Flows
A flow is an automated sequence of messages triggered by an event and executed step by step — a welcome sequence after signup, a reminder chain before an appointment, a re-engagement track after 90 days of inactivity.
What is a flow?
A flow is a pre-planned sequence of automated actions that runs when a defined event occurs. Instead of sending a single message, you plan a chain: "When a contact signs up, send welcome immediately → wait 24 hours → send tip → wait 3 days → send onboarding check."
Building blocks of a flow
Every flow consists of typed nodes connected in a directed graph:
- Trigger: The event that starts the flow (e.g., "tag added," "webhook received," "form submitted").
- Send node: Send a message via a channel (WhatsApp, email, SMS, Telegram, Messenger, Instagram).
- Wait node: Wait period — fixed ("3 days") or conditional ("until contact replies, max 48 hours").
- Condition node: Branch based on a rule ("Does the contact have the 'VIP' tag?").
- Tag node: Set or remove a tag to update the contact's state.
- End node: Explicitly close out a flow branch — signals to the validator that this path intentionally ends.
Flows vs. broadcasts
| Aspect | Broadcast | Flow |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | Manual send at a fixed time | Event-driven, runs automatically |
| Personalization | Hard, mostly one-to-many | High — every step can check contact state |
| Multi-step | Single send | Multiple steps over days/weeks |
| Example | "Black Friday offer to all" | "4-touch welcome over 14 days" |
You can combine both: a broadcast triggers a flow for recipients who reply.
Flows in practice
Typical flow classes:
- Welcome flow: Multi-step onboarding spread over the first 14 days after signup.
- Appointment reminder flow: 24h before → 1h before → 15min before, all automatic.
- Re-engagement flow: Trigger after 60 days of inactivity, with two messages spaced out.
- Abandoned cart flow: Reminder 1 hour after abandonment, discount offer 24 hours later.
- Lead qualification flow: Walk contact through questions, tag them, hand off to sales.
Flow Builder and flow definition
Visual flow editors build the flow definition as a graph: nodes with inputs/outputs, connected by edges. Before publishing, a validator checks whether all nodes are wired correctly, branches end properly, and infinite loops are impossible.
Details in the Flow Builder entry.
Flows at SendSeven
SendSeven Flows use a visual editor with Send, Wait, Condition, Tag, and End nodes. Per flow run, you can override the send channel (e.g., normally WhatsApp, fall back to email). Tag nodes apply or remove tags. Condition operators cover comparisons, string matching, and list membership. The flow validator blocks publishing if the graph structure is incomplete.