Automation flows let you send messages and take actions automatically based on customer behavior. Instead of manually replying to every abandoned cart or order confirmation, you set up a flow once and let it run.
This guide walks you through creating your first automation flow in Spur.
What You'll Need
Before you start:
A Spur account (obviously)
WhatsApp, Instagram, or Facebook connected
Shopify/WooCommerce connected (if you're using e-commerce triggers like "Order Created")
Step 1: Open the Automations Section
Log in to Spur
Click Automations in the left sidebar (the lightning bolt icon ⚡)
Click + New Workflow in the top right
You'll see a blank canvas with a "Starting Trigger" block.
Step 2: Name Your Flow
At the top, you'll see a field that says "New workflow". Click it and give your flow a clear name.
Good names:
Abandoned Cart Recovery
Order Confirmation
Welcome New Subscribers
Instagram Comment Auto-Reply
Bad names:
Flow 1
Test
Untitled
Why this matters: You'll have dozens of flows eventually. Clear names help you find them fast.
Step 3: Choose a Trigger
The trigger is what starts the flow. It's the event that kicks everything off.
Click "Click to add a trigger" inside the Starting Trigger block.
You'll see a list of triggers. Here is a guide collection on the triggers available on Spur.
Pick the trigger that matches your goal. For this example, let's use "Checkout Started" (abandoned cart recovery).
Click Checkout Started and then click Save.
Step 4: Add Your First Message
After the trigger, you need to tell the flow what to do. Usually, the first thing is to send a message.
Click the blue plus icon (+) on the right side of the canvas.
A menu will pop up showing all the blocks you can add. Click WhatsApp (or Instagram/Facebook, depending on your channel).
You'll see a list of message types:
Template
Text
Text with Buttons
Media
List Message
Product Message
CTA Message
WhatsApp Forms
Address Message
Request Location
For the first message in a flow, always use a Template. (See the "Templates vs Free-Form Messages" section in the WhatsApp Message Blocks guide for why.)
Click Template.
Step 5: Configure the Template Message
A panel will open on the left showing your approved WhatsApp templates.
Click Select Template
Choose one of your approved templates (e.g., "abandoned_cart_reminder")
If the template has variables (like {name} or {cart_url}), fill them in using the Add Variables panel on the right
Example:
Template:
"Hi {{1}}, you left {{2}} items in your cart!
Complete your order now: {{3}}"
Variables: {{1}} = {{contact.firstName}}
{{2}} = {{trigger.computed.cart_items_count}}
{{3}} = {{trigger.abandoned_checkout_url}}
Click Save
Step 6: Add a Delay (Optional)
Sometimes you don't want to send messages immediately. For example, if someone abandons their cart, you might want to wait 2 hours before sending a reminder.
To add a delay:
Click the blue plus icon (+) after your message block
Select Delay under the "Logic" section
Set the delay time (e.g., 2 hours)
Click Save
Now the flow will wait 2 hours before moving to the next step.
Step 7: Add More Messages or Actions
You can keep adding more blocks to create a multi-step flow.
Example flow:
Trigger: Checkout Started
Delay: Wait 2 hours
Condition: Check if order was completed
If No: Send reminder message
If Yes: End flow
Delay: Wait 1 day
Action: Create 10% discount code
Template Message: Send discount code
To add more blocks, just keep clicking the blue plus icon (+) and selecting what you need.
Step 8: Test Your Flow
Before activating, you should test it. This helps catch errors before the flow goes live.
The best way to test a flow is to actually trigger it. Here's how to do that for different trigger types:
For Keyword Triggers (WhatsApp)
Open WhatsApp on your phone
Message your Spur-connected WhatsApp number
Send the exact keyword that triggers the flow (e.g., "help" or "track")
Check if the flow runs and you receive the expected messages
For Checkout Started (Abandoned Cart)
Go to your Shopify store
Add items to cart
Proceed to checkout
Enter your phone number (make sure it's the one you want to test with)
Leave the checkout page without completing the order
Check if the abandoned cart flow triggers and you start getting messages
Pro Tip for Testing Marketing Messages:
Before testing flows with marketing templates (like abandoned cart), send a quick "Hi" from your test phone number to your Spur-connected WhatsApp number first. This opens the 24-hour messaging window.
