Send Typeform Leads via WhatsApp Using n8n and Twilio

Real Challenge: Marie’s Lead Follow-Up Nightmare

Meet Marie, a small business owner who relies on Typeform to collect customer interest for her consulting services. Each day, she receives dozens of filled forms, but manually extracting and transferring customer data to her sales team via WhatsApp is exhausting—resulting in delayed responses and lost leads. This wastes her several hours daily, causing frustration and a dip in customer engagement.

Marie needed a way to get instant notifications of new leads on WhatsApp, including detailed answers from the Typeform submissions, without the tedious copy-pasting or missing key data.

What This Automation Does

This n8n workflow takes new Typeform submissions and automatically sends the lead’s detailed data as a formatted WhatsApp message through Twilio. Here’s what happens when the workflow runs:

• Instant Trigger: When a lead completes the Typeform, the “Typeform Trigger” node picks up the new submission instantly. ⏱️
• Data Formatting: The “Set” node extracts and organizes responses (last name, first name, number of children, country, email, birth date) into a readable message format.
• WhatsApp Notification: Using the “Twilio” node, the workflow sends a WhatsApp message with that formatted data directly to a specified phone number, ensuring the sales team gets immediate, actionable info.
• Error Handling: Both key nodes have retry enabled, so message delivery attempts persist through transient issues.
• Effortless Monitoring: The workflow runs active and continuously, so no leads slip through the cracks.

Overall, this saves Marie hours of manual work daily, accelerates lead response by minutes or hours, and reduces human errors from manual data entry.

Prerequisites ⚙️

• Typeform account: To create and manage the lead capture form with OAuth2 authentication configured.
• Twilio account: Configured to send WhatsApp messages. You’ll need proper credentials (Account SID, Auth Token) and a Twilio WhatsApp sender number.
• n8n account: To build and run the automation workflow. Self-hosting is possible for those who want full control (read more at buldrr.com/hostinger).

Step-by-Step Guide to Build This Workflow

Step 1: Add the Typeform Trigger Node

In n8n, navigate to the canvas and click + Add Node → Typeform Trigger.

In the node parameters, under formId, enter your Typeform ID (from URL or Typeform dashboard). Set the authentication to oAuth2 and select or connect your Typeform OAuth2 credentials.

You should see a webhook URL generated; this will listen for new form responses.

Common mistake: Forgetting to authenticate Typeform properly will prevent trigger firing.

Step 2: Configure the Set Node for Data Formatting

Add a Set node and connect it after the Typeform Trigger.

In the values field, use string type and input the following template to format the message:

Last name : {{$node["Typeform Trigger"].json["form_response"]["answers"]["And your *last name*?"]}}
First name :{{$node["Typeform Trigger"].json["form_response"]["answers"]["Let's start with your* first name.*"]}}
Number of child : {{$node["Typeform Trigger"].json["form_response"]["answers"]["How many child do you have ?"]}}
Country : {{$node["Typeform Trigger"].json["form_response"]["answers"]["Lastly, [field:d566770d2197a78b], what country do you live in?"]}}
Mail adress : {{$node["Typeform Trigger"].json["form_response"]["answers"]["What *email address* can we reach you at? This is only to get in touch, not to send spam."]}}
Birth date : {{$node["Typeform Trigger"].json["form_response"]["answers"]["What is your birth date ?"]}}

You will see a nicely formatted string combining customer answers under the “Data” key.

Common mistake: Ensure the answer field labels match exactly, or you’ll receive null values.

Step 3: Add the Twilio Node to Send WhatsApp Messages

Drag in the Twilio node and place it after the Set node.

Configure the node with your Twilio credentials under the credentials section.

Set the to phone number to the WhatsApp recipient (e.g., +33659104857) and the from to your Twilio WhatsApp sender number (e.g., +16065954936).

In the message field, use an expression to inject the formatted data:

=Hello, Here is a new customer who is looking for a Test : 

{{$json["Data"]}}

Regards, HelloSafe

Expected outcome: The specified WhatsApp number receives a clear message with all the lead’s provided details.

Common mistake: Using incorrect WhatsApp numbers (must be in E.164 format and WhatsApp-enabled on Twilio).

Customizations ✏️

• Change recipient number: In the Twilio node, update the to parameter to forward to a different WhatsApp number.
• Modify form fields sent: In the Set node, customize the message string fields to include or exclude specific Typeform answers based on your data capture requirements.
• Enable logging: Add a “Write Binary File” or “Google Sheets” node after the Twilio node to record messages sent, helping in audit trails.

Troubleshooting 🔧

Problem: “Typeform Trigger does not activate on new submission”
Cause: OAuth2 authentication expired or webhook not properly set in Typeform.
Solution: Re-authenticate the Typeform trigger node credentials and check the webhook URL is correctly registered in your Typeform integration settings.

Problem: “Twilio WhatsApp message not sending”
Cause: Incorrect or unverified phone numbers or missing Twilio sandbox approval.
Solution: Confirm the WhatsApp number is entered in the correct E.164 format and is authorized within your Twilio WhatsApp sandbox or production environment.

Pre-Production Checklist ✅

• Validate that Typeform OAuth2 credentials are active and the workflow webhook URL is live.
• Run a test Typeform submission to check “Set” node formatting correctness in preview.
• Verify Twilio phone numbers are correct and WhatsApp enabled.
• Test sending a WhatsApp message manually from Twilio to confirm connectivity.
• Confirm retry settings are enabled on trigger and Twilio nodes for reliability.

Deployment Guide

Activate the workflow by toggling it active in n8n. Because the Typeform Trigger is webhook-based, your automation will fire in real-time when someone submits the Typeform.

Monitor execution in the n8n dashboard and tweak logs for debugging initial runs. You can integrate alert nodes (like Email or Slack) if needed to notify about failures.

FAQs

Q: Can I use SMS instead of WhatsApp to notify leads?
A: Yes, by changing the Twilio node message channel and phone number to SMS, you can use the same trigger and formatting logic.

Q: Does this workflow consume Twilio API credits?
A: Each WhatsApp message sent counts against your Twilio balance and pricing, so monitor usage accordingly.

Q: Is my customer data safe?
A: OAuth2 API connections secure your data transmission. Still, ensure compliance with privacy policies while handling personal data.

Conclusion

By following this workflow, you’ve empowered your lead management with instant, formatted WhatsApp alerts from Typeform submissions via n8n and Twilio. This saves hours of manual data handling daily and ensures no leads are missed due to delayed messages.

Consider expanding the flow with additional channels such as email or Slack notifications, or adding CRM integrations for a fully automated sales process that keeps your pipeline flowing smoothly.

Ready to supercharge your customer communications? Let’s automate, simplify, and grow!