Connect OpenClaw Bot to MoltFlow for AI WhatsApp Replies

Unlike ChatGPT Custom GPT Actions or Claude MCP (which require external tool setup), OpenClaw plugs directly into MoltFlow's auto-reply engine. Configure it once in your dashboard, and every WhatsApp message gets an AI-powered response — no third-party services, no context switching, no middleware.

This is MoltFlow's native AI integration. ChatGPT and Claude are command centers where you manually trigger actions. OpenClaw is your autopilot — it runs in the background, responds to customers 24/7, and escalates to humans only when needed.

Setup takes 5 minutes. By the end of this guide, your WhatsApp will have an AI assistant that answers questions, handles support inquiries, and routes complex issues to your team automatically.

What You'll Need

Before starting, make sure you have:

• A MoltFlow account on Growth plan or higher — AI auto-replies require Growth or Business plan. Free plan supports manual messaging only. Compare plans here.
• An OpenClaw account with API key — Create one at openclaw.com. The free tier provides 1,000 AI messages/month, perfect for testing.
• A connected WhatsApp session in WORKING state — Your bot only responds when your WhatsApp is connected. If you haven't set up a session yet, follow our 2-minute connection guide first.

No coding required. Everything happens through MoltFlow's dashboard interface.

Why OpenClaw as Native Integration?

MoltFlow supports three AI connection patterns:

OpenClaw is the only one that runs natively inside MoltFlow's message processing pipeline. ChatGPT and Claude are tools you interact with manually. OpenClaw is automation — it watches your inbox and responds automatically.

Key differences:

• Automatic vs manual — OpenClaw replies to every message without you doing anything. ChatGPT/Claude require you to ask them to send messages.
• 24/7 operation — OpenClaw handles inquiries while you sleep. ChatGPT/Claude only work when you're actively using them.
• Native knowledge base — OpenClaw integrates with MoltFlow's RAG system (Business plan) to pull from your uploaded documents. ChatGPT/Claude need you to provide context manually.
• Style profiles — OpenClaw learns your brand voice from sample messages. ChatGPT/Claude use generic AI tone unless you customize system prompts.

Use OpenClaw for automatic customer service. Use ChatGPT/Claude for manual operations and command-line workflows.

Step 1: Prerequisites and Account Setup

First, verify your MoltFlow setup meets the requirements.

Check your plan:

1. Log in to MoltFlow Dashboard
2. Navigate to Settings > Billing
3. Verify your plan is Growth or Business

If you're on the Free plan, upgrade here to unlock AI auto-replies. Growth plan starts at $29/month with 2,000 AI messages included.

Verify your WhatsApp session is connected:

1. Go to the Sessions page in the left sidebar
2. Check that your session shows a green "WORKING" badge

If it shows "STOPPED" or "FAILED":

1. Click the session name
2. Click Start Session
3. Scan the QR code with your WhatsApp mobile app
4. Wait 10-15 seconds for status to change to "WORKING"

Your bot will only respond to messages when the session is in WORKING state, so this step is critical before proceeding.

If you don't have a session set up yet, follow our WhatsApp connection guide — it takes 2 minutes.

Step 2: Get Your OpenClaw API Key

Now let's get your OpenClaw API key so MoltFlow can connect to their AI service.

Create an OpenClaw account:

1. Visit openclaw.com
2. Click Sign Up
3. Complete registration (email verification required)

Generate an API key:

1. After logging in, navigate to the API Keys section in your dashboard
2. Click "Create New Key"
3. Give it a descriptive name: MoltFlow Auto-Replies
4. Click Create
5. Copy the API key immediately — it's only shown once

Store the key securely. You'll paste it into MoltFlow in the next step.

OpenClaw free tier:

The free tier provides 1,000 AI-generated messages per month. This is enough for:

• Small businesses with 30-50 inbound messages/day
• Testing and development
• Side projects and personal use

For higher volume:

• OpenClaw Pro: 10,000 messages/month (~$29/month)
• OpenClaw Enterprise: Unlimited messages with custom pricing

Check your usage in the OpenClaw dashboard to avoid service interruptions.

Step 3: Configure OpenClaw in MoltFlow Dashboard

Now we'll connect OpenClaw to MoltFlow so your bot can use AI to generate intelligent responses.