Why this matters:
Marketing templates have per-user daily limits set by Meta. If you've already hit that limit for your test number, your test message won't send and you'll think the flow is broken (when it's actually just rate-limited).
By opening the 24-hour window first, you bypass the marketing template limits and can test freely. Any message sent within that window will go through, regardless of daily limits.
Steps:
Text "Hi" to your Spur WhatsApp number from your test phone
Wait for any reply (even if it's automated)
Now test your flow (abandon cart, place order, etc.)
Messages will send successfully within the 24-hour window
This works for testing any flow that uses marketing or utility templates.
For Order Created
Place a test order on your Shopify store
Complete the purchase
Check if the order confirmation flow runs
You should receive the automated messages
For Instagram Comment
Go to one of your Instagram posts
Leave a comment using a test account
Check if the auto-reply flow triggers in your DMs
The rule is simple: Whatever the trigger is, make that thing happen. Then watch the flow execute and verify everything works as expected.
What to check:
Do messages send correctly?
Are variables filling in properly?
Do conditions work as expected?
Are delays set correctly?
If something's wrong, fix it and test again.
Step 9: Save and Activate
Once you're happy with your flow:
Click Save in the top right
Toggle the switch from Workflow Disabled to Workflow Enabled
Your flow is now live and will run automatically whenever the trigger fires.
Viewing Flow Executions
After your flow is running, you can see how it's performing.
Go back to the Automations section
Click on your flow
Click the Executions tab at the top
You'll see a list of every time the flow ran, including:
When it started
What actions were taken
Whether messages were sent successfully
Where the flow ended
This helps you troubleshoot issues and see how well the flow is working.
Editing an Active Flow
You can edit a flow even after it's activated.
Steps:
Go to Automations and click on the flow
Make your changes
Click Save
Test again to make sure nothing broke
The flow will continue running with the new changes
Warning: If you change the trigger, it might affect flows that are already in progress. Be careful when editing live flows.
Best Practices
✅ Use clear names – Future you will thank you
✅ Always start with a template – First message must be a template to ensure delivery
✅ Test before activating – Catch errors before customers see them
✅ Keep flows simple – If a flow gets too complex, break it into smaller flows and use "Start Flow" blocks to connect them
✅ Check executions regularly – Monitor how flows are performing and fix issues fast
✅ Use conditions wisely – Don't send unnecessary messages. Use conditions to check if a message is still relevant
✅ Add delays between messages – Don't spam customers. Space out messages by at least a few hours
✅ Personalize with variables – Use {{contact.firstName}}, {{trigger.name}}, etc. to make messages feel personal
Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Using free form text messages as the first message – They'll fail outside the 24-hour window. Always use templates first.
❌ Not testing – Broken flows = missed sales and annoyed customers
❌ Forgetting to activate – A saved flow won't run unless it's enabled
❌ No delays – Sending 5 messages instantly feels spammy
❌ Not checking executions – Flows can break. Check them regularly.
❌ Unclear naming – "Flow 1" tells you nothing. "COD to Prepaid Conversion" tells you everything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many flows can I create?
A: It depends on your plan. Check your plan details in Settings > Billing.
Q: Can I duplicate a flow?
A: Yes. Go to Automations, click the three-dot menu (•••) next to the flow, and select Duplicate. This is useful for creating similar flows without starting from scratch.
Q: What happens if a flow fails?
A: You'll see the error in the Executions tab. Common failures include:
Template not approved
Variables not filled in
Customer opted out of marketing messages
Per user limits exceeded for the recipient
Fix the issue and the flow will continue working.
Q: Can I pause a flow temporarily?
A: Yes. Toggle the switch from Enabled to Disabled. The flow will stop running but won't be deleted. You can enable it again later.
Q: How do I delete a flow?
A: Click the three-dot menu (•••) next to the flow and select Delete. Be careful—this can't be undone.
Q: Can I use the same trigger in multiple flows?
A: Yes, but be careful. If you have two flows with the same trigger, both will run at the same time. This can cause duplicate messages. Use conditions and exit conditions to control which flow runs when.
Q: What if I want to stop a flow for a specific customer?
A: Add a tag to that customer (e.g., "Exclude from abandoned cart") and use a condition at the start of the flow to check if they have that tag. If they do, end the flow.
If you're stuck or have questions, contact our support team on WhatsApp. We're here to help!