Add a custom control to a Virtual Agent topic or topic block. During the conversation, you can gather inputs from the user or display outputs to the user.

Before you begin

Do the following before you start this task:

Role required: virtual_agent_admin or admin

Procedure

  1. Navigate to All > Conversational Interfaces > Virtual Agent > Designer.
  2. In the Topics page, click the topic or topic block where you will add the custom control.
  3. In the Flow tab, drag the Custom Control icon from the Utilities section of the palette to the appropriate position in the topic flow.
    Note: If you selected Available on the palette in the custom control Properties page, the Custom Control displays as its own icon in the Utilities section of the palette.
  4. Click the custom control node.
  5. On the form, fill in the fields.
    Table 1. Custom control utility properties sheet
    Property Description
    Custom control

    The name of a custom control object that has been published in Virtual Agent Designer.
    Node name

    The name of the custom control you selected.
    Input mapping

    The variables to be used as input to the selected custom control. For example, the following image has example variables:

    Input mapping variables on this custom control include transaction date and time, customer name, and product issue.

    The contents of this area change according to the custom control you selected. Options may include string input, referenced records, scripts, and so forth.
    Output mapping

    The variables to be output by the selected custom control. For example, the following image has example variables that are enabled:

    Output mapping variables for this custom control include issue and username.

    The contents of this area change according to the custom control you selected.
    Advanced
    Hide this node
    Conditionally use this node if

    A no-code condition statement or low-code script that specifies a condition for presenting this node in the conversation. The condition must evaluate to true.
  6. Click Save.
  7. To see how your custom control works in the topic, click Test in the header bar.
    Your topic runs in a chat test window.
  8. If no further changes are needed, click Publish in the Virtual Agent Designer header bar.

Result

The topic is active. You can deploy it to your Virtual Agent clients.