Chat App Message Service:Use flow editor

1. Create a flow

You can create a flow by using different methods:

1. Entry point: In the Chat App Message Service console, choose Chat Flow in the left navigation pane. On the Flow Management tab, click Create Flow.

2. Choose a creation method: Select a creation method. You can Create on Blank Canvas, Import Flow, or Create Based on Template.

   Create on Blank Canvas

   Create a flow from scratch on a blank canvas.

   Trigger type	Description
   Manual	Triggered by API operations or marketing campaigns.
   WhatsApp	Triggered by a WhatsApp message.
   Instagram	Triggered by an Instagram message.
   Viber	Triggered by a Viber message.
   Messenger	Triggered by a Messenger message.

   Import Flow

   Upload a JSON file that was exported from another flow. After the file is imported, a new flow that is identical to the original is created.

   Create Based on Template

   In the dialog box, select a template from the View Template drop-down list and click OK. 

   Note

   Alternatively, on the Chat Flow page, click the View Template tab. You can select a template, edit its components as needed, and then click Create Flow to create the flow.

3. Set flow information: Enter a flow name and description, then click OK.

   

   Note

   You must set flow information when you create a flow from a blank canvas or import a flow.

2. Orchestrate the components

Design and orchestrate the flow on the canvas.

1. Go to the canvas page: In the Chat App Message Service console, choose Chat Flow in the left navigation pane. On the Flow Management tab, click a flow name.

2. Orchestrate the components: On the canvas page, click the Component Library icon. Drag and drop the desired components to the canvas. Place components between the Start and End nodes, or click the icon between the Start and End nodes.

   

3. Configure components: Configure parameters for the components. For more information, see Chat Flow components.

   

4. Save: After the flow is orchestrated, click Save in the upper-right corner. 

   

   Note

   To prevent accidental data loss, save your flow periodically during the orchestration process.

3. Publish the flow

Publish the flow that you orchestrated on the canvas. For flows that are triggered by user reply messages, the flow can be triggered only when it is published and associated with a marketing campaign. For more information, see Manage marketing campaign.

1. Go to the canvas page: In the Chat App Message Service console, choose Chat Flow in the left navigation pane. On the Flow Management tab, click a flow name.

2. Publish the flow: Click Save and Publish to publish the flow.

3. Check the flow status: On the Flow Management tab, verify that the flow status is Published.

4. Edit the flow (Optional)

You can modify the basic information, account information, and logging configurations of the flow after it is published or saved.

1. Entry point: In the Chat App Message Service console, choose Chat Flow in the left navigation pane. On the Flow Management tab, find the flow that you want to modify and click Settings in the Actions column.

   • Edit basic information: In the Edit Flow dialog box, modify the Basic Information for the flow, including the Flow Name and Remarks.

     

   • Edit account attachment: Click the Bind Account tab in the dialog box. Modify the Account Name and Mobile Number information.

     Note

     You can attach an account only when the trigger type is WhatsApp, Viber, or Instagram. You can attach an account only when the flow is offline.

   • Log: On the Log tab, enable or disable the logging feature. When enabled, data from Chat Flow triggers and executions is collected by Alibaba Cloud Simple Log Service. You can then view the logs to assist with code debugging, fault analysis, and data analytics. To use the logging feature, you must activate SLS. For more information, see Use LoongCollector to collect and analyze ECS text logs.

     

2. Click OK in the Edit Flow dialog box to save your changes.

5. Delete the flow (Optional)

You can delete a flow if it is no longer needed. Only an offline flow can be deleted. In the Chat App Message Service console, choose Chat Flow in the left navigation pane. On the Flow Management tab, find the flow that you want to delete and click Delete in the Actions column. In the message that appears, click OK.