Conversation Flows
A Conversation Flow agent does not improvise the whole call from one prompt. Instead, it moves through a map of steps that you draw — like a flowchart the agent follows while still speaking naturally. This page explains when to use a flow and how the flow builder works.
Flow or Single Prompt?
You choose between the two modes in step 2 of the create wizard (see Creating an Agent).
Choose Single Prompt when:
- The conversation is open-ended — general reception, support, or Q&A.
- One well-written set of instructions covers everything the agent needs.
- You want the simplest setup that is easiest to maintain.
Choose Conversation Flow when:
- The call must follow a defined sequence — verify the caller, then present the offer, then capture the outcome.
- Different phases of the call need different instructions or different tools.
- You need the structure of a script with the flexibility of an AI agent — collections, qualification, surveys, appointment booking.
Conversation Flows are voice-only. Chat agents are always Single Prompt, and the create wizard skips the type step for the Chat channel. If you switch a flow agent's Channel to Chat, the platform warns you that the flow will not apply to chat conversations.
The Conversation Flow panel
On a flow agent's configuration screen, a Conversation Flow panel is pinned to the bottom of the page. There you can:
- Set the Flow Name and Description.
- Click Open Flow Builder to open the visual builder in full screen.
Inside the flow builder
The builder shows your conversation as a diagram made of two things:
- States — the boxes. Each state is one phase of the conversation, such as greeting the caller, verifying their identity, or wrapping up.
- Edges — the arrows between states. Each edge tells the agent when to move from one state to the next, based on what happens in the conversation.
A typical first flow looks like this:
- Create a starting state that greets the caller and states the reason for the call.
- Add a state for each distinct phase — one per question, topic, or decision point.
- Connect the states with edges, describing the condition that moves the conversation forward, for example the caller confirming their identity.
- Give each state its own instructions for exactly that moment of the call.
Per-state configuration
Each state carries its own setup, so the agent behaves differently as the call progresses:
- Prompt — instructions that apply only while the conversation is in this state.
- Tools — which functions the agent may use here. You might allow End Call only in the final state, for instance.
- MCP — which connected MCP tools are available in this state.
- In-call workflows — automations the agent can trigger while in this state.
This is the real power of flows: the agent in the "verification" state cannot wander off into pricing, because those instructions and tools simply are not present there.
A flow agent needs at least one state before it can be created. And as with every agent change, editing the flow only updates your draft — click Publish before expecting live calls to follow the new flow. See Testing & Publishing.
Tips for a flow that works
- Keep each state small and single-purpose. Many short states beat a few giant ones.
- Write edge conditions in plain language and make them mutually clear, so the agent always knows which way to go.
- Always give the flow an ending: a final state where the agent wraps up and may use End Call.
- Test the unhappy paths too — what happens when the caller says no, gets confused, or asks something off-script.
When your flow is ready, run a test call from the test panel to walk through it end to end — see Testing & Publishing.