Email Workflow

This article provides an overview of the available node types, generic properties of email workflows, and introduces the new designer toolbar, among other topics.

Email workflows can be found by navigating to Email > Workflows using the Buzzeasy Portal.

Workflow generic properties

Workflow Name

The workflow name is a required parameter, as it serves as a selection identifier for a specific channel. To ensure effective naming, we recommend following these best practices:

  • Include the media type in the workflow name (e.g., Facebook - Page name).
  • Indicate the business process or function that the workflow supports (e.g., Webchat - Support page).
  • Create duplicate workflows for testing purposes before making changes to customer-facing workflows.
  • For different variations of the same use case (e.g., different messages), create separate flows.
  • Avoid using "Workflow" in the name, as it adds no meaningful information.
  • Refrain from using generic names like "Test flow," "main flow," "main channel," "primary flow," or "New workflow," as these names lack specificity and clarity within your organization.

Idle timeout

Idle timeout, by default, is set to 1440 minutes (24 hours). If there is no activity for the specified time, the system will automatically close down the conversation.

For example, if the workflow idle timeout is set to 10 minutes and the agent or the customer does not send any messages, the system will automatically close the conversation after the 10 minutes have passed.

The maximum value for the idle timeout parameter is 30240 (21 days). The minimum value is 10 minutes.

When creating a workflow, mind the idle timeout!

Workflow designer

After you've provided the generic properties for a workflow and clicked "Create," you enter the workflow designer. This is where you build and customize your workflow to meet your specific needs.

Node types

Start Here node

The "Start Here" node is the default starting point in your workflow. It serves as the initial step from which your workflow begins. To use this node, click on the black dot and drag it in any direction to open a context menu. From this menu, you can choose other available nodes to build and customize your workflow.

Categorization

Use this node after a Conversational Bot, to apply one of the categories in the linked categorization rule.

  • Categorization rule: select a categorization rule created in your tenant. Buzzeasy will attempt to match one of its categories to the initial message.

Outputs:

  • Success: Buzzeasy associated one of the category-subcategory to the conversation.
  • Uncategorized: Buzzeasy failed to match any category in the linked categorization rule.

The node also creates the following workflow properties, that can then be used for example in the Switch node for routing decisions:

  • MainCategory: contains the main category value as the node selected.
  • SubCategory: contains the sub-category value the node selected.

Check opening hours node

This node is responsible for verifying your Channel's opening hours and enables you to make routing decisions based on the verification results. The available outputs are as follows:

  • Open: The Channel is currently within business hours and not on any holidays.
  • Closed: The channel is currently outside of business hours and not on any holidays.
  • Holiday: The channel is closed due to a set holiday.

Feel free to customize the name of the "Check opening hours" node to suit your needs.

Check queue state node

The Check Queue State node allows administrators to pre-check a queue and perform routing decisions as it has similar outputs as the queue. The benefit is that the customer does not have to navigate through the entire complex flow, but instead can be routed elsewhere based on the result of the check.

  • Input: Queue to check. Select the queue you wish to check.

  • Outputs:

    • Size Limit Reached. This can be used if the queue has a Max queue size set.
    • EWT limit reached. This can be used if the queue has an EWT limit set.
    • No agent logged in. This can be used if the queue has the No Agent logged in output set.
    • No staffed agent logged in. This can be used if the queue has the No Staffed Agent logged in output set.
    • No available staffed agent. This can be used if the queue has the No available staffed agent output set.
    • Pass. The conditions for the outputs were not met or the outputs were not set, as such, passing through.

Conversational bot

Use this node to engage your customer with a subject matter expert AI-based conversational bot.

Carefully type the Instructions for the bot. Instructions help it understand its role, responsibilities and tone.

Note

Please carefully read and follow the bot instruction guidelines. This is critical for proper bot operation.

Optionally use one or more preconfigured external custom service integration APIs that can offer additional insight, deliver precise information, or execute external tasks. Select them from the Integrations dropdown. You can select any number of preconfigured integrations, the bot will consider all.

Associate an available Knowledge base to the bot. This can dramatically enhance the relevance and contextual quality of its responses.

Results in AI technology are not absolute, every outcome has a confidence level associated internally. Because it is inconvenient and time consuming to sort out misunderstandings in an email exchange, you can designate at what Knowledge base confidence threshold you consider the outcome of the KB result to be low enough for the node to be considered failing. You can then remedy this in other parts of the flow by sending the conversation to human queue, or to another, maybe more relevant bot, etc.

