How to Build a Complete WhatsApp Chatbot, Step by Step

Build your own menu chatbot one click at a time and learn every main Flow Builder block, with a picture for every step.

Updated 24 September 2026

In this guide you build your own WhatsApp chatbot, one click at a time. By the end, you will know how to use every main block in the WhatChimp Flow Builder.

To make it easy to follow, we use one example the whole way through: a flower shop called Bloom Florist. Wherever you see our flower shop text, type your own business details instead.

New to the Flow Builder? Read Flow Builder Blocks Explained first. It shows what each block does, so the steps below make more sense.

Here is what your customers will see when you finish:

The customer sends your keyword, and your welcome message arrives with a View menu button

When they tap View menu, your menu opens:

Each line is one menu option

Step 0: Plan Your Menu (2 minutes)

Before you click anything, decide what goes in your menu. Think about the questions customers ask you most. Each one becomes a menu option.

Use this table as your guide. The middle column shows our example. Write your own option next to each row you want, and skip the rest.

A menu can hold up to 10 options. You can change them any time.

Before You Start

• Your WhatsApp number is connected to WhatChimp. If not, see How to Connect Your Phone Number with WhatChimp.
• You are on a computer, not a phone. You build by dragging with the mouse.
• You have what your options send ready, such as a price list picture, a PDF or your website link.

The Three Moves You Will Use

You only need three moves to build a chatbot.

1. Add a block. A block is one step, such as "send a picture". Drag it from the list on the left onto the empty space on the right.

Drag a block from the left list onto the empty space

2. Join two blocks. Each block has small dots. Drag from a dot on the right of one block to the dot on the left of the next. A line appears, and the chatbot follows the line.

Right dot of one block, to the left dot of the next

3. Save. Each block's settings have a Save Changes button. The whole chatbot saves with the green Save button at the top right. Click it at the end of every part.

Top right: Save. Bottom right: your work is saved

Part 1: Choose Your Keyword (about 3 minutes)

Your keyword is the word customers send to start your chatbot, for example your shop name plus "menu".

Step 1. Follow the numbers in this picture to open Keyword Replies, then click Create.

Follow the numbers 1 to 5

Step 2. The chatbot builder opens in a new tab. Double-click the Start Bot Flow block.

Double-click this block

Step 3. In Trigger Keywords, type your keyword. (Our example: bloom guide)

Type your keyword here

Step 4. Click Exact keyword match, even if it already looks selected.

The chatbot starts only when the customer sends exactly your keyword

Step 5. In Title, type a name only you will see. (Our example: Bloom Florist Guide) Then click Save Changes.

Customers never see the title

Step 6. Your keyword now shows on the block.

Your keyword is set

Watch out: if you click the green Save button now, you see "Please add some more components." That is normal. Go on to Part 2.

Part 2: Write Your Welcome Message (about 5 minutes)

This is the first message your customers get. It greets them by name and holds the menu button.

Step 1. Find Interactive Message in the list on the left. Drag it onto the empty space, to the right of Start Bot Flow.

Left box: the block in the list. Right box: the block as you drag it

Step 2. Let go. The block appears.

The new block, not joined yet

Step 3. Drag from the Compose Next Message dot on Start Bot Flow towards the Reply dot on the new block.

A line follows your mouse

Step 4. Let go on the Reply dot. The blocks are joined, and the settings open on the left.

Your keyword now leads to this message

Step 5. In Message Header, type your business name. (Our example: Bloom Florist)

Shows in bold at the top of the message

Step 6. Click in Message Body and type Hi. Then click the Name button. It adds the customer's WhatsApp name to your message.


Watch out: always use the Name button. If you type #name yourself, customers see "#name" instead of their name.

Step 7. Finish your welcome message. Tell customers to tap View menu.

Tell the customer what to do next

Step 8. In Message Footer, type a short line if you want one. (Our example: Fresh flowers, delivered today)

Optional small grey text at the bottom

Step 9. Scroll down and click Delivery Options.

Click to open it

Step 10. Turn on Typing on display and set Seconds to 2. Customers see "typing..." first, so the reply feels more personal.

Typing on display, with a 2 second wait

Step 11. Click Save Changes.

Your welcome message is ready

Watch out: if you click the green Save button now, you see this warning. That is normal. It goes away in Part 3.

