Flows turn a freeform chat into a guided interface. Instead of typing answers, the customer moves through screens with inputs, dropdowns, and buttons, so the interaction is structured and predictable.
Meta's documentation presents Flows as a way to generate leads, recommend products or collect anything where structured input is more natural than conversation. Its own examples include loan pre-approval, insurance quotes, purchase intent collection and appointment booking.
For merchants, Flows reduce friction in tasks that would otherwise need a website form, and they keep the data collection inside the same conversation as marketing and support.
Flows are different from automation flows, the sequences of messages a marketing tool sends after an event such as an abandoned cart. The WhatsApp Flows guide for e-commerce shows where each fits.
