QuestionText Component

Overview

The QuestionText component allows you to ask users open-ended questions and collect their text responses. Perfect for gathering names, addresses, descriptions, feedback, and any other free-form text input.

When to Use QuestionText

Ideal for scenarios like: - Collecting user names or contact information - Asking for addresses or locations - Gathering feedback or comments - Getting detailed descriptions - Open-ended survey questions - Custom text input requirements

Configuration

Store User Response

The text entered by the user can be saved to a variable for later use:

In "Store output in variable", enter a variable name:

Example: userName
Example: userAddress
Example: feedbackText

Use this variable later in your flow:

Thank you {userName} for your feedback!

Auto Transition Mode

Toggle "Auto transition" to ON when you want to: - Display a message without waiting for user input - Automatically move to the next step - Show information or instructions

When enabled: - No user input is collected - Flow immediately transitions to next component - Variable storage is disabled - Use for informational messages

Add quick navigation options for better user experience:

Go Back Button

Toggle "Go Back" to ON

Customize label (max 20 characters):

Default: "Go Back"
Custom: "Previous Step"

Allows users to return to previous step

Go On Button

Toggle "Go On" to ON

Customize label (max 20 characters):

Default: "Go On"
Custom: "Continue"
Custom: "Next"

Allows users to proceed without typing

Note: Navigation buttons are only available when auto-transition is OFF.

Add Image

Enhance your question with a visual element:

Click "Add Image"
Upload an image (max 5 MB)
Image appears above your question text
Helps provide context or visual instructions

Good for: - Showing examples - Visual instructions - Product images - Reference materials

How It Works

User Experience

Bot asks: "What is your name?"
User: Types their response
QuestionText: Captures and stores the response
Result: Text stored in your variable for later use

Message Length Limits

WhatsApp limit: 1024 characters for outgoing messages
User input: No limit on incoming text length
Messages exceeding 1024 characters will be automatically truncated with "..."

Use Cases & Examples

1. Name Collection

Configuration: - Message: "What is your full name?" - Variable: userName - Go On: OFF

User flow:

Bot: What is your full name?
User: John Smith
-> Stored in {userName}

2. Address Collection

Configuration: - Message: "Please enter your delivery address" - Variable: deliveryAddress - Go On: OFF

3. Feedback Collection

Configuration: - Message: "How was your experience with our service?" - Variable: userFeedback - Go On: ON ("Skip")

Allows users to skip if they don't want to provide feedback.

4. Information Display (Auto-Transition)

Configuration: - Message: "Thank you! Processing your request..." - Auto transition: ON - Variable: (disabled)

Simply displays the message and moves on automatically.

Best Practices

Message Clarity

DO: - Ask clear, specific questions - Use simple language - Provide examples when helpful - Explain what format you need

DON'T: - Ask vague or ambiguous questions - Use technical jargon - Assume users know what to enter

Examples

Good:

"Please enter your email address (example: john@example.com)"
"What is your phone number? (10 digits, no spaces)"
"Describe the issue in a few sentences"

Bad:

"Enter details"
"Provide information"
"Input data"

Variable Naming

DO: - Use descriptive variable names (userName, customerEmail) - Use camelCase for consistency - Keep names concise but meaningful

DON'T: - Use generic names (var1, temp, x) - Include spaces or special characters - Use reserved keywords

DO: - Use "Go Back" for returning to previous steps - Use "Go On" or "Skip" for optional questions - Keep button labels under 20 characters - Use clear, action-oriented labels

DON'T: - Use long descriptive labels (they'll be truncated) - Leave labels empty - Use confusing button text

Technical Details

Input Validation

The QuestionText component: - Accepts any text input from users - No automatic validation (use Formula or CustomCode for validation) - Stores raw user input in the variable - Trims whitespace from responses

WhatsApp Limitations

Outgoing message limit: 1024 characters
User input: No character limit
Button labels: Maximum 20 characters
Variable names: Must be valid identifiers

Variable Storage

User responses are stored as: - Type: String - Encoding: UTF-8 - Whitespace: Leading/trailing whitespace removed - Empty responses: Stored as empty string

Common Patterns

Sequential Questions

Use multiple QuestionText components in sequence:

QuestionText (name) -> QuestionText (email) -> QuestionText (phone)

Optional Questions with Skip

Enable "Go On" button for optional questions:

Message: "Any additional comments? (Optional)"
Go On: "Skip"

Confirmation Flow

Collect input, then confirm:

QuestionText (collect) -> Text (confirm: "You entered: {userInput}")

Validation Pattern

Collect input, validate, retry if invalid:

QuestionText -> Formula (validate) -> (valid) Success
                                   -> (invalid) Error message -> back to QuestionText

Troubleshooting

Issue: Users send wrong format

Solution: Provide clear examples and format instructions in your question

Issue: Variable not storing

Check: - Variable name is properly configured - Auto-transition is OFF - Component is properly connected in flow

Issue: Message too long

Solution: - Keep questions concise - Split long messages into multiple Text components - Use variables to reduce repetition

Check: - Auto-transition is OFF - Flow has valid previous/next states - Button labels are under 20 characters

Need Help?

Email: contact@intalos.de

Last Updated: October 20, 2025

QuestionText