Normal at this point

Part 3: Build Your Menu (about 10 minutes)

Now you add the View menu button and the options from your plan in Step 0.

Step 1. On the welcome message block, find the List Messages dot. Drag from it to empty space on the right, and let go.

Drag from List Messages into empty space

Step 2. WhatChimp adds your menu blocks and opens the settings of one option. Click Close for now.

Click Close for now

Step 3. You now have three new kinds of blocks:

• Quick Reply: the View menu button.
• Section: the heading at the top of your menu.
• Row: one menu option. You start with three.

Quick Reply, Section, then three Rows

Step 4. Double-click Quick Reply. In Button Name, type View menu. Click Save Changes.

The button customers tap

Step 5. Double-click Section. In Title, type a heading. (Our example: How can we help?) Click Save Changes.

Shows at the top of your menu

Step 6. Double-click the first Row. Type your first option in Title and a short line in Description. Click Save Changes.

Title: up to 24 characters. Description: up to 72

Step 7. Name the other two Rows the same way.

Three options done

Step 8. Need more options? Right-click a Row and click Clone.

Clone makes a copy

Step 9. The copy appears on top of the original.

The copy sits on top

Step 10. Drag the copy by its title to an empty space below.

Move it where you can see it

Step 11. Add the copy to your menu: drag from the Rows dot on the Section block to the Reply dot on the copy.

From Rows to Reply

Step 12. Let go. The copy's settings open, still showing the old name.

Still the old name

Step 13. Type the new option name and description. Click Save Changes.

Your fourth option is ready

Step 14. Repeat Steps 8 to 13 until every option from your plan is there. Then click the green Save button.

Our nine options, all joined to the Section

Tip: if your screen gets messy, click Rearrange at the top.

Try it now

From your personal phone, send your keyword to your business number. You get your welcome message:

Your keyword, then your welcome message

Tap View menu to see your menu. The options don't send anything yet. That is what Parts 4 to 12 do.

Parts 4 to 12: Make Each Option Work

Each part below makes one option work. Follow only the parts for the options you chose. Every part works the same way:

1. Add the block that sends what you want.
2. Drag from the Next dot on your option to the left dot on that block.
3. Fill in the settings and click Save Changes.

Part 4: Send a Picture (about 3 minutes)

Do customers ask for your prices? This option sends your price list as a picture.

Step 1. Drag an Image block onto the empty space, next to the option that should send the picture.

Image is in the list on the left

Step 2. Let go.

Not joined yet

Step 3. Drag from your option's Next dot to the Message dot on the Image block.

From Next to Message

Step 4. The Image settings open.

Scroll to Upload image

Step 5. Drag your picture onto Upload image, or click the box to choose it.

Your picture is uploaded

Step 6. Click Save Changes.

This option now sends your picture

What your customer sees (left side):

Left: the picture. Right: the text message from Part 5

Part 5: Send a Text (about 2 minutes)

Do customers ask for your hours or address? This option sends a text message.

Step 1. Drag a Text block onto the empty space.

Text is first in the list

Step 2. Drag from your option's Next dot to the Message dot on the Text block.

From Next to Message

Step 3. Type your message.

Our example: hours and address

Step 4. Click Save Changes.

This option now sends your text

The phone picture at the end of Part 4 (right side) shows what customers see.

Part 6: Send a PDF (about 3 minutes)

Do customers ask for a catalogue, menu or brochure? This option sends it as a file.

Step 1. Drag a File block onto the empty space.

File is in the list on the left

Step 2. Drag from your option's Next dot to the Message dot on the File block.

From Next to Message

Step 3. The File settings open.

Scroll to Upload file

Step 4. Drag your file onto Upload file. PDF, Word, Excel and PowerPoint all work.

Your file is uploaded

Watch out: customers see the file name, so give your file a clear name before you upload it.

Step 5. Click Save Changes.

This option now sends your file

What your customer sees:

The customer taps the file to open it

Part 7: Send a Website Button (about 3 minutes)

Do you sell online? This option sends a button that opens your website.

Step 1. Type CTA in Search blocks at the top of the list. CTA URL Button appears.

Search finds any block fast

Step 2. Drag CTA URL Button onto the empty space.

