The message builder allows you to build out each individual message in your bot. This section of the platform is accessible from your message list. Simply create or select the message you want to edit in the messages list:

You can build out the content of each individual message in this section. There's a few things to consider when building your message so let's explore more.

First things first, create or edit the name of your message. This won't be seen by the bot user. It is here to help you locate your message in your message list. We recommend keeping your message titles clear and straightforward, so it's easy for you and other bot builders to recognise messages from your message list.

Categories help you organise your messages. You can add categories to separate different strands of your bot i.e. to highlight different surveys within one bot. You can then filter your messages by these categories in your message list.

Please note that categories are optional. You can find out more tips on how to title your messages and use categories in this doc.

This is your preview screen. Your message parts will show up in this section as you build out your message. You can easily reorganise the order of your message parts by hovering to the left hand side of the message part and selecting the up or down arrow to move your message part accordingly.

The message part menu lives next to the preview screen. It offers you a selection of features to use within your individual messages. Here is an overview of each of the features available in the message part menu.

This is the media message part - this allows you to upload images, GIFs, videos or sounds to your bot. Simply hover over the media icon to choose which specific form of media to upload. Check out these docs for more info on media specifications for Workplace or for Teams.

The text message part allows you to add text boxes to your message. We recommend only adding a maximum of 5 message parts to your message. Each text part has a character limit of 640 characters and you can add emojis by hovering over the smiley face in the left hand side of the box.

You can also personalise your messages by typing in { to launch the attributes list, and selecting first_name.

Carousels allow you to add a menu of up to 10 cards to your message. Carousels make great menu and navigational tools. You can also add buttons to each carousel card to link out to more messages or websites. You can find out more about carousels here.

A delay is a set period of time between message parts that allows the user time to read a message. When a delay has been added in between message parts, the bot user will see a "..." typing message before the next message appears in their chat. You can find out more about delays here.

Q&As can be used for surveys or quizzes and allows a user to use free text rather than multiple choice. This makes it a very useful tool for gathering specific feedback or data points (i.e. an email address, number. You can find out more about Q&As here.

Quick replies provide a different way to present buttons to the user. Quick replies appear prominently above the composer, with the keyboard less prominent. You can add up to 13 quick replies, with a character limit of 20 for each quick reply. Please note that quick replies disappear once clicked.

Please note that quick replies are for Workplace bots only.

Attributes are a great way to save user data to the bot database. You can then either save this data or recall it back in a later message to make for a richer bot experience. By hovering over this icon, you can set or clear an attribute, or set up a data set. To find out more about attributes, click here.

External spreadsheets allow you send to and receive data from a Google or Excel spreadsheet. Simply add the message part into the ideal message and input your spreadsheet settings to connect your bot to the external sheet. Click here to find out more about Send to Spreadsheet, and click here to find out more about Get from Spreadsheet.

A jump message part can help the bot user move quickly through the experience.

By adding a jump, the user doesn't have to take any action (i.e click a button) in order to be shown the next message.

So that's your quick start guide to the message builder! To find out more about each feature and other best practices, please check out more of the help docs in the help centre or ping us on Intercom (in the bottom, right hand corner).