Connect guides to your Virtual Agent flows

AI-generated summary

Genesys Cloud enables integration of AI-powered guides into Virtual Agent bot flows through the Call Guide action in Architect, allowing users to create hybrid workflows that combine guides with conventional flow-based elements. After publishing a guide in AI Studio, users can connect it to Architect bot flows or digital bot flows enabled with Virtual Agent functionality, provided they have appropriate AI Studio and Architect permissions and Virtual Agent enablement configured. The Call Guide action configuration requires specifying a distinctive name, selecting a published guide from the available list, and defining any variables referenced in guide instructions, with the flow automatically executing the latest published version of the selected guide. Since guides utilize large language model (LLM) technology, processing input requests and generating prompts may require several seconds, potentially resulting in silence during participant interactions. The Voice Processing Prompt feature addresses this by playing audio during processing delays, functioning similarly to typing indicators in digital bot flows. The system defaults to keyboard typing sounds but allows customization through the Communication Sequence Builder or manual override via Settings > Bot Flow > Voice Processing, with options for custom expressions, disabled prompts, or flow defaults. When a Call Guide action is added to a flow, the flow type automatically changes to Agentic Virtual Agent, indicated by a badge in the top-right corner. The Call Guide action defines three execution paths: Success (indicating successful AI guide execution), Failure (indicating execution errors), and Timeout (indicating exceeded execution time), with recommended timeout duration under 30 seconds to prevent extended user wait times. Users can configure these paths as part of broader flow development based on business requirements. Virtual Agent configuration supports user input settings including maximum no-match occurrences, maximum no-input retries, no-input timeout duration, and handling procedures for exceeded retry limits. The system does not prepend global no-match or no-input prompts for Call Guide actions, instead allowing guides to handle these messages dynamically. Agent escalation, when enabled, generates system-produced escalation prompts rather than using standard handover and confirmation prompts. Virtual Agent inherits supported language configuration from the parent Architect flow at runtime, though guide performance may vary across languages and testing with relevant languages is recommended. Genesys Cloud provides a Dependency Search feature within the Architect tool that enables users to identify flows with dependencies on guides, supporting workflow management and troubleshooting by allowing administrators and developers to track guide relationships across the system. This feature integrates with Genesys Cloud's broader Architect capabilities, including guide creation, Virtual Agent configuration, knowledge base connections, and flow testing and troubleshooting functions.

PrerequisitesClick to expand

After you publish a guide in AI Studio, you can connect it to an Architect bot flow or digital bot flow that is enabled with Virtual Agent using the Call Guide action.

Publish a guide in AI Studio

Click Admin.
Under AI Studio, click Guides.
Click Menu > Orchestration > AI Studio > Guides.
Open an existing guide or create a new one.
Add the required instructions and click Publish. For more information about writing and publishing a guide, see Write and publish guides.
(Optional) In the right-pane, click Go to Architect to open Architect in a new tab. By default, Architect opens with the Dependency Search tab displaying any flows that are already connected to the guide which you selected in AI Studio.
(Optional) To go to the Architect home page, click Architect.

Add a Call Guide action to a bot flow or digital bot flow in Architect

Use the Call Guide action in a bot flow or digital bot flow that is enabled with Virtual Agent to execute a guide. You can solely use a guide or mix and match the guide with conventional flow-based elements as necessary to implement a hybrid workflow. For more information about AI Guides, see About AI Guides.

Notes:

The AI Studio category and the Call Guide action are available only when you enable Virtual Agent.
When you add a Call Guide action to a flow in Architect, the flow type changes to Agentic Virtual Agent and it is indicated by the following badge at the top-right corner:
Guides are large language model (LLM) based, and therefore, can take a number of seconds to process an input request and return a generated prompt to the participant. This behavior can result in a participant hearing several seconds of silence while they wait for the bot to respond. Use the Voice Processing Prompt to play audio during this silence, similar to the typing indicator clicking sounds for digital bot flows.

Add a Call Guide action to a bot flow or digital bot flowClick to expand

To access the Call Guide action, follow these steps:

From the Architect home page, click or hover over the Flows menu and select a bot flow or digital bot flow.
Create a new flow or select an existing one. The flow's configuration page opens. Note: The flow must have Virtual Agent enabled.
From the Toolbox, expand the AI Studio category and drag a Call Guide action to the desired location in the flow.
In the Name box, type a meaningful name for the action. This name becomes the name of the Call Guide action in the flow.
From the Guide list, choose a published guide.
Continue building your flow based on your business needs, including the Call Guide's Success, Failure, and Timeout paths.

