Nodes

Get acquainted with nodes that construct your conversation flows in NLX

Add & connect nodes

All conversation flows consist of nodes that define logic, messaging, API calls, and turns that must be followed in a particular sequence. There are a variety of , each with their own function (e.g., routing a user, providing a message, listening for user intent, etc.).

Easily add a node to drop on to your Canvas using the toolbar or shortcut menu:

Choose Add option in toolbar or right-click to use New node in Canvas shortcut menu
Select node type to apply to the Canvas

Nodes are linked together via their node edges. Every node has one or more edge for each possible path the flow may take.

Connect the first node of your flow to the Canvas' .

To connect nodes, click from a node's edge > Drag line to recipient node
Disconnect nodes by clicking the line linking them or dragging a node away from a stack and selecting the linked line

Connected lines are blue and show directional flow. Dashed lines indicate recipient node is arranged behind or in line with the origin node on the Canvas. Moving a recipient node in front turns lines solid.

To tighten the space used on the Canvas, you may also stack nodes together:

To connect nodes through stacking, click and drag a node on top or bottom of another
An edge turns into an arrow, indicating the flow's direction

To delete a node, select it and press delete or right-click and choose Delete from the shortcut menu.

Configuring nodes

Selecting a node on your Canvas reveals a side panel to display information about the node and provide options for adding or refining its actions. Clicking outside of the node automatically closes the panel.

Every node has a non-editable ID so the node may be referenced across the NLX workspace. To show the Node ID, click the info icon in the upper right of the node's side panel.

Node messaging

Your conversational AI relays messages to users when a node they've reached has Messages entered. Below are options to help enhance your use of this feature:

Select a node > Add messages to a node by clicking +Add message on a node's side panel
Repeat the above as often as needed on a single node
To delete a message, choose the three-dot menu beside the message and select Delete

NOTE: Adding more than one message to a node breaks up large messages into a series of smaller ones, making it easier for users to consume on text interfaces.

Node functionality

Several advanced actions can be applied to nodes on the Canvas. Simply expand the Add functionality section of a node's side panel and select from the following:

Select a node > Click Add functionality menu on a node's side panel > Choose Analytics tags
Search or select a tag from the dropdown to assign to the node
Repeat as often as needed
To delete a tag, click the delete icon beside it

Node payload holds payload commands executed in conversation. Use cases include specifying what call queue should be used during escalation to an agent, whether to include a transcript during escalation, or sending a control message to NLP to allow users to interrupt the conversational AI, for example.

Select a node > Click Add functionality menu on a node's side panel > Choose Node payload

Specify each item as a key-value pair in the following format: key=value. To specify multiple items, use an ampersand (&) as a separator.

Key

Value

Usage

Notes

nlx_transferPhoneNumber

E.164 phone number

Amazon Connect

The phone number used to transfer to in the event of an escalation.

escalation_PSTN

E.164 phone number

Amazon Chime SDK

The phone number used to transfer to in the event of an escalation.

escalation_VC

Amazon Chime SDK Voice Connector URL

Amazon Chime SDK

The voice connector used to transfer a call.

x-amz-lex:*

Varies. Include =True at the end of your Lex syntax to enable; for example, x-amz-lex:allow-interrupt:*:*=True

Amazon Lex with a voice channel

nlx:hints

A comma separated list of strings

Amazon Lex with a voice channel

Improve disambiguation over voice when there is an anticipated list of options.

Node types

Start

Start node is the home node of every flow. It's non-editable, provides information on how the flow is reached by users, and should be attached to the first node added to your Canvas.

Every flow or page created within a flow automatically populates a Start node as a beginning point. A node added to the Canvas can then be attached to Start through a line or by stacking.

Action

Action nodes initiate an external task to occur.

An email or text sent to the user for a survey, confirmation, or set of instructions
Triggering the creation of a service ticket, work order, purchase, etc.
Scheduling an appointment or calendar meeting

Application handoff (beta)

Application handoff nodes allow you to route users to a different application and application communication channel that exist in the same workspace.

Move a user from an application handling HR questions to an application handling an IT request
Move a user from one communication channel to another that's only supported by another application
Route a percentage of users via a Split node if doing A/B testing with a new application

Basic

Indicate via message that a process is about to occur before continuing the flow
Offer a greeting or confirmation before/after a question or capture step
Clear a variable (from a slot or Data request source) in a retry cycle for a User choice node
End the call or conversation by leaving the node unattached

Data request

Data request nodes allow you to trigger information to be received during a conversation through static data or external API. They're particularly valuable when needing to relay information to a user through other nodes where the information is dynamic.

Checking available rooms to assist with a hotel reservation
Pulling a list of local restaurants to match a user's criteria
Fetching the user's profile to authenticate and customize the conversation
A payload of information sent to a database for storage or updating (e.g., user profiles, passwords, etc.).

