Applications and Modules

Important

Information in this chapter is dependent on your user role. The following restrictions apply:

• Application Designer can create applications and modules and add all types of blocks to a callflow.
• Application Maintainer can only add Message, Menu, Phone, Link, Interceptor, and End blocks to a callflow.

Applications, menu modules and pre-built modules all allow callers to perform specific self-service tasks over the phone. Callers dial into the application, rather than into individual modules. The application holds all the defaults, global commands, reusable prompts and error-handling paths (as well as the agent path).

This main application is based on the Standard Application Template. This template allows you to call into a menu module or a pre-built module. Menu modules can also call into pre-built modules, as illustrated in the graphic below:

Applications, menu modules and pre-built modules can all have their own error-handling, global commands, callflow defaults and reuseable prompts. However, except from callflow defaults, you cannot change these settings for pre-built modules.

Important

For information on the order of precedence for each of these aspects, refer to Section 6.4, ‘Understanding the Inheritance of Settings’ on page 38.

Creating applications and modules

You can create an application or module from the following locations:

• Show Graphical View – Click Create New Module in the toolbar.

  

• Applications view – Click Create a new ... in the desired section. For example, to create a new menu module, go to the Menu section and click Create a new Menu.

  

Selecting a template

Next, you must select a template on which to base the module. Each template provides the framework that brings together common elements, such as Start blocks, links to other modules, and more.

After you select a template, a panel appears on the right in which you can enter a name and description for your module.

• Menus - These allow you to set up your own callflow using the Callflow Editor.

Important

You cannot edit the callflow of the Tree View Submodule Template. This template is designed to deal with large numbers of menu options. Refer to the Using the Tree View Submodule Template section below.

• Security Modules, Business Processes, or Utility Modules - You cannot edit the callflow of these modules. However, when you view these modules in the Callflow Editor you might see additional tabs that allow you to configure the default behavior of the callflow.

Using the Tree View Submodule Template

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The Tree View Submodule Template differs from other menu templates in that it does not use the drag-and-drop method described in the Callflow Editor section. Instead, the Callflow Editor displays in a tree-view structure, seen below.

Important

You cannot change default behavior and preferences for the Tree View Submodule Template. If your business needs require these to be changed, contact your Genesys representative.

The Tree View Submodule Template allow you to quickly add multiple questions and answers to a callflow. For example, your company might have 30 different events running throughout the year, and you expect customers to call in to ask for information and make bookings for each of these events. You can use this template and its streamlined interface to quickly set up 30 different menu options to account for each event.

To add questions and answers using the Tree View Submodule Template:

1. Go to the Applications view.
2. In the Menus section, click the Tree View Submodule Template to open it. The Question section appears first:
   1. In the Question Name field, enter the name of the first question you want to ask callers.
   2. Update the Initial, Retry, Timeout and Help prompts for the first question.
   3. Click Update.
Important
If you make any changes to the Question or Answer prompts and configurations, you must click Update to save the changes. Likewise, in the Callflow Editor in which the Tree View Submodule Template is used, you must click Save to save the whole callflow.
3. Click Add an Answer. The answer appears below the first question in the tree-view list on the left; on the right, the Answer section appears:
   1. In the Answer Name field, enter the name of this answer.
   2. Depending on how you asked the caller to respond to the question, you must complete one or both of the following:
      • Recognition Phrases – Add any phrases you anticipate callers might say to select this answer. Add a carriage return after each phrase.
      • DTMF – Enter the digit you want callers to press to select this answer.
   3. Specify what you want to happen when the caller selects this answer. Select one of the following options from the Action When This Answer is Chosen drop-down list:
      • No Action – The module asks the caller to confirm this is the correct answer. If necessary, you can add click Add a Question to add a follow-up question.
      Important
      If you previously selected Transfer to a Phone Number or Link to Another Module for this question, you must first select No Action and click Update before the Add a Question button becomes available.
      • Transfer to a Phone Number – Enter the phone number to which you want to connect the caller. For example, you can configure this option to dial a sales agent to complete a transaction.
      • Link to Another Module – Select the module to which you want to link the caller. For example, you might select the Payment with Full Balance module if you had asked if the caller wanted to buy a product or service.
   4. In the Prompts section, update Confirmation Prompt Wording and Information Prompt Wording.
4. Click Update.
5. (Optional) At this stage, you can:
   • Click on the first question in the tree view and repeat the steps in the Answer section to add a new answer.
   • Click Add a Question to add a sub-question for the first answer.
   • Remove the answer by clicking Delete this Answer.
   • Create a new question by following the steps in the Question section.
6. Click Save.

