In short: The canvas is where you build what a chatbot says. Each step is a node: the bot sends a message, the customer replies, and the reply decides the next node. Who starts the bot and when is set separately, in the bot’s settings.
Build a flow
- Start from the Main node. It accepts any message (
*), so you don’t edit its Customer message field. - Drag a node from the left sidebar and connect it.
- In the new node’s Customer message, type the reply that leads to it: exact text, a button’s text, or
*for anything. - Write the bot’s message and set any actions (see below).
- Click Save. The canvas does not save automatically.
- Click Test bot and run the flow as a customer. Then run AI checker to find dead ends and buttons with no target.
- Click Activate. The icon turns from red to green.
Node types
- Regular message: free text. Only works inside the 24-hour window.
- Template message: an approved template, for when the window is closed.
- Menu message and Buttons message (up to 3 buttons): interactive choices. The preview shows a menu as plain text, but customers see a real menu.
- Media message: one image, video, document or audio file.
- Agent: hands the chat to a person.
- Chatbot: moves the customer to another bot.
- HTTP request: calls an external system, for example to check an order.
- AI: Dolores AI answers this step. Uses 1 AI credit per run.
Node actions and variables
- Continue to the next message: moves on without waiting for a reply.
- Add customer to a list and Change customer status.
- Turn off the bot for the customer: usually at the end of a flow.
- Save point: after a reset, the customer returns here instead of the start.
- Save the customer’s reply: stores it in a customer field, so later nodes can use it.
To personalize a message, insert a variable from the variables menu, for example {{first_name}}. Canvas variables have names. Template variables are numbered ({{1}}) and are a different thing.
Plan limits
Your plan limits the total number of nodes you build across all bots, not how many times bots run. Standard includes 25, Pro 100 and Scale 500. At the limit you can’t add nodes, duplicate a bot or import a bot template until you upgrade or buy more on the pricing page. Bot messages are also billed by Meta: see Paying Meta and WhatsApp Messaging Costs.
Common questions
A customer taps a button and nothing happens
The next node’s Customer message must match the button text exactly, including emojis and spaces.
{{first_name}} shows as text
It was typed by hand with a typo, or the field is empty for that customer. Insert it again from the variables menu.
The bot stops mid-flow
The node has Turn off the bot on, or the customer’s reply matches no next node. Run the AI checker.
A regular message fails to send
The 24-hour window closed. Use a Template message node instead.