Define

A value captured or set in a flow that shouldn't be retained outside of the current flow
A value captured from the user must carry a different meaning in other flows in the same conversation session
Parsing date to extract its component parts (minutes, seconds, hours, days, etc.). See How-to tab for instructions

Define: Give the value to be defined a descriptive name that is used whenever referenced in the flow
Value: Set the value's meaning (swap the property type from the right of the dropdown). If swapping to dynamic property type {x} Placeholders, select from those in the workspace using the dropdown

Optional: If defining a value set from {x} Placeholders , you may also choose an operator to the left of the dropdown field to manipulate the value:
First: Grabs the first element of a Data request Response body set to List
Length: Sets the value to the number of items in a list or the number of characters, including whitespace, in a string [e.g., LENGTH("12345") returns 5]
Increment: Increases the value by +1
Decrement: Decreases the value by -1
Lowercase: Converts a value to all lowercase styling
Trim: Removes leading or trailing whitespace characters
Lowercase + trim: Converts a value to all lowercase styling and removes leading or trailing whitespace characters
Parse date: Extracts all date components from a value (millisecond, second, minute, day, hour, ISOstring, month, year, timezone, timestamp)

Use Define node with Parse date for dynamic messaging specific to your flow
Example: A user sets up an account that also provides them monthly rewards for being an active member. The slot type NLX.Text or NLX.Date captures a user providing an activation date of 11/15/2023 through a User choice node. Follow with a Define node to name the value 'Rewards' and define it as a parsed date of the activation date slot. Later messaging can choose to reference it as "Your monthly reward will be sent on day {Rewards.day} of every month!" = "Your monthly reward will be sent on day 11 of every month!"

Escalate

Escalate nodes immediately initiate the escalation transfer for the flow's communication channel.

Business procedure requires that a user change their registered email with an agent only
Your conversational AI is not yet enabled with the ability to perform a task requested by the user
Technical processes involving APIs/webhooks failing

Generative Journey

Generative Journey nodes allow you to employ a large language model (LLM) to facilitate the process of collecting necessary parameters (slots) from a user to complete a task. This both allows for multiple slots to be collected by a single node in your workflow and provides greater flexibility for a user to give information in a less rigid, more natural way.

Resolve several slots required for completing an intent (collect PII details, preferences for scheduling a trip, information for filing a claim, etc.) in a single node of a flow
Allow for users to alter choices easily and support users asking for optional parameters (slots)
Provide context for conversational AI to reference for more personalized conversation as well as support a broader variety of user expressions when resolving slots

Generative text

Generative text nodes allow you to employ a large language model (LLM) to handle the conversation workload, including formulating responses appropriate to the context of the conversation.

Carry open-ended conversations between users and your conversational AI
Handle unexpected user responses
Link from No match edges on previous nodes to manage unknown user responses

Generate: The name entered here determines the placeholder name of this Generative response when referenced in other nodes (do not include spaces in the name)
Prompt: The prompt given to the LLM
- Sample prompt: "You are an AI customer support assistant called Nelly. Do not engage in any controversial topics. Given the user asked {system.Utterance}, provide the user a helpful answer. Limit your answer to no more than 4 sentences. Don't mention anything about contacting customer support for further assistance."

Optional:
Include transcript as context: When enabled, transcript of the conversation between your conversational AI and user up to that point is sent to the LLM along with the prompt for added context

Knowledge base

Knowledge base nodes allow you to invoke a response from a digital library of information. They're valuable in answering questions or relaying information to users on common topics that don't require several complex flows to address.

Provide common FAQ responses on policies, service offerings, and helpful links (if chat) to guide users
Provide instructions and how-tos on topics for staff or customers

Success: Links to a node in the flow when the user response was matched to a knowledge base topic. Generally follow with a Basic node containing the placeholder {Article.answer} in its messaging to provide the response
Timeout: Link to a node if the request does not respond a status before the timeout
Failure: Link to a node if the request was not able to locate a response from the user's phrase

Question: Add the variable necessary to aid the AI model in its answer search . This can be a context attribute, slot variable, external variable from a Data request, system variable, or local variable defined or generated in the flow. Generally, the most common variable to pass along is the user's last response contained in system variable {system.Utterance}. Provide context if sending more than one variable (e.g., the user is a {userProfile.RewardsTier} member and wants to know about {system.Utterance})
Knowledge base: Select from available knowledge bases created in the workspace
Prompt (optional): If desired, provide specific instructions, rules, brand voice, additional variables, or other guidelines to follow when your conversational AI relays answers from your knowledge base
Generate: Provide a simple name or acronym to reference the knowledge base content as a variable locally in the flow (no spaces). Default is Article

Settings
Auto-translate: Enable toggle to translate the programmed response to the detected language of the user
Timeout: Enable toggle to adjust timeout period of answer retrieval in seconds. Default is 5s

Add a Knowledge base node to the Canvas
On the node's side panel, enter system.Utterance in the Question field and assign a Knowledge base from your workspace in the dropdown
Link a Basic node from the Knowledge base node's Success edge > Enter the placeholder {"yourKBname".answer} as a message on the Basic node
Proceed from the Basic node to either redirect to another flow, or capture user intent or provide a selection of choices to a user to help with follow-up after an answer has been relayed to the user
Click Save

Loop

Loop nodes help to either set an allowed number of retries for a user's response or an API call (such as with a Data request or Action), or they can help survey items in a data array (set to List schema).

