title or its ID.

The Button reply trigger starts a flow when a customer taps a button or picks a list row, and no flow is waiting for that answer. The most common case is a template's quick-reply button, for example Track my order on a shipping update or Talk to us on a campaign.

When it starts, and when it doesn't

  • A flow that is waiting for the answer takes the tap itself. If a run sent the buttons and is still waiting, the tap continues that run. This trigger doesn't start.
  • Every other tap reaches this trigger. That covers a template's quick-reply button (including one in a campaign), and a button from a flow whose run has ended or timed out.
  • A tap is not text, so it never also matches a keyword. On each number, a button reply is answered before any keyword. See Flows and WhatsApp numbers.

Set it up

  1. Open the flow and add Button reply from Start when.

  2. In Start on, choose one:

    • Any button or list row: every tap no flow is waiting for.
    • A button with one of these titles: type the text on the button, as the customer saw it. Case and extra spaces are ignored.
    • A button with one of these IDs: type a template button's payload, or a button's or list row's ID in a flow. IDs are matched exactly.

    You can add up to 20 titles or IDs.

  3. Optionally, set When (any time, only while open, or only while closed) and tick the numbers the trigger listens on.

What the flow can use

The run sets these, for messages and conditions in the flow:

  • {{button_title}}: the text on the button.
  • {{button_payload}}: the button's ID.
  • {{message_text}}: the title again, so steps written for messages work too.
  • {{triggered_at}}: when the tap arrived.

Try it

On Automation › Numbers, open Try a message, choose A button reply and type the button's ID, its title or both. The answer names the flow that would start, and why. Nothing is sent.

Related

Still need help?

Write to us at [email protected] and tell us what you were trying to do. Already a customer? Sign in to IconEngage — the same articles are under Help in the app.