# Slots (custom)

### What are custom slots?

Slots are variables your AI captures to fulfill a user’s intent. Custom slots are values you define for your business. They're typically a fixed set of options that can be recognized by your NLP engine and, in chat experiences, may appear as selectable choices.

For example: “I want to book the deluxe room.”\
Deluxe is a slot value representing room type.

Common custom slot examples

* Yes / No
* Small / Medium / Large
* “I want to sign up” / “I want something else”

{% hint style="warning" %}
Looking for standard inputs like date, time, email, or freeform text?\
Those are built-in (system) slots. You don’t create them through the custom slots resource. Select a system slot when attaching slots to a flow. See: [Built-in slots](https://docs.nlx.ai/platform/nlx-platform-guide/overview/setup#custom-vs-built-in-slots).
{% endhint %}

To access, click *Resources* in your workspace menu and choose *Slots*:

{% @arcade/embed flowId="yci1OYsB1LNxRMnP3L2e" url="<https://app.arcade.software/share/yci1OYsB1LNxRMnP3L2e>" %}

### Requirements

* [ ] One or more values entered
* [ ] [Attached to a flow](https://docs.nlx.ai/platform/nlx-platform-guide/overview/setup#attached-slots) for use

### Values

After creating a new custom slot:

* Click *+ Add new value* > Enter custom slot value and repeat as needed
* Click *Save*

{% hint style="warning" %}
Refrain from closely-named values (*value 1 = Yes, value 2 = Yes, please*).&#x20;
{% endhint %}

{% @arcade/embed flowId="ZhpzpON6cmG5DBU5oPxn" url="<https://app.arcade.software/share/ZhpzpON6cmG5DBU5oPxn>" %}

> Optional (expand a value):
>
> * *Choice payload*: Defines a custom payload for how a value is displayed when shown as a user selection. You can insert previously set [Context variables](https://docs.nlx.ai/platform/nlx-platform-guide/flows-and-building-blocks/advanced/context-variables) using the placeholder menu `{` within the field. Payloads can also be used to control sorting or order. For example, adding `isLastValue` ensures the value appears last in the list

<figure><img src="https://2737319166-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FHCxYxhIU0Bqkjj942mGk%2Fuploads%2Fq5pSIKwdhKurWbhMIS5w%2FSlots_Documentation_Choice%20payload.png?alt=media&#x26;token=0ab9d652-e3c3-4430-b834-3a0397002975" alt=""><figcaption><p>Choice payload field of a custom slot value</p></figcaption></figure>

### Synonyms

Synonyms allow you to add alternate terms to a custom slot value that users are likely to provide when making a choice (e.g., a user may respond with *Sure* or *OK* instead of *Yes*). In these cases, synonyms can be added to expand the scope of responses that capture the same value:

{% @arcade/embed flowId="tDCRKMnmVvdFcxu4NHvb" url="<https://app.arcade.software/share/tDCRKMnmVvdFcxu4NHvb>" %}

* Expand a value > Select *+ Add synonym*
* Enter one or more synonyms for the value > Click *Save*

### Adding translations

*Languages* manages the translations of all values and synonyms belonging to a custom slot.

Want to know what languages are available? See [Supported languages](https://docs.nlx.ai/platform/nlx-platform-guide/flows-and-building-blocks/translations#supported-languages)

{% hint style="info" %}
Ensure custom slots used in flows have been translated to match the language(s) your application ultimately needs to support.
{% endhint %}

{% @arcade/embed flowId="MZZQ4oCoxxJq3cXax0Mx" url="<https://app.arcade.software/share/MZZQ4oCoxxJq3cXax0Mx>" %}

* Select *Languages* tab > Click *+ Add new language* and choose from list
* Click *Save*

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="Auto-translation" %}
{% @arcade/embed flowId="zOFMugPhIJ6P0paL5kZk" url="<https://app.arcade.software/share/zOFMugPhIJ6P0paL5kZk>" %}

* Select *Manage translations* next to supported language
* Choose *Auto-translate all* > *Confirm*
  {% endtab %}

{% tab title="Manual translation" %}
{% @arcade/embed flowId="a4jDIdLu3wPVZWK7YsKx" url="<https://app.arcade.software/share/a4jDIdLu3wPVZWK7YsKx>" %}

* Select *Manage translations* next to supported language
* Type translation for each value of a custom slot
* Expand slot value > Provide synonyms of the custom value in supported language, if applicable
* Click *Save*

> Optional (expand a value):
>
> * *Mark as translated* overrides auto-translation
> * *Skip translation* prevents the value from being automatically translated when a language is assigned to the slot
>   {% endtab %}
>   {% endtabs %}

### Slot settings

* *Sensitive*: Prevents the slot's values from being stored in conversation logs

{% hint style="info" %}
To delete a custom *Slot* and all of its values, select the *Delete* option under *Danger zone.* If the *Slot* is attached to a flow, create a [new application build and re-deploy](https://docs.nlx.ai/platform/nlx-platform-guide/ai-applications/setup#deployment) to experience the change.
{% endhint %}


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