Reply to chat node
Sends a reply back to the chat that started this workflow. Use it together with the chat trigger in `respond_node` mode. Learn how to configure it, map inputs and outputs, run a test and resolve common errors.
7 min readUpdated
What this node does
Sends a reply back to the chat that started this workflow. Use it together with the chat trigger in `respond_node` mode.
Use Reply to chat as a clearly defined step in an anymize workflow.
- Processes one input.
- Ends the connected path.
- Runs as a regular step in the flow.
Set up the node
- 01Open a workflow and add Reply to chat from the node catalog.
- 02Complete the required fields and map values from previous steps.
- 03Run the node with a small test record and inspect its output.
- 04Connect the successful output and activate the workflow after an end-to-end test.
Operations and modes
Reply to chat has one focused purpose. Its available settings appear when you select the node.
Settings
| Field | Meaning | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Message | Plain text or Markdown. Reference variables via `{{ $json.field }}`. Empty = the input is returned as text 1:1. | Standard |
| Format | Choices: Markdown (default), Plain Text, JSON (for structured replies) | Standard |
| Put PII placeholders back | If the chat trigger anonymized the input: placeholders like [[Person-XYZ]] are swapped back for the original values before sending, the user sees „Max Mustermann" instead of a token. | Standard |
| Structured data (table/card) | Optional: data the chat displays as a table or card. Add fields as rows or switch to raw JSON in the top right. Variables like {{ $json.field }} are allowed. Used as the pure reply when Format is 'JSON'. | Standard |
Inputs and outputs
| Input | Meaning | Type |
|---|---|---|
| message | The text that should show up in the chat. | text |
| data | Optional: structured data the chat can render as cards/tables. | json |
| Output | Meaning | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Ends this path without another output. | JSON |
Example and test run
Inbox summary to chat: begin with a small, recognizable record. Inspect the output and only map fields that are present there.
Test-run example
{
"message": "Du hast 3 neue Mails, die wichtigste ist von Lisa zur Q3-Planung."
}Access and security
Before activation, review which data enters this step and what its output contains.
Store keys and credentials in the protected connection manager. Never paste them into normal workflow fields, test data or descriptions.
Troubleshooting
- No output: inspect the latest run and confirm that the previous node returned the expected fields.
- Empty variable: open the previous step output and use a field name from the real test data.