Automation
How to Set Up WhatsApp Chatbot Rules in Inaiy
Set up WhatsApp chatbot rules in Inaiy: reply to keywords like PRICE, assign the chat to a team or agent, add labels, and set priority so the right rule runs.
Updated · 6 min read
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WhatsApp chatbot rules are simple "if this, then that" replies. For example: when a customer sends PRICE, reply with your price list and assign the chat to Sales. In Inaiy, go to Chat Rules, click Add rule, enter the keywords, choose how they match, write the reply, pick who gets the chat, and click Save. The rule starts working on the next message that matches.
Rules need no canvas and no publishing. Use them for quick answers and routing. Use a workflow when the customer has to go through several steps.
Who this is for and what you need first
This guide is for Owners, Admins, and support leads who want instant replies to common questions.
You need:
- A connected WhatsApp number, or Instagram or Messenger, since rules work on every channel.
- A short list of the questions customers ask most, and the words they use to ask them.
- Teams, queues, or agents set up if you want rules to assign chats. See WhatsApp conversation routing.
Steps to set up WhatsApp chatbot rules
1. Open Chat Rules
Click Chat Rules under Automation. The page describes rules as "keyword or contains match → reply, assign, and/or label". The table shows each rule's Priority, Name, Channel, Match, Actions, and Status.
Click Add rule (callout 1). The arrow icon in each row (callout 2) is Convert to workflow, covered in step 6.
2. Name the rule and set its priority
In New chat rule, enter a Name your team will recognise, such as "Price list reply".
Set the Priority. The default is 100. Inaiy checks rules from the lowest number to the highest, and only the first rule that matches runs. Give specific rules, such as PRICE, a lower number than broad ones, such as a catch-all greeting.
Leave Enabled on. Under Channel, pick one number, or All channels.
3. Add the keywords
In Keywords (callout 1), type the words that should start the rule, separated by commas, such as PRICE, PRICES, RATE. Upper and lower case do not matter, so PRICE, Price, and price all match. Extra spaces are ignored.
Two options narrow the rule further:
- First message of a new conversation only: fire only when a new conversation starts.
- Only outside business hours: fire only when you are closed. See WhatsApp after-hours message.
4. Choose how keywords match
Open Match (callout 1) and pick one:
- Exact keyword: the whole message must be the keyword. "price" matches, but "what is the price?" does not.
- Contains: the keyword can appear anywhere in the message, so "what is the price?" matches. Choose short words with care, because "rate" also matches "separate".
- Any message: any text message matches. No keywords are needed. Use this for a catch-all reply, with a high priority number so specific rules run first.
5. Set the reply, assignment, and labels
- Reply text: the message sent back. Keep it short and give the next step, such as "Reply ORDER to place an order".
- Assign (callout 2 in the previous image): No assignment, or a Team, Queue, or Agent.
- Add conversation labels: tag the chat, such as "pricing", so you can filter and report on it later.
A rule can do one, two, or all three. Click Save.
6. Move to a workflow when a rule grows
When a rule needs menus or several questions, click Convert to workflow in its row. Inaiy creates a draft workflow from the rule and turns the rule off so it does not fire twice. Labels and the first-message-only option do not fully carry over, so review the draft before you publish it. See WhatsApp workflow automation.
How to confirm it worked
- The rule appears in the table with its priority, match type, and Enabled status.
- From your own phone, send one of the keywords to your WhatsApp number. The reply should arrive within seconds.
- Open the conversation in the inbox. Check that it went to the right team or agent and has the label.
Common mistakes
- A published workflow uses the same keyword. The info bar warns that published workflows still win when they match the same message. Pick one owner for each keyword.
- A catch-all rule with a low number. An Any message rule at priority 10 answers before every other rule. Give catch-alls the highest number.
- Testing in a chat a teammate just answered. Rules hold back their reply and assignment for a while after a person replies in the chat, so they do not talk over your team. Test from a fresh conversation. The same keyword also will not repeat the reply within a short cooldown.
Related guides
- Build multi-step journeys with WhatsApp workflow automation.
- Reply when you are closed with a WhatsApp after-hours message.
- Send chats to the right people with WhatsApp conversation routing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between chat rules and workflows?
Chat rules run one step when a message matches: a reply, an assignment, a label, or all three. Workflows are multi-step journeys with button menus, questions, waits, and conditions. If a published workflow and a chat rule both match a message, the workflow wins. Start with rules and convert them when they grow.
Are WhatsApp chatbot rules case sensitive?
No. Inaiy compares the message and your keywords in lower case and ignores extra spaces at the start, end, and between words. So PRICE, Price, and price all match the keyword price. Only spelling matters, so add common misspellings and plurals as extra keywords, separated by commas.
Will a rule reply again every time the customer sends the keyword?
Not straight away. After replying, a rule waits a short cooldown before it replies again in the same conversation, and Any message rules wait several hours. Rules also skip the reply and the assignment when a teammate has recently answered in that chat. Labels still apply.
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