Documentation

Everything you need to get the most out of NL Chatbot Pro.

Updated for NL Chatbot Pro v1.0.7 final launch build.

Quick Start

Get up and running in three simple steps:

  1. Install: Go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin. Upload nl-chatbot-pro.zip and activate.
  2. Activate License: Navigate to NL Chatbot → License and enter your premium license key.
  3. Configure: Set your welcome message and build your first customer journey flow in the Question Builder.
Tip: Test your chatbot on a mobile device before going live. Most of your visitors will interact with it on their phones.

Who NL Chatbot Pro Is Best For

NL Chatbot Pro works best for businesses that value predictable customer interactions and lead automation.

  • Service businesses (plumbers, cleaners, contractors)
  • Appointment-based service businesses
  • Real estate teams and property agents
  • Home services and maintenance companies
  • Agencies and consultancies
  • Businesses focused on lead generation and bookings

It works best for structured business conversations such as lead capture, bookings, customer qualification, and inquiries.

Recommended First Setup

  • Add a compelling welcome message
  • Create one lead qualification flow
  • Enable booking if you are appointment-based
  • Add WhatsApp handoff for hot leads
  • Test your system on mobile devices

Supported Environment

For the best experience, your WordPress site should meet these requirements:

  • WordPress: Version 5.8 or higher (self-hosted WordPress.org)
  • PHP: Version 7.4 or higher (including 8.x)
  • Database: MySQL 5.7+ or MariaDB 10.3+
  • Permalinks: Any setting except "Plain" (we recommend "Post Name")
  • Security: HTTPS strongly recommended
  • REST API: Must be accessible and not blocked
  • WP-Cron: Must be functional for booking reminder emails
  • Browsers: Latest Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge
  • JavaScript: Must be enabled in visitor browsers

Technical Exclusions

NL Chatbot Pro may not work correctly in these environments:

  • WordPress.com (Free, Personal, or Premium plans)
  • Sites where the REST API is blocked or restricted
  • Sites using aggressive caching that interferes with scripts
  • Object caching (Redis, etc.) may delay lead notifications by up to 60 seconds
  • Internet Explorer or other legacy browsers

General Limitations

  • Compatibility with all third-party plugins and themes is not guaranteed
  • Performance may vary based on hosting, caching, and browser conditions
  • Changes may take a few moments to appear due to caching
  • While we aim for reliable performance, availability may occasionally vary depending on hosting environment, server conditions, or third-party services
  • We do not guarantee specific business outcomes (lead volume, conversion rates, etc.)
  • Features may evolve as we improve the product
  • Please test thoroughly before deploying to a live production site
  • Keep the plugin updated to maintain compatibility with WordPress
  • Optional features relying on third-party services may be temporarily unavailable

License & Updates

Your license key activates the premium features of NL Chatbot Pro. After purchase or trial signup, your license key is sent to your email automatically.

For paid subscriptions, you can manage billing, payment methods, invoices, or cancellation through our secure Stripe billing portal: Manage Billing. Use the same email address you used at checkout.

Activating Your License

  1. Go to NL Chatbot → License in your WordPress admin
  2. Enter your license key in the field provided
  3. Click "Activate License"
  4. The system will verify your license with our server and activate all premium features

License Status

The License page shows your current status:

  • Valid: Your license is active and all features are unlocked
  • Expired: Your subscription has ended. Renew to continue using premium features
  • Invalid: The license key was not recognized. Contact support

Keeping the Plugin Updated

NL Chatbot Pro checks for updates automatically through the WordPress update system. When an update is available, you will see a notification in your admin dashboard.

We recommend keeping the plugin updated to:

  • Maintain compatibility with the latest WordPress version
  • Receive new features and improvements
  • Ensure security patches are applied

Domain Changes

If you need to move your license to a different domain:

  1. Go to NL Chatbot → License
  2. Click "Deactivate License" on the old site
  3. Activate the same license key on the new site

Note: If you deleted the plugin without deactivating, you can still reactivate on a new domain. The system recognizes same-domain reactivation even after deletion.

