Bots

With this guide you will learn how to create and configure Bots in uContact to automate conversations with your customers in an easy and effective way. Bots allow you to automate conversations on text channels such as WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, SMS, WebChat, and Email. Let's get started!

What are Bots?

Bots are automated assistants that allow you to manage conversations on text channels. They can answer frequently asked questions, guide customers through processes, collect information, and perform automatic actions, freeing your agents from repetitive tasks.

Bot Types

• Bot: Full bot with a visual flow editor for automating conversations on text channels.
• Bot Function: Reusable logic block that can be called from Bots or other Bot Functions through the Function node. It cannot be called from an IVR.

How to Create a Bot?

Creating a Bot is very simple! Here's how to do it.

1. First, access the Administrator Menu, go to the Automations module, and then to Bots.

Once here, click the New button in the upper right corner.

2. A pop-up will appear where you must enter the basic information to create the Bot. Below is an explanation of each field.

• Name: the unique name that identifies the Bot. Use descriptive names that indicate its purpose (e.g., "Bot_Welcome_WhatsApp", "Bot_FAQ_General"). It only accepts letters, numbers, _, - and . (no spaces), and it cannot match the username of an existing user.
• Type: the type of Bot to create — either Bot or Function (shown in the list as "Bot function").
• Description: optionally, you can add a description to document the purpose and behavior of the Bot.

The name and type cannot be changed after the Bot is created; later you can only edit the description. When created, the Bot is disabled by default: you must enable it manually to be able to use it.

3. Once created, you can access the Flow Editor where you will design the Bot's logic using visual nodes such as send message, capture response, validate information, transfer to agent, and more.

Flow Editor

Bots use a visual flow editor that allows you to design the automation logic intuitively through nodes that connect to each other.

Main Components

• Nodes: Represent specific actions (send message, capture input, validate data, etc.).
• Connections: Lines connecting nodes that define the conversation flow.
• Variables: Store customer or conversation information to use throughout the flow.
• Conditions: Allow you to create branches in the flow based on user input or system data.

Most Used Nodes in Bots

• Send message: sends a text message to the customer.
• Read message: waits for the user's response and saves it in a variable.
• Transfer bot: transfers the conversation to a campaign and, optionally, to a specific agent.
• Evaluate: evaluates conditions to direct the flow through different paths.
• Data: saves or modifies values in variables for later use.
• WebService: makes calls to external services to retrieve or send information.
• Query: runs queries against databases to retrieve or update information.
• Send attachment: sends multimedia files to the customer.
• Finish interaction: ends the conversation.

To learn about the designer's structure and the full list of activities in detail, check the Workflows Designer guide.

Bot Activation

Once you have designed your Bot's flow, two separate steps are needed before it can be used in your campaigns: you must deploy it (put it into production) and enable it. When created, Bots are disabled by default and must be enabled manually.

How to Activate?

1. Access the Bot list from the Automations module.
2. Click on the Bot you want to deploy.
3. Inside the editor, find the Deploy button.
4. Confirm the deployment.
5. Back in the Bot list, use the Enable action on the Bot.

Only enabled Bots can be selected in the text channels of campaigns. Deploying publishes the latest version of the flow; enabling is what makes the Bot selectable and consumes the license.

Bot licenses required!

Remember that to enable a Bot, you must have an available Bot license. Each enabled Bot consumes one Bot license, whether or not it has been deployed. Bot Functions do not consume licenses. If no license is available, enabling fails with the error Maximum enabled bots reached. You can check further details with the Commercial team.

Associate a Bot with a Campaign

Once your Bot is deployed and enabled, you must associate it with a text channel in a campaign for it to start working.

Steps to Associate a Bot

1. Access the Campaigns module.
2. Edit the campaign where you want to use the Bot.
3. Click on the corresponding text channel (WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, SMS, WebChat, or Email).
4. Go to the Automations tab and select the Bot in the field that matches when it should run:
   • Bot when start: the customer is connected to the Bot as soon as the interaction begins (for example, to greet, validate data, or classify before transferring to an agent).
   • Bot when finish: the customer is redirected to the Bot once the interaction with the agent ends (for example, to send a survey or useful links).
   • Bot after timeout: the customer is redirected to the Bot if they wait longer than the configured time without being attended.
5. Save the changes.

