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Introduction & Context

Variables and actions power automation in your genAI agent. Variables allow dynamic data handling, while actions trigger workflows based on user interactions.

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Lesson 1: Understanding Variables

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What Are Variables?

Variables act as placeholders for storing and managing data throughout a conversation. They can:
  • Capture user input (e.g., name, phone number, order details).
  • Store API responses (e.g., retrieving order status). (Coming Soon)
  • Pass data into API requests (e.g., including an ID for fetching details).

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How to Create a Variable?

  1. Define a Name – Use letters, numbers, or underscores (e.g., user_name, order_id).
  2. Choose a Data Type:
    • Boolean (True/False)
    • Integer (Whole numbers)
    • Float (Decimal numbers)
    • String (Text, such as names or messages)
  3. Set a Prompt – Define how the variable gets its value.
    • Example: “Ask the user for their PIN code (must be 6 digits).”

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When to Use Variables?

  • On-Call Triggering:
    • Before an API Call – Store user input to pass into an API request.
    • After an API Call – Save data received from an API response. (Clarification needed: What happens if the data isn’t stored?)
  • Post-Call Triggering: Use the variable to execute actions after a conversation.

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Use Cases

Personalizing emails, customizing SMS messages, or logging details in CRM systems.

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Lesson 2: Setting Up Actions

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What Are Actions?

Actions define triggers that send automated responses or execute integrations based on specific conditions.

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How to Create an Action?

  1. Go to Manage Agents → Select Agent → Action Tab.
  2. Click the ”+” button to open the “Create Action” card.
  3. Enter a Name - Use only letters, numbers, or underscores.
  4. Describe the Action – Example: “Trigger this action when the user asks about available offers.”
  5. Select an Integration – Choose the service to execute the action.
  6. Choose a Trigger:
    • Post-Call – Executes after the conversation ends.
    • On-Call – Executes during the conversation.
  7. Create or Add Variables (Optional):
    • Use variables to store dynamic data like customer names or order details.
    • You can create new variables or reuse existing ones.

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Integration-Specific Fields

The fields below depend on the type of integration used.

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For SMS Action:

  • Message Template: Define the SMS content. Insert variables using curly braces:
    • Example: "Hello {{user_name}}, your order {{order_id}} is on the way!"

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For Email Action:

  • Select Action: (Work in Progress)
  • Template Name: Select an email template from Mailchimp.
  • From Name & Email: The sender’s verified email address in Mailchimp.
  • To Name & Email: The recipient’s email (variable input is recommended).
  • Add Subject: Customizable subject line (can include variables).
  • Merge Variables: Map platform variables to Mailchimp template variables:
    • Key: Variable in Mailchimp template.
    • Value: Corresponding variable created in Inya (use curly braces).

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For CRM Action:

  • Select Action: Choose a CRM action (e.g., CREATE for adding new records). (Work in Progress)
  • Module Name: Specify the CRM module (e.g., Leads, Accounts, Contacts, Deals).
  • Payload: Define JSON data format:{ “Company”: “Example Corp”, “name”: “Smith”, “Email”: “john.smith@example.com”}

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For Ticket Action:

  • Select Action: Choose a ticketing action (e.g., CREATE for new support tickets). (Work in Progress)
  • Department ID: Specify the Zoho Desk department where the ticket should be created.
  • Contact ID: Associate the ticket with a customer profile. Currently this is for testing the capabilities of the platform, but it will be a dynamic field in the future.
  • Payload: Define the ticket structure in JSON format. The subject, description and priority are mandatory fields to create a ticket in Zoho Desk.
{ “subject”: “{{subject}}”, “description”: “{{description}}”, “priority”: “{{priority}}” }

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For Custom API Action:

  • Method & URL: Pre-populated based on the integration.
  • Options to turn headers, params and body on and off will be available based on the API Method.
  • Headers: Send additional information about your API request, such as authentication details or metadata:
    • Example:
      • Key: Authorization
      • Value: Bearer <your-token>
  • Params: Params help filter or modify the request. You can add multiple key-value pairs.
    • Example: Filter by age:
      • Key: age
      • Value: 30
  • Body: The body contains the data sent to the API, which is usually in JSON format. You can add multiple key-value pairs.
  • Timeout: Define max wait time before the request times out. The platform will wait for a response from the server for the defined time before canceling the request. If the server doesn’t respond within this time, the request fails with a timeout error.
Your genAI agent is now equipped with powerful automation tools! 🎯

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Lesson 2: Testing your Actions