Add OpenClaw as your AI provider:

1. In MoltFlow dashboard, navigate to AI Configuration in the left sidebar
2. If you already have an AI provider configured, click Edit. Otherwise, click "Add AI Provider"
3. Select OpenClaw from the provider dropdown

You'll see a configuration form.

1. Paste your OpenClaw API key in the API Key field

2. Leave other settings at defaults for now:

   • Model: openclaw-chat-v2 (we'll discuss model choices in the next step)
   • Temperature: 0.7 (controls creativity — 0 is deterministic, 1 is creative)
   • Max Tokens: 500 (maximum response length)

3. Scroll down to Auto-Reply Rules section

4. Enable Automatic AI Responses toggle

This is the core setting that turns on auto-replies. With this enabled, every inbound WhatsApp message triggers OpenClaw.

1. Choose your auto-reply mode:

   • Reply to all messages (recommended) — Bot responds to every inbound message automatically
   • Reply only to specific keywords — Only triggers when message contains keywords like "help", "support", "question"
   • Reply to messages in monitored groups only — Bot only responds in WhatsApp groups you've marked for monitoring

For customer support use cases, choose "Reply to all messages". For mixed-use numbers (personal + business), choose "specific keywords" to avoid awkward bot responses to personal contacts.

1. Click Save Configuration

Your AI provider is now connected and active.

Step 4: Choose Your AI Model

OpenClaw offers three models optimized for different use cases. Let's choose the right one for your needs.

Available models:

Recommendation by use case:

• E-commerce store with order status questions — Use openclaw-chat-fast. Most queries are simple lookups ("Where is my order?", "What's your return policy?").
• SaaS product with technical questions — Use openclaw-chat-v2. Balances speed and quality for feature questions, troubleshooting, and onboarding.
• Consulting or professional services — Use openclaw-chat-pro. Higher quality responses for complex, open-ended inquiries.

How to change your model:

1. Go to AI Configuration in the MoltFlow dashboard
2. Edit your OpenClaw provider
3. Change the Model dropdown
4. Click Save

The change takes effect immediately. Test by sending a message to your WhatsApp number.

Model comparison test:

Send the same question to your bot with different models and compare response quality:

Question: "Can you explain how your pricing works and help me choose the right plan?"

• openclaw-chat-fast — Brief, factual answer with plan tiers listed
• openclaw-chat-v2 — Detailed answer with plan comparison and recommendation based on use case
• openclaw-chat-pro — Comprehensive answer with follow-up questions to understand needs before recommending

Choose based on your customers' question complexity and your tolerance for response latency.

Step 5: Write Your System Prompt

The system prompt is the most important configuration setting. It defines your bot's personality, knowledge boundaries, and escalation behavior.

Edit your system prompt:

1. In AI Configuration, scroll to the System Prompt section
2. Replace the default prompt with a customized version for your business

Example system prompt for a customer support bot:

You are a helpful customer support agent for TechCo, a SaaS company that provides project management software.

Your role:
1. Answer questions about our product features, pricing, and policies accurately and professionally
2. Use the knowledge base documents to give specific, detailed answers
3. Maintain a friendly, patient tone even with frustrated customers
4. If you don't know the answer or the question requires human judgment, politely say: "I'd be happy to connect you with a member of our support team who can help with that. Would you like me to do that?"

Key information:
- Our product: TechCo Project Manager (web and mobile apps)
- Plans: Free (1 project), Pro ($29/month, unlimited projects), Team ($99/month, unlimited + collaboration)
- Support hours: Monday-Friday, 9 AM - 6 PM EST
- Return policy: 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked

Important guidelines:
- Never make up features or pricing that aren't in the knowledge base
- Never promise refunds without human approval (always escalate)
- Never share other customers' information
- Always prioritize customer satisfaction while staying accurate

Escalate these topics to human support immediately:
- Account deletion requests
- Refund or billing disputes
- Legal or compliance questions
- Security incidents
- Angry or abusive customers

Important customization tips:

Replace these placeholders with your actual information:

• TechCo → Your company name
• SaaS company that provides project management software → Your actual product/service
• Pricing and plan details → Your actual offerings
• Support hours → Your actual availability

Tone and personality customization:

Formal brand voice:

Maintain a professional, courteous tone. Avoid slang, emojis, or casual language. Use complete sentences and proper grammar.

