This topic describes how to create an IVR flow and configure each module.
Access the feature
Log on to the Cloud Contact Center console. In the left navigation pane, choose Instance Management - V2. Click the endpoint of a specific instance to open its console.
Click the menu button in the upper-right corner of the page and select Voice Services to open the Voice Services console. In the left navigation pane, choose Flow Management > IVR Flows.
On the IVR Flows page, click Add to open the canvas for creating a new IVR flow.
Create an IVR flow
The following example creates a simple IVR flow for a customer service center to demonstrate basic usage of each feature.
Enter basic information
Enter a name for the IVR flow, select a version type, and add a description for the current version. This topic uses a main flow as an example.
Flow name: Enter a custom name, such as Inbound IVR.
Version type – Main flow: A main flow is the primary IVR flow. It can directly reference published child flows and other main flows.
How to use another main flow: Drag the main flow module from the Flows section on the left side of the IVR canvas onto the canvas. Click the main flow module and, in the settings panel, select the IVR main flow you want to use.
Version type – Child flow: Compared to a main flow, a child flow cannot use child flow modules, digital agent modules, or other main flow modules. After publishing a child flow, you can reuse it in a main flow using a child flow module.
How to use a child flow: Drag the child flow module from the Flows section on the left side of the IVR canvas into the main flow canvas. Click the child flow module and, in the settings panel, select the IVR child flow you want to use.
Version type – Satisfaction flow: Compared to a main flow, a satisfaction flow lacks features such as transfer to agent, transfer to external line, voicemail, hang-up reason, text message, and multimedia gateway. It also cannot use function, main flow, child flow, or digital agent modules. However, it includes a satisfaction collection feature. Create this IVR flow only if you need voice-based satisfaction surveys. After publishing, use it with Settings > Satisfaction Survey > Voice Satisfaction. For more information, see Satisfaction survey configuration.
Version description: Enter a custom description, typically the version number or a brief summary of the IVR flow.
Voice project name: The selected model will be used for speech synthesis in this IVR flow. Currently, only the Default Voice Model is available. To choose a different voice, click Voice Settings on the right to configure it.
Add a playback module
First, add a playback module to play a welcome message. This module is used by default in the main flow. For details about each module, see IVR module overview.
The Start and End modules are default modules. They appear automatically on the canvas and cannot be deleted.
Select Playback from the Basic Features section on the left and drag it to a suitable location on the canvas. Release the mouse button to place it.
Click the Playback module. In the panel on the right, name it “Welcome_Playback.” As an example, use text-to-speech. You can also record your own audio and click Upload Audio to upload it to the media library. After editing, click OK.
Connect the Start module to the “Welcome_Playback” module. Click the center of the right side of the Start module and hold the mouse button. Move the mouse—the blue dashed line follows your cursor. Drag the line to the hollow circle on the left side of the Playback module and release the mouse button to complete the connection.
If you connect modules incorrectly, hover over the connector. A delete icon appears. Click it to remove the connector.
Add a digit collection module
Repeat the steps used for the Playback module to place a Digit Collection module. Use text-to-speech as an example.
Click the Digit Collection module. In the panel on the right, enter the prompt: “Press 1 for agent, press 2 for external line, press 3 to hang up.” Name the module “Digit_Collection.” Set the digit type to Fixed Length and the length to 1 digit. Click OK.
Repeat the connection steps to link the Playback module to the Digit Collection module.
Add a Playback module for the Digit Collection Failed scenario. Name it “Digit_Collection_Failed_Playback.”
After editing, connect Digit Collection → Digit Collection Failed to the new Digit_Collection_Failed_Playback module. Then connect Digit_Collection_Failed_Playback → Playback Succeeded back to the Digit Collection module.
Add a branch module
Add a Branch module after the Digit Collection → Digit Collection Succeeded node. Name it “Digit_Collection_Succeeded_Branch.”
NoteWhen configuring the “Digit_Collection_Succeeded_Branch,” select the variable from the Digit Collection module.
Configure the parameter for the Digit Collection module. Find the system parameter Digit Collection, set its value, and add a description.
After configuration, connect Digit Collection → Digit Collection Succeeded to Digit_Collection_Succeeded_Branch. Connect Digit_Collection_Succeeded_Branch → Other Branches to the Digit_Collection_Failed_Playback module.
NoteWhen the Digit Collection module collects a 1-digit input, the Digit_Collection_Succeeded_Branch evaluates it. If the input is not 1, 2, or 3, the flow plays the “Digit_Collection_Failed_Playback” message and returns to the Digit Collection module to collect input again.
Add transfer-to-agent and transfer-to-external-line modules
Transfer-to-agent module
Configure the “Press 1 for agent” option set in the Digit Collection module as an output of the branch module.
Add a new Transfer to Agent module after Digit_Collection_Succeeded_Branch. Drag the Transfer to Agent module from the Basic Features section onto the canvas. Name it “Main_Menu_Transfer_to_Agent.”
Connect Digit_Collection_Succeeded_Branch → Transfer to Agent to the Main_Menu_Transfer_to_Agent module.
Connect all outputs of Main_Menu_Transfer_to_Agent—such as Transfer to Agent Failed and Transfer to Agent Timeout—to the End module. If you want to play a waiting tone during transfer, add a Playback module after the Transfer to Agent module, enter the desired text-to-speech message, and connect the modules. This step is similar to the earlier Playback module configuration and is not described again here.
Transfer-to-external-line module
Configure the “Press 2 for external line” option set in the Digit Collection module.
Select the Transfer to External Line module from the Basic Features section and drag it onto the canvas. Configure it as needed.
Connect Digit_Collection_Succeeded_Branch → Transfer to External Line to the Transfer to External Line module. Connect the output of the Transfer to External Line module to the End module.
Configure the “Press 3 to hang up” option. Connect the Hang Up node of the Digit_Collection_Succeeded_Branch module directly to the End module.
Configure user hang-up nodes
Connect all User Hang Up nodes from every module and the Playback Failed output of Playback modules to the End module. Check that no outputs remain unconnected.
All outputs from any IVR module must connect to another module node. Unconnected outputs prevent you from saving or publishing the IVR flow.
Flow setup is complete
You have now built a fully functional IVR flow. Click Save Only or Save and Publish in the lower-right corner of the canvas to save or publish it. The usage of each module is not limited to the examples shown here. For more information, see IVR module overview. This highly customizable IVR flow editor lets you build flows tailored to your business scenarios. For details about other IVR modules not covered in this example, see IVR module overview, which describes the function and configuration of each IVR module.