Configure the Call Guide actionClick to expand

Field	Description
Name	Type a distinctive name for the Call Guide data action. The label you enter here becomes the action's name displayed in the flow structure.
Guide	Select the name of the AI guide that the flow must invoke. Click Open Guides in New Tab to open the guide in AI Studio. Notes: Only published guides are available for selection. If the selected AI guide contains one or more variables in the instructions, you must define those variables in the flow before calling the guide.
Version	The flow always executes the latest published version of the guide.
Voice Processing Prompt	Use a voice processing prompt to fill any silence that the participant hears while waiting for the large language model (LLM) to generate the bot prompts. These prompts provide audio during long periods of silence in the conversation and is similar to the typing indicators that participants see in digital bots. By default, Architect adds a prompt, which plays keyboard typing sounds. You can leave the default prompt, or you can override the default and create your own prompt via the Communication Sequence Builder; for example, MakeCommunication(Prompt.CompanySystemPrompt). Note: You can set up your own default voice processing prompt in Settings > Bot Flow > Voice Processing. However, changes that you make in the Call Guide action will be overridden by the default that you configure in the Settings menu. The options in this field are: Expression: Enter your expression or use the Communication Sequence Builder to create one. No Value: The bot disables the Voice Processing Prompt setting and does not play audio during the silence period. Use flow default: Use the prompt that you set up in Settings > Bot Flow > Voice Processing. If you do not add a prompt in Settings, then the bot uses the default Architect prompt.

Define success, failure, and timeout pathsClick to expand

Name	Description
Success	This path indicates that the action successfully executed the AI guide. Drag the appropriate action below the Success path to follow the route you want the interaction to take.
Failure	This path indicates that there was an error executing the action. Drag the appropriate action below the Failure path to follow the route you want the interaction to take.
Timeout	This path indicates that the action has exceeded the specified amount of time to execute the action. Drag the appropriate action below the Timeout path to follow the route you want the interaction to take. Note: Actions use either the default timeout or the flow author's specified timeout. If the action times out, the flow follows the route specified below the Timeout path. This feature ensures that the end user does not wait too long for the path to continue. It is recommended that you set the timeout duration to less than 30 seconds.

Name

Description

Success

This path indicates that the action successfully executed the AI guide.

Drag the appropriate action below the Success path to follow the route you want the interaction to take.

Failure

This path indicates that there was an error executing the action.

Drag the appropriate action below the Failure path to follow the route you want the interaction to take.

Timeout

This path indicates that the action has exceeded the specified amount of time to execute the action.

Drag the appropriate action below the Timeout path to follow the route you want the interaction to take.

Note: Actions use either the default timeout or the flow author's specified timeout. If the action times out, the flow follows the route specified below the Timeout path. This feature ensures that the end user does not wait too long for the path to continue. It is recommended that you set the timeout duration to less than 30 seconds.

Additional Virtual Agent configuration

You can set the default language and maximum number of retries for no match and no input scenarios within the bot flow configuration.

User input settings

You can configure the following user input settings for the bot flow when connecting to a guide:

Maximum number of No Matches
Maximum number of No Input Retries
No Input Timeout
No Input Maximum Retries Exceeded Handling

For more information about setting these retry limits and timeouts, see Set up user input for a bot flow.

Notes:

The No Match Apology, No Input Apology, and End of Bot Chat Message settings are not supported by AI Guides. Guides handle these messages dynamically.
Unlike the Ask actions, the Call Guide action does not prepend the global No Match or No Input prompts if the bot receives a No Match or No Input event.

Event handling settings

If you enable agent escalation for the Virtual Agent flow, the system does not use the handover and confirmation prompts. Instead, the Virtual Agent generates an escalation prompt. For more information about agent escalation in digital bot flows, see Agent escalation in voice and digital bot flows.

Additionally, if Handling is set to Jump to Reusable Task, no prompt is output to the user before jumping to the task. The Virtual Agent proceeds to executing the task.

Choose supported languages

At runtime, Virtual Agent inherits the supported language configuration from the Architect flow. For more information about configuring supported languages in a bot flow, see Choose supported languages.

Note: While there is no restriction on the languages in which you can write guides, the performance of the guides may vary across languages. Genesys encourages testing with languages relevant to your use cases.

Dependency Search

You can use Architect’s Dependency Search tab to search for flows that have dependency on a guide.

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Connect guides to your Virtual Agent flows

AI-generated summary

PrerequisitesClick to expand

After you publish a guide in AI Studio, you can connect it to an Architect bot flow or digital bot flow that is enabled with Virtual Agent using the Call Guide action.

Publish a guide in AI Studio

Click Admin.
Under AI Studio, click Guides.
Click Menu > Orchestration > AI Studio > Guides.
Open an existing guide or create a new one.
Add the required instructions and click Publish. For more information about writing and publishing a guide, see Write and publish guides.
(Optional) In the right-pane, click Go to Architect to open Architect in a new tab. By default, Architect opens with the Dependency Search tab displaying any flows that are already connected to the guide which you selected in AI Studio.
(Optional) To go to the Architect home page, click Architect.

Add a Call Guide action to a bot flow or digital bot flow in Architect

Notes:

The AI Studio category and the Call Guide action are available only when you enable Virtual Agent.
When you add a Call Guide action to a flow in Architect, the flow type changes to Agentic Virtual Agent and it is indicated by the following badge at the top-right corner:
Guides are large language model (LLM) based, and therefore, can take a number of seconds to process an input request and return a generated prompt to the participant. This behavior can result in a participant hearing several seconds of silence while they wait for the bot to respond. Use the Voice Processing Prompt to play audio during this silence, similar to the typing indicator clicking sounds for digital bot flows.

