list option block

Article Quick Links:

1. Overview
2. Using the List Option Block
3. Nested Within Other Blocks
4. Using the List Variable
5. Chatter Experience

Overview

The List Option Block lets your bot offer chatters a list of selectable items. The item the chatter selects is saved as a variable to be used as you see fit. You can create the list of options manually, or populate the list with saved variables.

Here are some use cases for the List Option Block:

• Selecting a product (e.g. retail item selection)
• Selecting items from an order list (e.g. to indicate an item missing from a delivery)
• Identifying reasons for requesting an agent during the handoff process

Note: The List Option Block is currently only available for chatters using Ada's chat user interface. Supporting additional platforms is a priority for us, however, and our teams are working on this functionality for future releases.

Using the List Option Block

In the Answers View, drag and drop a List Option Block from the block drawer into an answer.

The List Option Block is divided into four sections which you must complete.

1. Prompt

Craft a message telling the chatter to select an option from the list.

2. Options

The options section is where you build the list of options to present to the chatter. Each field represents a separate option. To create an options list you must include a minimum of two options.

Click the Add Option button to add more option fields.

To delete options, hover your cursor to the right of an option field to reveal a negative sign. Click the negative sign to remove that option.

Tick the Multiple Select check box to allow the chatter to select more than one option at a time.

Note: If you allow the chatter to select multiple options, then the selections must be saved as a list variable. See Save Response as Variable below. 

Option Types

There are two option types: Basic (default) and Variable. Click the three dots to the right of each option field to change the option type.

• Basic
  These are static text options that you add manually. The option name presented to the chatter reads exactly as you write it in the option field.
  
• Variable
  A variable option populates automatically from a variable of your choosing. When you set an option as a variable, the information contained in the variable displays as an option to the chatter. For example, if you have variables for each member of a family plan, you could populate them here for the chatter to identify the account into which they are inquiring. 
  
  Notes:
  • If an option is set as a variable, that variable must contain a value. If the variable does not contain a value (e.g. if the value was not collected using a Capture Block), then this option is omitted from the list presented to the chatter.
  • If a list populates with no options, then the List Options Block will serve the error answer to the chatter
    
  • Variables that are too long (ie. approximately 40 characters or more) will be truncated when populating lists with three or fewer options.

3. Error Answer

The error answer displays to a chatter if a list populates with no options. Here’s how to add an error answer:

1. Create an answer with an appropriate message explaining to the chatter that an error has occurred. 
2. Use the drop-down menu in the error answer section to select the answer you’ve created. This answer will now display when an error occurs with the List Option Block.

4. Save Response as Variable

When the chatter makes a selection from the options list, that selection is saved as a variable. Use the Save Response as Variable section to create the target variable intended to contain the chatter’s selection. 

Variable Types

When creating a target variable for your options list, the variable type you choose depends on whether you allow the chatter to select only one item from the options list or multiple items. 

Note: Text, Number, and Yes or No variables can only be used with List Option Blocks that allow the chatter to select one option. They cannot be used in a List Option Block with multiple select enabled.

• Text
  A Text target variable can be used with any type of option variable.
  
  
• Number
  To use a Number target variable, all option variables in the list must be number variables.
  
  
• Yes or No
  The Yes or No target variable can only be used when the option variables in the list are also yes or no variables. 
  
  
• List
  If you allow your chatters to select more than one item from the options list, you must save their selections as a List variable. Items collected in a List variable are separated by semicolons.

 

Nesting Within Other Blocks

You can nest the List Option Block in other Operations Blocks, such as the Conditional Block or the Scheduled Block. This is useful if you want to provide different lists of options to the chatter based on conditionals or a predetermined schedule.  

Using the List Variable

Once collected using the multiple select functionality, List variables can be used as you would any other variable. Here are a few examples:

• added to a block to relay the information back to the user, with each item separated by semicolons (e.g. "The items your shipment was missing are: lipstick; mascara; blush.")
  
• in a Conditional Block
  
  Example: When asking a chatter to indicate items missing from an order, assume you have separate sets of instructions for chatters missing one item versus those who are missing multiple items. You can use the Conditional Block to serve one set of instructions if the list length equals one item, and the second set of instructions if the list length equals two or more items.
  
  

Chatter Experience

The List Option Block produces a list of options from which a chatter can make one or several selections. Chatters must click or tap to select options from an options list. They cannot select options by typing them. 

If the block is set as multiple select, the chatter must select See Options to reveal the list of options. After making their choice, the chatter clicks Confirm to submit their selection.

If the multiple select setting was not activated for the block, the chatter is provided with the first three options in the list, and the ability to click More Options to reveal the list in its entirety for them to select from.

Upon making a selection from a List Option Block, the chatter is provided with a message indicating which selection(s) they made.

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For any additional questions, contact your ACX Consultant, Account Manager, or email us at [e-mail].