Summary
This guide walks you through creating a chatbot in WATI using pre-built templates or starting from scratch. By following these steps, you can quickly set up an automated chatbot to enhance customer interactions. You will also learn how to activate your chatbot using Default or Keyword actions.
Instructions
Create a Chatbot using WATI templates
WATI provides industry-specific chatbot templates that you can customize to suit your needs. Follow these steps to create a chatbot using a template:
Log in to your WATI Dashboard.
Navigate to Automation > Chatbots.
Click on the green Add Chatbot button.
Browse through the available chatbot templates.
Select a template that fits your needs and click Use this.
Edit the chatbot's name.
Customize the chatbot content by double-clicking on message boxes.
Modify the questions and options as needed.
Use the following question formats:
Text Questions
Buttons
Lists
Ensure each question is connected to an appropriate response.
Click Save Flow to finalize your chatbot.
Create a Chatbot from Scratch
If you prefer to build a chatbot without using a template, follow these steps:
Navigate to Automation > Flows.
Click on Add Flow.
Select Start From Scratch.
Click on Add > Ask a Question.
Define the starting step by adding a message or question.
Create response options:
Click Create to add buttons.
Click Message to add a text response.
Use buttons to provide up to 10 choices for user responses.
Add a menu button and edit the button text.
Set a Section Title and add items in a row.
Click New Row to add more items.
Click Create to save each section.
Click Save Flow to finalize your chatbot.
Activating Your Chatbot
After creating your chatbot, you must activate it using either Default Action or Keyword Action.
Using Default Action
Navigate to Automation > Default Action.
Click on the Activate Welcome Material button.
Select the chatbot flow as your reply material.
Click Save Settings to activate the chatbot for new chats. Tip: You can also use Default Action for Out of Office (OOO) messages or other automated replies.
Using Keyword Action
Navigate to Automation > Keyword Action.
Click Add Keyword Action > Add Keyword +.
Enter a keyword that will trigger the chatbot.
Choose the message-matching method.
Click Next Step.
Select Flows and choose the chatbot flow you want to activate.
Click Save to complete the setup. Now, when customers send a message matching the keyword, the chatbot will automatically respond. Here's a video walkthrough for your reference:
Chatbot status updates in the Team inbox
The Team inbox now displays detailed chatbot statuses to help you monitor and troubleshoot chatbot activity more effectively. The statuses include:
Started
Indicates that the chatbot has begun running in response to a trigger (e.g., a customer message or a rule condition being met). This helps you confirm when a chatbot activation occurs.
Ended
Shows that the chatbot is in the process of completing its workflow and will finish soon. This provides visibility into chatbots that are wrapping up their tasks.
Expired
Means the chatbot’s allowed time to run has ended without completion (e.g., due to inactivity or timeout). This helps identify cases where conversations stalled or exceeded expected time limits.
Blocked
Occurs when a chatbot cannot start because another chatbot is already active on the same conversation. For example, if Chatbot 1 is running, Chatbot 2 will be blocked to prevent conflicts. This status addresses past issues where multiple chatbots running simultaneously caused them to stop unexpectedly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
General Questions
1. What is WATI?
WATI is a customer communication platform that allows businesses to automate responses and create chatbots for WhatsApp.
2. Do I need coding skills to create a chatbot in WATI?
No, WATI provides a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop functionality, making it easy to create chatbots without coding knowledge.
Using Chatbot Templates
3. Can I customize a chatbot template?
Yes, you can edit the chatbot name, messages, questions, and options after selecting a template.
4. What types of questions can I include in my chatbot?
You can add text-based questions, buttons, and list-based options for user responses.
Creating a Chatbot from Scratch
5. How do I start creating a chatbot from scratch?
Navigate to Automation > Flows, click Add Flow, and select Start From Scratch.
6. How many response options can I add to a question?
You can add up to 10 choices for button-based responses.
7. Can I organize chatbot responses into sections?
Yes, you can add Section Titles and structure responses within different rows.
Activating the Chatbot
8. What is the difference between Default Action and Keyword Action?
Default Action triggers a chatbot flow for all incoming messages (e.g., welcome messages, out-of-office replies). → Keyword Action triggers a chatbot flow only when a specific keyword is detected.
9. Can I use multiple keywords to trigger a chatbot?
Yes, you can add multiple keywords to trigger the same chatbot flow.
10. How do I change the chatbot flow after activation?
Simply go to Automation > Default Action or Keyword Action, select a new flow, and save your settings.