When a Contact is created
When a Contact is created runs once for each new contact, usually the first time someone messages you on any connected channel or when a team member adds a contact. Use it to welcome new people, tag them by channel or route the chat to the right team member.
Conditions
Conditions are optional. Click Add Condition, then pick a Field, an Operator and a value. Choose All (AND) or Any (OR) under Condition Type to decide whether every condition or just one must match.
| Condition | Operators | Values |
|---|---|---|
| Contact Group | is part of all, is part of any, is not part of all | Your contact groups |
| Contact Tags | includes any, does not include all, is part of all, is part of any, is not part of all | Your contact tags |
| Contact Stage | equals, not equals | Subscriber, Lead, Engaged, Marketing qualified lead (MQL), Sales qualified lead (SQL), Opportunity, Follow-up Required, Customer, Evangelist, Other, Lost, Inactive |
| Channel | equals, not equals | WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Live Chat |
| Last Contact activity time | is between, is on, is before, is after, is less than X period ago (past), is more than X period ago (past) | A time of day, weekdays or a period |
Use Channel to send the welcome on the channel the person used: WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Telegram or Live Chat.
Actions
Click Add Action and choose from Select Action. Actions run in order; use the arrows to reorder them. To delay an action, click Add wait time (or Add wait & Schedule time on template and email actions). Wait times count from the trigger event, not from the previous action.
| Action | What it does | Wait time |
|---|---|---|
| Notify Staffs via WhatsApp | Sends a WhatsApp template message to the team members you choose. | Minutes to months |
| send a WhatsApp template message | Sends an approved WhatsApp template. Works outside the 24-hour session, so use it for reminders, follow-ups and anything sent later. | Minutes to months |
| send Customer Satisfaction Survey (CSAT) | Sends a customer satisfaction (CSAT) survey. | Minutes to months |
| Add the Contact to Group | Adds the contact to a contact group, which you can check in later conditions. | Minutes to months |
| Remove the Contact from Group | Removes the contact from a contact group, for example so a rule does not run twice. | Minutes to months |
| Add Contact Tags | Adds tags to the contact. | Minutes to months |
| Remove Contact Tags | Removes tags from the contact. | Minutes to months |
| Update Contact Stage | Moves the contact to a stage, such as Lead or Customer. | Minutes to months |
| Assign chat to unassigned queue | Moves the chat to the unassigned queue so a team member can pick it up (bot-to-human handover). | Up to 1 day |
| Assign chat to Staff | Assigns the chat to the team member you choose. | Up to 1 day |
| Auto-Assign Chat to Staff - Round Robin | Assigns the chat to team members in turn (round robin). | Up to 1 day |
| Auto Close Conversation | Closes the conversation, so automations answer again the next time the person writes. | Minutes to months |
| send WhatsApp message | Sends a WhatsApp text reply. Only delivered while the 24-hour WhatsApp session is open. | Up to 1 day |
| send WhatsApp interactive message - Buttons | Sends a WhatsApp message with reply buttons. | Up to 1 day |
| send WhatsApp interactive message - List options | Sends a WhatsApp message with a list of options to choose from. | Up to 1 day |
| send WhatsApp interactive message - CTA URL | Sends a WhatsApp message with a button that opens a link. | Up to 1 day |
| send WhatsApp interactive message - Flow | Sends a WhatsApp Flow, a form that opens inside WhatsApp. | Up to 1 day |
| send WhatsApp media | Sends an image, video or document. | Up to 1 day |
| send WhatsApp audio | Sends an audio file or voice note. | Up to 1 day |
| send WhatsApp location Message | Sends a map location, such as your address. | Up to 1 day |
| request WhatsApp location Message | Asks the contact to share their location. | Up to 1 day |
| request WhatsApp Phone Number | Asks the contact to share their phone number. Useful when someone writes from a WhatsApp username and their number is not known yet. | Up to 1 day |
| request permission to call on WhatsApp | Asks the contact for permission to call them on WhatsApp. Skipped when permission is already in place. WhatsApp allows one request every 24 hours and two every 7 days. | Up to 1 day |
| Send Instagram Text Message | Sends an Instagram text reply while the messaging window is open. | Up to 1 day |
| send Instagram media | Sends an image, video or file on Instagram. | Up to 1 day |
| send Instagram audio | Sends an audio message on Instagram. | Up to 1 day |
| send Instagram Generic Template | Sends an Instagram card with buttons, or a carousel of cards. | Up to 1 day |
| send Instagram Quick Replies | Sends an Instagram message with up to 13 quick reply buttons. | Up to 1 day |
| Send Messenger Text Message | Sends a Messenger text reply while the messaging window is open. | Up to 1 day |
| send Messenger media | Sends an image, video or file on Messenger. | Up to 1 day |
| send Messenger audio | Sends an audio message on Messenger. | Up to 1 day |
| send Messenger Generic Template | Sends a Messenger card with buttons, or a carousel of cards. | Up to 1 day |
| Send Messenger Utility Template Message | Sends an approved Messenger utility template. Works outside the 24-hour window. | Minutes to months |
| send Messenger Quick Replies | Sends a Messenger message with up to 13 quick reply buttons. | Up to 1 day |
| Send Telegram Text Message | Sends a Telegram text reply. | Up to 1 day |
| Send Telegram Template Message | Sends a Telegram message with buttons. | Up to 1 day |
| send Telegram media | Sends an image, video or file on Telegram. | Up to 1 day |
| send Telegram audio | Sends an audio message on Telegram. | Up to 1 day |
| Send Website Text Message | Sends a live chat text reply. | Minutes to months |
| send Website media | Sends an image, video or file in live chat. | Minutes to months |
| send Website interactive template message | Sends a live chat message with buttons. | Minutes to months |
| Webhooks by Whautomate | Sends the event data to your own URL (webhook). | Minutes to months |
| Add Contact Notes | Adds a note to the contact. | Minutes to months |
Example
Welcome new WhatsApp contacts
- Create a rule named "Welcome new contacts" with the When a Contact is created trigger.
- Add the condition Channel equals WhatsApp.
- Add the action send WhatsApp message: "Hi! Thanks for getting in touch. How can we help you today?"
- Add a second action Add Contact Tags with the tag "lead".
Good to know
- Contacts added by a bulk import do not run this rule. To message imported contacts, use a broadcast.
- Pick the send action that matches the channel, for example send WhatsApp message for WhatsApp contacts. A message on another channel cannot reach them.