Summary
Wati Rules let you automate tasks when specific conditions are met. You can use Rules to send messages, route chats, update contact information, send catalogs, or start more advanced workflows using chatbots and Astra AI Agents.
This article explains the actions available directly under Rules, how to configure them, and how to use chatbots or Astra AI Agents when you need more complex automation workflows.
Important: Actions available directly under Rules are different from actions or nodes available inside other Wati automation tools. For example, Update Chat Status is available as a node in the Chatbot Builder, but it is not a direct Rule action.
Instructions
What are actions in Rules?
Actions are automated tasks that Wati performs when a Rule is triggered.
For example, when a customer sends a specific message, a Rule can:
Send a template message.
Send a real-time message.
Route the chat to an operator or team.
Update a contact attribute.
Send a product catalog.
Start a chatbot.
Start an Astra AI Agent.
Start a sequence.
By combining Rules with these actions, you can automate repetitive tasks and create workflows that respond to customers without manual intervention.
Actions available directly under Rules
The following actions are currently available directly under Wati Rules:
1. Send template message
Send a pre-approved WhatsApp template message to a customer.
Template messages can be used for:
Outbound notifications
Follow-ups
Campaign-triggered responses
Messages sent outside the 24-hour messaging window
2. Send message
Send a real-time session message to a customer within an active 24-hour conversation window.
You can send:
Text
Documents
Images
Stickers
Video
Note: Difference between "Send template message" and "Send message" in Wati Rules
Wati Rules include two actions for sending messages to customers: Send template message and Send message. These are not interchangeable — which one to use depends on the state of the conversation.
Send message sends a free-form reply (text, image, or sticker) to the customer. This only works within an active 24-hour conversation window — meaning the customer must have sent a message within the last 24 hours. If the window has closed, this action will fail to deliver.
Send template message sends a pre-approved WhatsApp template. Templates must be created in Wati and approved by Meta before use. Unlike free-form messages, templates can be sent at any time — inside or outside the 24-hour window — making them the only option for reaching a customer who hasn't messaged recently.
When to use which:
Use Send message when you are certain the rule will fire within an active conversation window (e.g., triggered by a new incoming message).
Use Send template message when the rule may fire outside a conversation window (e.g., triggered by a contact attribute change, or when re-engaging a customer after 24 hours of inactivity).
Common mistake: Using "Send message" in a rule triggered by an attribute change or a scheduled event. If no active conversation window exists at that moment, the message will not be delivered. Always use "Send template message" for rules that are not guaranteed to fire within a live conversation.
3. Route chat
Automatically assign a conversation to:
A specific operator
A team
The last assigned agent
For example, you can create a Rule that routes incoming billing-related chats to your finance team.
4. Start chatbot
Trigger a chatbot flow when a Rule is triggered.
A chatbot can handle structured conversations using:
Pre-built messages
Menus
Decision trees
Other nodes available in the Chatbot Builder
Use Start chatbot when you need a predefined conversation flow rather than a single automated action.
5. Start Astra AI Agent
Hand a conversation over to an Astra AI Agent to handle it automatically.
The Astra AI Agent uses your configured knowledge sources to respond to customer queries in real time.
Use Start Astra AI Agent when you need an AI-powered conversation rather than a predefined chatbot flow.
6. Send catalog
Automatically send a product catalog to a customer.
For example, you can use a Rule to send your catalog when a customer asks about your products or services.
7. Update contact attribute
Update a custom attribute on a contact's profile based on the Rule's trigger condition.
For example, you can update attributes such as:
Lifecycle stage
Language
Customer preferences
Other custom contact information
8. Start sequence
Trigger a multi-step messaging workflow that sends a series of messages to a customer according to a defined schedule.
Sequences can be used for workflows such as:
Customer follow-ups
Onboarding
Multi-step engagement
Rule actions and chatbot nodes are different
The actions listed in this article are the only actions currently available directly under Wati Rules.
