Automation & Flows
By Conversa Labs
By Conversa Labs
Automation rules, macros, Flow Builder, smart routing, bots and Captain.
Automation & Flows overview
Overview The Automation & Flows area brings together the tools that make ConversaLabs work for you: assigning conversations, replying at the right moment, moving deals in the CRM, firing webhooks, and running entire dialogues with no manual effort. Instead of repeating tasks, you describe what should happen and the platform does it. There are five complementary capabilities, from the simplest to the most advanced: - Automation rules — "when X happens, do Y" (trigger → conditions → actions). - Macros — reusable sequences of actions an agent runs with one click on a conversation. - Flow Builder — a visual builder for conversational flows (menus, questions, integrations). - Smart Routing — distributes conversations to agents based on a policy. - Bots and Captain — AI-powered replies and support bots. Prerequisites - An active ConversaLabs account and a user with admin permission to configure automations. - At least one connected inbox, so there are conversations to automate. - Some capabilities are optional (enabled by plan or feature flag): Flow Builder, Smart Routing, and Captain may need to be enabled for your account. If they aren't in the menu, talk to an administrator. Step by step 1. Start with the basics: create an automation rule for your team's most frequent repetitive task (for example, assigning new conversations to a team). 2. Standardize day-to-day replies and procedures with macros. 3. When you need a multi-step dialogue (menu, data capture, integration), use the Flow Builder. 4. Decide how conversations reach agents with Smart Routing. 5. Add bots and Captain to answer common questions and qualify contacts automatically. Settings & options - Automation rules: live under Settings, in Automation. Each rule has a trigger, conditions, and one or more actions. - Macros: also under Settings; they become available inside the conversation for the agent to run. - Flow Builder: its own module, with a visual node builder (messages, options, conditions, HTTP requests, and more). - Smart Routing: routing policies and capacity policies, bound to inboxes. - Captain: AI assistants, a document and response knowledge base, and the agent copilot. Use cases - Automatically assign new conversations to the right team and add labels by keyword. - Send an after-hours greeting and resolve a conversation after inactivity. - Run a menu-based self-service experience on WhatsApp with the Flow Builder. - Balance load across agents with a balanced routing policy. - Let Captain answer frequently asked questions and only escalate to a human when needed. Tips, limits & best practices - Start with a few rules and watch the result before creating dozens of automations. - Give rules and macros clear names — it keeps maintenance manageable as the operation grows. - Watch out for overlapping rules (two rules acting on the same conversation). Test in a sandbox inbox before applying to production. - Respect channel limits (for example, WhatsApp anti-ban best practices when sending automatic messages). Troubleshooting - My rule didn't fire: check the trigger and conditions — all conditions must be true. Also confirm the rule is active. - I don't see Flow Builder / Smart Routing / Captain: the capability may not be enabled for your account or your access role. Talk to an administrator. - The action didn't happen: confirm the agent/team/label referenced in the action still exists. See also - Automation rules: triggers, conditions, and actions - Macros: reusable actions - Flow Builder: visual conversational flows - Smart Routing - Bots and Captain (support AI)
Automation rules: triggers, conditions, and actions
Overview An automation rule runs actions automatically when an event happens and the conditions you set are met. It's the most direct way to remove repetitive work: assigning conversations, adding labels, sending messages, resolving conversations, moving CRM deals, or notifying external systems via webhook. Every rule follows the structure trigger → conditions → actions: - Trigger: the event that starts the evaluation (for example, "conversation created"). - Conditions: filters that must be true for the rule to act. - Actions: what the platform does when the trigger fires and the conditions pass. Prerequisites - Admin permission to access the Automation area under Settings. - At least one inbox with conversations, so triggers have something to evaluate. - For actions that depend on other modules (CRM, Catalog, Tasks, Follow-ups), the matching module must be enabled on the account. Step by step 1. Under Settings, open the Automation area and create a new rule. 2. Give the rule a clear name and description. 3. Choose the trigger (event). The main ones are: - Conversation created, Conversation updated, Conversation resolved, Conversation opened; - Message created (incoming or outgoing); - CRM, Catalog, and Task events when those modules are active. 4. Add conditions. Combine fields (status, priority, inbox, labels, browser language, contact/conversation attributes, CRM fields) with operators such as equal to, not equal to, contains, or does not contain. 5. Define one or more actions (see the list below). 