Creating and editing a workflow
Create a workflow, change its details, and assign it to a short code.
A workflow defines the USSD journey that a customer follows after dialing a short code. It contains the screens customers see, the options they can choose, and the next screen or action that follows each choice.
Use this guide when you need to create a new workflow or update an existing one.
Before you start
Make sure you know:
- The purpose of the workflow.
- The short code customers will use, if one has already been allocated.
- The first screen customers should see.
- The main choices or inputs customers need to provide.
- The final message customers should receive when the journey ends.
You can create a workflow without a short code and assign one later.
Create a workflow
Open the workflows area for your organisation and create a new workflow.
Add:
- A clear workflow name.
- An optional description for internal users.
- An optional short code.
The workflow name should help team members recognise what the workflow does. The description is for internal context and is not shown to customers during a USSD session.
After the workflow is created, open it in the builder to add or edit its menus.
Edit workflow details
Workflow details can be updated from the editor.
You can change:
- Name
- Description
- Short code
- Menu structure
- Menu copy
- Options and routing
Save changes as you work. Saved changes update the draft workflow, but customers do not receive those changes until the workflow is published.
Assign a short code
A short code is the number customers dial to start the USSD interaction.
Assigning a short code on the workflow makes it easier to publish the workflow later. A workflow can remain in draft without a short code, but publishing requires a short code.
Use a short code that is available for the current organisation. If another published workflow already uses the same short code, publishing will fail until the conflict is resolved.
Draft and published changes
Editing a workflow changes its draft state. Publishing creates a version that customers can use.
Keep this distinction in mind:
- Draft changes are visible to editors.
- Published changes are visible to new customer sessions.
- Existing customer sessions are not interrupted when a new version is published.
Use the version history to see previously published versions and their change summaries.
Good workflow naming
Use names that describe the job the workflow performs.
Good examples:
- Customer balance enquiry
- Loan application intake
- Airtime purchase menu
Avoid names that only describe status or ownership, such as "New test" or "Marketing flow", unless that is enough for the team to identify the workflow later.
Editing checklist
Before moving on to testing, check that:
- The first menu is clear.
- Every customer choice has a next step.
- Terminal screens end the journey with useful text.
- Required short code details are set.
- Menu text is short enough for USSD screens.
- The workflow has been saved.