Steps

List

Offer up to 10 choices in a WhatsApp menu, grouped in sections, each with its own branch.

What it does#

List sends a message with a menu button. When the customer taps it, a menu opens with up to 10 rows, optionally grouped in sections. Each row can have a short description, and each row gets its own connection on the canvas.

Use it for a main menu, a list of branches, services or time slots: anything with more than the 3 choices Buttons allow.

It's a WhatsApp (Meta) step, built for the official WhatsApp Business API. On a QR connection the rows arrive as a numbered list the customer answers by number.

Build a list#

1
Drag List onto the canvas
It's under WhatsApp in the step list. Click it to open Step settings.
2
Name the step
For example main_menu. The chosen row is saved under this name: {{@main_menu}}.
3
Write the message
Under Message, write what the customer reads above the menu button, for example How can we help today?
4
Set the menu button text
Under List menu, fill in Menu button text, for example See options. Up to 20 characters. Leave it empty and the bot uses its default button text.
5
Add rows
Fill in each Row title (up to 24 characters) and, if you like, a Description (up to 72 characters). Click Add row for more. The counter shows how many of the 10 rows you've used.
6
Group rows in sections (optional)
Click Add section to start a second group. Once there's more than one section, every section needs a title (up to 24 characters).
7
Add a header or footer (optional)
Under Header and footer, type a short text header and a footer. Lists take a text header only.
8
Connect every row
Drag from each row's dot on the canvas to the next step. Rows can be dragged to reorder them, also between sections; the connection moves with the row.

Example#

List step

Message: Hi! What would you like to do?
Menu button text: Menu
Section "Orders":   Track my order | Return an item
Section "Store":    Opening hours (Sun-Thu 9:00-19:00) | Find a branch
Footer: Reply "menu" at any time

The customer sees the message and a Menu button. Tapping it opens the menu with two titled groups. Tapping Return an item follows that row's connection, and {{@main_menu}} holds Return an item.

What the editor checks#

The List menu editor flags problems as you type, so you can fix them before customers see them:

Message	What to do
Up to 20 characters	Shorten the menu button text: WhatsApp rejects a longer one.
Add a title	Every row needs a title, and every section needs one when there are several.
Over 24 characters	The row title will be shown shortened with "...". Shorten it.
Another row has the same title	Customers can't tell them apart. Make each title unique.
WhatsApp allows up to 10 rows	Remove rows, or split the menu into two List steps.

Common mistakes#

Putting details in the title. Keep the title short and move the rest to the description: title Tel Aviv, description Dizengoff 50, open until 20:00.
More than 10 rows. WhatsApp sends lists with at most 10 rows. Officely sends a longer list as numbered text instead, which looks less tidy. Split it into two steps, for example Products and Support.
A row without a connection. The customer taps it and nothing follows. Connect every row.
Expecting typed answers to match. On WhatsApp the customer should tap a row. If you want words like "menu" to work at any point, add a Key Words step.