Series: Create a call flow

A flow is a connected series of actions and parameters that make up the caller experience through different phases of an interaction. Contact center users, called flow authors, create and edit flows. Design and build a flow by dragging actions from the Architect Toolbox into the menu and configuring them in the action's design area. This area displays options specific to the actions selected. 

Localized content in flows

Localization is driven by the language in which Architect runs. When you create a new flow in Architect, Architect localizes the following parts of the newly-created flow as follows:

Based on the language Architect is running on:

• The name on the main menu
• The name on the disconnect menu choice

Based on the default supported language of the flow:

• The example TTS value for Initial Greeting and Menu Prompt

Basic flow creation steps

The basic steps to create a flow are:

1. From the Architect home page, select the type of flow you want to create. The newly-created flow's flow design page opens.
2. For more information about the types of available flows, see the following topics:
   • Work with inbound flows
   • Work with outbound flows
   • About in-queue flows
3. Determine if you want your flow to begin with a Starting Menu or  a Starting Task.
   Note: This is the beginning of the caller experience in the flow. A starting menu is helpful if you want to offer a selection of choices for the caller by playing audio and accepting DTMF input, then branching the flow based on the caller input. A starting task may be helpful when you want Architect to look up something about the call before proceeding with the flow. For more information, see the following articles:

   • Set up a starting menu
   • Set up a starting task
4. Configure default configuration settings, including actions, error handling, menu, speech recognition, and supported languages for the flow.
5. Drag the appropriate action categories into your menu or task. Customize settings according to your flow design using these Architect tools:
   • Dial by extension allows a caller to dial and be transferred to an extension.
   • Disconnect gives the caller an intuitive way to end the call.
   • Menus represent a list of options for the caller. You can choose to build sub-menus, repeat the current menu, jump to another menu, or return to the previous menu.
   • Tasks group related steps of a process together to help organize a routine within a flow.
   • Transfer options send a caller to a queue or group, external number, another flow, specific user, or voice mailbox.
6. Validate the flow to check for problems or errors.
7. Review and resolve validation errors.
8. Publish the flow.

In addition to these basic steps, you can also create reusable tasks and menus, import and customize previously created flows, export the current flow for use in another flow, set up audio sequences for appropriate actions within the flow, define complex configuration scenarios within a task action, and more.