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Forms & User Inputs

Learn how to collect information from users through questions, forms, and validated inputs.

Simple Questions​

The most basic way to get input:

Ask Question Node​

  1. Sends a question to the user
  2. Waits for their reply
  3. Saves their answer
  4. Continues the flow
SettingExample
Question"What's your name?"
Save tovar.name

Advanced Ask Node​

For more control over user input:

Expecting Specific Types​

TypeWhat User Can Send
textAny text message
numberNumbers only
photoA photo
choiceButton selection
anyAny input type

Adding Validation​

SettingExample
Expectnumber
Validationvalue > 0 && value < 120
Error Message"Please enter a valid age"

Multi-Step Forms​

When you need to collect multiple pieces of information:

Option 1: Chained Questions​

Simple but can get messy with many fields.

Option 2: Form Node​

A single node that handles multiple questions:

FieldQuestionType
name"What's your name?"text
email"What's your email?"text
age"How old are you?"number

The Form node automatically:

  • Asks each question in order
  • Validates responses
  • Stores all answers
  • Provides a "Complete" output when done

Using Keyboards for Input​

Instead of free text, give users buttons to click:

Reply Keyboard​

┌─────────────────────────────┐
│     Choose an option:       │
├──────────────┬──────────────┤
│  📧 Email    │  📞 Phone    │
├──────────────┴──────────────┤
│         ❌ Cancel           │
└─────────────────────────────┘

Benefits:

  • No typos
  • Clear options
  • Faster for users

Inline Buttons​

Buttons attached to a message:

Would you like to continue?
[✅ Yes]  [❌ No]

Validation Examples​

Email Format​

Pattern: ^[a-zA-Z0-9._%+-]+@[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+\.[a-zA-Z]{2,}$
Error: "Please enter a valid email address"

Phone Number​

Pattern: ^\+?[0-9]{10,15}$
Error: "Please enter a valid phone number"

Age Range​

Expression: value >= 13 && value <= 120
Error: "Please enter a valid age"

Handling Invalid Input​

When validation fails:

  1. Show an error message — Explain what's wrong
  2. Ask again — Give them another chance
  3. Offer help — Maybe a cancel option or example

Timeouts​

What happens if the user never responds?

Setting a Timeout​

Consider adding:

  • A reminder after some time
  • A graceful timeout message
  • The ability to restart

Common Form Patterns​

Registration Flow​

Order Form​

Tips​

Keep It Short

Long forms have high drop-off rates. Ask only what you really need.

Show Progress

For long forms, tell users where they are: "Question 2 of 5"

Save As You Go

Save each answer immediately, so if the user leaves, you have partial data.

Always Offer an Exit

Give users a way to cancel or go back.

Next Steps​