What are WhatsApp Flows?

WhatsApp Flows is a Meta-native feature that lets businesses embed interactive, multi-screen forms directly inside a WhatsApp conversation. Instead of sending customers to a website or asking them to reply with numbered options, a Flow opens a rich UI — right inside WhatsApp — where they can fill in fields, make selections, pick dates, and submit responses without ever leaving the chat.

In short: WhatsApp Flows turns a chat thread into a mini web form — no browser, no redirect, no friction.

How Flows differ from regular messages

Standard WhatsApp messages — even those with quick reply buttons — are linear. You send a message, the customer taps a button or types back, and you process their reply. This works for simple yes/no interactions but breaks down when you need to collect structured data (a name, a date, a product choice, a complaint description).

WhatsApp Flows solve this by rendering a native UI component inside the chat. The customer sees a “screen” with labelled input fields, dropdowns, or radio buttons. They fill it out and tap Submit. The completed data arrives at your webhook as a structured JSON object — no parsing of free-text replies required.

Feature	Regular message	Quick reply buttons	WhatsApp Flow
Collect structured data	❌ (free text only)	⚠️ (limited options)	✅
Multi-step form	❌	❌	✅
Date / time picker	❌	❌	✅
Stays inside WhatsApp	✅	✅	✅
Response is structured JSON	❌	⚠️ (payload only)	✅

What a customer sees

From the customer’s perspective, a Flow is triggered by tapping a button on a WhatsApp template message (labelled something like “Book Now”, “Get a Quote”, or “Track My Order”). Tapping that button opens a full-screen overlay — a native WhatsApp UI — with your form inside.

The overlay can have multiple screens. For example, a booking Flow might show:

• Screen 1: Select a service and preferred date

• Screen 2: Confirm name and phone number

• Screen 3: Confirmation summary + Submit button

When the customer submits, the overlay closes and they return to the chat. Baat can then send an automatic confirmation message based on the submitted data.

Note: Flows only open when triggered by a button tap on a template message. They cannot be sent as standalone messages. The triggering template must be approved by Meta before use.

Requirements

To use WhatsApp Flows with Baat, your account needs the following:

• WhatsApp Business API access — Baat operates on Meta’s Cloud API.

• A verified WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) — your business must be verified in Meta Business Manager.

• Flow created in Meta Business Manager — Baat will reference the flow_id in your template.

• An approved message template with a Flow button.

Baat handles the API layer. You don’t need to call the WhatsApp Cloud API directly. Baat’s Journey Builder and Broadcast tools let you attach a Flow to any automation or campaign from the dashboard.

When to use WhatsApp Flows

Flows are the right tool when you need to collect more than one piece of information from a customer in a single interaction. Use them when:

• You’re booking appointments and need date, time, service, and contact details

• You’re qualifying leads and want to capture budget, use case, and company size

• You’re handling support requests that require structured inputs (order number, issue type, description)

• You’re running a post-purchase survey with both rating and open-ended questions

• You’re onboarding new users and collecting preferences or consent

When not to use Flows

Flows add complexity and require Meta template approval. Stick to regular messages or quick reply buttons when:

• You only need a yes/no or single-tap response

• The interaction is purely informational (order update, shipping confirmation)

• You need real-time back-and-forth conversation — Flows are form-based, not conversational

How Baat uses Flows

Inside Baat, WhatsApp Flows can be attached to:

• Journey Builder automations — trigger a Flow as a step in any automated sequence

• Broadcast campaigns — send a Flow-enabled template to a segment of your customer list

• Manual messages — agents in the shared inbox can send a Flow template directly from a conversation

Flow response data (the submitted form fields) is available in Baat’s conversation view and can trigger the next step in a Journey.