Using the Callflow Editor

Callflows consist of the following:

• Blocks - These are the individual steps in a callflow. Blocks perform a single basic function. For example, a Start block signals the start of the application, and an End block signals the end of the application. You can use the following blocks:
  • Start Block
  • End Block
  • Message Block
  • Menu Block
  • Question Block
  • Phone Block
  • Link Block
  • Interceptor Block
  • Script Block
  • Recording Block
• Paths - Each block on the callflow is linked by a path. A path can represent:
  • A menu option that a caller must select to proceed to the next block (these paths are surrounded by quotation marksspeak or key-in in order to progress to the next block (these are surrounded by quotation marks). For example, "yes (1)" denotes a menu option in which the caller said "yes" or entered 1 on a keypad.
  • An event that took place in order for the call to be routed in a certain direction (these do not have quotation marks). For example, success means this path is used if the previous block ended successfully, and hangup means this path is used if the caller hangs up.

You can click on the name of a block or path to view its properties. For example, in the Menu block shown below, you can change its title or description.

Tips for Using the Callflow Editor

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Important

This section does not apply to product-specific modules, as you cannot alter the callflow of these modules.

Dragging and dropping blocks

There are several methods you can use to add blocks to your callflow:

• Drag and drop a block from the toolbox onto a block on the callflow.

• Drag and drop a block which already exists on the callflow onto a block on the toolbox.

• Drag and drop blocks from the toolbox directly onto path names on the callflow.

• Drag and drop path names onto blocks in the toolbox.

• Drag and drop existing blocks in the callflow onto other blocks in the callflow.

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Drag and drop a block from the toolbox onto a block on the callflow

Drag and drop a block which already exists on the callflow onto a block on the toolbox

Drag and drop blocks from the toolbox directly onto path names on the callflow

Drag and drop path names onto blocks in the toolbox

Drag and drop existing blocks in the callflow onto other blocks in the callflow

Removing blocks and paths

To remove a block from the callflow, drag and drop it onto the recycle bin icon on the toolbox. The following outcomes are possible:

• If the block was the result of a caller input (the path name was surrounded by speech marks, such as "accounts"), the path is not deleted with the block. Instead, the path links back to the block from which it originates. You must then decide whether you want to link this path to another block, or remove it by dragging the path name to the recycle bin.
• If the deleted block was the result of an event path, such as success, the path is also deleted with the block.

To remove a Path from the callflow, drag and drop it onto the recycle bin icon on the toolbox. The following outcomes are possible:

• If you are deleting an event path, the block into which the path leads is also deleted.
• If you are deleting a caller input path, the block into which the path leads is not deleted. Instead, the block is isolated and moved to the top of the callflow.

Miscellaneous tips

• Clicking outside a dialog box is the same as clicking Cancel. For example, if you clicked a Message block in the callflow to edit its prompt, but then decide against the change, you can click outside the dailog box to close it and not save the changes.
• If required, the Default Behaviour callflow can be linked to the Application callflow.

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Configuring Paths

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Paths are shown as lines that connect blocks in the Callflow Editor.

You can edit path names depending on the needs of the callflow. For non-event paths, such as menu paths, you can also edit other options.

Consider the callflow shown in the graphic below:

You can do the following to configure the "yes" menu option path:

1. Click on the "yes" path name in the callflow to view its properties.
2. Depending on whether you asked the caller to respond by voice or DTMF, or both, you must complete one or both of the following:
   • Recognition Phrases – Add phrases that the caller might say in answer to the menu question. Add a carriage return after each phrase.
   • DTMF – Enter the digit that the caller must press to access this menu option.
3. Click Update.