Settings Overview

The Settings page is organized into tabs for easy navigation:

Widget Tab

Customize the appearance and behavior of your chatbot widget:

  • Header Title: Text shown in the chatbot header (e.g., "Chat with us")
  • Toggle Button Text: Text on the floating chat button
  • Welcome Message: The first message users see when they open the chat
  • Widget Position: Bottom Right or Bottom Left
  • Avatar: Upload a custom image (recommended: 80x80px square)
  • Color Scheme: Primary color, bubble color, chat background, and text color
  • Live Preview: See changes in real time before saving

Notifications Tab

Configure email settings for lead alerts:

  • Admin Receiving Email: Where new lead alerts are sent
  • Outbound Sender Email: What customers see in email confirmations
  • Email Branding: Upload your logo and set primary color for email templates
  • Email Preview: See how your branded emails will look

Contact Tab

Set up direct contact methods:

  • WhatsApp Button: Enable a floating WhatsApp contact button with your phone number
  • Button Text: Customize the WhatsApp button label
  • Pre-fill Message: Optional pre-filled message when visitors open WhatsApp

Booking Tab

Configure your appointment scheduling:

  • Meeting Types: Create different types (Call, Appointment, Consultation)
  • Duration: Set how long each meeting type lasts
  • Buffer Time: Add padding between appointments
  • Available Hours: Set your working hours for each day
  • Advance Notice: Minimum time before someone can book
  • Max Future Booking: How far ahead customers can schedule
  • Reminder Timing: When to send reminder emails before appointments

Statuses Tab

Manage your lead pipeline stages:

  • Default Statuses: New, Contacted, Qualified, Lost
  • Custom Statuses: Add your own stages (e.g., "Proposal Sent", "Contract Signed")
  • Drag and drop to reorder custom statuses

Lead Delivery Tab

Configure where your leads are sent:

  • Google Sheets: Send lead data to a configured Google Sheet
  • Webhook / Zapier: Send lead data to external systems
  • Secret Token: Add authentication to webhook requests

Question Builder

Rule-Based Conversations

NL Chatbot Pro prioritizes reliability over unpredictability. Unlike fully conversational AI systems, visitor interactions follow administrator-defined paths. This approach:

  • Maintains consistent messaging
  • Improves lead quality through structured qualification
  • Keeps customer interactions predictable
  • Gives you full control over the customer journey

You maintain control over the questions, answers, and pathways you configure. The chatbot follows those configured paths instead of generating open-ended replies.

Question Types

The Question Builder supports multiple input types:

  • Text: Free-form text input for names, addresses, or any open response
  • Dropdown: Single-select from a list of options
  • Checkbox: Multi-select options for services or preferences
  • Calculation: Dynamic math based on previous answers (quotes, estimates)
  • Image: Display an image with a continue button
  • CTA Button: Direct link to any URL (external pages, downloads)
  • Lead Magnet: Offer a downloadable file in exchange for contact details

Logic Branching

Route visitors down different paths based on their answers. For example, if a visitor selects "Budget under $1,000," you can send them to a different set of questions than someone who selects "Budget over $5,000."

To set up logic branching:

  1. Create a question (Dropdown or Checkbox works best)
  2. Enable "Logic Branching" in the question settings
  3. For each answer option, choose the next question or action
  4. You can also set a redirect URL for any answer option

Intent Selector

Mark a Dropdown or Checkbox question as an "Intent Selector" to use it for team assignment. When a visitor selects an option, the system matches it to your assignment rules and routes the lead to the appropriate team member.

Required Fields

Mark any question as "Required" to prevent visitors from skipping it. This ensures you collect the information you need before the lead is submitted.

Variable Names

Each question can have a variable name (e.g., lead_name, budget). These variables are used in:

  • Calculation formulas
  • Personalized messages (e.g., "Hi {lead_name}!")
  • Lead detail views
  • Email templates

AI Question Flow Generator (Pro)

An optional tool that helps administrators draft complete question flows from a brief business description. Enter a description like "I am a 24-hour emergency plumber in Bishan" and the system generates a structured questionnaire template.

How to use:

  1. Click "AI Chatbot Builder" in the Question Builder
  2. Enter a brief description of your business
  3. Click "Generate" and wait for the blueprint
  4. Review, edit, and customize the generated questions
  5. Save when ready

All generated content can be edited, customized, or discarded before going live. If the AI service is unavailable, the visual Question Builder remains fully functional for manual creation.

