Conversation canvas

Available in Classic and VPC

Conversation canvas is a feature that lets you create conversation flows quickly and easily. Conversation canvas makes it easy to design the conversation flow diagram for AiCall. If it was difficult to grasp the conversation flow in the conversation list, using conversation canvas lets you see the conversation flow at a glance, making conversation creation more efficient. Conversation canvas is more useful when you need to create conversations with a clear flow, rather than FAQ-style conversations.

Conversation canvas workflow

1. Preliminary tasks
Planning and configuration for entities, user variables, action methods, and so on must be completed.

2. Create domain
Create a domain to build a chatbot service. When creating a domain, you must select AiCall for the conversation canvas menu to be enabled.

3. Create conversation canvas
Create and connect conversations in conversation canvas. Connect the created conversation boxes to design the conversation flow, and separate the conversation flow by activity unit to group conversations. The recommended number of boxes per conversation group is 50 or fewer. Creating 100 or more conversations within a single conversation group may cause load time issues.
* If there are existing registered conversations, click [Import] to load them before continuing.
* For a description of how to add a conversation box, see Add conversation box.

4. Export to conversation list
Save your work in conversation canvas, and then export it to the conversation list. After exporting to the conversation list, you can perform additional tasks in the conversation list, such as adding user questions, configuring detailed context settings (keep, delete), setting system error messages, and entering JSON.

Conversation canvas interface layout

The interface layout of conversation canvas and the description of each item are as follows.

Conversation group tab
Conversation groups let you separate space by page, and let you manage conversations connected by flow by grouping them into a conversation group. If you do not add a conversation group, all conversations belong to the "Home" group by default. The "Home" group cannot be edited or deleted.

• Clicking [+] next to the [Home] tab creates "Conversation group 1."
• You can edit the group name by double-clicking it, and it must be set uniquely.
• Clicking [x] on the right of each tab deletes that conversation group, and all conversations within the conversation group are deleted.
• To change the position of a conversation group, drag the [Conversation group] tab to the position you want.
• If there are many conversation groups, click [< >] to browse through them.
• Clicking [⠇] on the right of the [Conversation group] tab lets you search for conversation groups.

Import
To import all conversations added to the domain's conversation list, click [Import].

• The items that are reflected identically in conversation canvas when you change or delete them in the conversation list and then "Import" are the tool boxes (Finish call, Forward to a number) and the Edit panel items (condition, user variable, wait).
• Only the added data is updated. If modification or deletion is needed, the items that must be deleted directly in conversation canvas are conversation groups, conversation boxes (welcome/no response/failure message, general conversation, system response), tool boxes (context, conversation link), and Edit panel items (user utterance, system response).
• Unsupported answer types cannot be "Imported," so it is recommended that you work on those items after the final "Export."
• When you "Import," the recommended number of boxes per conversation group is 50 or fewer. Creating 100 or more conversations within a single conversation group may cause load time issues.

Export
To export all conversations added in conversation canvas to the conversation list, click [Export].

• Conversations registered in conversation canvas will overwrite conversations registered in the conversation list.
• Conversations that exist in the conversation list but not in conversation canvas, and answers of currently unsupported types, will be deleted. Therefore, if you have made additional changes in the conversation list, it is recommended that you "Import" them into conversation canvas first, and then "Export" again.
• The unsupported answer types are images, multiple choice, stickers, FLEX answers, and JSON.

History
Clicking [Details] on a failed entry lets you freely move the popup window within the canvas and fix the content that failed during export/import.

Add conversation box

Common editing method

After adding conversation boxes, you can connect the added conversation boxes to create a conversation flow. To add a box, click [+] at the upper left of conversation canvas, select the box you want to add, and drag and drop it onto conversation canvas.

Edit panel
Clicking the created box displays the Edit panel on the right, where you can write questions and answers.

Connect boxes
You can connect boxes by drawing an arrow from the output context, or by drawing an arrow from a registered answer.

