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Human mode
Pause your WhatsApp chatbot for one customer while a person takes over, see every paused chat in Logs, and hand it back with Return to bot or #thanks.
What it is#
Human mode pauses the bot for one customer while a person on your team talks to them. The bot keeps answering everyone else. When the person is done, the chat goes back to the bot.
While a chat is paused, the customer's messages still show in Logs, each with a Not answered notice: this conversation is with a person. Nothing is lost.
How a chat gets paused#
| What happens | When the bot comes back |
|---|---|
| You reply from the WhatsApp phone (QR / Green API connection) | Depends on your setting (below). By default, when you send #thanks or tap Return to bot. |
| The customer reaches a Talk to a person step during your business hours | After the step's Resume after time (24 hours by default, up to 72), when the customer sends a resume keyword, or when your team sends #thanks. |
| The customer sends a keyword such as human or agent (set up in Settings) | Same as the Talk to a person step it leads to. |
| Your system pauses it through the API | When your system or your team returns it. |
The Talk to a person step and the keywords also notify your team (email, WhatsApp, webhook), so someone picks it up.
Choose what happens when you reply from your phone#
On a QR (Green API) connection, you can write to customers yourself from the WhatsApp phone. Choose what the bot does then:
- 1
Open the setting
Go to Channels → WhatsApp · Green API and find When I reply from my phone.
- 2
Pick a mode
Pause the bot until I send #thanks (recommended, the default), Pause the bot for a set time (choose How long: 1 to 72 hours; every reply you send starts the time again), or Don't pause (the bot keeps answering, even while you chat).
- 3
It saves by itself
You see Saved. The new setting applies to chats you reply to from now on. Chats already paused stay paused until you return them.
See paused chats#
- 1
Open Logs
Click Logs in the sidebar.
- 2
Filter paused chats
Tap the Paused (n) filter chip (Show only chats that are with a person). The number is how many chats are paused right now. With none, you see No paused chats.
- 3
Spot them in the list
Each paused chat has a Paused pill on its row.
- 4
Open a chat
The banner at the top reads, for example, Paused · with you since 12:40 · until you send #thanks, or returns 18:40 when it comes back on a timer. Below it, Officely says why: You replied from your phone…, A Handoff step passed this chat to your team. or Paused through the API.
Give the chat back to the bot#
From Logs:
- 1
Open the paused chat
In Logs, open the chat (use the Paused filter to find it).
- 2
Tap Return to bot
In the paused banner, tap Return to bot.
- 3
Confirm
In Return this chat to the bot?, confirm. (Keep it with me cancels.) You see Back with the bot.
From the phone: send #thanks in the chat with the customer, from the business WhatsApp. It returns the chat right away, whatever your setting.
Common problems#
- The bot ignores one customer. The chat is probably paused. Check for the Paused pill in Logs and tap Return to bot. See My bot didn't answer.
- The bot keeps talking while I chat. Your phone setting is Don't pause, or you're on the official API. Switch to Pause the bot until I send #thanks, or add a Talk to a person step.
- I sent #thanks but nothing happened. That's expected: the bot doesn't send anything. It answers the customer's next message. Send exactly
#thanks, from the business number, in that customer's chat. - Chats come back too early. With Pause the bot for a set time, the timer restarts with each of your replies. Pick a longer time, or Pause the bot until I send #thanks.