## Overview

Beyond talking to the contact, a **Flow Builder** flow can **run platform actions** along the way: tag
the contact, log a note, write an attribute, create a contact, open a new conversation, or leave a
private note. This is done with **action nodes**.

The highlight is the **Contact action** node (Contacts category): a dedicated node that exposes exactly
the actions that operate on the contact record, with the right fields ready to go. For the other
platform actions, the generic **Conversa Labs action** node (system action) can run them too.

## Prerequisites

- The **Flow Builder** module enabled for the account (an optional capability by plan/flag).
- **Admin** permission to create and publish flows.
- For the **create conversation** action, a destination **inbox**.
- For conditions/values on a **contact custom attribute**, the attributes defined on the account (they
  load automatically in the node pickers).

## Step by step

How to add a **Contact action** node to a flow:

1. Open the flow in the **Flow Builder**.
2. In the node palette, find the **Contacts** category and drag the **Contact action** node onto the
   canvas.
3. Connect it to the point in the flow where the action should happen.
4. In the side panel, choose the action (for example, **Add contact label**) and fill in the fields. In
   the attribute and value fields, the options are **loaded automatically** — no free text.
5. For **create conversation**, select the **inbox** and, if you want, the initial status and first
   message.
6. **Test** the flow and **publish** it.

## Settings & options

Native nodes/actions available in flows:

| Node / action | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Contact action** node | Runs contact actions: add/remove label, add note, and set custom attribute. |
| **Create contact** action | Creates a contact (name, email, phone; inbox optional), with native deduplication. |
| **Create conversation** action | Opens a conversation in an inbox, with optional status and first message. |
| **Add private note** action | Leaves a private note on the conversation (now available in flows too). |
| **Send/create contract** action | Sends or creates a contract from a template (requires the Contracts module). |
| **Send an email to the team** action | Notifies the team by email during the flow. |
| **Conversa Labs action** node | Generic system-action node; can run the same contact/create actions. |

- **Auto-loading picker**: when you configure the action, the contact's custom attributes and their
  values appear automatically — you select, you don't type.
- **Private note in flows**: adding a private note, previously available only in Automations and Macros,
  now also runs inside a flow.
- **Contract and email-to-team actions**: sending or creating a contract from a template (requires the
  Contracts module) and sending an email to the team now **publish and run correctly** inside the action
  node. The **Add SLA** action is not available in flows — use it in Automations or Macros.

## Use cases

- **Tag mid-flow**: when the contact picks a menu option, add the matching label to the contact.
- **Escalate to another inbox**: create a new conversation in an advanced-support inbox when the flow
  detects a complex case.
- **Record context**: write a custom attribute (for example, `interest = annual-plan`) during
  qualification.
- **Alert the team**: leave a private note with the summary gathered in the flow, without sending
  anything to the contact.

## Tips, limits & best practices

- **Loop safety**: contact actions honor loop protections — design the flow so it doesn't trigger
  chained updates.
- **Create contact deduplicates**: the same person (email/phone/identifier) is reused, with no
  duplicates.
- **Create conversation needs an inbox**: with no inbox selected, the action won't run.
- **Admins only**: native actions require admin permission to be assembled in the flow.
- Prefer the **Contact action** node when you only need to touch the record — it brings the right fields
  ready.

## Troubleshooting

- **I can't find the Contact action node**: confirm the Flow Builder is enabled and that you have an
  admin role.
- **The action didn't run in the flow**: check the node is connected to the right path and that the
  required fields are filled in.
- **Create conversation failed**: confirm an **inbox** was selected on the node.
- **The condition/attribute value doesn't appear**: values are loaded from account data — confirm the
  attribute exists and has recorded values.

## See also

- [Flow Builder: visual conversational flows](/hc/ajuda/articles/automation-flows-flow-builder-en)
- [Contact automations: triggers and actions on the record](/hc/ajuda/articles/automation-flows-automacoes-de-contato-en)
- [Macros: reusable actions in one click](/hc/ajuda/articles/automation-flows-macros-en)