Providing inputs to skills on legacy chat

By using skills in the legacy chat, you might face with different types of inputs. Learn how to interact with each input type present in the skill that you use in the legacy chat.

Text input

With text inputs, you can enter any text data that you want to your skill. These text inputs are presented in a form that you need to fill to use the skill. Text fields can be either a single line or a multiline text field.

Follow the procedure to interact with a text input:

  1. In the skill input form, click the text field.
  2. Type the text data that you want as input.
  3. Click Apply to confirm and send the input form with your text inputs.

Text input example
Figure 1. The figure shows how a text input looks like.

Numeric input

With numeric inputs, you can enter any numeric data that you want to your skill. These inputs are presented in a form that you need to fill to use the skill. Numeric fields can be either an integer or a float numeric field.

Follow the procedure to interact with a numeric input:

  1. In the skill input form, click the numeric input field.
  2. Type the integer or float number that you want as input. You can also use the - and + icons to set the number.
  3. Click Apply to confirm and send the input form with your numeric inputs.

Numeric input example
Figure 2. The figure shows how a numeric input looks like.

Date input

With date inputs, you can enter any date that you want to your skill. These inputs are presented in a form that you need to fill to use the skill. Date fields can be either a date or a date and time field, and both date fields have a calendar option so that you can choose the date.

Follow the procedure to interact with a date input:

  1. In the skill input form, click the date input field.
  2. Type the date that you want in the YYYY-MM-DD format. You can also click in the calendar icon to open a calendar and select the date through it.
  3. If the date field is a date and time field, then configure:
    1. The hour in HH:MM format. Use the 12-hour time format.
    2. Define the period of the time: AM or PM.
    3. Click the drop-down list and select the time zone.
  4. Click Apply to confirm and send the input form with your date inputs.

Date input example
Figure 3. The figure shows how a date input looks like.

Checkbox input

With a checkbox input, you can select or deselect an option to be used in the skill. Sometimes, when a checkbox is selected, other inputs that are related to this selected checkbox might appear for you to provide the data required for them.

Follow the procedure to interact with a checkbox input:

  1. In the skill input form, click the checkbox to select or deselect.
    • The blank checkbox () means that it is deselected.
    • The marked checkbox () means that it is selected.
  2. Click Apply to confirm and send the input form with your checkbox inputs.

Check box input example
Figure 4. The figure shows how a check box input looks like.

Table input

With a table input, you can set inputs in a table format. You can add data to the table in two different ways: by importing a file that contains all data in a table format, or by adding data to each line in the table input.

Table for input data of skills
Figure 5. The figure shows how a table input looks like.

Importing data to tables with a file

You can import a .xls, .xlsx, or .csv file to populate the table input automatically by using the data present in these files. The table in the file must have the same headers of the table in the chat interface.

Note:
  • If you are using a .csv file, configure the table data as a string.
  • If you are using a .xls file, configure the table data as TEXT or GENERAL. Don't use complex .xls features like formulas and conditional formatting.

Follow the procedure to import data to a table input with a file:

  1. Click Upload file.
  2. Search the file with the data that you want to set as input.
  3. Drag the file in the Drag and drop files here or click to the upload area in the table input field.

After that, all data in the file appears in the table input. Then you can click Apply to submit the input form.

Whether any input is configured incorrectly, you can edit it manually. For more information, see Editing a table input.

Adding data to each row in a table input

You can manually add data directly to each row in the table input

Follow the procedure to add data to the table input manually:

  1. In the table input, click Add Row.
  2. In the new line of the table input, set the data for each table column. The data type varies according to your skill.
  3. Repeat the process until you set all data that you want.
  4. Click Save Changes.

After that, all data appears in the table input. Then you can click Apply to submit the input form.

Whether any input is configured incorrectly, you can edit it. For more information see Editing a table input.

Editing a table input

Whether any data in a table input is configured incorrectly, you can edit it before you send the form for the chat.

Follow the procedure to edit an entry in the table input:

  1. In the table input, click Edit table.
  2. Edit the data that you want in the table.
  3. Click Save Changes.

After that, the updated data is displayed in the table input.

List of options input

With a list of options, you can set an input by selecting one option from a list of all possible options that the skill accepts. This input type helps you in cases that the input needs to be set in a specific format or need a specific value. Also, it guarantees that the input that you select is always a valid input for the skill.

A list of options is presented in an input form that you need to set to use the skill.

Follow the procedure to interact with a list of options in an input field:

  1. In the skill input form, click the list of options in an input field.
  2. Click the input that you want to select it.
  3. Click Apply to confirm and send the input form.

List of options in a form format example
Figure 6. The figure shows how a list of options in a form format looks like.

Filter input

With filter inputs, you can apply search filters to receive only specific data from the skill. Filters inputs are normally found in skills that return numerous data after their usage.

You can configure more than one filter parameter in a filter input. These filter parameters are join with the and condition, and for that case the skill returns only data that matches with all parameters conditions.

The parameters of the filter input vary according to the skill that you use. The parameters apply the is condition in the filter to return only the data that is equal to the value configured in the filter.

Follow the procedure to interact with a filter input:

  1. For each filter that you want to add:
    1. Click Add filter.
    2. Configure the filter from the available filter options:
      • In the left field, select the filter parameter.
      • In the middle field, select is.
      • In the right field, set the value to be the filter of the configured filter parameter.
  2. Click Apply to confirm and send the input form.

Filter input example
Figure 7. The figure shows how a filter input looks like.

File input

With a file input, you can upload files as an input to your skills. Make sure that the file is no larger than 16 MB for it to be uploaded successfully.

Follow the procedure to interact with a file input:

  1. In the skill input form, click Add attachment.
  2. Select the file that you want to send as input.
  3. Click Apply to confirm and send the input form.

In the case where you upload a wrong file, remove it by clicking the X icon on the right side of the file.

File input example
Figure 8. The figure shows how a file input looks like.

Collection input

With a collection input, you can set a collection of inputs of a same type. Use an input collection to set more than one value for a specific input, for example, you can set one or more emails for a user if you use a skill intended to register users into a third-party system.

Follow the procedure to interact with a collection input:

  1. For each new value that you want to add in the collection:
    1. Click Add +.
    2. Enter the data needed in the field that appears. The field type varies for each collection and can be any of the other skill inputs like text, numeric, date, among others.
  2. Click Apply to confirm and send the input form.

Whether you insert more items that you want in the collection, you can remove it by clicking the Delete button.

Collection input example
Figure 9. The figure shows how a collection input looks like.