Add a Call Guide action to a bot flow or digital bot flowClick to expand

To access the Call Guide action, follow these steps:

From the Architect home page, click or hover over the Flows menu and select a bot flow or digital bot flow.
Create a new flow or select an existing one. The flow's configuration page opens. Note: The flow must have Virtual Agent enabled.
From the Toolbox, expand the AI Studio category and drag a Call Guide action to the desired location in the flow.
In the Name box, type a meaningful name for the action. This name becomes the name of the Call Guide action in the flow.
From the Guide list, choose a published guide.
Continue building your flow based on your business needs, including the Call Guide's Success, Failure, and Timeout paths.

Configure the Call Guide actionClick to expand

Field	Description
Name	Type a distinctive name for the Call Guide data action. The label you enter here becomes the action's name displayed in the flow structure.
Guide	Select the name of the AI guide that the flow must invoke. Click Open Guides in New Tab to open the guide in AI Studio. Notes: Only published guides are available for selection. If the selected AI guide contains one or more variables in the instructions, you must define those variables in the flow before calling the guide.
Version	The flow always executes the latest published version of the guide.
Voice Processing Prompt	Use a voice processing prompt to fill any silence that the participant hears while waiting for the large language model (LLM) to generate the bot prompts. These prompts provide audio during long periods of silence in the conversation and is similar to the typing indicators that participants see in digital bots. By default, Architect adds a prompt, which plays keyboard typing sounds. You can leave the default prompt, or you can override the default and create your own prompt via the Communication Sequence Builder; for example, MakeCommunication(Prompt.CompanySystemPrompt). Note: You can set up your own default voice processing prompt in Settings > Bot Flow > Voice Processing. However, changes that you make in the Call Guide action will be overridden by the default that you configure in the Settings menu. The options in this field are: Expression: Enter your expression or use the Communication Sequence Builder to create one. No Value: The bot disables the Voice Processing Prompt setting and does not play audio during the silence period. Use flow default: Use the prompt that you set up in Settings > Bot Flow > Voice Processing. If you do not add a prompt in Settings, then the bot uses the default Architect prompt.

Define success, failure, and timeout pathsClick to expand

Name	Description
Success	This path indicates that the action successfully executed the AI guide. Drag the appropriate action below the Success path to follow the route you want the interaction to take.
Failure	This path indicates that there was an error executing the action. Drag the appropriate action below the Failure path to follow the route you want the interaction to take.
Timeout	This path indicates that the action has exceeded the specified amount of time to execute the action. Drag the appropriate action below the Timeout path to follow the route you want the interaction to take. Note: Actions use either the default timeout or the flow author's specified timeout. If the action times out, the flow follows the route specified below the Timeout path. This feature ensures that the end user does not wait too long for the path to continue. It is recommended that you set the timeout duration to less than 30 seconds.

Name

Description

Success

This path indicates that the action successfully executed the AI guide.

Drag the appropriate action below the Success path to follow the route you want the interaction to take.

Failure

This path indicates that there was an error executing the action.

Drag the appropriate action below the Failure path to follow the route you want the interaction to take.

Timeout

This path indicates that the action has exceeded the specified amount of time to execute the action.

Drag the appropriate action below the Timeout path to follow the route you want the interaction to take.

Additional Virtual Agent configuration

You can set the default language and maximum number of retries for no match and no input scenarios within the bot flow configuration.

User input settings

You can configure the following user input settings for the bot flow when connecting to a guide:

Maximum number of No Matches
Maximum number of No Input Retries
No Input Timeout
No Input Maximum Retries Exceeded Handling

For more information about setting these retry limits and timeouts, see Set up user input for a bot flow.

Notes:

The No Match Apology, No Input Apology, and End of Bot Chat Message settings are not supported by AI Guides. Guides handle these messages dynamically.
Unlike the Ask actions, the Call Guide action does not prepend the global No Match or No Input prompts if the bot receives a No Match or No Input event.

Event handling settings

Additionally, if Handling is set to Jump to Reusable Task, no prompt is output to the user before jumping to the task. The Virtual Agent proceeds to executing the task.

Choose supported languages

Dependency Search

You can use Architect’s Dependency Search tab to search for flows that have dependency on a guide.

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Get user feedback about articles.

Connect guides to your Virtual Agent flows

Publish a guide in AI Studio

Add a Call Guide action to a bot flow or digital bot flow in Architect

Additional Virtual Agent configuration

User input settings

Event handling settings

Choose supported languages

Dependency Search

[NEXT] Was this article helpful?

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Connect guides to your Virtual Agent flows

Publish a guide in AI Studio

Add a Call Guide action to a bot flow or digital bot flow in Architect

Additional Virtual Agent configuration

User input settings

Event handling settings

Choose supported languages

Dependency Search

[NEXT] Was this article helpful?