Casual, friendly brand voice:

Keep it conversational and friendly. Use emojis when appropriate 😊. It's okay to say "Hey!" or "No worries!" — just stay helpful and clear.

Escalation triggers:

Always provide a clear escalation path:

If the customer says "speak to human", "not helpful", "manager", or expresses frustration, immediately offer to connect them with a team member.

After editing:

1. Click Save Configuration
2. Test the new prompt by sending a message to your bot

The system prompt applies to every message. Refine it based on real customer conversations (see Step 6 for testing tips).

Step 6: Test Automatic Replies

Before going live with customers, thoroughly test your bot to ensure it responds correctly.

Send test messages from another phone:

1. Save your MoltFlow-connected WhatsApp number on a different phone (or ask a friend to help)
2. Send a simple question: "What are your business hours?"
3. Verify the bot responds within 2-5 seconds
4. Check that the response is accurate and matches your brand tone

Test different question types:

Try these to ensure comprehensive coverage:

1. Simple factual question:

"What's your return policy?"

Expected: Bot pulls from your system prompt or knowledge base and gives the correct policy.

2. Complex product question:

"Can you explain the difference between your Pro and Team plans?"

Expected: Bot compares plans with specific features and pricing. If you haven't provided this info in the system prompt or knowledge base, bot should escalate to human.

3. Escalation trigger:

"I want to speak to a manager"

Expected: Bot immediately offers to connect you with a team member, doesn't try to answer further questions.

4. Out-of-scope question:

"What's the weather like today?"

Expected: Bot politely declines ("I'm here to help with TechCo product questions. For weather, try a weather app!") or redirects to support topics.

5. Gibberish or unclear message:

"asdjkl;asd"

Expected: Bot asks for clarification ("I didn't quite understand that. Can you rephrase?") or offers help ("Are you looking for support? I'm here to help with TechCo questions.").

Check message logs:

After each test:

1. Go to the Messages page in MoltFlow dashboard
2. Find the test conversation in the list
3. Click to view the full thread
4. Verify the bot's responses are logged correctly
5. Check that metadata shows it was AI-generated (look for "AI-generated" badge or icon)

What to look for:

• Response time: Should be under 5 seconds
• Response accuracy: Should match your system prompt instructions
• Tone: Should match your brand voice (formal vs casual)
• Escalation behavior: Should escalate when appropriate, not overescalate
• Edge case handling: Should handle nonsense gracefully without crashing

Refine based on test results:

If the bot gives wrong answers:

• Add missing information to your system prompt
• Upload knowledge base documents (Business plan feature — see knowledge base guide)

If the bot is too verbose:

• Add to system prompt: "Keep responses under 100 words when possible."

If the bot doesn't escalate enough:

• Add specific escalation keywords to your system prompt

If the bot escalates too much:

• Provide more detailed information in system prompt so it can answer confidently

Going Further: Advanced Features

Once your basic OpenClaw integration is working, explore these advanced features to improve response quality:

1. Knowledge Base RAG (Business plan)

Upload your product documentation, FAQ articles, and policy documents. MoltFlow will automatically chunk and index them, and OpenClaw will search them when generating responses.

This dramatically improves accuracy for complex products.

Learn more: Build a Knowledge Base for AI

2. Style Profiles

Train OpenClaw to match your team's writing style by uploading 5-10 example messages. MoltFlow will fine-tune the AI's tone to sound like your brand.

Learn more: Train AI Writing Style

3. Auto-Reply Rules and Business Hours

Configure when the bot should respond:

• Business hours only — Bot responds during work hours, sends "We're closed" message after hours
• Keyword triggers — Bot only responds to messages containing "help", "support", "question"
• Group-specific rules — Different behavior for different WhatsApp groups

Set these in AI Configuration > Auto-Reply Rules.

4. Build a Full Support Bot Workflow

Combine OpenClaw with lead scoring, webhook notifications, and escalation workflows for a complete AI support system.

Learn more: Build a WhatsApp Support Bot in 15 Minutes

5. Multi-Language Support

OpenClaw automatically detects the language of incoming messages and responds in the same language. No additional configuration needed.