Version History

Every time a Bot is saved or deployed, a version is recorded in its history, allowing you to:

• See who made changes and when, and whether each version was saved (Development) or deployed.
• Preview a previous version in the editor.
• Recover a previous version if necessary.

How to Access the History?

1. In the Bot list, open the actions menu of the Bot you want to review and choose Historic.
2. The editor opens with the Flow save history panel, listing all saved versions.
3. Click a version to preview it in the editor. To restore it, select it and click Recover, then save or deploy the flow for the change to take effect.

Important Considerations

Key points to keep in mind

• Bot Licenses: Each enabled Bot consumes one Bot license. Bot Functions do not consume licenses.
• Deployment and enabling required: Bots must be deployed (put into production) and enabled before they can be used in campaigns.
• Test before activating: Always test your flows in a development environment before activating them in production to avoid negative impacts on customer service.
• Clear naming: Use descriptive names that clearly indicate the Bot's purpose (e.g., "Bot_Welcome_WhatsApp", "Bot_FAQ_Support").
• Documentation: Use the description field to document the purpose and behavior, making future maintenance easier.
• Version history: All changes are recorded. You can restore previous versions at any time.
• Reusable functions: Use Bot Functions to create reusable logic blocks that you can call from multiple Bots.
• Variables: Use variables to store and reuse customer or conversation information throughout the flow.
• Validations: Always validate user input to handle errors and provide a better experience.
• Fallback to agent: Always include an option to transfer to an agent when the Bot cannot resolve the query.
• Clear messages: Write concise, easy-to-understand messages. Avoid unnecessary technical jargon.
• Quick replies: Use buttons and quick replies whenever possible to facilitate interaction.
• Response time: Configure the Bot to respond quickly. Users expect immediate responses on text channels.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Bot Function?

A Bot Function is a reusable logic block that you can create once and call from multiple Bots. This allows you to keep common logic in a single place, making maintenance easier and avoiding duplication.

What is the difference between a Bot and an IVR?

IVRs are used exclusively in the Telephony channel to create interactive voice menus, while Bots are used in text channels such as WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, SMS, WebChat, and Email.

Can I test a Bot before activating it?

The flow editor has no simulator for Bots (the test phone is only available for IVRs). To validate a Bot, associate it with a test campaign and try it from that campaign's channel before using it in your real campaigns.

How can I see the changes made to a Bot?

Use the Historic action of the Bot from the list. There you can see all saved versions with date and the user who made the change, and you can recover previous versions if necessary.

Can I use the same Bot in multiple campaigns?

Yes, Bots are global and can be configured in multiple campaigns and channels simultaneously. You just need to select them in the channel configuration wherever you want to use them.

What happens if I deactivate a Bot that is in use?

If you deactivate a Bot that is configured in one or more campaigns, it will stop working immediately in all of them. Interactions that arrive on that channel will not be handled by the Bot and may go directly to the agent queue, depending on your configuration.

Can I copy an existing Bot?

Yes, from the Bot list you can use the Copy option to create a copy of an existing Bot with the same flow. The copy is named name_copy (you can change it in the form) and is created disabled and without being deployed. This is useful when you want to create a variation of an existing flow without starting from scratch.

How can I make a Bot transfer to an agent?

Use the Transfer bot node in the flow editor. This node allows you to configure which campaign and specific agent (or agent queue) the conversation should be transferred to.

Can Bots send images and files?

Yes, Bots can send images, files, videos, and other types of multimedia using specific nodes in the flow editor. The availability of these content types depends on the channel (for example, WhatsApp supports images, videos, documents, while SMS only supports text).

Can I integrate the Bot with external systems?

Yes, you can use the WebService node in the flow editor to make calls to external services (REST APIs). This allows you to retrieve information from databases, CRMs, ERPs, or other systems and use that information in the conversation with the customer.