Variables with Buraq are used to store the inputs received from the visitors. Buraq recommends its users to use the variables as this provides the insights to them about their visitors behaviour
What are Variables?
Variables with Buraq are used to store the inputs received from the visitors. Buraq recommends its users to use the variables as this provides the insights to them about their visitors behaviour by running few reports.
Variables come in handy when you would like to capture the details about the visitors and later use it in the flow to make it more personalised & avoid giving feeling of interacting with the bot to their visitors.
You can also use the variables to track the other details like what options the visitors selects frequently, or with the bot to their visitors.
Benefits of using Variables:
Useful in knowing which options visitors choose the most
Sending data to third party app like CRM
Insights about visitors preference
Types of Variables:
There are three types of variabkes that you can use with Buraq. They are as follows;
Contact Variables: A contact variable is a quick way to collect the personal information of the visitors & store it in Buraq for reference. A contact variable can be anything like name, phone, email etc.. that uniquely identifies the visitors.
Conversation Variables: Conversation variables allows you to store the input or the responses received from the visitors. For instance, asking a particular question to the visitor and storing the response in the variable. This defined variable will further assist you in analysing the type of responses the visitors provide to the question.
System Defined Variables: System defined variables are the conversation variables which is generated by the system itself when any new conversation with the visitor initiates or created in the system. Since Buraq is supported on multiple channels, we have system defined variables based on channels.
What are the type of validations I can use to store the value in Variable?
Validation
Description
Text
Text validation collects and stores all kind of responses received from the visitors
Number
Number validation ensures that only numeric value is collected from the visitors and stored in the variable
Boolean
Date
Date validation ensures that only calendar date is collected from the visitors and stored in the variable
Name
Name validation ensures that text value is collected from the visitors and stored in the variable
Email
Email validation ensures that input received from the visitors is valid email address and stored in the variable
Phone
Phone validations ensures that input received from the visitors is valid phone number and stores it in the variable<.td>
Regex
Creating Variables
There are two ways through which the variables can be created in Buraq, they are;
Through 'Settings': You can follow the following steps to create the variables through 'Settings';
Go to 'Settings -> Account - Variables'
Click on 'Create Variable'
Select the 'Variable Type'
Configure the following;
Name: Define the name of the variable
Description: Provide the details about the variable in the text editor as in what value it stores or what is it used for
Validation or Format: Select the validation or format from the drop down list as per your preference
Click on 'Create' to create the variable
Through 'Bot Builder': You can follow the following steps to create the variables through 'Bot Builder';
Go to 'Bot Builder' & open the bot of your preference
Select the action block that requires variable to be mapped
Click on 'Save the response in this variable'
Click on '+ Create Variable'
Select the 'Variable Type'
Configure the following;
Name: Define the name of the variable
Description: Provide the details about the variable in the text editor as in what value it stores or what is it used for
Validation or Format: Select the validation or format from the drop down list as per your preference
Click on 'Create' to create the variable
Using Variables
How do I use the variables to store the responses?
We need to store the responses in order to keep track of the visitors selection & sending data to the CRMs
This is possible on all the action blocks where we collect some form of input from the visitors i.e either selecting the button or providing answers in the text box
You can store the inputs in the variables by going into the action block and clicking on 'Save the response in this variable' & selecting from the list of available options.
How do I use the variables to personalise the experience of the visitors?
This is possible on all the action blocks where you would like to personalise the message. To do so, you can open any action block & in rich text editor, type '#' to see the list of all variables (System, Contact & Conversation). Once the list is visible, you can select any variable and add it to the message.
Modify Variables
Buraq allows you to modify the description and validation or format of created contact or conversation variables. However the name of the variables cannot be modified.
In order to modify the details of the variable, you can follow the following steps;
Go to 'Settings -> Account -> Variables'
Click 'Edit' against the existing variable
Update 'Description' or 'Validation' of the variable
Click on 'Edit' to save the changes
You cannot edit or modify system defined variables
Archive Variables
On archiving variables, it will not be visible in any of the drop downs of the bot builder or the contacts page however the values associated with it will remain as it is.
For already deployed flow, value will not be captured for the archived variables. However if they are containing any values, it will be replaced by fallback variables.
In-order to archive the variables, you can follow the following steps;
