When building something new, whether it’s a product or a flow, testing is always key. You wouldn’t want to send out a campaign and then realize halfway through that something isn’t quite right, right? 😬 That’s why testing your flows before they go live is so important. Luckily, we've got a handy simulator built right into the flow editor to make this process easier for you. Let’s dive into how you can use it to ensure your flow runs smoothly from the get-go! 💡

The Simulator: Your Secret Testing Weapon 🔧

Once you’ve created a flow, you’ll want to see how it looks from the contact’s perspective. The simulator helps you do exactly that by mimicking the actions of a contact as they interact with your flow. When you click the simulator, it kicks off the first step in your flow, letting you test every move they make. 🎯 You can easily access the simulator through the phone icon located on the right side of the flow editor. 📱 The simulator is your go-to tool for making sure everything’s on track while you build your flows.

The simulator also has something called the action log. This log shows actions that happen behind the scenes that the contact doesn’t see. For example, it will show you that the contact's name attribute was updated to “Jane Doe,” or that a new variable, like a village, was assigned to the flow. These behind-the-scenes details are important for understanding how your flow functions under the hood 🔍, and help you identify areas that might need tweaking.

Real-World Testing Before Launch 🌍

Using a simulator is a fantastic way to preview your flow, but it’s still important to test in the real world. This ensures you catch issues like message content errors, logic flaws, or connectivity problems before your flow reaches your contacts. 🚨

To make the most of your real-world testing, you’ll need to connect the relevant channels for your flow. If you’re using SMS, for example, make sure you’ve connected the phone numbers through your SMS gateway or local carrier.

Create a Group of Test Contacts 🧑‍🤝‍🧑

Before sending your flow to a large audience, create a small test group. To do this, head over to the "Contacts" tab in your dashboard, click the menu icon (☰), and then select “New Group.”

Next, send your flow to this test group by selecting ‘All’ contacts and clicking the flow button that appears. This small-scale test lets you see how the flow performs when actually interacting with real contacts. 📨

Analyze and Tweak 🛠️

As your test contacts move through the flow, pay attention to their experience. Are there any confusing messages, errors, or parts where they seem to get stuck? You can take a closer look at the Results section to analyze the interactions and identify areas that need improvement.

Here’s what to keep an eye on during testing:

• Clarity of Instructions: Do the test contacts understand what they need to do at each step? Is the flow easy to follow? 📝
• Message Content: Are there any spelling errors or confusing wording in your messages? You might want to revisit your content to make sure it’s clear and professional. 🔠
• Engagement: Are your contacts engaging with the flow the way you intended? Are there any steps that might be confusing or require too much thought? 🤔
• Response Handling: Are responses being sorted correctly? Are contacts being categorized in the right groups? 🗂️
• Flow Length: Is your flow too long or too short? Did your contacts find it too cumbersome to go through all the steps? ⏳

Testing your flows thoroughly before going live can help catch potential problems early, saving you time, money, and frustration ⏱️💸. Think of it as a safety net that ensures your campaign delivers the best experience for your contacts 📈.

Feel free to reach out to the chat widget below if you need any support! Happy testing! 🎉