Open the setup guide
- After you sign in. Flowella opens the guide automatically until WhatsApp and HubSpot are both connected, or until you select Continue later.
- From the sidebar. The Setup guide entry shows your percentage complete. It stays in the sidebar until every step that applies to you is complete.
- From Settings. Settings → Setup guide is always available, including after you finish.
How the guide shows your progress
The top of the guide shows how many steps are complete, for example “6 of 13 complete”, and a percentage. The total counts only the steps that apply to you. Each step shows its title and an estimate such as “About 10 min”. Select a step to expand it and see what it is for and a button that opens the right page in Flowella. The help icon next to each step (“Learn how to do this”) opens the matching knowledge base article. Completed steps are ticked and struck through.
Most steps reflect your whole organisation, so a step a teammate completes is ticked for you too. Set your notifications and Continue later apply only to you.
The 14 steps
The steps appear in this order. Times are the guide’s own estimates and don’t include time waiting for Meta.1
Name your organisation
About 1 min. Button: Name organisation.Give your workspace a name your team will recognise. The name appears in the account menu at the top right of the app and is used when you connect WhatsApp. If you are the owner or an admin and the organisation still has its default name, Flowella asks for a name straight after sign-up. You must name the organisation before you can connect WhatsApp.Ticks when the organisation has a name other than the default, My workspace. You can change the organisation’s name later in Settings → Organization.
2
Connect WhatsApp
About 10 min. Button: Connect WhatsApp.The button opens Settings → WhatsApp (Meta). Select Connect WhatsApp to start Meta’s sign-up flow. Choose or create your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA), the account in Meta that holds your WhatsApp numbers and templates, then verify your phone number. Expand the step to see three Meta subtasks:
- Add phone number ticks when your connected WABA has a phone number.
- Business verification ticks when Meta reports your business as verified.
- Payment method in Meta ticks as soon as WhatsApp connects. Flowella doesn’t check whether your WABA has a card, so add one in Meta yourself. See Meta payment method.
3
Connect HubSpot
About 5 min. Button: Connect HubSpot.The button opens Settings → HubSpot. Select Connect HubSpot, choose your HubSpot account and approve the connection in HubSpot. The Capabilities card then lists the features your connection unlocked.Ticks when HubSpot is connected. See HubSpot connection.
4
Add your starter templates
About 5 min. Button: Add starter templates.The button opens the Meta Library gallery. Pick recommended Meta Library templates (or Flowella starters), review them in the editor, and submit at least one to Meta.Ticks when your organisation has at least one template in Flowella. A saved draft counts, so the step can tick before Meta approves anything. See Templates.
5
Send a test template
About 3 min. Button: Open templates.Open an approved template, go to the Send tab and use Test Template to send it to your own WhatsApp number.Ticks when a template send from Flowella finishes, for example your test send. See Templates.
6
Send your first reply
About 2 min. Button: Open inbox.Send a WhatsApp message to your business number from your own phone, then reply to it from the Inbox. This confirms that two-way messaging works.Ticks when Flowella has sent any message in a conversation. A test template counts too, so this step can tick before you reply. See Inbox.
7
Send a template from HubSpot
About 10 min. Button: Open templates.In a contact-based HubSpot workflow, add Flowella’s Send WhatsApp Template action with an approved template, then enrol a test contact.Ticks when a Send WhatsApp Template action in a HubSpot workflow sends a message successfully.Shows Not applicable when your HubSpot connection doesn’t include custom workflow actions. This usually means your HubSpot plan doesn’t include workflows. Send templates from Flowella instead, or reconnect HubSpot after you upgrade. See HubSpot workflow actions.
8
Create a HubSpot form
About 5 min. Button: Open flows.Create or pick a HubSpot marketing form, then check that it appears on the Flows page. Flowella refreshes the list from HubSpot when you open the page, and the refresh button at the top fetches new forms straight away.Ticks when at least one HubSpot form appears on the Flows page. See Flows.
9
Create a Flow
About 10 min. Button: Open flows.On the Flows page, select Create WA Flow next to a form. Flowella needs Meta business verification to be complete before it can create a Flow.Ticks when Flowella successfully creates or syncs a Flow from one of your forms. See Flows.
10
Send a Flow from HubSpot
About 10 min. Button: Open flows.Add your Flow to a template’s Flow button, then send that template from a HubSpot workflow with the Send WhatsApp Template action. There is no separate action for Flows.Ticks when someone completes one of your Flows and the answers reach HubSpot, whether you sent the Flow from HubSpot or from Flowella.Shows Not applicable for the same reason as Send a template from HubSpot. See Send your first Flow.
11
Connect your Flowella HubSpot Inbox
About 5 min. Button: Connect in HubSpot.The button opens HubSpot in a new tab, where you add the Flowella custom channel to your HubSpot conversations inbox so agents can reply from HubSpot.Ticks when HubSpot has a connected Flowella channel. The step is hidden, and left out of your total, until HubSpot is connected with the Conversations custom channel capability. See HubSpot custom channel.
12
Invite a teammate
About 3 min. Button: Invite teammate.The button opens Settings → Team, where you enter an email address and role and select Send invite.Ticks when your organisation has a second member or an invitation that hasn’t expired. See Team. Once your teammate joins, you can share conversations with them. See Inbox teamwork.
13
Set your notifications
About 2 min. Button: Notification preferences.Choose how you want to be notified about important events.Ticks when you save at least one notification preference. This step tracks your own preferences, so each teammate completes it separately. See Notification preferences.
14
Start your subscription
About 5 min. Button: Choose a plan.The button opens Settings → Billing, where you choose a plan when you are ready to move beyond the free trial.Ticks when a paid plan is active. See Billing.
When you finish
When every step that applies to you is complete:- The Setup guide entry leaves the sidebar. The guide stays available at Settings → Setup guide, and its steps keep reflecting your current setup.
- The guide shows Re-engagement template is ready. Flowella sets up a template you can send with Re-engage in the Inbox when the 24-hour window has closed. The 24-hour window is Meta’s customer service window, which opens each time a customer messages you. Select Got it to hide the tip. See Smart replies.
If a step doesn’t tick
Connect WhatsApp stays In progress
Connect WhatsApp stays In progress
Expand the step and check which Meta subtask is open. Usually Meta business verification is still under review. Check its status in Meta. See Business verification.
HubSpot steps show Not applicable
HubSpot steps show Not applicable
Open Settings → HubSpot and check whether Custom workflow actions is under Unlocked. If it is under Not available, your HubSpot plan may not include workflows. Capabilities reflect the permissions from your last HubSpot login, so reconnect HubSpot after you upgrade.
Connect your Flowella HubSpot Inbox is missing
Connect your Flowella HubSpot Inbox is missing
The step appears only after HubSpot is connected with the Conversations custom channel capability. HubSpot offers custom channels on Sales Hub and Service Hub Professional or Enterprise. See HubSpot custom channel.
I finished a step but it isn't ticked
I finished a step but it isn't ticked
The guide checks your progress each time you open it or return to its browser tab. Check that you did the step in the right organisation, then reopen the guide. For more help, see Onboarding issues.
Related
Before you start
Accounts, permissions, plans and time estimates.
Send your first Flow
Go from a HubSpot form to your first Flow submission in HubSpot.
Meta setup sequence
Every Meta step in order, from business portfolio to payment method.
Onboarding issues
Fix common Meta, HubSpot and template problems during setup.