# Flow Portals - Start one Flow from another Section: Flows Description: Link flows with portals or matching quick replies. Verified against Tidio panel 12.331.0 Last updated: 2026-11-10 Source: https://help.tidio.com/articles/flow-portals/ You've probably heard the word 'portal' before. A portal provides access from one place to another - it acts as a direct link. At Tidio, portals is what we call the act of triggering one flow from another. Currently, there are two different ways of creating a portal. The first (and more flexible) method makes use of the dedicated action called **To another Flow** (and the trigger **From another Flow**). The second method uses the action called **Decision (Quick Replies)**, and makes it work with the trigger **Visitor says** to create a working portal. **In this article, you'll learn:** - [How to create a portal with **To another Flow**]() - [How to create a portal with decision and **Visitor says**]() [Video]() Silent walkthrough. Select FAQ for Online Store in a portal action, open its mocked target, and inspect the From another Flow trigger. ## Creating a portal - method \#1 To create a working portal, you need two flows: one will act as the source, while the other will act as the target. The source flow requires the **To another Flow** action in order to allow a connection with the target flow of your choice. Select a different flow from the target list. When editing a flow that another flow already targets, keep its **From another Flow** trigger: the editor requires it before you can activate changes. ### **To another Flow** - the action The available target flows will be listed in a dropdown menu inside the **To another Flow** action: When you select a target flow in the To another Flow action, you get the option to directly open that flow in the editor - by clicking on **Open selected Flow**. This lets you view and customize the target flow, if necessary: ![The To another Flow settings with FAQ for Online Store selected and Open selected Flow visible.]() 💡 Please keep in mind that portals only work in the live chat channel. Unfortunately, portals won't work on Messenger or Instagram. In practice, the target flow will be triggered when your website visitor reaches the **To another Flow** action while using the source flow. Effectively, reaching this step in the flow ends the visitor's interaction with the source flow, and the target flow takes over. Ideally, this transition won't even be noticeable for the visitor\! ![A source flow with a Decision (Quick Replies) action connected to two To another Flow actions.]() ### **From another Flow** - the trigger There also exists a dedicated trigger called **From another Flow**. The editor requires this trigger when you save a target flow that is already linked from another flow. With this dedicated portal trigger, you can create a unique flow that won't work any other way - it would only be launched if a source flow targets it specifically, with its **To another Flow** action. ![A target flow starting with From another Flow, followed by Send a chat message and Send a form.]() ### A practical example The source flow pictured below allows the visitor to select one of two options, each leading to a different **To another Flow** action. Each of these actions is linked to a completely separate flow that already exists in the Tidio account. ![A source flow with FAQ and Pricing quick replies connected to separate To another Flow actions.]() The source flow shown above can trigger any other flow that you currently have in your list. The particular **To another Flow** action below is linked to the 'FAQ' flow - a flow that is normally triggered by clicking on the Tidio chat icon. Thanks to this setup, the FAQ flow can also be triggered by the portal: ![The FAQ branch with FAQ for Online Store selected in the To another Flow settings.]() The second **To another Flow** action is linked to a different flow - one called 'Returns policy' in this example. This specific flow uses only one trigger: From another Flow. This means the 'Returns policy' flow starts through a portal rather than a visitor event. Other source flows can also target it. ![The Pricing branch with Pricing selected in the To another Flow settings.]() Below you can see this portal in action. After finishing the source flow's flow, the separate target flow is started and takes over: ![The chat widget showing a visitor choosing a quick reply that starts a linked flow.]() ## Creating a portal - method \#2 💡 **Please note:** This method needs access to the **Visitor says** trigger. If it is not included in your plan, the editor shows an upgrade prompt. You can use the dedicated portal method above instead. This method brings similar results, but uses a different action as well as different trigger in the two flows you're connecting. This used to be the only method in the past, before we've introduced the dedicated **To another Flow** action (described in method \#1 above). In this method, however, you are required to use a specific combination of action and trigger. ### **Decision (Quick Replies)** and **Visitor says** - working together The source flow requires the **Decision (Quick Replies)** action in order to allow a connection with the target flow. The target flow, which you want to launch from the source flow, needs to use the **Visitor says** trigger. Please note that other decision actions will not work here\! 💡 Please keep in mind that portals only work in the live chat channel. Unfortunately, portals won't work on Messenger or Instagram. In practice, the target **Visitor says** flow can be triggered when your website visitor clicks on one of the buttons inside the **Decision (Quick Replies)** action - as long as the button is not connected to any other actions: ![A Decision (Quick Replies) action with FAQ and Return a product buttons and no outgoing connections.]() To make the portal complete, the target flow's **Visitor says** trigger needs to include the exact same text that is used in the **Decision (Quick Replies)** button: ![The Visitor says trigger configured with a phrase matching the source flow quick reply.]() When a visitor clicks that button, it basically acts like a message sent by that visitor; the target **Visitor says** flow will recognize that message and trigger accordingly. ### A practical example Pictured below, you can see a flow with the **Decision (Quick Replies)** action - that's the source flow in this example. The two buttons in the Decision node are not connected to any other action - the flow effectively ends there. ![A source flow ending with a Decision (Quick Replies) action and unconnected reply outputs.]() The flow above (the source flow) can trigger another flow with the **Visitor says** trigger (the target flow), as long as the trigger includes the exact same message as the button from the first flow. Below you can see the target flow setup - with the **Visitor says** trigger, which includes the same phrase as one of the buttons in the source flow. ![A target flow with a Visitor says trigger containing the matching quick reply text.]() 💡 Please keep in mind that if the visitor types and sends the message manually (not by clicking on the quick reply button that is presented to them) - the Visitor says flow will not be triggered. The Visitor says flow will trigger only if the visitors sends this message twice in this case. Of course, this only applies if the first flow (which shows the quick reply buttons) is being used; if the visitor isn't seeing that flow and they send the correct message, the Visitor says flow will work as usual. Below you can see this portal in action. After clicking on the button - the source flow triggers the target flow: ![The chat widget demonstrating a quick reply starting a matching Visitor says flow.]() ## Further reading - [Adding a new Flow]() - [Flow editor: Conditions]()