rare-sapphire•17mo ago
Using Function Block in WhatsApp chat
I’ve noticed you can’t use more than 3 buttons in a button block when constructing WhatsApp flows.
I recently saw Voiceflow’s tutorial ( https://youtu.be/bsjpTi1OLU4?si=3T8GapYcuNTXS8oE ) on creating button and listen functions and wondering this would be a workaround for adding more buttons in WhatsApp. Anyway, I tried to build it but the function buttons would not render in the WhatsApp chat even though the default path did work ok when I gave it a typed input.
Does anyone have any info or experience of building/using functions who might be able to explain anything about why WhatsApp either won’t allow you to render more than 3 buttons, or why it won’t pull them through from a function? Or just any info on using functions in WhatsApp flows in general? Love to to get a bit more info on it to increase my understanding.
5 Replies
The limitation of 3 buttons in a button block for WhatsApp flows is due to WhatsApp's own platform restrictions, not a limitation imposed by Voiceflow. WhatsApp's API only supports up to 3 buttons per message, which is why you're experiencing this limitation when designing your chatbot.
As for the issue with the function buttons not rendering in the WhatsApp chat, it's important to note that functions in Voiceflow are used to perform tasks such as making API calls, manipulating variables, or controlling the flow of the conversation. They don't directly control the rendering of interface elements like buttons in the chat. Therefore, using functions wouldn't be a workaround for adding more buttons in WhatsApp.
When you create a function in Voiceflow, it's designed to process inputs and produce outputs, but it doesn't have the capability to directly influence the user interface of the platform where your chatbot is deployed. This is why the buttons you're trying to create in a function aren't appearing in your WhatsApp chat.
In terms of using functions in WhatsApp flows, you can use them to process user inputs, make decisions, and control the flow of the conversation. For example, you could use a function to process a user's response to a set of buttons, and then decide what message or set of buttons to present next based on that response.
Remember, the key to designing effective chatbots is to work within the constraints of the platform you're using. In the case of WhatsApp, this means designing your conversation flows to work effectively with a maximum of 3 buttons per message.
xenophobic-harlequin•17mo ago
Ye the Meta API has a limit of 3 for normal buttons, there is a way through list buttons to get more though. It's something we're going to be implementing soon for FlowBridge (SaaS software for connecting Voiceflow projects to Social Channels) as well
So no experience with it directly yet, but i know it's there
rare-sapphireOP•17mo ago
Thanks Mike. Yeah your Flowbridge has been an absolute godsend. The integration with VF is just offers much more options than doing it with something like ManyChat. Even the way you set it up with Meta in the Flowbridge UI is brilliant as it gives you so much organisational control over that link between VF and WA. If you find a way to add more than three buttons that would be awesome but I appreciate it may be hard with WA restrictions? I would love to see a way to be able to start a conversation off in WA with a button as well rather than having to put that capture step in. Thanks for your product though, it is so, so good. ❤️
xenophobic-harlequin•17mo ago
The buttons will definitely happen soon! As for starting the conversation as soon as the user opens whatsapp im not sure of. There may be additional costs associated with it from the Meta side, so its something that requires a bit further investigation, but definitely something I will look in to!
rare-sapphireOP•17mo ago
Thanks Mike 👍