You can also apply the following settings to a menu option path:

Setting	Description
Recognition Weighting	Select the weighting to apply to the phrases you entered in the Recognition Phrases textbox. For example, consider you are configuring the callflow for a hospital that specializes in neurology, but it also has a minor nephrology department. Two possible paths from the preceding Menu block are "neurology" and "nephrology". If you might want to assign a higher weighting to the "neurology" path, because that's what most callers will choose, then assign a higher weight rating to the "neurology" path and a lower weight rating to the "nephrology" path.
Confirmation Mode	Specify whether you want the system to confirm with the caller that the phrase or option collected is the correct one. Default confirmation prompts are inherited from the main application, but you can use this option to choose specifically for this menu option. You can choose: Never confirm - Callers never have to confirm their choice. Always confirm - Callers must always confirm their choice, regardless of the confidence score for speech recognition. Confirm if necessary - Callers only confirm their choice if their response falls below the high confidence threshold, but above the low threshold, for voice recognition. Important You must set a confirmation prompt for Always confirm and Confirm if necessary. All the other confirmation prompts, such as confirmation retry prompt, are inherited from the main application.

Prompts

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Prompts can be found in Menu, Message, or Phone blocks. You can play prompts using either TTS (Text To Speech) or pre-recorded audio files. Prompts always give precedence to uploaded audio files over TTS text. However, GAAP retains the TTS text so you can easily switch back and forth between TTS and pre-recorded audio, without having to re-type the TTS or re-upload the sound file.

Tip

If you use pre-recorded audio files, Genesys recommends that you also enter equivalent TTS text so system users can easily read the prompts and quickly identify issues when troubleshooting.

Variables

You can add variables to your prompts using square-bracket notation. Variables are containers for storing data, and they are replaced with real data when the application executes. For example, consider the following prompt: "Your current balance is [currency:PaymentBalance]." When the application executes, the variable [currency:PaymentBalance] is replaced with the caller's payment balance value.

GAAP uses variable data in several locations. Pre-built modules can use them, such as in the payment balance example above, or they can be returned by web services, or set manually in Script blocks.

Prompt List

GAAP enables you to easily make and test changes to audio files by calling the test number. You can also generate a Prompt List that you can send to the studio for recording. This list is generated based on the Prompt Ref labels seen under each prompt. If the studio labels its recordings based on the Prompt Ref labels, you can upload the audio files to the system and GAAP automatically updates the prompts according to the Prompt Ref labels.

To generate a Prompt List, go to the Prompt List tab Manage Prompts in the top-right corner.

Important

Standard prompts for transfers, confirmations, and more are automatically set up in the main application. These are used throughout any sub-modules linked to the main application. You can change these prompts using the Prompt List tab.

Tips for writing prompts

• You can add prompts in chunks, as shown below, to play back dynamic information (such as an address) in the middle of other prompts. Or, you can upload an audio file for the first section of the prompt and use TTS for the second.

  

• Always click Preview Prompt after you enter a TTS prompt to confirm the speech engine reads the prompt correctly. If the speech engine has difficulty pronouncing a word, try spelling the word phonetically.
• Ensure your menu options are in logical order. Group similar options together and place the most common ones near the top.
• When providing menu options, keep your prompt list as short as possible. Generally, three to five items are sufficient. If necessary, you can use a hierarchy, but ensure it's only two or three levels deep. If you have more than that, callers might become confused, unengaged, and frustrated.
• Put the DTMF option after the name of the person or department.

  Incorrect

  Press 1 for Sales

  Correct

  For Sales, Press 1

  Callers listen for their destination first, then how to get there. If you play the DTMF option first, callers are not as likely to associate the option with the department.

• Use consistent phrasing for menu options.

  Incorrect

  For Sales press 1. To reach the Service department, press 2.

  Correct

  For Sales, press 1. For Service, press 2.

• Use consistent ordering of nouns and verbs to avoid confusing the caller.