Test it: Send a message in Spanish, French, or any language OpenClaw supports.

6. Conversation Memory

OpenClaw remembers the context of ongoing conversations. If a customer asks "What about Team plan?" after you already discussed Pro plan, the bot will reference the previous context.

No configuration needed — this works automatically.

Monitoring and Optimization

After going live, monitor your bot's performance and refine it over the first week.

Daily review (first week):

1. Go to Messages page
2. Filter by AI-generated to see all bot responses
3. Review 10-20 conversations per day
4. Look for patterns in questions the bot struggles with

Track these metrics:

• Auto-reply rate — % of messages the bot handles vs. escalates
• Average response time — Should be under 5 seconds
• Customer satisfaction — Ask follow-up: "Was this helpful? Reply YES or NO"
• Escalation rate — If over 30%, your system prompt or knowledge base needs expansion

Aim for an escalation rate of 10-20% for mature bots. Higher rates mean you need better documentation or narrower auto-reply triggers.

Refine your system prompt:

Based on real conversations, add specific guidance:

• If bot is too formal: Add "Use a casual, friendly tone"
• If bot makes assumptions: Add "If you're not sure what the customer means, ask a clarifying question"
• If bot misses details: Add "Always provide specific steps, not general advice"

Update knowledge base:

When the bot can't answer a question:

1. Note the question
2. Add the answer to your knowledge base (upload as a document)
3. Re-test with the same question

Over time, your bot will get smarter as your knowledge base grows.

Troubleshooting

Bot Not Responding

Possible causes:

1. Session is not in WORKING state
2. AI Configuration is not saved
3. Auto-reply toggle is disabled
4. Message is from a number you've blocked

Fix:

1. Check Sessions page — verify green "WORKING" badge
2. Go to AI Configuration — verify OpenClaw is selected and saved
3. Check Auto-Reply Rules — ensure toggle is enabled
4. Check blocked numbers (if applicable)

Bot Gives Wrong Answers

Possible causes:

1. System prompt is too vague
2. Missing information in knowledge base
3. Wrong model (too fast for complex questions)

Fix:

1. Edit system prompt with more specific guidance
2. Upload knowledge base documents with missing info (Business plan)
3. Switch to openclaw-chat-v2 or openclaw-chat-pro for better quality

Slow Response Times

Possible causes:

1. Using openclaw-chat-pro (slower but higher quality)
2. OpenClaw API experiencing high load
3. Large knowledge base (RAG search takes time)

Fix:

1. Switch to openclaw-chat-fast for faster responses
2. Check OpenClaw status page for service issues
3. Optimize knowledge base by removing redundant documents

Bot Doesn't Escalate

Possible causes:

1. Escalation keywords not defined in system prompt
2. System prompt tells bot to answer everything

Fix:

1. Add escalation keywords: "If customer says 'speak to human', 'manager', or 'not helpful', escalate immediately"
2. Add escalation rules: "Topics you cannot handle: refunds, account deletion, legal questions"

Exceeded OpenClaw Message Quota

Cause: You've used all 1,000 free tier messages.

Fix:

1. Check usage in OpenClaw dashboard
2. Upgrade to OpenClaw Pro (10,000 messages/month)
3. Or wait until next billing cycle for quota reset

What's Next

Now that you've connected OpenClaw to MoltFlow for automatic AI replies, explore these related integrations:

• Connect ChatGPT to MoltFlow via Custom GPT Actions — Give ChatGPT Plus manual control over WhatsApp operations
• Connect Claude to MoltFlow via MCP Server — Give Claude Desktop full WhatsApp API access with 25 tools
• Build a WhatsApp Support Bot — Comprehensive 15-minute guide covering knowledge base, style profiles, and monitoring
• Connect MoltFlow to n8n — Integrate WhatsApp with 500+ apps via no-code workflows

OpenClaw + MoltFlow is the fastest path to automated WhatsApp customer service. Use it to handle 70% of inquiries automatically, freeing your team for complex issues.

Ready to scale your customer service? Start your Growth plan trial to unlock AI-powered automation. View pricing.

Need help? Contact support via the dashboard chat or email us at [email protected]. We typically respond within 2-4 hours.