Automation

The Automation page decides what happens the moment a customer messages you: does an AI assistant answer, does a chatbot flow take over, or does the message wait for a human? Find it at Dashboard → Settings → Automation.

Settings are per channel — pick the WhatsApp number or Instagram account you're configuring at the top of the page, then choose a mode for it.

The four automation modes

Pick one mode per channel:

• AI Assistant Only — the AI assistant handles all incoming messages automatically. Best when customers ask open-ended questions in their own words.
• Chatbot Flow Only — chatbot flows handle messages that match their trigger keywords. Anything that doesn't match a keyword waits for your team.
• Chatbot + AI Fallback (recommended) — chatbot flows run first, then the AI assistant steps in if no keyword matches or a flow hands off. Structured journeys where you scripted them, AI everywhere else.
• Live Chat — no automation. Every message waits for a human agent in the inbox.

Configuring each mode

What you set up depends on the mode:

• AI assistant — for AI Assistant Only and Chatbot + AI Fallback, pick which assistant answers. Don't have one yet? See Set Up Your Assistant.
• Chatbot flows — for Chatbot Flow Only and Chatbot + AI Fallback, tick the flows you want live on this channel. You can enable several at once — each flow triggers on its own keywords, shown next to its name. Build flows in Chatbots & Flows.
• Auto-fallback to AI — in Chatbot + AI Fallback mode, this option automatically uses the AI when the chatbot has no matching trigger. Leave it on unless you want unmatched messages to wait for a human instead.

Click Save Changes to apply. If a selected flow has problems (for example, no keywords set), the page lists warnings so you can fix the flow before customers hit it.

Pausing automation

The Status card at the top shows the channel's current mode. Next to it is a pause button — one click and Intelli stops answering on this channel while you keep the configuration intact. A banner appears while paused: "Automation is currently paused", with a Resume button to switch it back on.

Pausing is handy during an incident, a big announcement, or any time you want humans handling everything temporarily without unpicking your setup.

Tips

• Start with Chatbot + AI Fallback. Scripted flows catch the common questions; the AI catches everything else.
• Test on yourself first. Message the channel from your own phone and check who answers.
• Word the automated system messages. When a chat is handed to a human or the assistant can't reply, Intelli sends a short note — edit those in Auto-replies.