Response types

Response types determine how end users respond to bot messages (i.e. the information shared by your bot).

End users can respond to messages in a variety of ways: from inputting a Full name, to a Phone number, to selecting from a Single choice - text response, and so on.

Once received, these responses populate variables (named after the message's name) which can then be featured across a bot, including in

In the message text of subsequent messages,
Rules (e.g. connection rules, document rules, notification trigger rules),
Documents, and
The content body of notifications.

Available response types include:

No response
Text
Single choice
1. SC - Text
2. SC - Number
3. SC - Date
4. SC - Currency
5. SC - Percentage
Single choice scoring
Multiple choice
Full name
Email
Phone number
Address
Number
Date
Duration
Currency
Percentage
File upload
API request
Rich text

[Image: Cursor hovering over multiple response types in the Bot builder]

1. No response

Select this if you do not want a user to respond to a particular message. It's perfect for making statements before sending another message.

For example, an initial No response statement might read, "Welcome to our bot! Please answer the following questions." While the second message assigned Full name would read, "What is your name?".

2. Text

Users can write responses using letters, numbers and symbols.

3. Single choice

This requires the user to select one response from a range of options. The responses can be one of the following formats:

Text
Number
Date
Currency
Percentage

[Image: Cursor hovering over three Single choice - number response types]

4. Single choice scoring

Much like the above, this response type enables users to pick one response from a selection. However, in this case, the builder assigns a numerical value to each choice.

This means that a response labelled 'Good' can hold the value '10', while a response entitled ‘Needs improvement’ holds the value ‘5’.

[Image: Single choice scoring as displayed in the Edit message tab]

These scored choices can then be used later in calculations or in rules.

5. Multiple choice

This response type enables end-users to select multiple choices from a range of options.

In the bot UI, responses display in one of two ways depending on their volume and size. If there are a few responses, they will appear as pills. If there are more, they will appear in a list.

Learn about the display criteria here.

[Image: Cursor clicking two responses in a multiple choice response type]

6. Full name

Here the user is required to provide both a first and last name.

Hint: Want to use the first and last name as separate variables? We recommend opting instead for the Text response type. This then allows the builder to ask for the first and last names in separate messages and therefore produce two variables.

7. Email address

This requires the user to provide an email address (e.g. name@domain.com).

8. Phone number

This requires the user to enter a telephone number (e.g 44000000000).

9. Address

This requires the user to provide an address.

10. Number

This requires the user to input numeric characters only.

11. Date

Here the user can input a date either via

The interactive calendar, or
By manually typing it out.

Date formats include:

YYYY-MM-DD
MM/DD/YYYY
DD/MM/YYYY
DD Month YYYY
Month DD, YYYY
Month D, YYYY

The date generated will be formatted according to what's selected in the bot builder's account settings. This can be set via Dashboard > My account > My settings > Date format and applies to all bots within that account.

[Image: Cursor clicking picking a date from the interactive calendar in the bot UI]

12. Duration

This requires the user to provide a duration of time.

After choosing either "Days", "Weeks", "Months" or "Years" from a dropdown menu, the user is required to input the numeric value of the duration.

13. Currency

This requires the user to provide you with a currency amount.

Much like the Date response, the currency type featured in bots corresponds with what's selected in the builder's account's settings. This can be set via Dashboard > My account > My settings > Currency.

14. Percentage

The user is able to respond with a percentage figure using numeric characters only.

15. File upload

Here the user can upload a file by either drag and dropping or by clicking the field and choosing from their local files.

[Image: Cursor drops a file into the file upload field in the bot UI]

Note:

File sizes cannot exceed 32MB.
Multiple files can be uploaded simultaneously, so long as they are selected all at once.
Supported file types include PDF, PNG, JPG, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, PPT and PPTX.
The uploaded files will be accessible internally via the specific interaction's record in the Activity tab.

16. API request

This response type allows builders to pull information from third-party data platforms and databases (such as a Google Sheet or Airtable database, etc.) directly into Josef bots. This could include contact details, addresses, telephone numbers, and more!

Learn more.

17. Rich text

Like above, this enables builders to pull third-party information directly into bots. However, with the Rich text response type, the information retains its original HTML formatting, e.g.

Bold
Italics
Underline
Line breaks
Theme breaks
Images
Hyperlinks