Select an appropriately created Email template for the bot to use in its response back to the customer.

Use the Enable draft mode toggle to avoid sending the response from the bot back to the customer directly. Instead, connect the relevant Email draft created output to an agent queue for human revision and dispatching. Use this feature to assess the quality of your overall bot setup, the instruction prompts, your linked KBs and any integrations. When satisfied with the quality and reliability of the bot responses, change this to the normal operational mode (disable the toggle) for the bot response messages to be sent directly to your customers.

Advanced configuration:

  • Temperature: use this to control consistency and predictability of the texts the bot generates. A value of zero provides maximum consistency, while a value of 1+ provides maximum creativity and randomness. On a general level, keep it lower and test any increase extensively.

  • Max output token count: a circuit breaker to control the maximum amount of text generated by the bot. Setting it too low will abruptly cut the result text. Test any change extensively.

Outputs:

  • Email sent: the bot considered its response to the customer message and the result of the optional knowledge base lookup to be high enough in confidence that it actually responded.
  • Email draft created: instead of sending the bot's response back to the customer directly, use this to route the conversation into a queue node for human agent revision.
  • Low confidence: The confidence level of the selected knowledge base query result was lower than the set threshold.
  • Failed: The bot could not comprehend or answer the customer request, or lower level technical problems were encountered with the AI model.
  • Optionally define additional outputs by supplying further AI instruction prompts for various business topics this node is not the expert of. Having multiple different conversational bots each being an expert on different business topics and jumping between them as the customers' requirements change can greatly expand the flexibility of your workflows and the customer experience. Each output needs a unique and short Name so their label on the node can be distinguished, and a Description for the AI prompt. All common AI prompt engineering principles you used when crafting the Instruction field apply here too.

Customer intent evaluator node

Use this node to make routing decisions in emails based on their subject line, content, or both. Buzzeasy scans the subject and content of the email and considers it a match if it contains the specified keyword.

Key points for using this node:

  • Keywords in Groups: Keywords are organized into groups, and these groups represent the outputs of the node. You can specify multiple keywords within a single group, but you're limited to up to 10 groups and 50 keywords.

  • CSV Template: You have the option to download a pre-formatted CSV template where you can enter your keywords and assign them to specific groups.

  • Exact Match Requirement: When scanning the content or subject of the email, the keyword or phrase must be an exact match. For example, if your keyword is "windows 11 upgrade," it will not match "upgrade to windows 11."

  • Multiple Matches: If multiple groups are matched within the content, Buzzeasy will use the first match as the output. To fine-tune your workflows, you can create multiple evaluator nodes.

  • Subject and Content Matching: When both subject and content options are used together with a single CSV, the subject is evaluated first.

  • CSV Format Rules: The CSV format must not contain question marks, signs, brackets, or any other punctuation. Empty keyword groups or key phrases are not allowed. Repeating the same key phrase within a group or assigning the same key phrase to two different groups is also prohibited.

  • Validation: While the node allows you to upload CSV files, it won't allow you to save them if they are invalid. This ensures that any errors in the CSV can be visually corrected, and error messages are provided when an invalid CSV is uploaded.

By utilizing this node effectively, you can route emails based on specific keywords or phrases found in their subject or content.

Warning

We recommend using Notepad++ to handle the CSV file if you plan on using special characters as Excel does not save the Unicode characters.

Send reply node

The Send Reply Node empowers workflow designers to utilize pre-configured email templates for sending automated replies to customers. For instance, if an email is received outside of business hours, an automated response can be dispatched to inform the customer about the operational hours and subsequently route the conversation to a queue.

  • Template Requirement: To use the Send Reply Node, you must have an email template configured. You can refer to the Email Templates section for detailed information on setting up these templates.

  • Handling New Conversations: An auto-reply is dispatched for each new conversation. This means that if a customer's email is currently being handled by an agent, additional emails from the same customer with the same subject (follow-ups) will not initiate a new conversation. In this scenario, no auto-reply will be sent. However, if the agent concludes the conversation, subsequent email replies from the customer will trigger the Send Reply Node as the conversation re-enters the workflow.

By leveraging the Send Reply Node and email templates effectively, you can provide automated responses to customers based on specific criteria, enhancing your email handling processes.

Queue node

Used to load the conversation into a queue of agents.

Routing mode

When creating a queue, you must choose a routing mechanism: automatic or manual. This choice cannot be changed later for a given queue, but you can delete the queue and recreate it with a different routing mechanism.