Range mode

Prevent infinite looping by allowing one retry for a user to provide their PIN before escalating to an agent

List mode

Loop over a list of resorts and provide matches from a user's preference of 5-star establishments in Tokyo

Optional
For each: Give a descriptive name of the loop iteration (e.g., Retry or Name.UserProfile)

Range mode:

From/To: Enter range of allowed looped retries before ejecting from the Completed edge

List mode:

Note

Note nodes are for adding freeform text to the Canvas and do not impact the intent's conversation flow.

Provide instructions or explanations to a teammate about items on the flow
Document different node stacks or sections of a flow for organization or visual mapping
Enter descriptions or thoughts about areas or whole pages of a flow

Body: Enter note message in this field. You may also reference dynamic values created in the workspace with an open curly brace {

Optional:
Title: Enter a brief title to describe the note or call attention to it

Redirect

Redirect nodes route users to to a different page of an intent flow or to a different intent.

An unregistered user that needs to complete a profile before proceeding with the main flow (redirect to a page of the same flow or another flow)
After asking a user what they need help with (User input node) and routing them based on a matched training phrase
Moving a user from a flow covering booking policies at a resort to a flow that books a resort reservation

Split

Split nodes divide users in a path flow based on condition(s) or chance distribution.

Conducting A/B testing on new messaging or new process and diverting a portion of user traffic to test (set node to Chance)
Sort users based on different variables (e.g., rewards level, credit card type, authenticated, etc.)

Conditions mode

If condition: Each dropdown provides options to craft a conditional statement. You may also use the + And link to add modifiers to a statement and create a single grouping of conditions

Optional: When using a {x} Placeholders value, you may also choose an operator to the left of the dropdown field to manipulate the value:
First: Grabs the first element of a Data request Response body set to List
Length: Sets the value to the number of items in a list or the number of characters, including whitespace, in a string [e.g., LENGTH("12345") returns 5]
Increment: Increases the value by +1
Decrement: Decreases the value by -1
Lowercase: Converts a value to all lowercase styling
Trim: Removes leading or trailing whitespace characters
Lowercase + trim: Converts a value to all lowercase styling and removes leading or trailing whitespace characters
Parse date: Extracts all date components from a value (millisecond, second, minute, day, hour, ISOstring, month, year, timezone, timestamp)

Chance mode

Select + Add condition to create multiple splits in traffic that divert a percentage of users for each pathway. Percentages may be adjusted manually using the slider or may be calculated evenly across pathways by choosing Distribute equally

User choice

User choice nodes prompt users to either make a selection or provide information for your conversational AI to follow-up with a relevant action, such as routing, refining, or externally passing along the info.

For User choice nodes, the NLX NLU will attempt the following (in order):

Match the user's utterance to a value from the assigned source (custom slot, built-in slot, or Data request array)
Match the user's utterance to training data belonging to other flows attached to the application

Ask a user for the start date of their reported service outage
Ask a user a Yes/No question
Ask a user to choose from their available credit cards on file
Ask a user to provide a short explanation of their complaint

Additional slots are useful in cases where a user's selection would normally be supported despite their selection not matching choices from the initial primary source. For example, a user may be provided three available appointment options for today's date from a Data request source, but the user instead requests an appointment for tomorrow. An additional system slot, such as NLX.Date or NLX.Text, may be assigned to the same node to handle this request. The user's request will follow along the No match edge on the node where a Split node should be used to detect if an additional slot(s) entry exists and proceed from there

User input

User input is considered a listening and capture node for collecting a user's utterance to match to an flow's training data or collecting a keyword(s) that alters or routes the conversation using Split node logic.

Asking a user what they need help with and routing them to a flow that matches training data
Asking a user an open-ended question to detect keyword(s) and route them using a Split and Redirect nodes

Voice+

A user calling to request a service during heavy call volumes is texted a link and guided through completing an online form
A user requiring careful guidance through an online booking process is texted a link and guided through each step to complete booking

In your Action's URL payload field, enter the URL followed by the parameter cid={system.conversationID}
Include a Voice+ node after the Action & Basic node to initiate Voice+ mode

Last updated 13 days ago