Concepts
Core concepts behind flows, nodes, triggers, and the Magnet engine.
Flows
A flow is the top-level unit in Mach Five Magnet. It represents one complete conversational experience, from the first message to the final conversion action.
Each flow contains:
- A node graph that defines the conversation path
- Display settings (format, trigger, positioning)
- Analytics (views, starts, completions, drop-off points)
Nodes
Nodes are the building blocks of a flow. They connect together to form the conversation path.
Node Types
- Message: Display text, images, or rich content to the visitor
- Question: Collect a response (text input, email, phone, multiple choice, rating)
- Branch: Route the conversation based on conditions (response values, visitor attributes)
- Action: Execute a side effect (tag a lead, send to CRM, trigger a webhook)
- Delay: Pause the conversation for a set duration (simulates typing)
Connections
Nodes connect via edges. Each node has one or more output ports:
- Message and Question nodes have a single output
- Branch nodes have multiple outputs (one per condition, plus a default)
Triggers
Triggers control when a flow activates for a visitor:
| Trigger | Description |
|---|---|
| Page load | Flow activates when the page loads |
| Exit intent | Activates when the cursor moves toward the browser chrome |
| Scroll depth | Activates after scrolling past a threshold (e.g., 50%) |
| Time delay | Activates after a set time on page |
| Click | Activates when a specific element is clicked |
| API call | Activates programmatically via the JavaScript API |
Tip
You can combine triggers with audience rules to target specific visitor segments. For example, show a flow only to visitors from organic search who’ve viewed the pricing page.
Display Formats
Flows render in one of four formats:
- Chat bubble: A floating button in the bottom corner that expands into a chat-like interface
- Embedded: Renders inline within your page content at a specified container
- Pop-up modal: A centered overlay that appears above the page
- Slide-out panel: A side drawer that slides in from the left or right
Note
Display format is configured per-flow and can be changed at any time without touching the conversation logic.
Analytics
Every flow tracks:
- Views: How many visitors saw the flow trigger
- Starts: How many visitors began the conversation
- Completions: How many reached the final node
- Drop-off: Where visitors abandoned the flow (per-node)
A/B Testing
Create variants of a flow to test different approaches:
- Split traffic across variants (e.g., 50/50 or custom ratios)
- Track completion rates per variant
- Statistical significance is calculated automatically
- Promote the winning variant with one click
Stream Sync Engage Integration
Mach Five Magnet is powered by Stream Sync Engage technology for real-time event delivery. This means:
- Instant updates: Responses appear in the dashboard in real time
- Reliable delivery: Events are guaranteed to arrive even through network interruptions
- Scalable: The same infrastructure that powers live notification systems