This page describes the integration process for text-based IBM virtual agents. To use voice-based IBM Watson Assistant virtual agents with CXone, contact your CXone Account Representative. Setup happens outside of Virtual Agent Hub and the custom scripting requires additional assistance.
Before completing the tasks on this page, be sure that the prerequisites for the integration have been met.
Create a Script
Required permissions:
You need at least one Studio script to route interactions to your virtual agent. Follow the script guidelines and requirements. 
A medium, such as voice, email, and chat, through which a contact connects with an intended recipient..
If you're using a SIP Protocol used for signaling and controlling multimedia communication sessions such as voice and video calls. backchannel connection with your virtual agent, contact your CXone Account Representative for help with the integration.
You can learn more about Studio scripting in the Fundamentals and Technical Reference Guide sections of the online help.
When your virtual agent is ready to go into production, assign the script to one or more points of contact.
Add an App to Virtual Agent Hub
Required permissions:
Adding a configuration app to Virtual Agent Hub establishes the connection between CXone and your virtual agent provider.
- In CXone, click the app selector
and select Other > Automation & AI and then click Virtual Agent Hub. You can also double-click the virtual agent action in your Studio script to launch Virtual Agent Hub. - Click Add Bot.
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Enter a Virtual Agent (Bot) Name and click IBM Watson in the list of virtual agent providers.
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Click Next.
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Complete the fields in the configuration form and click Next. You can find details about this form in the Configuration Page Details section on this page.
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Click Next.
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If you're setting up a text virtual agent, select Text Only (No Voice Support) on the Voice page. If you're setting up a voice virtual agent, contact your CXone Account Representative.
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Click Next.
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On the Transcript page, select the option for whether you want the conversation transcript and intent information captured.
Protocol used for signaling and controlling multimedia communication sessions such as voice and video calls. backchannel connection.Learn more about fields in this step
Option Details Do Not Capture or Archive Transcript or Intent Info Select this option if you don't want to capture conversation transcriptions or intent The meaning or purpose behind what a contact says/types; what the contact wants to communicate or accomplish information. Capture and Archive Intent Info Only Select this option if you want to want to capture intent information only. Captured data is stored only for the duration of the interaction by default.
This option requires custom scripting.
Capture and Archive Transcript and Intent Info Select this option if you want to capture both transcript and intent data. Captured data is only stored for the duration of the interaction by default.
This option requires custom scripting.
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Click Next.
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On the Test + Add page, you can test your bot's connection by sending voice or text prompts. If your test messages don't work, click Back to return to the Configuration page and verify the settings. You may also need to verify configurations in your virtual agent provider's management console.
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Click Add.
IBM Watson Configuration Page Details
Use the information in the following table when completing the Configuration page. You see this page when adding an app in Virtual Agent Hub
|
Field |
Details |
|---|---|
| Integration Version |
Select the version of Virtual Agent Hub that you want to use. This option allows you to use a previous version of Virtual Agent Hub until you're ready to switch to a newly-released version. The available versions are:
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| Watson Experience | Select the version of the Watson experience you are using for this virtual agent. The default is Classic. This should match the configuration in the IBM configuration console for this virtual agent. In the IBM console, the Classic experienced is also called Dialog and the New experience is also called Actions. |
| Assistant ID |
Enter the IBM Watson Assistant ID for your IBM Watson Assistant virtual agent. If you're using the new Watson experience, enter the Environment ID in this field. You can find this information under Assistant IDs in the Assistant settings menu in the IBM Watson configuration console. This is a required field. |
| API Key |
Enter the API key used to authenticate with your Watson Assistant virtual agent. You can find this information in the IBM Watson configuration console. |
| Edit Version | Click the slider to On if you're using an older version of the API. Enter the Version of the API you're using. |
| URL |
Enter the API endpoint URL for your IBM Watson virtual agent. The URL must contain the region and instance details. You can find this information in the IBM Watson configuration console. This is a required field. |
| Timeout Intent | Enter the ID of the timeout intent The meaning or purpose behind what a contact says/types; what the contact wants to communicate or accomplish you want this virtual agent to use. |
Assign the IBM Watson App to an Action
Required permissions:
When the virtual agent The meaning or purpose behind what a contact says/types; what the contact wants to communicate or accomplish app is set up and configured in Virtual Agent Hub, you need to assign it to the virtual agent action in your script. This connects the action and the script to your virtual agent provider.
