The Flow editor — screens, components, JSON and settings

🎯 Goal

Design exactly the form you need: the right questions, on the right screens, saved to the right contact fields.

🧰 What you need

• A form open in WhatsApp Flows

Screens

A Flow is made of screens (up to 10). Customers move forward with the screen’s button; the last screen submits. Each screen has a Screen title and a Screen ID (letters and underscores). The screens are listed on the left of the Build tab: + Screen adds one, Delete screen removes the selected one.

login.meapi.in/whatsapp-flows/3

• Left: the screens. Click one to edit it.
• Middle: Screen title, Screen ID, the components (move up, move down, delete) and Add for a new one, then the screen Button.
• Right: the phone preview, built from the real Flow JSON.

One screen, one question works well on phones for long questions. Group short, related ones (name + email) together.

Components

Component	Collects / shows	Notes
Short answer	One line	Input type: Text, Number, Email, Phone or Code; optional helper text
Long answer	Several lines: requirements, feedback
Dropdown	One option from a list	Options up to 30 characters each
Single choice	One option, all visible (radio)	Best for 2–6 options; 30 characters each
Multiple choice	Several options (checkboxes)	Options up to 30 characters each
Date picker	A date, with Earliest / Latest limits	Bookings, date of birth
Opt-in checkbox	A yes/no consent tick	“Send me offers on WhatsApp”
Heading, Subheading, Paragraph, Small text	Text only	Instructions, small print
Image	A PNG or JPG picture	Max 300 KB

For each question:

• Label: what the customer reads (the editor shows the maximum length).
• Required: they can’t continue without answering.
• Field name: the key the answer is saved under, such as preferred_date. It is filled from the label; lower case, digits and underscores only. It is also the contact field unless you map it elsewhere.

Button

Each screen’s Button label (Continue, Book now, Submit). On the last screen it submits the form.

Settings tab

• Category and data: tick one or more of Meta’s categories (sign up, sign in, appointment booking, lead generation, contact us, customer support, survey, other).
• Save answers to the contact: for each question pick {{field}} (same name), another contact field, or Don’t save on the contact. Each answer goes into a contact field (usable in messages, segments and flows).
• Dynamic (data endpoint): prefill answers and load options from your server. See Dynamic Flows.

JSON tab

Shows the generated Flow JSON (version 6.0). Experts can click Edit JSON directly to use features the visual builder doesn’t cover. After that the visual builder is no longer used for this Flow (This Flow is edited as JSON); the Build tab becomes Preview. Forms imported from Meta are always edited as JSON.

Tip

Start from a ready form even for custom needs. Delete what you don’t need. It’s faster than a blank form, and the screens are already well structured.

Common mistakes

• Field names with spaces or capitals. Use preferred_date, not Preferred Date.
• Too many required fields. Each one costs completions. Require only what you truly need.
• Editing JSON, then expecting the visual editor back. Duplicate the Flow before switching if you may want the visual editor later.

What’s next

Send and read responses →Get it in front of customers.Dynamic Flows →Prefill and live options.