6. Save and activate the rule. Test with a real conversation to confirm the behavior. Settings & options Available actions (they vary by trigger and active modules): | Action | What it does | | --- | --- | | Assign agent | Routes the conversation to a specific agent. | | Assign team | Routes the conversation to a team. | | Add label | Tags the conversation with one or more labels. | | Send message | Sends a message to the contact. | | Send email to team | Notifies the team by email. | | Send transcript by email | Emails the conversation history. | | Mute conversation | Mutes the conversation. | | Resolve conversation | Closes the conversation automatically. | | Send attachment | Attaches a file to the conversation. | | Fire webhook | Sends the event to an external endpoint. | When the modules are active, module-specific actions appear: move a deal between stages, assign and set value/priority in the CRM, add a product to a deal in the Catalog, create tasks, and enroll the contact in a Follow-ups sequence. - "AND" conditions: every condition must be true for the rule to act. - Order: actions run in the order they appear in the rule. - Enable/disable: you can pause a rule without deleting it. Use cases - Channel routing: conversations created on the sales WhatsApp go to the Sales team. - Keyword triage: if the message contains "invoice", add the "billing" label. - After hours: when a conversation is created outside business hours, send an automatic message. - Queue hygiene: resolve conversations with no reply for a long time and notify the team. - CRM: when a lead's conversation is created, create a deal and assign it to the right rep. Tips, limits & best practices - Use descriptive names and keep each rule focused on a single goal. - Avoid conflicting rules that try to do opposite things on the same conversation. - For actions that send automatic messages, respect channel limits (WhatsApp anti-ban best practices). - Test in a sandbox inbox before applying the rule to production. - Document for the team what each rule does — it makes future maintenance easier. Troubleshooting - The rule didn't fire: confirm the trigger and that all conditions are true; check the rule is active. - The action didn't run: verify the referenced agent, team, or label still exists; and that the action's module (CRM, Catalog, etc.) is enabled. - The rule acted on the wrong conversation: the conditions are too broad. Refine the filters. - The webhook didn't arrive: check the endpoint URL and that it responds successfully. See also - Automation & Flows overview - Macros: reusable actions - Flow Builder: visual conversational flows - Smart Routing
Macros: reusable actions in one click
Overview A macro is a sequence of predefined actions an agent triggers manually inside a conversation. While an automation rule acts on its own when an event happens, a macro is triggered by a person, at the right moment, with a single click. Macros are ideal for standardized procedures: closing a conversation with a goodbye message, escalating to another team, applying labels, and replying with a standard text — all at once, with no mistakes and no repetition. Prerequisites - Admin permission to create and edit macros under Settings. - At least one conversation where the agent will run the macro. - For actions that involve other modules (CRM, Tasks, Catalog), the matching module must be active. Step by step 1. Under Settings, open the Macros area and create a new macro. 2. Give it a clear name (it's what the agent will see on the conversation). 3. Add the actions in the order they should run — for example: 1. Assign to a team; 2. Add a label; 3. Send a message to the contact; 4. Resolve the conversation. 4. Save the macro. 5. To run it: open a conversation, find the macros area, and click the macro you want. The actions are applied in the defined sequence. Settings & options - Visibility: decide whether the macro is available to the whole account or only to its creator, per the form options. - Action order: actions run top to bottom — reorder them to match the procedure. - Action types: assign agent/team, add/remove label, send message, add a private note, resolve conversation, send attachment, and actions from active modules (CRM, Tasks, Catalog). - Editing: you can edit the sequence at any time; the change applies to future runs. Use cases - Standard close: send the goodbye message, label as "resolved", and resolve. - Escalation: assign to the advanced support team and add an internal note with context. - Qualification: label as "hot lead" and create/update the deal in the CRM. - First response: send the welcome message and assign to the channel owner. Tips, limits & best practices - Build macros for your team's 5–10 most common procedures — that's where they save the most time. - Use names that describe the outcome ("Close conversation", "Escalate to L2"), not the steps. - Review macros periodically: labels and teams change, and orphaned actions can fail. - Macro vs. rule: if the action should happen on its own when an event occurs, use an automation rule; if it should be decided by the agent, use a macro. Troubleshooting - I don't see the macro on the conversation: confirm it's saved and visible to your user. - A macro action didn't run: verify the referenced agent, team, or label still exists and that the action's module is active. - The order came out wrong: reopen the macro and reorder the actions; they run top to bottom. See also - Automation rules: triggers, conditions, and actions - Automation & Flows overview - Flow Builder: visual conversational flows