  Incorrect

  Which would you like: Sales, Faults, or Check an Order?

  Correct

  Which would you like: Sales, Faults, or Order Updates? (nouns only)

  Correct

  What do you want to do: buy something, report a fault, or check an order? (verb then noun)

Opening Hours Rules

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GAAP uses Opening Hours Rules throughout an application. These rules allow you to specify at which time and on which days a call can be transferred to a specific number. For example, you can apply an Opening Hours Rule to a Phone block to specify what happens if your company is closed:

1. Click the Opening Hours tab.
2. Click Create a New Rule.
3. Enter a name in the Rule Name field.
4. In the Weekday Opening Hours section, specify which days of the week that your office is open. For each day, select either Open, Closed, or Timed. If you select Timed, specify the opening hours on that day.
5. In the Special Dates section, specify special dates when the usual opening hours do not apply. For example, you can add New Year's Day and select Closed for status.
6. In the Actions section, specify what you want to happen if the call occurs outside of the opening hours. Select one of the following options from the Suggested Action If Closed drop-down list:
   • Transfer – Transfers the call to another telephone number. You can add several numbers, using a comma-separated list. The system moves on to the next number in the list until the call is answered, or until a no answer event.
   • End the call – Ends the call and returns a system hangup result.
   • Other – Specify another event to trigger (for example, main menu).
   In Out of hours prompt, enter TTS text or upload an audio file to play to callers if they ring outside of opening hours.
7. Click Save.

Deploying to Production

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After you make changes to a callflow, you can use GAAP to simultaneously deploy a complete IVR application and its associated sub-modules to your production environment, with the new callflows being applied to the very next call. You do not need to stop and restart GAAP to deploy changes. Any calls already in progress will be completed using the original callflow.

You can test changes before you deploy them to production. GAAP provides you with both a test IVR number and a production IVR number. The latter is used for the handling of live customer calls, while the test IVR number allows you to test applications before deploying them to production. You can test changes made to an application by dialling into the test IVR number, therefore enabling you to experience exactly how the application will perform in live operation.

After deployment, you can roll back the changes to a previous configuration. GAAP maintains a record of each new configuration with the option to retrieve a previous deployed configuration and use it as the basis for further configuration changes. For example, you might apply specific changes to the IVR to cope with changes in demand profile during a holiday period. Once this period has ended, the pre-holiday version of the IVR can be re-deployed as the basis for further changes.

To deploy an application:

1. Perform one of the following options:
   • In the Callflow Editor, click the Deploy to Production tab.
   • In the Applications view, ensure Advanced Details is active and then click deploy now beside the application you want to deploy.
2. Enter a description in the Reason for Deploying field. This description identifies the main change in this version of the application (for example, Updated welcome prompt wording).
3. (Optional) Enable the Deploy this application's sub-modules as well to deploy the sub-modules linked to this Application.
Important
If you roll back an application, its associated sub-modules are not rolled back. You must roll back each sub-module individually.
4. Click Deploy to Production Now.

The table at the bottom of the Deploy to Production tab lists all previous deployments, including the version currently in production. In the Actions column, you can choose:

• Delete - Delete a previous version of the application.
• Copy to Test Number - Copy this version to the test number so you can conduct tests. This will overwrite the current test version.

To roll back to a previous version:

1. Click Copy to Test Number beside the version you want to restore.
2. Click OK when asked if you want to overwrite the current test module.
3. Place some test calls to ensure you are happy with the test version to which you have just rolled back.
4. Repeat the steps to deploy an application.

Updating application or module details

Important

This section only applies to users with the role Application Designer.

To update application or module details:

1. In the Callflow Editor, click the Application Details or Module Details tab.
2. Update the application or module name and description as needed.
3. Click Save.

Deleting applications and modules

Important

This section only applies to users with the role Application Designer.

To delete an application or module:

1. Click Applications in the navigation bar.
2. Click Advanced Details.
3. Click delete beside the application or module that you want to delete.

When you delete an application or module, all accompanying data and prompts are also deleted.