Lead & Booking Management

Lead Capture & Notifications

User inputs are stored in your own WordPress database. Site owners are responsible for managing access, retention, security, and use of the data collected through their website.

  • New Leads: Email notification to admin when a visitor completes a flow
  • Booking Confirmations: Sent to customer and admin upon scheduling
  • Booking Reminders: Reminder emails can be sent before appointments, subject to WordPress scheduled tasks, hosting, and email delivery conditions.
  • Reschedule Confirmations: Sent when appointments are modified

Meeting Types

Configure different meeting types with distinct settings:

  • Call: Shorter duration, specific time slots, dedicated email routing
  • Appointment: Longer duration, different buffers, staff assignment

Each type can have custom duration, buffer times, available time slots, notification email addresses, and confirmation message templates.

Admin-Initiated Scheduling

Create appointments directly from lead records with Admin Override capabilities:

  • Pre-fill contact details from the lead
  • Select meeting type
  • Bypass standard booking constraints (advance notice, etc.)
  • Optional conflict warnings with force-save option
  • Send confirmation email to client (optional)

Customer Self-Service Portal

Customers can manage their appointments using secure links sent in their confirmation emails:

  • Reschedule appointments
  • Cancel appointments
  • View booking details

Security: All actions require unique reschedule tokens sent via email. No login needed.

Lead Status Pipeline

Track leads through your sales process:

  • New: Just captured, not yet contacted
  • Contacted: You have reached out to the lead
  • Qualified: The lead is a good fit for your services
  • Lost: The lead did not convert

Add custom statuses to match your workflow. Update statuses directly from the Leads page.

Team Assignment

Automatically route leads to the right team member based on customer intent.

How It Works

  1. Create Roles: Go to NL Chatbot → Team Members → Roles and define roles like "Sales Rep", "Support", "Consultant"
  2. Add Members: Add team members with their name, email, and role assignment
  3. Set Assignment Rules: Map intent selector answers to roles (e.g., "Sales Inquiry" → "Sales Rep")
  4. Auto-Assignment: When a lead selects a matching intent, the system finds the least-recently-assigned active member in that role and assigns the lead

Assignment Notification

When a lead is assigned to a team member, they receive an email notification containing:

  • Lead contact details
  • Full conversation history
  • Source page URL
  • Date and time of submission

Viewing Assigned Leads

In the Leads page, each lead shows an "Assigned To" badge with the team member's name. Team members can filter leads by their assignments.

Conversion Tools

Announcement Banner

A customizable website banner for promotions and announcements. Features:

  • Custom message, button text, and discount codes
  • Color customization (background and text)
  • Live preview in settings
  • Click-to-reveal discount codes
  • Opens chat widget with personalized welcome message

Use Cases: Special offers, welcome incentives, limited-time promotions.

Exit-Intent Recovery

Triggers the chatbot when users show exit behavior:

  • Desktop: Detects mouse movement toward browser close button
  • Mobile: Detects rapid scrolling patterns

Note: 100% detection is not guaranteed due to device and browser variations.

Link-in-Bio Page

A clean, full-screen chatbot layout optimized for social profiles (Instagram, TikTok) and ad campaigns. Requires valid permalink settings and HTTPS.

Proactive Auto-Popup

Automatically opens the chatbot after a visitor spends a specific amount of time on your site. Configuration:

  • Delay: Set time in seconds (1-300 seconds) before auto-opening
  • Smart Timing: Triggers only after visitor has engaged with your content

Best Practices: Start with 15-30 seconds for moderate engagement. Test different delays to find optimal timing for your audience.

Social Proof Notifications

Display a subtle popup using privacy-safe social proof messaging. The launch build uses a generic or custom safe message instead of showing names, contact details, full enquiry answers, visitor IP addresses, or sensitive lead intent.

How It Works:

  • Toast notification appears only when social proof is enabled
  • Default message is generic, such as "Someone recently made an enquiry."
  • Site owners may use a custom safe message
  • Do not include names, phone numbers, email addresses, full messages, or sensitive customer details in custom social proof text

WhatsApp Bridge (Lead Handoff)

NL Chatbot Pro uses a customer-initiated handoff process:

  • A WhatsApp link (wa.me) is generated based on lead information
  • The visitor must manually click to send the message from their own device
  • We do not send automated WhatsApp messages from our servers
  • You are responsible for compliance with WhatsApp's Terms of Use

Analytics

Track real-time metrics in the Analytics Dashboard:

  • Total Chat Interactions: How many visitors opened the chatbot
  • Leads Captured: Number of completed lead submissions
  • Bookings: Appointments and calls scheduled
  • Show-Up Rate: Percentage of bookings that were attended

Quick Insights

  • Top Performing Pages: Which pages drive the most leads
  • Booking Conversion Health: Track conversion rate trends
  • Lead Trend: Compare lead volume over time periods

Lead Sources

See where your leads are coming from — Direct Chatbot, specific pages, or external sources.

