Collect Input action

Within a task sequence, use the Collect Input data action to prompt a caller to enter a string of digits. For example, a postal code or an account number.

Architect can end a user’s input after it receives the specified number of digits. You can allow the caller to enter a range of digits with a terminating digit or character. You can direct Architect to convert the entry to speech and read it back to the caller.  

For more information about how to configure the Collect Input action for various use cases, see Collect Input action examples.

Notes:
  • In call flows, you can use "*" and "#" as terminating characters. If you use these characters, the opposite of the two causes the action to take a failure path. 
  • When the call flow executes a Collect Input action, global menu DTMF and speech recognition processing are disabled.

These options determine what you want the caller to enter, and when to direct Architect to stop listening for incoming digits. This action is available in the Data category of the task editor’s Toolbox.

Name Description
Name field

Type a distinctive name for the action. The label you enter here becomes the action’s name displayed in the task sequence.
Input Audio Select the text to speech, voice prompt, or audio sequence that you want to play to the caller.
Input Data Name Type the name used for the variable in which Architect stores the input digits for use at runtime.
No Entry Timeout

Sets the default amount of time, in seconds, the system waits for input from the caller, when input is necessary. For example, this input could be a menu option or account number. The default no entry timeout is five seconds. The minimum is one second, and the maximum is one minute and 39 seconds.

Click + and – to set the number of seconds the system waits with no entry before timing out. 
Numeric Input > Range of Digits slider bar

Use this slider bar to select a fixed number or a range of digits the caller must enter to complete the action. For example, a postal code or a telephone number.
Numeric Input > change to exact ~or~ change to range link

Click these links and switch between Number of Digits and Range of Digits configuration.
Terminating DTMF

Select the DTMF that callers use to end the call. 

Notes:

  • This option is only available in the Range of Digits configuration. Select the digit or character the user may enter to indicate that they have finished entering the range of digits. 
  • When pressed, includes a terminating DTMF in input data result.
Number of Digits ~or~ Range of Digits slider bar

Use this slider bar to direct the caller to enter an exact number of digits, or digits within a specific range to complete the action. For example, an account number.

Use the left and right sliders to specify the exact or minimum/maximum number of digits required.
Verification Select from this list and set up how Architect verifies the caller data entry. Choose from:
  • Numeric: 1234 reads back as one thousand, two hundred and thirty-four.” 
    Note: Do not use this field if the caller must enter * or #. Doing so causes the flow to go into error handling. Architect cannot convert those characters to numbers.
  • Individual Digits: 1234 reads back as “one two three four.”
  • No Verification: Architect does not read the data entry back to the caller. 
Inter-Digit Timeout

 Use the + and – buttons to set the number of seconds the system waits between each numeric entry before timing out.
Non-Numeric Input

Selecting this box allows callers to enter only the * or # character and direct the flow to proceed to the Success path. If left disabled, when the caller enters those characters the Collect Input action takes the Failure path.

Note: This option allows for non-digit entry. The check boxes allow a caller to enter * or # instead of a DTMF entry. For example, if you enable Accept just “#” and a caller presses the # DTMF, then that character is stored in the Input Data variable.

Define success and failure paths

Name Description
Success

This path indicates that the action successfully collected digits from the caller. 

Drag the appropriate action below the Success path that follows the route you want the interaction to take. For example, a screen pop action with contact information, an audio prompt, a transfer to the appropriate representative, or a combination of actions that follow your company’s flow design.

Note: An executed Success path indicates that the system encountered no errors during the process. It is not a measure of whether the data received is the intended result or functionality.
Failure

This path indicates that the system was unable to collect digits from the caller. For example, the caller did not enter the appropriate number of digits.  

Drag the appropriate action below the Failure path that follows the route you want the interaction to take. For example, a play audio action to indicate that the action wasn’t successful, a transfer action to send the caller to an agent for assistance. 

Note: If the network experiences connectivity issues, the action automatically takes this failure path.