Build a WhatsApp Flow with the Form Builder

Step-by-step guide to building a WhatsApp Flow using the ChatMaxima visual Form Builder, with drag-and-drop screens, components, live preview, and publishing.

Overview

The Form Builder is the visual, drag-and-drop way to build a WhatsApp Flow in ChatMaxima. Use it when your form has a fixed set of fields and options that you know in advance, such as a contact form, a feedback survey, or a support intake form. You add screens, drop components onto them, configure each component, preview the result on a phone mockup, and publish.

If your form needs lists whose options depend on an earlier selection or come from an external system, use a Dynamic Data Flow instead.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

A connected WhatsApp account - a WhatsApp Cloud API number linked to ChatMaxima.
The fields planned - know which questions you want to ask and the options for each.

Step 1: Create a New Flow

Go to Campaigns then WhatsApp Flows in the dashboard.
Click Create Flow for the WhatsApp account you want.
Enter a Flow Name, for example Lead Capture Form.
Choose a Category that best matches the flow's purpose.
Leave Flow Type set to Form Builder.

Flow Categories

Category	Use it for
Lead Generation	Capturing prospect details
Appointment Booking	Scheduling visits or calls
Customer Support	Issue intake and help requests
Survey	Feedback and research
Other	Anything that does not fit above

Step 2: Add Screens

A flow is made of one or more screens. Each screen is a single page the customer sees.

Click the plus button next to the screen tabs to add a screen.
Give the screen an ID and a title in Screen Settings.
Add more screens for multi-step forms, such as a details screen followed by a confirmation screen.

You can also start from a Starter Template (Lead Capture, Appointment Booking, Customer Feedback, Support Ticket) or use AI Generate Flow to create screens from a plain-language description.

Step 3: Add Components

Drag components from the Components palette onto the active screen.

Component	Purpose
Text Input	Single-line text such as name or email
Text Area	Multi-line text such as a message
Dropdown	Select one option from a list
Radio Buttons	Pick one option, all shown at once
Checkboxes	Select multiple options
Date Picker	Choose a date
Opt-In Toggle	Consent or subscription toggle
Heading, Subheading, Body, Caption	Static text and instructions
Image	Display a picture
Navigation Button	Move to the next screen or submit

Step 4: Configure Components

Select any component on the screen to open its properties panel. There you set the label, field name, whether the field is required, and the options for lists. Configure each component so it collects exactly the data you need.

Step 5: Preview and Save

Use the Preview panel on the right to see a live phone mockup of the active screen.
Check each screen and adjust components as needed.
Click Save Draft to store the flow.

The flow is now saved as a draft and uploaded to WhatsApp. Drafts can be edited at any time.

Step 6: Publish the Flow

Open the saved draft.
Click Publish.

Publishing locks the flow and makes it ready to send. A published flow cannot be edited, so create a new flow if you need to make changes later.

Step 7: Send the Flow

Once published, send the flow to customers from:

A bot block in the Studio builder.
A campaign to a list of contacts.
The inbox, during a live conversation.

The customer receives a message with a button that opens the flow.

Best Practices

Keep screens short - group related fields and split long forms across screens.
Mark only essential fields as required - fewer required fields means higher completion.
Use clear labels - the customer should understand each field at a glance.
Preview before publishing - check every screen on the phone mockup.