Triggers Settings

This section contains essential information and usage guidelines for managing WhatsApp Triggers inside BotPenguin.

What is Trigger Settings?

WhatsApp Triggers are predefined words or phrases that set off a specific action inside a bot conversation. They let you restart a chat, hand off to a live agent, manage subscriptions, launch a chatflow, greet first-time users with Ice Breakers, or run a command typed with "/". This turns keyword input from the user into an automatic, predictable action instead of a normal bot reply.

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When should you use this?

Use this feature when:

• You want users to be able to reset a stuck conversation by typing a keyword like "restart"

• You need a quick way for users to escalate to a human agent, without building a full menu flow

• You are trying to automate opt-in/opt-out from broadcasts based on keywords like "start" or "stop"

• You want a specific chatflow to launch the moment a user mentions a topic, like "pricing"

• You want first-time users to see tappable starter options instead of a blank chat

• You want power users to trigger actions quickly using short "/" commands

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Benefits of Triggers Settings

• 🚀 Lets users self-serve common actions (restart, live chat, subscribe/unsubscribe) without extra bot menus

• ⏱️ Reduces time spent manually routing users to the right chatflow

• 🎯 Improves accuracy of chatflow launches with Exact Match vs Contains Match keyword control

• 🔄 Ensures consistent entry points across every conversation, regardless of where the user starts

• 📈 Enhances first-time user engagement through tappable Ice Breakers

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Expected Outcome

After setting this up:

• Your WhatsApp bot will respond automatically to configured keywords instead of treating them as normal messages

• You will notice fewer users getting stuck in flows, since a restart keyword is always available

• Users will experience faster access to live agents, subscriptions management, and relevant chatflows

Tip: This is how your setup should function once completed — a user typing "restart," "agent," "stop," a topic keyword, or a "/" command each produces the exact linked action, every time.

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How to Use Triggers

1. Sign in to your BotPenguin account, select your WhatsApp chatbot, click "Settings," then go to the "Triggers" tab.

1. Under "Bot Triggers," set your keywords for Restart Chatflow, Live Chat, and Subscribe/Unsubscribe.

Example: Set "restart" to reset the chat, "agent" to hand off to a live agent, and "stop" to unsubscribe the user from broadcasts.

1. Under "Chat Flow Triggers," add a keyword and choose Exact Match or Contains Match, then link it to a chatflow.

Example: With Contains Match on the keyword "pricing," a user typing "Can you share pricing details?" launches your pricing chatflow. With Exact Match, only the message "pricing" alone would trigger it.

1. Under "Chatbot Ice Breaker," enter a prompt and select the chatflow it should start.

Example: Add "Track my order" as an Ice Breaker linked to your Order Tracking chatflow — a first-time user taps it instead of typing a message.

1. Under "Chatbot Commands," enter a command name, description, and trigger action, then click "Save Changes."

Example: Create /human, described as "Talk to a live agent," with the trigger action set to Live Chat — typing /human at any point hands the chat to a live agent.

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Best Practices

💡 Keep trigger keywords short and easy to remember — single words outperform phrases.

⚠️ Avoid overlapping keywords across multiple Chat Flow Triggers; similar Contains Match keywords produce unpredictable behavior.

🚀 Regularly review which keywords users actually type and adjust triggers to match real usage.

🎯 Pair Ice Breakers with your most common user intents so first-time users can skip typing altogether.

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Troubleshooting

Issue: A trigger keyword isn't firing the expected action.

Solution: Check for a conflicting or overlapping keyword on another trigger of the same type — the first match found may be taking priority.

Issue: A Contains Match chat flow trigger fires on unrelated messages.

Solution: The keyword is likely too broad or a common substring. Switch to Exact Match, or use a more specific keyword.

Issue: A command typed with "/" isn't recognized.

Solution: Confirm the command name matches exactly, including case, and that it was saved under Chatbot Commands. If it still doesn't match, the bot treats it as a normal message.

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FAQs

Can I assign the same command to multiple actions?

No, each command can trigger only one action. You'll need to create separate commands for different functions.

Will users see a list of available Ice Breakers in the chat?

Yes, users will see a list of all available Ice Breakers as soon as they open the chat.

Can commands be used in groups or only individual chats?

Commands are designed for 1:1 user-to-bot interactions and work best in individual WhatsApp sessions for automation and engagement.

What happens if a user types a wrong command?

If the typed command doesn't match any configured action, the bot treats it as a normal message. It won't trigger anything unless handled in a fallback or default flow.

What's the difference between Exact Match and Contains Match?

Exact Match only fires when the user's entire message is the configured keyword. Contains Match fires whenever the keyword appears anywhere inside the user's message.

Can I have more than one Restart or Live Chat keyword?

Yes, you can configure multiple keywords for the same Bot Trigger type, so users have more than one way to reach the same action.

Do Triggers work the same way on other channels, like Website or Instagram?

This guide covers WhatsApp Triggers specifically. Other channels may have their own trigger or command setup — check the relevant channel's Settings tab.

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Related Articles

Manage ChatflowLive ChatsCreate Chatflow

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Support

If you still have questions for our team, write to us at [e-mail]. We'll get back to you within 48 hours.

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🎉 Completion

🎉 Congratulations, you have successfully completed this section! You're one step closer to mastering BotPenguin.