• General conversation (common message) - General conversation (common message): Connect from the output context to the general conversation box.
• General conversation (common message) - System response: Connect from the answer to the system response box.
• General conversation (common message) - Conversation link: Can be connected to the conversation link box from either the answer or the output context.
• General conversation (common message) - Context: Connect from the output context to the context box.
• General conversation (common message) - Forward to a number/Finish call: Connect from the answer to the forwarding/ending box.
• System response - System response: Connect from the answer to the system response box.
• System response - General conversation (common message): Connect from the output context to the general conversation box.

Multiple selection
You can select multiple conversation boxes and note components. Holding down the [Shift] key and dragging the mouse pointer lets you select multiple boxes.

Add general conversation

You can add a conversation box in conversation canvas and configure the conversation content. For details on each item, see Create conversation.
The method for adding a general conversation in conversation canvas is as follows.

1. In Chatbot Builder, click Conversation canvas > [+] (add box).
2. Drag general conversation from the box list and drop it onto the canvas.
   • The Edit panel appears on the right side of the interface.
3. Enter a question in the [User utterance] tab, and click [Add question].
   • You can select the general question, regular expression question, or intent type.
   • To delete a registered question, click the [⠇] icon, and then click [Delete].
   • For a description of the input items, see Register question.
4. Enter your answer in the answer field of the [System response] tab.
   • The answer types currently supported in conversation canvas are "Basic answer," which lets you enter text; "Audio answer," which lets you register audio; and "No answer," which checks conditions and user variables without providing a response.
   • Clicking [Add new speech bubble] lets you respond with consecutive speech bubbles, and you can add up to 20 speech bubbles.
5. In the condition item of the [System response] tab, you can set various conditions for an answer using AND and OR logical expressions.
   • You can set up to 5 AND conditions and 10 OR conditions, for a maximum of 50 conditions. An answer with conditions set takes priority over an answer without conditions. If no answer satisfies the conditions, a failure utterance may be given as the response.
   • For more information on input items, see Set answer conditions.
6. In the user variable item, you can manage the information obtained through conversations with the user within the dialogue session as variables.
   • Before setting a user variable in conversation canvas, you must first create the user variable by clicking [Add] in the [User variable] menu on the left side of Chatbot Builder. After creating a user variable, you can set it in conversation canvas. A configured user variable is updated at the time the corresponding answer is given.
   • To edit a user variable, click the registered user variable to edit it. To delete a user variable, click [x]. To add conditions, click [ADD].
7. In the wait item, you can set the action to take after the chatbot gives its answer.
   • If you select Voice recognition mode, the chatbot waits until it receives a response from the user. If the user does not provide any input even after the configured wait time has elapsed, the no response message from the common message is given as the response.
   • If you select Keypad recognition mode, the chatbot waits until it receives keypad input from the user. If the user does not provide any input even after the configured wait time has elapsed, the failure message from the common message is given as the response.
   • If you select No selection, the chatbot does not give a no response message even when the user provides no input.
8. The flag icon in the answer field is the "Marker setting."
   • The marker is displayed when temporary conversation log storage is set to "Save" in [Chatbot settings].
   • By enabling the marker setting, you can use the answer or context of that conversation at the point when the ${`previousChatbot} built in action method is called. If the marker is disabled for some speech bubbles in the answer, those speech bubbles are excluded from the target.
   • For details on the ${`previousChatbot} built in action method, see the Action method guide.
9. Once the response settings are all complete, click [Add answer].
   • To delete a registered answer, click the ⠇ icon, and then click [Delete].
   • To edit a registered answer, edit the answer and then click the conversation canvas component.

Add system response

System response is a feature that lets the chatbot continue its response immediately after answering, without waiting for the user's next input. It is used when you want the chatbot to keep control of the conversation instead of handing it over to the user.

• Clicking the system response box loaded in conversation canvas lets you edit it in the Edit panel on the right side of the interface.
• You can enter an answer in the [System Response] tab.
• When connecting a system response to another conversation box, context behavior is not considered. Therefore, for arrow connections between general conversation and system response, or between system response and system response, you can connect from the answer to the box rather than from the Output context.

Example:

Task conversation

Task conversation is a feature that collects information from the user's utterances to perform tasks such as simple reservations or package tracking.

