Customizing the Collect Input widget for Zoom Virtual Agent

Zoom Virtual Agent admins can add and edit the Collect Input widget. The Collect Input widget allows the bot to send texts and optional images in a prompt message and look for the user’s reply. You can use the Quick Reply button to route users to the next widget, or the Text Input to look for the user’s reply to validate the response, and store it for use in routing or in messages. This widget is typically used during conversations to prompt users for specific information or responses and then process and store those responses for further interaction or routing.

You can use the Collect Input widget with a Text Input component to collect user details such as their name, email address, or phone number. For example, you might prompt the user with a message like, "Please enter your name," and then use their response to personalize future messages. Button replies can be used to create interactive menus. For instance, if you're building a restaurant reservation bot, you can present options like Book a Table, View Menu, and Contact Us as buttons. Users can simply click on a button to navigate to the corresponding section of the conversation.

This article covers:

• How to edit the Collect Input widget
• Collect Input widget settings

Prerequisites for customizing the Collect Input widget

• Account owner or admin privileges; or relevant role/privilege
• Basic, Pro, Business, Education, or Enterprise account
• Zoom Virtual Agent license
• Bot Flow created

How to edit the Collect Input widget

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click AI Management then Virtual Agent.
3. Click the display name of an existing chatbot.
4. Click the Bot Flows tab.
5. Click the display name of an existing bot flow.
6. In the left-side widgets panel, click and drag Collect Input onto the preferred location in the flow.
7. Select the Collect Input widget.
8. (Optional) In the right-side panel, click Rename to change the display name of the widget.
9. Customize the associated settings.

Collect Input widget settings

• In the Setup tab, select a Customer Response Type: 
  • Buttons: Route the users to the next widget.
    • Require button response: Turns off match intent logic and requires the customer to make a button selection or restart the bot. When this setting is off, the bot will not try to match the user's response to an intent. Instead, it will only respond to the user's input if it is a valid button selection.
    • Prompt Message: Enter text to display to customers.
    • Add Image: Check the box to add an image. Select one of these options in the drop-down menu.
      • Upload Image: Click Upload Image to upload an image file to display. After uploading, hover over the ellipses icon for these options:
        • Send to Assets Library: Add the uploaded image file to the asset library. The Image setting will change to indicate that the file is in the asset library.
        • Delete: Delete the file from the widget settings.
      • Asset Library: Select an existing image asset from the asset library.
  • Text: Collect text input.
    • Prompt: Enter text to display to customers.
    • Variable Type: This is information that your bot can store and use to customize your bot experience. Select one of these options in the drop-down menu.
      • Local Variable (Used only in this flow): Set the variable as a local variable so you can use it only in a specific flow.
      • Global Variable: Set the variable as a global variable so you can use it in any flow.
    • Data Type: Choose the type of information you want to collect. The options are String, Number, Boolean, Date/Time, Currency, Percent, URL, Phone, Bot Custom Entity and Bot System Entity.
    • Entity (Only visible if Bot Custom Entity or Bot System Entity is selected): Choose the specific entity you want to associate with the user's input. 
    • Variable Name: Enter a display name for the variable.
  • Carousel: Use a dynamic visual display component that rotates through a series of images, items, or information, to present multiple pieces of content in a compact space. It can include quick replies for consumers to interact with.
    • Fetch data: Request information from an external data source.
      • Request URL: Enter the backend URL for API to fetch data.
      • Content type: Select the type of data being sent in an API request. The default is application/json.
      • Authorization: Enter token.
      • Result: Enter the specific path in the response data where the desired information is located, which can then be mapped to a variable for further use.
      • Custom headers: Enter a display name and value for custom headers.
      • Click the Retry after failed or timeout request toggle to allow retries after HTTP requests.
    • Front end settings: Set up components and their display order.
      • Prompt (optional): Enter the prompt to be displayed with the carousel.
      • Carousel component: Select the specific element within a user interface designed to display multiple items. It typically includes navigation controls and can be used to showcase images, products, text, or other multimedia content.
    • Map data (optional): Map consumer choices to attributes and return to the data source. Leave blank if no mapping is required.
• Exit
  • If the customer response type is Button:
    • Button Text: Enter the text that will appear on the button associated with this widget.
    • Exit Type: Select from Widget, Bot Flow, or URL.
      • Widget: Select this option to redirect the user to another widget.
      • Bot Flow: Select this option to route users back to the main flow (default flow) or redirect them to another widget.
      • URL: Select this option to direct the user to a specific URL. You can further route it to another widget.
    • (Optional) Click Add Button to add more button options.
    • (Optional) Click the six dots vertical icon to reorder the buttons.
  • If the customer response type is Text:
    
    • End of Input: Redirect the user to another widget.
  • If the customer response type is Carousel:
    • Button Text: Enter the label displayed on a button within the carousel item. This text should be clear and indicative of the action that will be performed when the button is clicked. 
    • Exit Type: Select from Widget, Bot Flow, or URL.
      • Widget: Select this option to redirect the user to another widget.
      • Bot Flow: Select this option to route users back to the main flow (default flow) or redirect them to another widget.
      • URL: Select this option to direct the user to a specific URL. You can further route it to another widget.
    • Next Step (Optional): Select the response or connect to a widget that will follow after the user interacts with the carousel.
    • Fail: Select the the response or connect to a widget when an error occurs during the carousel interaction.
    • Result empty: Select the the response or connect to a widget when the carousel has no items to display.