Steps

Options

Offer a numbered list of choices and send each choice down its own path. Works on every channel.

What it does#

Options sends a message with a list of choices and waits for the customer to pick one. Each option has its own connection on the canvas, so every choice can lead somewhere different.

It works on every channel: a numbered list on WhatsApp and buttons on your website. On the official WhatsApp API you can also use Buttons (up to 3 tap-able buttons) or a List (a menu of up to 10 rows).

Add an Options step#

1
Drag Options onto the canvas
It's under Flow in the Steps panel on the left. Click it to open Step settings.
2
Name the step
Click the name at the top of the panel (it starts as options1), for example mainMenu. Use letters and numbers only.
3
Write the question
Under Message, replace the example text with your question, such as How can we help?
4
Add the options
Under Options, type the first option in Option 1. Click Add option for each extra choice. Drag an option by its handle to reorder it (its connection moves with it), or use its remove button to delete it (a step always keeps at least one option).
5
Connect every option
On the canvas, each option has its own dot. Drag from each dot to the step that should run when the customer picks it.

Example#

A restaurant's main menu:

Options step

Name:    mainMenu
Message: Hi! How can we help?
Options: Book a table | See the menu | Opening hours

On WhatsApp the customer gets:

Hi! How can we help?
*1*. Book a table
*2*. See the menu
*3*. Opening hours

They reply 2 (or See the menu) and the chat follows the See the menu connection.

On your website the options show as buttons under the message. The customer clicks one.

How the answer is read#

A number from the list, such as 2.
The option's text, such as See the menu. Close matches count, so a small typo in a longer option is fine. Short options must be typed as written, capital letters included: yes doesn't match an option written Yes.
On the website, a click on a button.

The chosen option's text is saved under the step name: {{@mainMenu}} holds See the menu, even if the customer replied 2.

When the answer doesn't match#

The customer stays on the same question and gets a short reply in your bot's language:

The customer sends	They get
A number that isn't on the list, such as 7	A message asking them to choose a number from 1 to 3 from the menu, or type back.
Text that doesn't match any option	A message saying the bot didn't understand, asking them to send a number from the menu or type back.

Tips and common mistakes#

The step shows "This step isn't ready yet". Connect a step into this one, and connect every option to a next step. An option without a connection leaves the customer stuck.
Keep options short and different. Customers often type the option instead of the number. Delivery and Pickup are easy to match; Order for delivery and Order for pickup are close enough to be confused.
Don't number the options yourself. The numbers are added for you on WhatsApp.
Add a way back. An option such as Back to menu connected to a Jump helps customers who chose the wrong path. Customers can also type back to return to the previous question.