Question Performance

Identify which questions convert visitors and where they drop off:

  • Views: How many visitors saw each question
  • Answers: How many visitors answered each question
  • Conversion %: Answer rate for each question
  • Dropoff %: Where visitors abandon the conversation

Use this data to optimize your question flow. High dropoff questions may need clearer wording, fewer options, or better positioning.

Integrations

Google Sheets Sync

Google Sheets Sync lets you send lead data to a Google Sheet using a Google Apps Script Web App configured by the site owner. Follow these steps:

  1. Go to sheets.new and create a blank spreadsheet
  2. Inside your sheet, click Extensions → Apps Script
  3. Delete the default code and paste the script provided in the plugin settings
  4. Click Deploy → New deployment
  5. Choose type Web app
  6. Set "Who has access" to Anyone
  7. Click Deploy and authorize
  8. Copy the Web App URL (ends in /exec)
  9. Paste it into the Google Apps Script URL field in NL Chatbot → Settings → Lead Delivery
  10. Toggle Google Sheets ON and save

Google Sheets delivery depends on the site owner's Google account, Apps Script deployment, permissions, and Google service availability.

Webhook / Zapier

Send lead data to any external system that accepts HTTP POST requests:

  • Webhook URL: The external URL that will receive a JSON payload for every new lead and booking
  • Secret Token (Optional): A password included in the JSON payload as secret_token for verification

Payload Example

{
  "event": "lead.created",
  "lead_id": 123,
  "session_id": "session_abc123",
  "email": "user@example.com",
  "answers": [...],
  "page_url": "https://yoursite.com/contact",
  "status": "new",
  "created_at": "2026-01-15 10:30:00",
  "secret_token": "your_secret_password"
}

Data Responsibility & Privacy

Local-First Storage

All personal data, conversations, and lead details are stored only on your WordPress database. We do not access, view, or store your customer data.

Technical Service Data

Our licensing system processes limited technical data, such as license verification, update checks, and technical diagnostics needed for product delivery and support. This does not include your customer lead data.

AI Question Flow Generator & Privacy

When using the optional AI Question Flow Generator, only the setup details entered by the administrator — such as business description, goal, location, contact method, and additional instructions — are sent to our proxy server to generate a suggested question flow. Visitor conversations, lead data, names, emails, phone numbers, and transcripts are not sent to AI providers by default. Generated flows should be reviewed and edited by the site owner before going live.

Roles & Compliance

You (Data Controller): You determine how visitor data is processed, for how long, and for what purpose. You are responsible for consent mechanisms and compliance with regulations like Singapore's PDPA.

Nexa Logic: During normal plugin operation, we do not access, view, or store visitor lead data collected through your WordPress site. Our systems may process limited technical service data for license verification, update checks, AI Flow Generator requests, and support when requested. The standard plugin lead and booking records do not intentionally store visitor IP addresses.

Content Responsibility: You own all questionnaire content and collected data. Avoid collecting highly sensitive information such as NRIC numbers, payment card details, medical records, or other sensitive personal data unless you have proper legal basis, security safeguards, and a clear business need.