Wati also provides additional actions or nodes inside other automation tools, such as the Chatbot Builder. These capabilities are specific to those tools and should not be interpreted as direct Rule actions.
For example, Update Chat Status is available as a node in the Chatbot Builder, but it is not available as an action directly under Rules.
The same distinction applies to other Chatbot Builder nodes. A node available in a chatbot flow does not automatically become an available action in Rules.
Important: Only actions listed in the Rules Actions section can be selected and executed directly by a Rule.
How to use chatbot capabilities from a Rule
If you need a Rule to initiate a workflow that uses capabilities available in the Chatbot Builder, use Start chatbot.
For example:
Rule trigger → Start chatbot → Chatbot flow → Chatbot nodes
The Rule starts the chatbot, and the chatbot then runs its configured flow.
Example: Update chat status through a chatbot
Update Chat Status is not a direct Rule action. However, you can use it as part of a Rule-based workflow through a chatbot.
Create or edit a Rule.
Select Start chatbot as the Rule action.
Configure the chatbot with the required flow.
Add the Update Chat Status node to the chatbot flow.
Save the Rule and chatbot configuration.
When the Rule is triggered, it starts the chatbot. The chatbot then executes the Update Chat Status node as part of its flow.
The chat status is therefore updated by the chatbot, not directly by the Rule.
Use Astra AI Agents for AI-powered automation
You can also use a Rule to start an Astra AI Agent when you need more flexible, AI-powered conversations.
The workflow is:
Rule trigger → Start Astra AI Agent → Astra AI Agent handles the conversation
The Astra AI Agent uses its configured knowledge sources to respond to customer questions in real time.
Use Start Astra AI Agent when the customer interaction requires an AI agent to understand and respond to questions rather than follow a fixed chatbot flow.
Build more complex automations
Rules can act as the starting point for more advanced workflows.
Use direct Rule actions when you need to perform a specific task, such as sending a message, routing a chat, or updating a contact attribute.
For more complex customer interactions, use:
Start chatbot to hand the conversation to a structured chatbot flow.
Start Astra AI Agent to hand the conversation to an AI-powered agent.
This allows you to build workflows across different automation layers while keeping each tool's capabilities separate.
For example:
Rule → Start chatbot → Multiple chatbot nodes
or
Rule → Start Astra AI Agent → AI-powered conversation
How to configure an action in a Rule
Before adding an action, make sure any required assets have already been configured.
For example:
Create message templates before using Send template message.
Create reply materials before using Send message.
Configure chatbots before using Start chatbot.
Configure an Astra AI Agent before using Start Astra AI Agent.
Configure catalogs before using Send catalog.
Configure sequences before using Start sequence.
To add an action:
Create a new Rule or edit an existing Rule.
In the Actions section, select the action you want to trigger.
Configure the required details for the selected action.
Save the Rule.
Example
You can create a Rule that detects a specific customer message and starts a chatbot:
Trigger: Incoming message contains "order status"
Action: Start chatbot
Chatbot: Order Status chatbot
The chatbot can then continue the conversation using its configured flow.
Messaging limitations
Some messaging actions depend on WhatsApp messaging requirements.
For example, Send message sends a session message and requires an active 24-hour conversation window.
If the required messaging conditions are not met, the action may not be successful.
When you need to send an outbound message outside an active 24-hour conversation window, use a pre-approved template message where applicable.
Keep Rule actions separate from other automation capabilities
When configuring a Rule, only the actions shown in the Rule's Actions section can be selected directly.
Do not assume that an action, node, or capability available elsewhere in Wati is also available under Rules.
For example:
Capability | Available directly under Rules? | Available through |
Send template message | Yes | Rules |
Send message | Yes | Rules |
Route chat | Yes | Rules |
Start chatbot | Yes | Rules |
Start Astra AI Agent | Yes | Rules |
Send catalog | Yes | Rules |
Update contact attribute | Yes | Rules |
Start sequence | Yes | Rules |
Update Chat Status | No | Chatbot Builder |
Only actions listed as Rule actions in this article are direct Rule actions. Capabilities that exist only as Chatbot Builder nodes or within other automation tools are not automatically available as Rule actions.