Drag it from the search result

Step 3. Drag from your option's Next dot to the Message dot on the new block.

From Next to Message

Step 4. In Body Message, type a short line.

The text above your button

Step 5. Type your Button Text and paste your website address in Button URL. Click Save Changes.

Our example: Visit our shop

Step 6. Your button block is ready. Clear the search box to see all blocks again.

This option now sends your button

What your customer sees:

Tapping the button opens your website

Part 8: Send a Discount Code and Tag the Customer (about 5 minutes)

Want to reward customers? This option sends a discount code. It also adds a label (a tag) to the customer, so you can see who asked for a code. Part 13 uses this label.

Step 1. Drag a Text block onto the empty space.

Text is first in the list

Step 2. Drag from your option's Next dot to the Message dot on the Text block.

From Next to Message

Step 3. Type your code and how to use it. Click Save Changes.

Our example: BLOOM10

Step 4. Your code message is ready.

The code is ready

Step 5. Now the label. Type Label in Search blocks.

Label Assign adds a tag

Step 6. Drag Label Assign onto the empty space, below your code message.

Drag it from the search result

Step 7. Drag from the Compose Next Message dot on your code message to the Message dot on Label Assign.

The label is added right after the code is sent

Step 8. Click the box under Add Label(s) and type a label name. (Our example: Bloom discount)

Type your label name

Step 9. Click your label in the list. For a new label, click the line that shows exactly what you typed. Click Save Changes.

Your label is chosen

Step 10. Everyone who taps this option now gets your label.

The label is set

What your customer sees: the code. The label is only visible to you.

The code arrives right away

Part 9: Ask for the Customer's Location (about 2 minutes)

Do you deliver or visit customers? This option asks them to share their location in one tap.

Step 1. Drag a Location block onto the empty space.

Location is in the list on the left

Step 2. Drag from your option's Next dot to the Message dot on the Location block.

From Next to Message

Step 3. In Body text, tell the customer what to do. Click Save Changes.

The text above the Send location button

Step 4. Your location block is ready.

This option now asks for location

What your customer sees:

The customer taps Send location

Part 10: Let AI Answer Questions (about 6 minutes)

Tired of answering the same questions? This option lets AI answer them, using information you give it.

The AI needs a button in front of it, so this part uses three blocks: a message, an Ask now button, and the AI.

Step 1. Drag an Interactive Message block onto the empty space.

Interactive Message is in the list on the left

Step 2. Drag from your option's Next dot to the Reply dot on the new block.

From Next to Reply

Step 3. In Message Body, tell customers to tap Ask now and type their question. Click Save Changes.

Tell them what to do

Step 4. Drag from the Buttons dot on this block to empty space, and let go. A Button block appears.

Drag from Buttons into empty space

Step 5. In Button Title, type Ask now. Under When user press the button, choose Send Message. Click Save Changes.

Button title and what it does

Step 6. Your Ask now button is ready.

The button is ready

Step 7. Drag an AI Reply block onto the empty space, next to the button.

AI Reply is in the list on the left

Step 8. Drag from the button's Next dot to the Message dot on AI Reply.

From Next to Message

Step 9. In Message to learn, write what the AI should know: what you sell, prices, hours, address and how to answer. Click Save Changes.

Write it as if you were training a new employee

Step 10. Your AI is ready.

This option now answers with AI

Watch out: AI Reply needs AI connected to your account first. See Add Your OpenAI API Key.

What your customer sees:

The customer taps Ask now, types a question, and the AI answers

Part 11: Take Bookings (about 5 minutes)

Do customers book with you? This option asks their details one question at a time and saves the answers.

Before you start: this uses a question form called a User Input Flow. Make your form first with How to Collect User Details Without Forms. Our example form asks for a delivery address and a date.

Step 1. Drag a Text block onto the empty space. The form needs a message in front of it.

Text is first in the list

Step 2. Drag from your option's Next dot to the Message dot on the Text block.

From Next to Message

Step 3. Type a line telling customers the questions are coming. Click Save Changes.

So the customer knows what comes next

Step 4. Drag a User Input Flow block onto the empty space, below the message.

User Input Flow is in the list on the left

Step 5. Drag from the Compose Next Message dot on the message to the left dot on User Input Flow.

