---
title: What are WhatsApp Flows? Meaning & examples
description: WhatsApp Flows are forms and short multi-screen steps that open
  inside a WhatsApp chat. Learn how they work and how shops use them to collect
  orders.
url: https://salemag.net/glossary/whatsapp-flows
language: en
published: 2026-10-21
updated: 2026-10-21
author: SaleMag Team
tags:
  - whatsapp flows
  - whatsapp forms
  - whatsapp order form
---

# What are WhatsApp Flows? Meaning & examples

> WhatsApp Flows are in-chat forms on the WhatsApp Business Platform. A business sends a message with a button, and the customer fills in screens with text fields, dropdowns, date pickers and choices without leaving WhatsApp. The answers come back to the business as structured data.

## What are WhatsApp Flows?

**WhatsApp Flows** let a business send a form that opens inside the chat. The customer taps a button, a screen slides up, and they fill it in: text fields, dropdowns, radio buttons, checkboxes, date pickers. When they tap the final button, WhatsApp sends the answers back to the business as structured data, not as loose text that someone has to read and retype.

Each Flow is defined in JSON and published on your [WABA](https://salemag.net/glossary/waba). It can be:

- **static**, with the data filled in when the message is sent, or
- **connected to an endpoint**, so the business's server can update the next screen live.

Common uses are order forms, appointment booking, lead forms, surveys and sign-up.

## Why do Flows matter for sellers in Bangladesh?

The slowest part of a chat sale is collecting the name, phone, full address and delivery area, especially when customers mix Bangla and English or send the address over four messages. A Flow puts all of that on one screen, with the delivery area as a choice instead of free text, so fewer orders end up with missing details.

## Example

A customer has picked two items in chat. The shop sends an order message with a **Fill order form** button. The form shows the cart, a choice of Inside Dhaka or Outside Dhaka with the delivery charge and total, and fields for name, phone and address. The customer taps **Place order**.

This is how SaleMag's [WhatsApp order form](https://salemag.net/features/whatsapp-order-form) works on official Cloud API numbers. On other channels the customer gets a secure form link instead.

## Related terms

[Cash on delivery](https://salemag.net/glossary/cash-on-delivery), WhatsApp Cloud API, conversational commerce.

## FAQ

### Do WhatsApp Flows work on the WhatsApp Business app?

No. Flows are a WhatsApp Business Platform feature, used through the Cloud API.

### Can a Flow show live data like prices and stock?

Yes. A Flow can be filled with data when it is sent, or call the business's own endpoint while the customer moves through it.

### Can I send a Flow outside the 24-hour window?

Yes, by attaching it to an approved template. Inside the window you can send it as a normal interactive message.