Debug Scripts in CXone Studio

This help page is for CXone Studio. This information is also available for Desktop Studio.

Required permissions: ACD > Studio > Scripts > Debug

You can run script traces to check for issues in your scripts. They allow you to see the actions that fire in the script, and the variables that are in the script at the time that each action fires.

Each trace opens in a separate window. This means you can keep previous traces open to compare to the new ones, or capture multiple live contacts in a row.

Run a Script Trace

You can track the progress and performance of your script with the Trace Output tool. This tool traces the contact through the script and displays the results of each action that fired, what variables are being set and when, and the values the variables held at each point. This is a helpful tool to test and debug your scripts. You can run traces on live interactions or simulated ones.

You can only run a trace if the script is saved. If you attempt to run a script trace on a script with unsaved changes, Studio prompts you to save the script. If you have errors in the script, Studio won't save the script. You must resolve errors before you can save the script and run the trace.

Studio doesn't keep a history of traces you've run. If you think you might need to refer back to a previous trace, either keep the trace output window open or download the trace file to your computer.

  1. In CXone, click the app selector and select Omnichannel Routing > Studio Three arrows joined at the base. One points straight up, one up and to the right, and one up and to the left. .
  2. Open a script or create a new one.
  3. Click Trace > Start with Trace.
  4. Select an inbound phone ACD Skill.
  5. To pass values into the script via parameter variables, enter the values in the Parameters field. Enter one value per line. The values you enter map to parameters P1 through Pn, where n is the number of the last parameter value you add.
  6. To simulate an interaction for an inbound phone script, click Simulate Inbound Call and provide the necessary information.

  7. Click Start Capture. The trace output window opens.

    As the script runs, actions appear in the window in the order they fire. You can see the name of the action, its properties and their configurations, the time the action fired, and the result of its firing. You can: 

    • Hover the cursor over an entry in the Properties column to see the full list of properties and their values in a popup menu.

    • Use the search bar to search for actions in the trace output. You can search using the action name, property name or value, time, or result.

    • Click any column heading to sort the list by that data.

  8. Click an action in the trace output to see all variables and their values in the script at the time that the action fired.  

    The variables appear in the list on the right side of the trace output window. New or changed variables are red.

    The Trace Output windowm, showing the output of a trace on an inbound voice script, including variables in the script after the PLAY action fired.

    In the variables list, you can:

    • Hover the cursor over entries in any column to view the full contents of that entry in a popup menu.
    • Select or clear Global, System, or Private to filter the variables in the list. Clearing the option hides that type of variable in the list.
    • Click the greater-than symbol > next to the name of a dynamic data variable to expand it and see its members and their values.
    • Use the search bar in the trace output window to search for variables by name or value.
    • Copy a variable value by clicking its row and pressing CTRL + C on your keyboard. The cell background briefly turns dark blue, indicating that the copy was successful.
    • Use the arrow keys to navigate the variables list.

  9. To save the trace output to your computer, click the ellipsis Three dots in a row. in the top right corner of the window, select Download the trace file, then choose a location and name for the file and click Save.

  10. To end the trace without ending the interaction on the server, click Detach.
  11. To end the trace and the interaction, click Terminate, then click OK to confirm that you want to end the interaction. This disconnects the contact and ends the interaction on the server.

Capture Live Contacts

You can capture a trace on a script as it runs. You can do this with production scripts processing live contacts. This allows you to diagnose issues that your contact center is experiencing, or capture data for troubleshooting with technical support.

Currently, CXone Studio can only capture the next instance of the script running. It cannot capture a continuous trace. When you capture a single trace, the resulting information appears in the Trace Output window.

Studio doesn't keep a history of traces you've run. If you think you might need to refer back to a previous trace, either keep the trace output window open or download the trace file to your computer.

  1. In CXone, click the app selector and select Omnichannel Routing > Studio Three arrows joined at the base. One points straight up, one up and to the right, and one up and to the left. .
  2. Open a script or create a new one.

  3. Click Trace > Capture Live Contacts.

    The Capture Live Contacts window, where you can configure the options to capture a trace on a live interaction.

  4. The Number of Contacts is currently set to 1 and cannot be changed. In a future release, you will be able to specify a number of contacts to capture.
  5. Under Filters, select an option: 

  6. Click Start Capture. The trace output window opens. The window is empty until an instance of the script matching the selected Filter option begins to run.

    As the script runs, actions appear in the window in the order they fire. You can see the name of the action, its properties and their configurations, the time the action fired, and the result of its firing. You can: 

    • Hover the cursor over an entry in the Properties column to see the full list of properties and their values in a popup menu.

    • Use the search bar to search for actions in the trace output. You can search using the action name, property name or value, time, or result.

    • Click any column heading to sort the list by that data.

  7. Click an action in the trace output to see all variables and their values in the script at the time that the action fired.  

    The variables appear in the list on the right side of the trace output window. New or changed variables are red.

    The Trace Output windowm, showing the output of a trace on an inbound voice script, including variables in the script after the PLAY action fired.

    In the variables list, you can:

    • Hover the cursor over entries in any column to view the full contents of that entry in a popup menu.
    • Select or clear Global, System, or Private to filter the variables in the list. Clearing the option hides that type of variable in the list.
    • Click the greater-than symbol > next to the name of a dynamic data variable to expand it and see its members and their values.
    • Use the search bar in the trace output window to search for variables by name or value.
    • Copy a variable value by clicking its row and pressing CTRL + C on your keyboard. The cell background briefly turns dark blue, indicating that the copy was successful.
    • Use the arrow keys to navigate the variables list.

  8. To save the trace output to your computer, click the ellipsis Three dots in a row. in the top right corner of the window, select Download the trace file, then choose a location and name for the file and click Save.

  9. To end the trace without ending the interaction on the server, click Detach.
  10. To end the trace and the interaction, click Terminate, then click OK to confirm that you want to end the interaction. This disconnects the contact and ends the interaction on the server.

Download Trace Files

You can save the trace output as a file that you can download to your computer. This is helpful if you need to refer to a trace later on. It also allows you to send a trace file to other Studio users or to CXone Account Representatives. The files can be viewed by loading them in CXone Studio. Files are saved in JSON format.

  1. In CXone, click the app selector and select Omnichannel Routing > Studio Three arrows joined at the base. One points straight up, one up and to the right, and one up and to the left. .
  2. Open a script or create a new one.
  3. Start a trace or capture a live contact.
  4. Click the ellipsis Three dots in a row. in the upper right corner of the trace output window.
  5. Select Download the trace file.
  6. Specify a File name and where you want to save the file.
  7. Click Save.

Load Trace Files

You can load a saved trace file into CXone Studio to view it.

  1. In CXone, click the app selector and select Omnichannel Routing > Studio Three arrows joined at the base. One points straight up, one up and to the right, and one up and to the left. .
  2. On the Scripts page, click Load and select Load trace file.
  3. Drag a trace file onto the Load Trace window or click browse for files to select one.
  4. Click Open on the Load Trace window. The trace opens in a trace output window.