# Flows

These settings control the mechanics of flow execution in conversations. You can configure how long Aisera waits for a flow to complete, what keywords users type to exit or escalate out of a flow, and what happens when a user declines a suggested action.

## Flow execution

### Flow Execution Wait Time (milliseconds)

| **Type**    | Text field (integers) |
| ----------- | --------------------- |
| **Default** | `5000`                |

Controls how long Aisera waits for a flow to finish executing before returning a response to the user during a conversation. By default this is `5000` milliseconds, or five seconds.

When set to a positive number, flows execute asynchronously. Aisera waits up to the configured number of milliseconds, then returns a response and delivers the flow result to the user separately once it completes. Any positive value below `3000` milliseconds is automatically increased to `3000` milliseconds. When set to `0`, flows execute synchronously and Aisera waits indefinitely for the flow to complete before responding.

Increase this value if your flows regularly take longer than five seconds and conversation responses depend on the flow output. Set to `0` to always wait for the full flow result before responding.

{% hint style="info" %}
Some flows always execute synchronously regardless of this setting, including form intercept requests and certain system flows such as feedback, escalation, and live agent handoff. 
{% endhint %}

### Flow Exit Command

| **Type**    | Text field (String) |
| ----------- | ------------------- |
| **Default** | `Cancel`            |

Sets the keyword users type to exit an active flow or live agent session. The comparison is case-insensitive. Aisera also displays the configured keyword in hint messages shown to users during flows and live agent sessions, so what you configure here is what users see and what they need to type to exit.

The word `exit` always works as an additional exit command regardless of this setting, but does not appear in hint messages.

Change this when `Cancel` conflicts with expected user inputs in your flows, or when your organization uses a different term that users are more familiar with.

### Flow Escalate Command

| **Type**    | Text field (String) |
| ----------- | ------------------- |
| **Default** | `Escalate`          |

Sets the keyword users type to trigger escalation while inside an active flow. The comparison is case-insensitive. Aisera also displays the configured keyword in hint messages shown to users during active flows, alongside the exit command, so users know both options are available.

If a user types this keyword outside of an active flow, Aisera treats it as a normal message. The escalation option only appears in hint messages when an Escalation Feedback Flow is configured for the bot.

Change this when `Escalate` conflicts with expected user inputs or when your users are more familiar with different terminology. This setting only has an observable effect if an Escalation Feedback Flow is configured for the bot.

### Escalate When Action Not Help

| **Type**    | Checkbox |
| ----------- | -------- |
| **Default** | Disabled |

When Response Order Config is set to display Actions first and a response contains an action, Aisera presents a confirmation prompt asking the user whether to execute the action. If the user selects "No", this setting determines the outcome. When disabled, the conversation exits. When enabled, Aisera triggers the Feedback Escalation flow instead.

Enable this when your support workflow requires that users who reject a suggested action are immediately escalated to a human agent rather than having the conversation end.

See also: [Response Order Config](https://docs.aisera.com/aisera-platform/tenant-setup/aisera-platform-configuration/tenant-configuration-settings/conversations/..#response-order-config)