  • Automatic Queue: The system uses intelligent routing to find the first available skilled agent.
  • Manual Queue: Skilled agents can manually pick items from the queue. Agents assigned to manual queues can view all items in their team's queue, including items in manual queues, in their agent performance dashboard.

Queue parameters

  • Emergency: When activated, this feature ensures that conversations arriving into this queue are prioritized over others if the agents assigned to it are also in demand by other queues, as long as those other queues aren't marked as "emergency" as well. If multiple queues are set to "emergency" within the same tenant and share the same agents, conversations in these queues will be treated equally, following a first-come, first-served agent routing policy.
  • Max Queue Size: Set the maximum number of parallel conversations allowed in the queue.
  • Route to customer's preferred agent: When enabled, Buzzeasy attempts to route the conversation in the queue to the agent who is marked to be the preferred one for this customer.
  • Preferred agent timeout: The amount of time Buzzeasy will wait for the preferred agent if they happen to be unavailable.
  • SLA Threshold Time: Enable SLA (Service Level Agreement) for the queue. If SLA-based routing is enabled, this information will be used to determine the priority of the conversations.
  • Estimated Wait Time Limit: Specify the MAX estimated wait time. Once the estimated wait time limit is breached, further conversations will longer be queued, the Estimated Wait Time Limit Reached output will be used instead.
  • Agent Workspace: Choose an agent workspace for this queue. Learn more about agent workspaces.
  • Attribute Requirements: Specify the required skill attribute and its value to route conversations from this queue to agents.

Outputs

  • AgentDisconnect: Define next actions for when the agent closes the task, such as survey questions.
  • Size Limit Reached: Define actions for when the maximum queue size is reached.
  • No Agent Logged In: Define actions for when no agents are logged in across the tenant.
  • No Staffed Agent Logged In: Check if there are agents with proper attribute assignment as well as workitem thresholds logged in to handle conversations from this queue, if not, define next action.
  • No available staffed agent: Check if the staffed agents for this queue are also available, if not, define next action.
  • Estimated Wait Time Limit Reached: Define actions for when the estimated wait time limit set on the queue is reached.

Queue entry logic

Before a conversation enters the queue, the following checks are performed to reveal whether it needs to be bypassed altogether. These checks are associated to specific outputs, and are executed in this order:

  1. No Agent Logged In: Check if any agents are logged in across the tenant. If yes, proceed to the next check; otherwise, use this output.
  2. No Staffed Agent Logged In: Check if the logged-in agents are skilled and have the appropriate work-item thresholds. If yes, proceed to the next check; if not, use this output.
  3. No Available Staffed Agent Logged in: Check if the staffed agents are also available, if yes, proceed to the next check, if not, use this output.
  4. Max Queue Size: Check if the conversation would exceed the specified limit. If yes, use this output; if not, proceed to the next check.
  5. Estimated Wait Time Limit: Check if the current wait time is higher than the specified limit, if yes, use the output flow; if not, then the conversation enters the queue.

Set data node

Set Data node allows you to set workflow data and re-use it later on either in a Switch node. Useful for future integrations.

Switch node

The Switch node enables workflow designers to assess specific parameters of a conversation or a customer and make routing decisions based on these conditions.

First, you need to choose whether you want to use Workflow data, which includes data set through the Set Data node, or Customer details.

You can define up to 5 workflow conditions, and each condition will have its corresponding output. Additionally, there is a default output option provided.

This node can be effectively paired with the Set Data node, and you also have the option to utilize custom fields defined per tenant or business unit.

  • Outputs:

    • Each condition property has its own output, allowing you to determine the course of action based on these properties.
    • Default: Serves as a failsafe, specifying what should happen if no condition is met.

Custom integration node

This node is an exit point from the workflow to a 3rd party solution supporting a custom integration. It requires an URL and an API Key.

Sampling

The Sampling node offers chance-based flow management. You set the sampling percentage and the node "throws the dice" at every conversation to activate its Sampled or Not Sampled outputs based on whether the current conversation hits the set probability or not. This can be used to engage branches of the workflow in a probabilistic manner, for example to offer customer surveys for a portion of the total number of conversations, etc.

Note that the probability is not measured and applied on a defined time scale, the node calculates it in a fully random fashion at every conversation. Therefore Buzzeasy does not guarantee that the set ratio will be honoured in any particular time frame. It is expected to honour it in general, on large enough number of conversations.

Outputs:

  • Sampled - The conversation falls within the designated sampling rate.
  • Not Sampled - The conversation is not marked for sampling, it falls outside of the designated ratio.

