The Answer Flows Builder provides the tools to create text Conversations capable of not only conversing with users but also redirecting them to call center agents or other external chat management systems. This is the Builder you'll use to define the branching logic that powers Answer Flows. For a more detailed guide on how to test Answer Flows and connect them to your external systems, see Setting Up Answer Flows and Configuring Conversation Chat Bots.

📘

Enterprise Feature

Accessing this feature requires an ENTERPRISE license. If you would like to enable this feature for your Airkit Organization, please contact your Airkit representative or contact [email protected].

Like most Builders, the layout of the Answer Flows Builder maps comfortably onto the general structure of the Studio: to the immediate right of the Builder Bar is the Tree, to the right of which is the Stage, to the right of which is the Inspector:

Tree

The Tree displays an expandable and collapsible breakdown of the components that have been built out as part of a Conversation experience, the structure of which is as follows:

• Answer Groups are containers for
  • Answer Flows, which consist of
    • ordered Actions.

Answer Groups are a kind of Activity Group, while Answer Flows are a kind of Activity. Variable Scope is managed accordingly.

Stage

The Stage is where you'll see and build out the Actions that define Answer Flows. Actions will be performed in order from top to bottom, waiting for user input as required. New Actions can be added to an Answer Flow by clicking on the '+' icon at the bottom of the Stage. Actions can be deleted by clicking on the trash icon to their immediate right:

Once an Action has been has been added to an Answer Flow, the details of the Action can be edited directly within the Stage. There are many different types of Actions, and how each one appears and can be edited will differ according to functionality. While the Answer Flows Builder has access to the same Actions accessible in every Builder, such as the Condition Action and the Run Data Flow Action, it also has access to specialized Conversation Actions, which are useful only within Conversations. These Actions are used to Ask Questions, Text Answers, and Move the Conversation to another Routing Flow, such as a call center agent or external chat management system.

Inspector

While the Actions that make up Conversations are edited and managed directly in the Stage, Answer Groups and Answer Flows must be managed by Inspecting them.

Answer Groups

Answer Group Events

Answer Group Events define Action Chains can be initiated anywhere throughout a specific Answer Group. They are a kind of Activity Group Event.

Variables

This is where you can create and manage Answer Group Variables that will be accessible throughout the Answer Group and only the Answer Group. Answer Group Variables are a kind of Activity Group Variable.

Initial Answer Flow

This is where you can define the Answer Flow that the Answer Group will lead with. Navigate from that Answer Flow to other must then be done by incorporating a Run Answer Flow Action into the initial Answer Flow.

Answer Flows

Variables

This is where you can create and manage Answer Flow Variables that will be accessible throughout the Answer Flow and only the Answer Flow. Answer Flow Variables are a kind of Activity Variable.