1. Click the task conversation box in conversation canvas. You can edit it in the Edit panel on the right side of the interface.
2. Set the slot information in the [Task] tab.
   • Slot name: Enter the name of the slot. Enter a value that is not duplicated within the task.
   • Entity: Select the entity to receive as the slot. You can use both domain entities and system entities.
   • Value: You can insert the value of the slot filled by the user into the final answer when responding. Enter the expression to use the value of the filled slot.
   • Re-prompt question: Enter the question to ask again in order to fill the slot. The chatbot fills the slots by asking the re-prompt questions in the order the slots are listed.
   • Required button: Click the checkbox to switch between required slot and optional slot settings. A task whose required slots are not filled fails to be performed, and the final answer is not given. On the other hand, an optional slot can be performed without failing the task, even if the user does not provide the information.
   • The "Other settings" of task conversation are currently not supported in conversation canvas.
3. Register the final answer in system response.
   • Once all required slots are filled, the chatbot gives the final answer.
   • You can use the slot value expression to give an answer that makes use of the user's utterance. If you enter the value as is in the answer input field, the chatbot will respond by directly retrieving the slot filled by the user.
     

Add failure message

If no answer can be found to respond to the user's question, you can write a failure message to respond with instead.

1. In Chatbot Builder, click Conversation canvas > [+] (add box).
2. Drag and drop failure message from the box list onto the canvas.
   • The Edit panel appears on the right side of the interface.
3. Complete the basic answer, condition, user variable, and wait settings, and then click [Add answer].

Example:

Add welcome message

Welcome message is the first message that the chatbot delivers to the user when the conversation is started for the first time.
The method for adding a welcome message in conversation canvas is as follows.

1. In Chatbot Builder, click Conversation canvas > [+] (add box).
2. Drag and drop welcome message from the box list onto the canvas.
   • The Edit panel appears on the right side of the interface.
3. Complete the basic answer, condition, user variable, and wait settings, and then click [Add answer].

Example:

Add no response messages

During a call with the user, if the user does not say anything during the specified voice input wait time, you can set a no response message that prompts the user to speak.
The method for adding a no response message in conversation canvas is as follows.

1. In Chatbot Builder, click Conversation canvas > [+] (add box).
2. Drag and drop no response message from the box list onto the canvas.
   • The Edit panel appears on the right side of the interface.
3. Complete the basic answer, condition, user variable, and wait settings, and then click [Add answer].

Example:

Add conversation link

A conversation link represents a connection to a conversation in another conversation group, or, within the same conversation group, to a conversation that is difficult to connect with an arrow due to its position. The conversation link box acts as a proxy for the configured conversation.
Click the "Conversation link" box loaded in conversation canvas, and set the "Conversation group" and "Conversation name" you want to connect to in the Edit panel on the right. If you select "Conversation group" first, you can look up and select the "Conversation name" entries within that group. Alternatively, you can look up and enter the "Conversation name" you want to connect to directly in the "Conversation name" field.
Connect the conversation box you want to link to the conversation link box using an arrow. A set link box, which shows which conversation it is connected to, is automatically created in the conversation set in the conversation link box. If the conversation link's settings are changed or deleted, this is automatically reflected in the set link box as well.

Example:

Add context

Use the context box directly when you want to set the context name yourself, or when you want to group arrows together to show that they belong to a single context. Connecting conversations with an arrow can create a context, but in this case, the context name is assigned arbitrarily by the chatbot.

Forward to a number

This is the same feature as Follow-up action > Forward to a number in the conversation. Used when a phone connection is needed while continuing the conversation.

1. Click the "Forward to a number" box loaded in conversation canvas, and enter the phone number to connect to in the Edit panel on the right.
2. Connect an arrow from the "System response" field of the conversation box you want to forward the call from to the "Forward to a number" box.
   

Finish call

This is the same feature as Follow-up action > Finish call in the conversation, and is used when you want to end the call without needing to continue the conversation any further. Connect an arrow from the "System response" field of the conversation box where you want to end the call to the "Finish call" box loaded in conversation canvas.

Notes

It can be used for various purposes according to the user's needs, such as adding work instructions for a specific conversation or leaving a note about changes made. You can edit the text and change the note color by double-clicking.

• Clicking a note displays an edit icon at the upper right. You can delete it by clicking the trash can icon.
• You can resize the note by clicking and dragging its bottom-right corner.