What is Input Flow in BotSailor?

The Input Flow feature in BotSailor allows you to gather structured information from users directly through the chatbot. Whether it's collecting emails, phone numbers, feedback, booking details, or running surveys, Input Flow makes it easy to guide users through a set of dynamic, customizable questions.

It transforms your chatbot into an interactive form, perfect for WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Instagram, or web chatbots  and helps you store responses neatly in custom fields, system fields, Google Sheets, or via webhook.

What is an Input Flow?

An Input Flow is a campaign within BotSailor where you design a sequence of questions. Each user’s reply is collected and stored — either for direct CRM use, Google Sheets syncing, or webhook integrations.

The core components of Input Flow include:

• Campaign Name: A label for organizing the flow.
• Questions: You can use free text or multiple-choice formats.
• Custom/System Fields: Where you save each user’s response.
• Optional Integrations: Send responses to Google Sheets or an external Webhook.

✅ This is ideal for:

• Collecting email addresses
• Booking appointments
• Running surveys
• Gathering feedback
• Multi-step lead forms

Step-by-Step: How to Set Up Input Flow

1. Create a New Input Flow

Go to the Input Flow module and click “Add new input flow”. Provide a clear name for your campaign.

2. Add Questions

After starting the flow, connect a new question block and choose:

• Free Keyboard Input (text-based answers)
• Multiple Choice (button-based answers)

3. Save Responses

Each question can be mapped to a:

• Custom Field (your own defined data field like email, phone, etc.)
• System Field (built-in system fields like subscriber ID, name)

You can also:

• Enable Webhook URL for sending data to third-party systems
• Connect to Google Sheets for storing data in spreadsheets

4. Final Step

Click Save to store the flow and use it in any bot sequence or automation.

Use Cases

Here are common use cases where Input Flow becomes extremely powerful:

• Lead Generation: Collect emails or phone numbers with automated follow-ups.
• Appointment Booking: Ask for date, time, and service choice.
• Customer Surveys: Run multi-step feedback forms.
• Order Collection: Gather order preferences before forwarding to a sales team.
• Support Intake: Ask structured questions to reduce human agent time.

Pro Tips for Using Input Flow

• Keep questions short and clear to maintain user engagement.
• Use custom fields wisely to track data across your automation.
• Combine with sequences and tags to trigger follow-up messages.
• Enable Webhook for CRM or Zapier-style automation.
• Use "Skip Button" in Multiple Choice if the question is optional.

FAQs

Can I use Input Flow across all platforms (WhatsApp, FB, Instagram)?
Yes, Input Flow works across all BotSailor-supported platforms including WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, and web chat.

Where are the responses stored?
You can save responses in custom/system fields, Google Sheets, or send them to a webhook endpoint.

Can I trigger automation based on user responses?
Absolutely. Use conditional logic, sequences, or tags based on how the user replies.

Is there a limit to how many questions I can add?
No hard limit, but we recommend keeping flows concise to avoid drop-off.

Can I export collected data?
Yes. All collected data can be exported as a CSV or retrieved via integration.

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