Using the designer toolbar

The designer toolbar is located at the bottom left corner of the screen and provides several useful tools:

  • Plus + sign: Zooms in to the current focus area, which is centered on the screen. You can achieve the same result using your mouse's scroll wheel.

  • Minus - sign: Zooms out from the current focus area, centered on the screen. You can also use your mouse's scroll wheel for this.

  • Fit View button: Automatically adjusts the zoom level to fit all nodes on the screen. This is helpful for visualizing the entire workflow. The fit view adapts to the available screen space, taking into account monitor size, resolution, accessibility options, or browser zoom settings.

  • Toggle Interactivity button: Disables node editing, allowing you to scroll through the flow without accidentally modifying nodes or their positions. You can navigate within the design by clicking and holding anywhere on the screen, moving your mouse to explore the workflow while preventing unintentional edits.

  • Validation Error Icon: Indicates the presence of one or more validation errors in your workflow. The designer continuously checks your workflow for errors. Click the triangle icon to navigate to the first encountered error, which automatically adjusts the zoom and focuses on the problematic node.

We welcome your feedback and creative ideas for additional designer tools!

Saving a workflow

You can save your work in the new workflow designer at any time, except when validation errors are present, in which case the save button is disabled.

Validation errors are indicated by a warning triangle icon located in the header of improperly configured nodes. The same triangle icon is also displayed in the designer tools located at the bottom left corner of the screen. Clicking on this icon will take you directly to the node with the issue.

The user interface uses visual cues to highlight mandatory parameters with a red asterisk (*) or a red circle around mandatory outputs. Additionally, hovering over the warning triangle will display a tooltip that provides information about what is not correctly configured.

We are planning to implement further improvements to the saving mechanism to notify you of any unsaved changes before you navigate away from your work.

Edit workflow generic properties

For existing workflows, you may edit their generic properties by clicking a workflow in the list, then using the pen icon on the top left corner of the screen. A modal window, commonly known as a popup, will be shown. Modify your workflow's name or idle timeout, then click OK. Please note that the OK button is not a replacement for Save. You will need to save your workflow by using the dedicated icon located at the top left corner afterward.

Other designer features

Cloning a workflow

To clone a workflow, follow these straightforward steps:

  1. Click the "Clone" button associated with the workflow you want to duplicate.
  2. When prompted, provide a new name for the cloned workflow.
  3. All nodes and settings from the original workflow will be replicated in the cloned version.
  4. You will be automatically redirected to the newly cloned workflow.

Please make sure to save any changes in the current workflow before initiating the cloning process to ensure a smooth transition.

Cloning a node

To clone a node, follow these straightforward steps:

  1. Locate the node you want to clone within your workflow.
  2. Click the "Clone" button associated with that specific node.
  3. A new node will be created with all the properties of the original node.
  4. Please note that the input and outputs of the cloned node will not be set, and you may need to configure them manually.
  5. You can repeat the process and clone a node as many times as needed.

Be cautious when cloning the same node multiple times, as the clones may overlap in the workflow.

Multi-select nodes

To select multiple nodes, you have a few options:

  • Shift Key: Hold down the shift key on your keyboard and then, using your mouse, drag a square over the nodes you wish to select.

  • Delete Option: After selecting multiple nodes, you can drag them as a group or press the backspace key to delete them together.

  • CTRL Key: Alternatively, you can hold down the CTRL key on your keyboard and click individual nodes to select multiple nodes individually.

These methods make it easy to manage and manipulate multiple nodes within your workflow.

You can easily share a link to a specific node in your workflow with your coworkers and colleagues. Here's how:

  1. Click the three dots menu (usually represented as "...") on the node you want to share.

  2. Select the "Copy Link" option from the menu.

  3. Paste the copied link into your communication with your colleagues.

When your colleagues click the link, it will redirect them to the specific node you shared. Please ensure that they have access to the tenant and the appropriate role-based access control to view workflows.

This feature makes it convenient to collaborate and discuss specific parts of your workflow with your team.

Search for a node

Designing large workflows can be challenging when you need to match the outputs and inputs of nodes. To simplify this process, the workflow designer offers a helpful tool:

  1. When you select an output, a search field will appear.

  2. Use the search field to find an existing node within your workflow.

  3. Selecting a node from the search results will automatically establish a link between the output and the input of the searched node.

This feature streamlines the process of connecting nodes in complex workflows, making it easier to manage the flow of your design.