Testing and simulating chatbot flows

Always test your flows before making them live to catch issues and ensure a smooth customer experience.

Using the flow simulator

1. Open your flow in the Flow Builder
2. Click "Test" or "Simulate" in the toolbar
3. A chat simulation panel opens on the right
4. Interact with the flow as if you were a customer:
   • Type messages
   • Click buttons
   • See bot responses
5. Walk through every possible path

What to test

Happy path

• Does the main flow work from start to finish?
• Are all messages correct and well-formatted?
• Do buttons lead to the right next step?

Edge cases

• What happens if the customer types something unexpected?
• What if they don't click a button and type instead?
• Does the transfer node actually hand off correctly?

Variables

• Are variables being set and used correctly?
• Do personalized messages show the right data?

Testing on a real device

For the most accurate test:

1. Make sure the flow has a keyword trigger set up
2. Send the keyword from your personal WhatsApp to your business number
3. Interact with the flow as a real customer would
4. Check message formatting, button rendering, and timing

Common issues found during testing

Tips

1. Test every path — Don't just test the happy path
2. Test on mobile — Messages render differently on phone vs desktop
3. Check timing — Delays should feel natural (2-5 seconds between messages)
4. Get a colleague to test — Fresh eyes catch issues you miss
5. Test after every change — Don't accumulate untested changes