Flow Builder: build conversational flows visually
Overview The Flow Builder is the ConversaLabs visual builder for conversational flows. Instead of writing code, you assemble the dialogue by connecting nodes on a canvas: a message leads to an option menu, which leads to a condition, which can call an API and take different paths based on the contact's reply. It's the right tool when automation needs multiple steps and interaction — menu self-service, lead qualification, scheduling, data capture, and integrations — beyond what a simple rule can do. Prerequisites - The Flow Builder module enabled for your account (an optional capability, enabled by plan/flag). If it isn't in the menu, talk to an administrator. - Admin permission to create and publish flows. - An inbox (for example, WhatsApp) where the flow will be triggered. - For nodes that depend on other modules (Payments, Follow-ups, CRM, Contracts), the matching module must be active. Step by step 1. Open the Flow Builder and create a new flow (you can start from a gallery template). 2. Configure the flow trigger (the event that starts it) in the start node. 3. Drag nodes from the palette onto the canvas and connect them to draw the conversation path. 4. Configure each node in the side panel (message text, menu options, condition rule, request URL, etc.). 5. Use variables to store and reuse the contact's replies and integration data. 6. Test the flow (there are request-testing and session-trace tools) and publish it. Settings & options Most-used node types: | Node | What it's for | | --- | --- | | Text message | Sends text to the contact. | | Option menu | Presents buttons or a list for the contact to choose from. | | Media | Sends an image, video, audio, or document. | | Condition | Takes different paths based on a rule/variable. | | HTTP request | Calls an external API and uses the response in the flow. | | A/B variation | Splits traffic across paths to test messages. | | Payment | Creates/sends a charge and waits for payment (Payments module). | | Follow-up | Enrolls or cancels the contact in a sequence (Follow-ups module). | | Contract | Sends a contract for signature (Contracts module). | - Variables: capture replies and API data and reuse them in messages and conditions. - Template gallery: start from a ready-made flow and adapt it. - Testing and session trace: validate behavior before publishing. Use cases - Menu self-service: the contact picks a topic and is routed to the right team. - Lead qualification: a sequence of questions that store answers in variables and the CRM. - Scheduling and billing: collect data, create a charge, and confirm after payment. - Integration: look up an order via an HTTP request and reply with the status to the customer. Tips, limits & best practices - Sketch the flow on paper before building — map the paths and exit points. - Always offer a path to talk to a human; not everything should stay automated. - Test every path, including unexpected replies from the contact. - Watch out for loops and excessive messages (WhatsApp anti-ban best practices). - Keep flows short and focused — split very large flows into reusable parts. Troubleshooting - I don't see the Flow Builder: the module may not be enabled for the account or your role. - The flow doesn't start: check the trigger and that the flow is published and bound to the right inbox. - The flow stops midway: a node likely has no exit path for the reply received — cover every option and add a default path. - The HTTP request failed: use the request tester to check the URL, headers, and response. See also - Automation & Flows overview - Automation rules: triggers, conditions, and actions - Bots and Captain (support AI) - Smart Routing
Smart Routing
Overview Smart Routing decides which agent each conversation goes to and how many conversations each agent receives — automatically. Instead of distributing manually, you define policies and the platform applies them to every new conversation, balancing load and improving response time. There are two policy types that work together: - Routing policy: defines the distribution strategy and the priority order. - Capacity policy: defines load limits per agent and per inbox. Prerequisites - The Smart Routing module enabled for your account (an optional capability). If it isn't under Settings, talk to an administrator. - Permission to manage routing. - Inboxes and agents already configured, so you can bind them to policies. Step by step 1. Under Settings, open Smart Routing. 2. Create a routing policy: - give it a name and description; - choose the strategy (round-robin, balanced, or skill match); - set the conversation priority (earliest first or longest waiting first); - bind one or more inboxes to the policy. 3. (Optional) Create a capacity policy to limit load per agent and per inbox. 