Best Practices

Writing Effective Questions

  • Keep questions short and clear (under 15 words ideally)
  • Use friendly, conversational language
  • Start with easy questions (name, contact) before asking detailed ones
  • Use Dropdowns for questions with predictable answers
  • Mark critical fields as Required
  • Always end with a thank-you message and next steps

Optimizing for Mobile

  • Test every question flow on a phone before going live
  • Keep dropdown options to 5 or fewer when possible
  • Use larger touch targets (the plugin handles this automatically)
  • Minimize typing by using Dropdowns and Checkboxes

Improving Conversion Rates

  • Check Question Performance analytics weekly
  • Questions with high dropoff may be too complex or too personal
  • A/B test different welcome messages
  • Use the Announcement Banner to promote special offers
  • Enable Exit-Intent Recovery to catch leaving visitors
  • Set Proactive Auto-Popup to 20-30 seconds for best results

Troubleshooting

Issue Solution
Widget not appearing Check permalink settings and HTTPS configuration. Ensure the plugin is activated and licensed.
Changes not showing Clear your caching plugin or CDN cache. Also clear browser cache.
WhatsApp handoff fails Ensure phone number includes country code (+65 format). Test the link manually.
Reminder emails not sending Verify WP-Cron is enabled, check hosting/email delivery settings, and check spam folders. Reminder timing may vary depending on website traffic, hosting, and email provider delivery.
Team assignment not working Check that intent selector questions are properly configured and team members are active.
License activation fails Check that your domain uses HTTPS. Verify the license key was copied correctly.
Google Sheets not syncing Verify the Apps Script URL is correct and the deployment is set to "Anyone" access.
Booking times not showing Check that available hours are set in Booking settings and that the date is within the max future booking window.
Slow widget loading Disable object caching temporarily. Minimize other plugins. Use a quality hosting provider.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is NL Chatbot Pro rule-based instead of fully AI?

NL Chatbot Pro is intentionally designed around structured, administrator-controlled conversations. This helps maintain brand consistency, improve lead quality, and reduce inaccurate or unpredictable responses often associated with unrestricted conversational systems.

Can I control what the chatbot says?

Yes. NL Chatbot Pro uses a rule-based system. You fully control all visitor pathways and responses. It follows the responses and paths you configure instead of generating open-ended replies.

Does NL Chatbot Pro use AI?

Visitor interactions are rule-based. An optional AI Question Flow Generator is available in the admin area to help build question flows faster. This is only activated when you choose to use it.

Will this slow down my website?

NL Chatbot Pro is designed for efficient operation within supported WordPress environments. Performance depends on your hosting, caching setup, and other plugins.

Can customers reschedule appointments?

Yes. Customers receive secure links in their confirmation emails to reschedule or cancel through the self-service portal.

Do you store my leads?

No. All lead data is stored locally in your WordPress database. We cannot access it.

What if the AI builder is unavailable?

The visual drag-and-drop Question Builder works independently and remains fully functional.

Is my data used to train AI models?

Visitor chatbot conversations are rule-based and are not sent to AI providers by default. The optional AI Question Flow Generator only sends the admin-entered business description to our proxy server to generate a suggested question flow. It does not send visitor conversations, lead data, names, emails, phone numbers, or transcripts.

Can I export my leads?

Yes. You can export leads directly from the Leads management page in your WordPress admin.

Is there a limit on how many leads I can get?

Monthly and Yearly paid licenses include unlimited leads while active. The free trial is limited to 10 leads.

How do I receive my leads?

Leads are stored in your WordPress dashboard under NL Chatbot → Leads. You can also enable email notifications, Google Sheets sync, or webhook delivery.

Does it send a WhatsApp message to me automatically?

No. WhatsApp handoff generates a link that the visitor clicks to start a conversation from their own device. We do not send automated WhatsApp messages.

Why wasn't my reminder sent at the exact time?

Booking reminders are sent through WordPress email and scheduled tasks. Delivery timing can depend on website traffic, hosting performance, WordPress background processing, and email provider delivery. For best performance, make sure your hosting supports WordPress scheduled tasks properly.

Can I use this on client websites?

Each site requires its own license. Monthly and Yearly licenses are for 1 WordPress website. If you need multi-site or agency access, contact support@nlchatbot.com.

What happens if I cancel my subscription?

Your license will remain active until the end of your current billing period. After that, premium features will be disabled but your existing lead data remains in your WordPress database. To cancel, update your payment method, or view invoices, use our secure Stripe billing portal: Manage Billing.

Do you offer help with setup?

Yes. All plans include documentation access. Paid customers can contact support@nlchatbot.com for setup and license questions.

Note: This documentation forms part of the contractual terms of the Service and should be read together with the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Nexa Logic Pte. Ltd.
UEN: 202552472Z
60 Paya Lebar Road #06-28 Paya Lebar Square, Singapore 409051
Email: support@nlchatbot.com

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