- In Studio, open the script you want to modify.
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If you haven't done so already, click the Tools tab, expand the Automation and AI category, and add the virtual agent action you want to use. Be sure to put it in the correct location in your script. If you don't see the action you expect, verify that your script media type is correct. For example, if you're creating a script for a voice virtual agent, the script must be a phone script.
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- In the left column, locate the virtual agent that you want to assign to the action and click the checkmark
next to it. - Click Close.
Test Your Virtual Agent
Required permissions:
You can test many aspects of your virtual agent to make sure everything works as intended. You can run tests from the virtual agent app's properties page in Virtual Agent Hub. When testing, you can:
- Verify that the virtual agent app is correctly configured to communicate with the virtual agent provider.
- Add custom payload JSON to test the virtual agent's handling of custom payload data.
- Trigger a welcome intent event to test how the virtual agent begins a conversation.
- Trigger a custom intent event to test any custom events you've created for your virtual agent.
- Trigger a timeout event to test how the virtual agent responds when the contact times out.
- Test how the virtual agent handles DTMF Signaling tones that are generated when a user presses or taps a key on their telephone keypad. input.
The following image is an example of the properties page for a virtual agent app in Virtual Agent Hub. It shows the Configuration and Voice tabs and the Test pane.
- In CXone, click the app selector and select Other > Automation & AI and then click Virtual Agent Hub. You can also double-click the virtual agent action in your Studio script to launch Virtual Agent Hub.
- Click to select the configuration app for the virtual agent you want to test from the list on the left.
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In the Test pane, enter a test message in the Type a message field and press Enter to send it. You can also click Microphone
and speak into your computer's microphone. - Click Start with welcome intent to start a test conversation from the beginning. The virtual agent responds with its default welcome message. You can enter test messages.
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Click More Options
to test other aspects of your virtual agent.Learn more about fields in this step
Field Details Add Custom Payload JSON Select to test sending custom payload JSON to your virtual agent.
Enter the custom payload in the Add Custom Payload JSON text box that appears on the Test + Add page. Press Enter after each line.
Send a test message when you're ready to test the custom payload. When you're finished testing custom payload, click Close on the Add Custom Payload JSON pane.
Trigger Welcome Intent Event Select to test the default Welcome intent The meaning or purpose behind what a contact says/types; what the contact wants to communicate or accomplish. The virtual agent sends the welcome message. Enter a message to respond. Trigger Custom Intent Event Select to test a custom intent event. Enter the Event Name in the pop-up that appears and click Trigger. The virtual agent sends the message for the intent you entered. Send a response to test the intent. Trigger Timeout Event Select to view the default timeout intent. The virtual agent sends the timeout response message that it's configured with. DTMF Input Select to test your voice virtual agent's response to DTMF Signaling tones that are generated when a user presses or taps a key on their telephone keypad. tones. Enter DTMF Characters and click Input to see the virtual agent's response to those characters. - Click Reset to start your test again.
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If you need to make changes based on the results of your testing, you can:
- Modify the Studio scripts for the virtual agent.
- Modify the configuration settings in the virtual agent's app in Virtual Agent Hub.
- Modify the virtual agent's configuration settings in the provider's console. Click the large square button on the app properties page in Virtual Agent Hub. The example at the beginning of this section shows the Google Dialogflow CX app with the provider button. It has the
icon on it to indicate that the link opens an external site.
- Test the virtual agent thoroughly after each change to your scripts or any configuration settings.
- When you're finished testing, click Close.