Every Flow Editor Component Explained: What Each One Does
The UlakChat flow editor has 15 components for message automation and 8 for comment automation. Here is what each one does and when to use it, all on one page.
In this post
In UlakChat, you build an automation by connecting components in the flow editor. The Message Automation editor has 15 components and the Comment Automation editor has 8. This post is a quick map of all of them: what each component does, when it's useful and which post covers it in more detail.
Where to add components
Drag a component from the Components palette at the side of the editor and drop it on the canvas. On a phone, just tap it in the palette. You can also right-click an empty spot on the canvas to open the Add Component menu. This menu has a search box, and if you pin it you can add several components one after another.
When you click the output point of a step, the What should connect here? menu appears. Components that usually come after that step are listed at the top under Next step. The one you pick is added and connected straight to that output.
The list has two sections. Basic components are always visible and are enough to build a flow from start to finish. The rest sit under the Advanced heading, which starts collapsed. Click the heading once to open it and the editor remembers it.
Message Automation components
These components work in Instagram DMs and Facebook Messenger.
Basic
| Component | What it does | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | Starts the flow. You decide which messages it runs on with keywords or the AI Intent Detector. There's also a separate trigger type for people who come from your ads. | First message automation, Keyword vs. AI trigger, Automating messages from ads |
| Text Message | Sends a plain message. You can add quick replies under it, and each one leads to its own branch. | First message automation |
| Button Menu | Adds buttons under a message. Each button leads to a step in the flow or to a web address. A good fit for a welcome menu. | First message automation |
| Media | Sends an image, video or audio. On the free plan, automations can only send images. | Sending media and files |
| Promo Card | Sends a single card made of an image, title and description. It has no buttons, and the flow continues from one output. | Template Menu and Promo Card |
| End Conversation | Ends the flow. Here you choose how long before the same person can start the flow again. | First message automation |
Advanced
| Component | What it does | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Template Menu | Sends cards that scroll sideways. Each card can have an image, title, subtitle and buttons. Use it to show several products or services side by side. | Template Menu and Promo Card |
| File | Sends a PDF of up to 25 MB. Good for a price list or size chart. Available on paid plans. | Sending media and files |
| Live Support | Hands the conversation to you and stops the automation for that person. It's always the last step of the flow. | Handing over to live support |
| Wait | Pauses the flow for 1 to 60 seconds before it continues. Use it to put a natural gap between messages sent one after another. | The Wait component |
| Product Context Check | Checks whether a product is already known in the conversation and goes to the Product Found or No Product branch. When a customer moves from a comment to DMs, the product is already known. | Linking posts to products |
| Product Detection | Searches your catalog for the product name or code in the customer's message and shows what it finds as cards. If nothing is found, it goes to the Not Found branch. | Auto-replies to size and color questions |
| Variant Selection | Asks about options like size and color one at a time and narrows the customer down to a single variant. It writes the questions itself. | Auto-replies to size and color questions |
| AI Product Q&A | Answers open questions about fabric, fit or shipping using only the information in the product record. If the information isn't there, it won't make something up and goes to the Unknown branch. Available on the Pro plan. | Auto-replies to size and color questions |
| Cross-sell | Suggests other products similar to the one in the conversation, shown as cards. If there are no related products, it goes to the No Related Products branch. | The Cross-sell component |
Variant Selection, AI Product Q&A and Cross-sell don't find the product on their own. The flow has to reach them through a path where the product is already known, meaning the matching branch of Product Detection or Product Context Check.
If AI Product Q&A isn't included in your plan, it shows as locked in the palette. Click the lock to see an upgrade window that tells you which plan includes it.
Comment Automation components
These components work on comments on Instagram posts and Facebook Page posts.
Basic
| Component | What it does | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Comment Trigger | Sets which posts and which comments the flow runs on. You can pick posts one by one or apply it to all of them. | Auto-DM for price comments |
| Reply to Comment | Posts a public reply under the comment. The reply can only be text. | Auto-DM for price comments |
| Private DM | Sends the commenter a direct message. The message type can be Text, Button Menu, Media or File. Only one private message can go to a comment, and it must be sent within 7 days of the comment. | Auto-DM for price comments |
| Link Message Automation | Moves the person into a message automation you choose. When the customer replies to the private message, the conversation continues in that flow. This step is required if the private message has buttons or quick replies. | Auto-DM for price comments |
Advanced
| Component | What it does | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Product Check | Checks whether a product is linked to the post that got the comment. If it is, you can use the product's name and price in your messages. | Linking posts to products |
| Hide Comment | Hides the comment from everyone except its author. The same step can also unhide a comment that was hidden before. | Instagram comment automation |
| Delete Comment | Removes the comment for good. It can't be undone. Use it for spam and abuse. | Instagram comment automation |
| Like Comment | Likes the comment or removes a like. It only works on accounts connected through Meta (Facebook), not on accounts connected by logging in with Instagram. | Facebook support is here |
Facebook Pages are always connected through Meta, so Like Comment works on Page comments. If you connected your Instagram account by logging in with Instagram, the panel shows this step with a warning in the flow. You can remove the step or reconnect the account through Facebook.
Which components to start with
If you're just getting started, you don't need to open the Advanced section. Most businesses build their first flow with these four components:
- Use a Trigger to catch messages like "hi" or "price".
- Offer the customer some choices with a Button Menu.
- Put a Text Message behind each button.
- Finish the flow with End Conversation.
Once your products are in the catalog, you can answer stock and size questions automatically with Product Detection and Variant Selection. For comments, the most common starting setup is Comment Trigger, Private DM and Link Message Automation.
Instead of placing components one by one, you can also have the AI build the flow for you. See our AI Flow Builder guide for how.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to change any settings to use the components in the Advanced section?
No. The Advanced section starts collapsed only to keep the list short. Click its heading to open it, and the editor remembers your choice. Some components depend on your plan: AI Product Q&A is available on the Pro plan, and File on paid plans.
Why is there no Text Message or Media component in comment automation?
In comment flows, the Private DM step sends the message to the commenter. Inside that step you choose the message type: Text, Button Menu, Media or File. If the conversation needs to go further, Link Message Automation moves the person into a DM flow.
Is Product Context Check the same as Product Check in comment flows?
They do a similar job in different places. Product Check in a comment flow looks at whether a product is linked to the post that got the comment. Product Context Check in a message flow looks at whether a product is already known in the conversation, for example when the customer moved from a comment to DMs.
Which components should I start with?
For a first flow, Trigger, Button Menu, Text Message and End Conversation are enough. Once your product catalog is ready, you can move on to the product components in the Advanced section.
