Build your first flow: greeting, menu and handoff to an agent
The flow designer is the screen where you set what the bot says to the customer and when, without writing code. Every step is a block; you connect the blocks. A first flow needs no more than three blocks.
Open a new flow, attach a greeting message and a menu to the start block, send each option down a path, and end the part the bot cannot solve with a "Hand off to agent" block. Try it in the simulator, then publish. If you prefer, the Chatinbox team builds it with you.
What you provide
- What the customer should see on their first message
- Your 3-5 most common questions
- Who takes over when the bot cannot solve it
What Chatinbox does
- Builds the first flow together with you
- Prepares the template and knowledge-base links
- Tests with you before publishing
- The four parts of the screen
- First flow: six steps
- Block types and when to use them
- Testing, automatic validation and publishing
Step by step
Open a new flow
In the flow designer choose "New Flow" and give it a name, for example "Greeting". Blocks are on the left, the canvas in the middle, the selected block's settings on the right.
The start block
Every flow begins with a trigger. The most common is "When a message arrives": the customer writes, the flow starts. A scheduled trigger is for reminders, a campaign trigger for bulk sends.
Add a greeting message
Drag in a "Send Message" block and write a short greeting. You can use the customer's name as a placeholder.
Add a menu
The "Show Menu" block offers options: buttons for 1-3 options, a list (up to 10) for more. Write the options in the customer's words: "Prices", "Address and hours", "I want to talk to an agent".
Send each option down a path
Attach a block to the end of each menu option. For frequently asked information, the "FAQ Search" block pulls the answer from the knowledge base; details: knowledge base. End the part the bot cannot solve with "Hand off to agent" — the conversation lands with the team, history included.
Chatinbox builds it with youTry it in the simulator, then publish
With "Simulate", write as a customer; the block path is shown in green. Try at least three messages: a positive request, a negative situation, a meaningless text. If all is well, "Publish".
Block types
Message and routing
- Send Message — text, with the customer's name if needed
- Show Menu — buttons (1-3) or list (up to 10)
- Condition — yes/no branch
- Multi-branch — split into several paths
- Call another flow — keep a repeated step in its own flow
Smart and action blocks
- Intent analysis — understands what the customer wants and routes
- FAQ Search — looks up the knowledge base and sends the answer if found
- Sentiment analysis — to route a negative tone to an agent
- Wait — a natural pause
- Hand off to agent — human takeover when the bot cannot solve it
- Save variable — keep a name or preference
Automatic validation before publishing
Checked when you save
- Does every block have an input or output
- Is any block connected to nothing
- Is any message block missing its text
- Can the flow loop forever
If there is an error
- Faulty blocks are marked in red
- It cannot be published until fixed
- After publishing, send one message from your own phone to check it live
Let's build the first flow together
In a 15 minute call we list your 5 most common questions and draw the greeting flow with you.
Panel screens and block names can change. This page was checked against the product documentation on 18 August 2026.