The form starts right after the message

Step 6. Click the box under User input flow to see your forms.

Your forms

Step 7. Click your form. Click Save Changes.

Our example: Bloom Delivery Booking

Step 8. Your booking option is ready.

This option now takes bookings

What your customer sees:

The customer answers each question, then gets a confirmation

Watch out: customers must type each answer. If they tap a menu option instead, that is saved as their answer, like this:

The address came out as a code, because a menu option was tapped

So in each question, tell customers exactly what to type.

Part 12: Let Customers Reach a Person (about 2 minutes)

Some customers want a real person. This option tells them your team will reply.

Step 1. Drag a Text block onto the empty space.

Text is first in the list

Step 2. Drag from your option's Next dot to the Message dot on the Text block.

From Next to Message

Step 3. Type your message. Click Save Changes.

So the customer knows a person will reply

Step 4. Click the green Save button.

This option is ready

Your team replies from the Omnichannel Inbox.

What your customer sees:

The customer knows a person will reply

Part 13: Welcome Back Returning Customers (about 6 minutes, optional)

Want returning customers to feel remembered? This part greets customers who have your label from Part 8 with "Welcome back". Everyone else sees your normal welcome.

It uses a Condition block. A Condition checks the customer. Yes follows the True dot. No follows the False dot.

Step 1. Drag your welcome message block to the right, to make space after Start Bot Flow.

Make a gap after Start Bot Flow

Step 2. Drag the line off the Reply dot on your welcome message.

Pull the line away

Step 3. Let go in empty space. The line disappears.

The blocks are no longer joined

Step 4. Type Condition in Search blocks.

Condition appears

Step 5. Drag Condition into the gap.

Put it in the gap

Step 6. Drag from the Compose Next Message dot on Start Bot Flow to the Reply dot on the Condition.

The check now runs first

Step 7. Click All Match. Set Variable to Label, Operator to Contains, and choose your label. Click Save Changes.

True if the customer has your label

Step 8. The Condition shows your check.

It has a True dot and a False dot

Step 9. Drag from False to the Reply dot on your welcome message. If its settings open, click Close.

No label: show the normal welcome

Step 10. Drag a Text block below the Condition.

This becomes your welcome back message

Step 11. Drag from True to the Message dot on the new Text block.

Has the label: say welcome back

Step 12. Type your welcome back message. Use the Name button for the customer's name. Click Save Changes.

Only customers with your label see this

Step 13. Drag from its Compose Next Message dot to the Reply dot on your welcome message, so returning customers get the menu too. Click the green Save button.

Keyword, check, welcome back, then your menu

What a returning customer sees:

Welcome back first, then the menu

Part 14: Test Everything (about 5 minutes)

Step 1. Click the green Save button.

Step 2. From your personal phone, send your keyword to your business number.

Step 3. Tap View menu and try every option.

Here is our finished chatbot. Yours can look different. What matters is that every line joins the right dots.

Start on the left, menu in the middle, what each option sends on the right

Now Make It Yours

Before you tell customers about your chatbot, check that:

• Every example text is replaced with your own words.
• You removed the options you don't need.
• Every option sends something when you tap it.
• The customer's name shows correctly in your welcome message.
• You clicked the green Save button.

Get Customers to Send Your Keyword

Your chatbot only starts when customers send your keyword, so tell them what it is. Put it anywhere customers see you, for example: "WhatsApp us the word bloom guide to see our menu."

These guides help:

• How to Add WhatChimp Chat Widget to WordPress: add a chat button to your website.
• How to Send Broadcast Messages in WhatChimp: tell your existing contacts about your menu.
• How to Make a Chatbot Reply to Any Keyword: reply even when customers send something else.

If Something Does Not Work

Nothing happens when I send my keyword. Click the green Save button, then check the keyword on Start Bot Flow. With exact match, customers must send the keyword on its own.

An option does nothing. Join that option's Next dot to a block.

An option is missing from the menu. Join the Section's Rows dot to that option's Reply dot.

Customers see "#name". Delete it and use the Name button.

A block won't join. AI Reply needs a button in front of it. A User Input Flow needs a message in front of it.

Related Articles

• Flow Builder Blocks Explained: every block, including the ones not used here
• How to Create a Keyword-Based WhatsApp Chatbot: a simple one-message chatbot