4. Enable the policies and watch the distribution on real conversations. Settings & options Routing strategies: | Strategy | How it distributes | | --- | --- | | Round-robin | Distributes conversations evenly across agents in rotation. | | Balanced | Assigns to the agent with the fewest open conversations. | | Skill match | Prefers agents on the conversation's team, then rotates. | Conversation priority: earliest first, or the conversations waiting longest for a reply. Extra routing-policy options: - Fair distribution: limits how many conversations an agent receives within a time window. - Reassign on unassign: automatically re-routes the conversation if the assigned agent is removed. - Enable/disable: pause a policy without deleting it. Capacity policy: - conversation limit per inbox; - exclusion rules (for example, by label and conversation age); - agents bound to the policy. Use cases - Balance the team: use the balanced strategy to keep one agent from piling up conversations. - Specialist support: skill-match routing sends to the right team first. - Guard against overload: a capacity policy limits concurrent conversations per agent. - SLA: prioritize the longest-waiting conversations to reduce response time. Tips, limits & best practices - Start with a simple strategy (round-robin or balanced) and tune it with real numbers. - Combine routing + capacity: the strategy picks who, capacity prevents overload. - Make sure agents are available (online) — policies distribute to whoever can handle conversations. - Review capacity limits as the team grows or during demand spikes. Troubleshooting - Conversations aren't being assigned: confirm the policy is active and bound to the right inbox, and that there are available agents. - One agent gets too many conversations: review the strategy and add a capacity policy with limits. - I don't see Smart Routing: the module may not be enabled for the account or your role. - Conflict with automation rules: if a rule also assigns agents, align the two so they don't overlap. See also - Automation & Flows overview - Automation rules: triggers, conditions, and actions - Bots and Captain (support AI)
Bots and Captain (support AI)
Overview ConversaLabs offers two ways to automate replies intelligently: - Support bots: bots connected to an inbox that handle the conversation first, answer structured questions, and hand off to a human when needed. - Captain: the platform's AI layer. Captain assistants answer based on your knowledge (documents and responses), and the copilot helps agents draft replies and resolve faster. Together, they reduce the volume reaching agents and improve the consistency and speed of support. Prerequisites - The Captain and/or bots capability enabled for your account (optional, enabled by plan/flag). If it isn't in the menu, talk to an administrator. - Admin permission to configure assistants, the knowledge base, and bots. - A connected inbox where the AI will operate. - Content to feed the knowledge: documents, help pages, or question/answer pairs. Step by step 1. Open the Captain area and create an assistant. 2. Feed the assistant's knowledge: - add documents (or sync pages) for the AI to consult; - register responses (question-and-answer pairs) for frequent questions. 3. Define the assistant's behavior (tone, scope, and when to hand off to a human). 4. Connect the assistant/bot to the desired inbox. 5. Enable the copilot so agents get suggestions inside the conversation. 6. Test with real questions and tune the knowledge based on the answers. Settings & options - Assistants: the AI's "personality" and scope; each assistant can serve specific inboxes. - Documents: the knowledge base the AI uses to answer; these can be synced from pages. - Responses: question/answer pairs that reinforce frequent questions and standardize messages. - Copilot: an assistant for the agent — it suggests replies and summarizes the conversation inside the workspace. - Handoff to a human: define when the AI should transfer the conversation to an agent. Use cases - First-line support: the assistant answers common questions 24/7 and only escalates what's needed. - Qualification: the bot collects initial information before passing the contact to a rep. - Agent support: the copilot suggests the reply from your knowledge, speeding up handling. - Consistency: standardized responses prevent inconsistencies between agents. Tips, limits & best practices - AI quality depends on the knowledge: keep documents and responses up to date. - Always offer a clear path to talk to a human. - Start with a narrow scope (a few topics) and expand as you gain confidence in the answers. - Periodically review conversations where the AI acted to spot knowledge gaps. - Bot vs. Flow Builder: use bot/Captain for knowledge-based replies (natural language); use the Flow Builder for structured dialogues with steps and integrations. Troubleshooting - The AI didn't reply: confirm the assistant/bot is active and connected to the right inbox. - Inaccurate answers: the knowledge may be incomplete or outdated — add documents and responses and refine the scope. - The conversation wasn't handed off: review the handoff-to-human rule. - I don't see Captain: the capability may not be enabled for the account or your access role. See also - Automation & Flows overview - Flow Builder: visual conversational flows - Automation rules: triggers, conditions, and actions - Smart Routing