WhatsApp Flows are Meta's native forms that open inside a WhatsApp chat. A customer taps a button, fills in one or more screens (name, service, preferred date, a few choices), and submits without leaving WhatsApp or opening a website. ReploChat lets you create WhatsApp Flows from 67 ready-made forms or from scratch in a visual builder, send them automatically on a trigger word, from the inbox or from a template button, and read every answer. This guide covers all of it, from choosing a form to publishing with Meta.
WhatsApp Flows vs the chatbot builder
ReploChat has two different tools that are easy to confuse:
| WhatsApp Flows (this guide) | Chatbot builder | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A form that opens full-screen inside WhatsApp, built on Meta's Flows platform | A conversation of ordinary chat messages, buttons and lists that you design on a canvas |
| Best for | Collecting several details at once: lead forms, booking requests, surveys, complaints | Guiding a chat step by step: menus, FAQs, routing to the right team |
| Where | WhatsApp Flows in the sidebar | Automation → Chatbots |
| Reviewed by Meta | Yes, each form is saved and published on Meta | No |
They work together: a chatbot can include a send Flow step that hands the customer a form.
Before you start
- Your plan must include WhatsApp Flows. If it doesn't, the page says Your current plan does not include WhatsApp Flows. The Flows used counter at the top shows how many of your plan's forms you've used.
- A connected number (guide). Forms belong to a number, so pick it at the top of the page if you have several.
- A verified business on Meta to publish. You can build and test drafts before verification.
- Your business type set in the business profile, so the gallery opens on forms made for you.
The ready-made form gallery
Under Ready-made forms there are 67 forms across 17 groups: Every business plus 16 industries, including restaurants, salons, clinics, gyms, education, real estate, retail, automotive, travel, hotels, home services, professional services, events, finance, recruitment and NGOs.
| Type of form | How many | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Lead capture | 28 | Get a quote, Request a callback, Property enquiry, Admission enquiry, Wholesale / bulk order |
| Appointment booking | 14 | Appointment booking, Table reservation, Site visit booking, Demo class booking, Test drive |
| Surveys | 9 | Feedback & rating, Dining feedback, Patient satisfaction, Product review |
| Customer support | 8 | Complaint / support ticket, Return or exchange, Order status request |
| Contact us | 1 | Contact us |
| Other | 7 | Pickup or delivery order, New patient registration, RSVP, Event registration |
Each card shows the number of questions and screens, the fields with their options, and suggested Trigger words. Forms marked Uses sample … Change them to yours contain example services, times or products.
Customize vs Activate
- Activate publishes the form exactly as it is and sends it automatically when a customer types one of its trigger words. Use it for forms with no sample data, such as Contact us or Request a callback. If Meta won't publish it yet (for example, your business isn't verified), it's kept as a draft and ReploChat tells you why.
- Customize opens a copy in the builder so you can change the questions, options and messages first. Choose this for any form that uses sample data.
- Blank form starts from an empty screen.
Trigger words already used by another form on the same number are skipped, so two forms never answer the same word. Cards you've added show Added or Live.
Build or edit a form
- Give the form a Name (only you see it) and a Category for Meta: Lead generation, Contact us, Appointment booking, Customer support, Survey or Other.
- Edit each screen: a title, its fields, and the button at the bottom (Continue to go to the next screen, Submit on the last). Use + Add field and + Add screen. A form can have up to 8 screens, with up to 20 fields per screen and up to 20 options per choice field.
- Tick Required for answers you must have.
- Write The message it's sent in: an optional header, the message, an optional footer, and the Button text (up to 30 characters), for example "Book now".
- Add a Thank-you reply after they submit, for example "Thanks! We've received your request and will confirm your slot on WhatsApp within 2 hours."
- Press Save to Meta. Meta checks the form and the Preview from Meta panel shows it on a phone. Any problems Meta finds are listed at the top.
The 12 field types
| Field | Use it for | Label limit |
|---|---|---|
| Heading | A title on the screen | - |
| Paragraph | Explanatory text | - |
| Short answer | Name, city, order number | 20 |
| Email address | 20 | |
| Phone number | An alternative number | 20 |
| Number | Guests, budget, quantity | 20 |
| Long answer | Comments, describe the problem | 20 |
| Dropdown | Picking from a longer list | 20 |
| Single choice | One option, such as "Morning / Evening" | 30 |
| Multiple choice | Several options, such as services wanted | 30 |
| Date | Preferred date | 40 |
| Consent tick box | "I agree to be contacted on WhatsApp" | 120 |
Label limits are WhatsApp's and are in characters, so keep questions short: "Preferred date" rather than "Which date would you prefer for your visit?". You don't need to ask for the customer's WhatsApp number, because answers arrive from it.
Send a test
Under Send a test, enter your number (for example 923001234567) and press Send. That phone must have messaged this WhatsApp number in the last 24 hours. Drafts are sent in test mode, so you can try a form before publishing.
Publish the form
Press Publish in the builder, or on the Flows list, and confirm. Remember:
- Business verification: Meta only publishes forms for verified businesses. Complete verification in Meta Business Settings first.
- Published forms can't be edited. That's Meta's rule. Use Copy to edit to make a new draft, publish it, then Retire the old one. Retiring can't be undone, and customers can no longer open that form.
- Statuses: Draft (not on Meta yet), Draft, Published, Retired, and occasionally Blocked by Meta or Throttled by Meta. Use the refresh icon to update a status from Meta.
Three ways to send a form
1. Keyword triggers (automatic)
Under Send automatically, enter trigger words separated by commas, for example book, appointment. The whole message must be the word, so "book" matches "Book!" but not a longer sentence. You can also tick Send to new customers on their first message. Use the Auto on / Auto off switch on the list to pause it. Only published forms are sent automatically, and never in chats a team member has taken over.
2. From the inbox
In the shared inbox, press Send a form (WhatsApp Flow), choose a published form and press Send form. This works while the 24-hour window is open.
3. In a template (and campaigns)
When creating a template, add a Form (WhatsApp Flow) button and pick a published form. Once Meta approves the template, you can send it outside the 24-hour window, in campaigns and in follow-ups.
Read the responses
- In the chat: each submission appears in the conversation as a readable summary.
- In the contact panel: Form answers lists every form the customer filled in.
- On the Responses page: click n response(s) on a form to see a table with the submission time, customer, phone and one column per question.
Frequently asked
Do forms work on WhatsApp Web? Customers should use the WhatsApp app on Android or iPhone for the best experience.
Can I bring in forms made in WhatsApp Manager? Yes. Press Sync with Meta at the top of the page.
Is this a booking system? No. A booking form collects the customer's request and your team confirms it. ReploChat doesn't manage a calendar.
Do forms work when the AI assistant is off? Yes. Trigger words work whether AI auto reply is on or off.