You can create messages in either the List view or Flowchart.
The steps (some of which are optional) include
- Click "Add message"/ "Connect new message"
- Input a Message name
- Select a Message type
- Input the Message text
- Select a Response type
- Insert a Hint (if required)
- Switch the ‘Final message’ toggle on, if necessary
[Image: Add message sidebar]
More detail on how to complete each of these steps is below.
1. Click "Add first message"/ "Connect new message"
List view
In the List view, select the Add message button in the top right of the Dashboard.
Flowchart
In the Flowchart, there are two ways to create a new message:
- Add messages directly into your logic flow
- Add stand-alone (unconnected) messages
To add messages directly into your logic flow, follow these steps:
- Click on the message you want your new message to be connected from. A connection will appear leading to a message card that says Connect new message. You can also find a Connect new message button in the flowchart header.
- Click Connect new message.
To add stand-alone (unconnected) messages, follow these steps:
- Click on a blank space in the flowchart canvas.
- In the top-right-hand corner of the flowchart header, click Add unconnected message.
2. Input a Message name
Use one or a few words to label the message so that you can identify it later.
Hint: If your bot will be sending a lot of messages, it can be helpful to give each message a number as well as a name (e.g. 1A. Name).
3. Select the Message type
This dictates the type of message that will be sent to the end user. Choose from the Message type dropdown list for your message. You’ll find more information on message types here.
4. Input the Message text
Input what your bot is going to communicate to the user.
Insert responses to previous messages
You can use responses to previous messages in the text of subsequent messages.
To do this, click on the Insert variable button in the bottom right of the message text box.
[Image: Insert variable highlighted in Add message sidebar > Message text]
Insert links
You can insert a link or hyperlink in your message by selecting the Insert/edit link button in the bottom right of the message text box.
5. Select a Response type
This dictates the type of response the user is required to provide you. Choose from the response type drop-down list for your message. You’ll find more information on response types here.
6. Create your possible responses (if single-choice or multiple-choice)
If you’re setting a single-choice or multiple-choice type response, you’ll need to input possible responses.
When you select this response type, a Possible responses field will appear. For each response, type it and hit enter/return once you’re done. It will appear in purple once that response has been saved.
You can use the X to delete the response or click into the response bubble to edit the response.
[Image: Inputted Single-choice text responses in Add/Edit message sidebar]
7. Insert a Hint
If anything in your message requires further explanation or context, put it in a hint! The hint will appear in the chat interface for the end user.
[Image: Hint appearing when the cursor hovers over the button at the right of the message text]
You can insert responses to previous messages as well as links here, just like you can for the message text.
8. Switch the Final message toggle on, if necessary
Note that you can have a number of different final messages.