# How to configure a "No response received" branch in conditional

In **Flows**, you can automate workflows involving customer interactions. While **Flows** is not primarily designed for conversational workflows (we recommend using **AI Employees** for advanced conversational handling), you can still handle scenarios where a customer does not respond to your message.

This article explains how to configure a conditional branch for **“No Response Received”** after sending a message in your flow.

### **Why Configure a No-Response Branch?**

When you send a message and wait for a response, there’s always a possibility that the customer **does not reply within the expected time**. To avoid your flow getting stuck or leaving the customer unattended, you can create a branch that handles **timeouts** gracefully—such as:

* Sending a follow-up message and jump back to the wait for response.
* Closing the conversation

### **How It Works**

* You use a **Wait for Conversation Message** step to pause until a customer responds.
* If no response is received within the configured time, the step **times out** and returns an error.
* You can capture this timeout scenario using a **Conditional** step and check for the error variable.

### **Step-by-Step Guide**

#### **1. Add a Wait for Conversation Message Step**

* Insert the **Wait for Conversation Message** step after your initial message.
* Configure the **wait duration** (e.g., 1 minute, 5 minutes, etc.).
* Enable the **timeout behavior** so that the step returns an error when the time expires.
* Click on the 3 dots on the right hand side of the step and select advanced configuration. 

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2FY8CAqNLXxUgvsKd5y9BC%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=cd958733-2c66-463a-b3c4-a72da47eacaf" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

* Now select the radio button ignore and continue. Hit save and close.&#x20;

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2FzkcVI29kQj0fhVJMNTiy%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=d0411123-f759-4e8c-886b-b620cec20ff0" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

***

#### **2. Add a Conditional Step**

* Drag a **Conditional** step immediately after the **Wait for Conversation Message** step.
* This will help you check whether the **response was received** or the **wait timed out**.

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2Fo90yOAIlInk5s8rikatv%2F1.png?alt=media&#x26;token=df7c2128-6a3b-4587-bf81-8bcfc62a788b" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

***

#### **3. Configure the No-Response Branch**

Conditionals in Flows execute **in order of priority** (from top to bottom or left to right). So, make sure your **first branch handles the no-response case**.

**Option A: Use Error from Timeout**

1. In the first branch of the Conditional, set the condition:
   * Select the variable from your **Wait for Conversation Message** step.
   * Instead of checking for the actual message text, check the **error property**. You can do so by letting the wait for response step timeout by clicking run test and waiting for the stipulated timeout time. For this case, we recommend configuring a 1minute timeout just for the building the flow purpose.&#x20;
2. The variable path looks like this:

   ```
   steps.waitForConversationEvent_<stepID>.error.error
   ```

   Here:

   * `waitForConversationEvent_<stepID>` refers to your wait step (e.g., `waitForConversationEvent_ksjx`).
   * `.error.error` checks for the timeout error.
3. Set the condition to check if this **error is present**.
4. In this branch, configure your fallback action (send follow-up, close flow, etc.).

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2FbyrdzHPdrKeH2nNRPNtX%2F2.png?alt=media&#x26;token=3ea5d85e-bc12-4b43-b55a-8e0b358840d0" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

***

**Option B: Modify Variable Reference Manually**

If you already have a condition checking the message text:

1. Open the variable selector for the response by just clicking on the variable.&#x20;
2. Edit the reference from:

   ```
   steps.waitForConversationEvent_<stepID>.event.message.body.text.text
   ```

   to:

   ```
   steps.waitForConversationEvent_<stepID>.error.error
   ```
3. Save the changes.

<figure><img src="https://3861485111-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FU9kiDiTGVD8kkbnKKyEn%2Fuploads%2FfiVKRXq5ufNMBrsh2xTU%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=6515c1c2-04ab-4a14-a8b8-2dedf736f652" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

***

### **Understanding the Variables**

* `steps.waitForConversationEvent_<stepID>` → Refers to your specific wait step.
* `event.message.body.text.text` → Path to the **actual message text received**.
* `error.error` → Path to the **timeout error message** when no response is received.

***

### **Example Setup**

1. **Branch 1:**\
   Condition → `steps.waitForConversationEvent_ksjx.error.error is present`\
   Action → Send follow-up message: *“Looks like you’re busy. Need help later?”*
2. **Branch 2:**\
   Condition → `steps.waitForConversationEvent_ksjx.event.message.body.text.text contains "Yes"`\
   Action → Continue the conversation.