Combine actions to build workflows
You can use multiple Rule actions together to create a broader automation.
For example, a Rule can:
Update a contact attribute.
Send a catalog.
Route the chat to an operator.
For more complex workflows, use Start chatbot or Start Astra AI Agent as the Rule action.
This lets the Rule act as the entry point while the chatbot or Astra AI Agent handles the next stage of the customer interaction.
Important limitations
Keep these distinctions in mind when configuring Rules:
Update Chat Status is not a direct Rule action.
Update Chat Status is available as a node in the Chatbot Builder.
A Rule can use Start chatbot to trigger a chatbot that contains an Update Chat Status node.
A Rule can use Start Astra AI Agent to hand a conversation to an Astra AI Agent.
Actions or nodes available in the Chatbot Builder or other automation tools are not automatically available as direct Rule actions.
Messaging actions may be subject to WhatsApp messaging requirements.
Next steps
After configuring your Rule:
Test the Rule with different trigger conditions.
Confirm that the selected action runs as expected.
If you need a structured, multi-step workflow, use Start chatbot.
If you need AI-powered responses based on configured knowledge sources, use Start Astra AI Agent.
If you need to update a chat status as part of a Rule-based workflow, use Start chatbot and add the Update Chat Status node to the chatbot flow.
Using Rules as the starting point for chatbots and Astra AI Agents lets you build more advanced automations while keeping the capabilities of each Wati automation tool clearly separated.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Rule actions
1. Which actions are available directly under Wati Rules?
The actions currently available directly under Wati Rules are:
Send template message
Send message
Route chat
Start chatbot
Start Astra AI Agent
Send catalog
Update contact attribute
Start sequence
Actions or nodes available only in the Chatbot Builder or other automation tools are not direct Rule actions.
2. Can I update a chat status directly using a Wati Rule?
No. Update Chat Status is not a direct action available under Wati Rules. The Update Chat Status node is available in the Chatbot Builder.
To update a chat status as part of a Rule-based workflow, use Start chatbot as the Rule action and configure the chatbot to use the Update Chat Status node.
3. Are Chatbot Builder nodes available as Rule actions?
No. A node available in the Chatbot Builder does not automatically become an action available under Rules. Only the actions listed in the Rule's Actions section can be used directly by a Rule.
4. How can I use a chatbot with a Wati Rule?
Use the Start chatbot action in the Rule. When the Rule is triggered, Wati starts the configured chatbot, which then runs its own flow and nodes.
5. How can I use an Astra AI Agent with a Wati Rule?
Use the Start Astra AI Agent action in the Rule. When the Rule is triggered, the conversation is handed over to the configured Astra AI Agent, which uses its knowledge sources to respond to customer queries.
Configuring Rule actions
6. What needs to be configured before I use an action in a Rule?
Some Rule actions require an asset to be configured in advance. For example, you must configure a message template before using Send template message, a chatbot before using Start chatbot, an Astra AI Agent before using Start Astra AI Agent, and a sequence before using Start sequence.
7. Can I use multiple actions in a single Wati Rule?
Yes. You can combine multiple direct Rule actions in a workflow. For example, a Rule can update a contact attribute, send a catalog, and route the chat to an operator.
8. What should I use when a Rule needs to perform a more complex workflow?
Use Start chatbot when you need a structured, multi-step workflow with chatbot nodes. Use Start Astra AI Agent when you need an AI-powered conversation that uses the Astra AI Agent's configured knowledge sources.
9. Why can't I find a specific chatbot action under Rules?
Not every capability available in Wati's other automation tools is available as a direct Rule action. If a capability exists as a Chatbot Builder node but is not listed under the Rule's Actions section, it cannot be selected directly as a Rule action.
For example, Update Chat Status is a Chatbot Builder node and is not available directly under Rules.