Integrate Microsoft Azure

Before completing the tasks on this page, be sure that the prerequisites for the integration have been met.

Create a Script

Permissions Required: View Scripts, Create/Edit Scripts

You need to create at least one Studio script to route interactions to your virtual agent. Follow the script guidelines and requirements for integrating a virtual agent. The supported virtual agent action for this provider is VoiceBot Exchange.

You can learn more about Studio scripting in the Fundamentals and Technical Reference Guide sections of the online help.

Add an App to Virtual Agent Hub

Permissions Required: View Scripts, Create/Edit Scripts

Adding a configuration app to Virtual Agent Hub establishes the connection between CXone and your virtual agent provider.

1. In Studio, open or create a script and add a virtual agent action, if it doesn't contain one already.
2. Double-click the virtual agent action to open Virtual Agent Hub.
3. Click Add Bot.

4. Enter a Virtual Agent (Bot) Name and click Microsoft Azure in the list of virtual agent providers.

5. Click Next.

6. Complete the fields in the configuration form and click Next. You can find details about this form in the Configuration Page Details section on this page.

7. Click Next.

8. See the Configure Voice Integration Options section on this page.

9. Click Next.

10. On the Transcript page, select the option for whether you want the conversation transcript and intent information captured. You can choose to Capture and Archive Intent Info Only, to Capture and Archive Transcript and Intent Info, or to Capture and Archive Transcript Only. You can also choose Do Not Capture or Archive Transcript or Intent Info.

    Learn more about fields in this step

    Option	Details
    Do Not Capture or Archive Transcript or Intent Info	Select this option if you don't want to capture conversation transcriptions or intent The meaning or purpose behind what a contact says/types; what the contact wants to communicate or accomplish information.
    Capture and Archive Intent Info Only	Select this option if you want to want to capture intent information only. Captured data is stored only for the duration of the interaction by default. This option requires custom scripting.
    Capture and Archive Transcript and Intent Info	Select this option if you want to capture both transcript and intent data. Captured data is only stored for the duration of the interaction by default. This option requires custom scripting.

11. Click Next.

12. On the Test + Add page, you can test your bot's connection by sending voice or text prompts. If your test messages don't work, click Back to return to the Configuration page and verify the settings. You may also need to verify configurations in your virtual agent provider's management console.

13. Click Add.

Microsoft Azure Configuration Page Details

Use the information in the following table when completing the Configuration page. You see this page when adding an app in Virtual Agent Hub

Configure Microsoft Azure TTS 

If you're using the Azure text-to-speech with this virtual agent, you must have your own account with Microsoft already set up.

1. In Virtual Agent Hub, add a new configuration app and configure it according to the steps in Add an App to Virtual Agent Hub on this page.
2. Click Use Your Own Account for Azure Text-to-Speech Invocation to On to enable it.
3. Enter your Speech Service Key. You can find this key in the Microsoft Azure portal.
4. Enter the region identifier for the region that your Speech service key was created for in the Speech Service Region field.
5. Select the voice and language you want this virtual agent to use from the TTS Voice Name drop-down.
6. Return to Add an App to Virtual Agent Hub on this page to finish adding the configuration app.

Configure Voice Integration Options

Permissions Required: View Scripts, Create/Edit Scripts

For Microsoft Azure virtual agents, you can use either the Azure text-to-speech service or CXone Cloud TTS.

1. In Virtual Agent Hub, add a new configuration app and configure it according to the steps in the Add an App to Virtual Agent Hub section  on this page.

2. Click Next on the Configuration page.

3. On the Voice page under Voice Integration Options, select the option for the kind of voice connection you're using with your virtual agent.

   Learn more about fields in this step

   Field

   Details

   Voice Integration Options

   Select kind of voice integration you're using with this virtual agent: Turn by turn Control CXone Voice Bot Gateway): Select this option if your script controls each turn of the conversation with the virtual agent. Your script must use Voicebot Exchange actions. SIP Integration (Backchannel): Select this option if you're using a SIP backchannel connection with your virtual agent. Contact your CXone Account Representative for setup assistance. Custom Telephony (gRPC, DirectLine Voice, etc): Select this option if you're using another telephony option to connect to your virtual agent. Contact your CXone Account Representative for setup assistance.

5. Select a TTS Vendor, if you're using Cloud TTS. If you're using your virtual agent provider's TTS service, this field is not visible and you can skip this step.

6. Under Transcription Options, select the option for the transcription service you want to use.

   Learn more about fields in this step

   Field

   Details

   Transcription Options

   Select the service you want to use for transcription: Use bot account transcription: Select this if your want to use your virtual agent provider's transcription service. Audio from the contact's utterances is sent to the provider before being transcribed. Use CXone transcription profile: Select this if you want to use a CXone transcription profile. You can learn more about this option on the CXone Turn-by-Turn Transcription help page.

7. If you choose to use a CXone transcription profile, click Transcription Profile to select the one you want to use. Click Add New Turn by Turn Transcription Profile to create a new profile.
8. Click Next.
9. Return to the Add an App to Virtual Agent Hub section  on this page to finish adding the configuration app.

Assign the Microsoft Azure App to an Action

Permissions Required: View Scripts, Create/Edit Scripts

When the virtual agent The meaning or purpose behind what a contact says/types; what the contact wants to communicate or accomplish app is set up and configured in Virtual Agent Hub, you need to assign it to the virtual agent actions in your script. This connects the action and the script to your virtual agent provider.

The action you use depends on your virtual agent and what it supports.

1. In Studio, open the script you want to modify.

2. If you haven't done so already, click the Tools tab, expand the Automation and AI category, and add the virtual agent action you want to use. Be sure to put it in the correct location in your script. If you don't see the action you expect, verify that your script media type is correct. For example, if you're creating a script for a voice virtual agent, the script must be a phone script.

3. Double-click the action to open Virtual Agent Hub.

   View image

   
4. In the left column, locate the virtual agent that you want to assign to the action and click the selection option next to it.
5. Click Close.

Change the Transcription Profile

Permissions Required: View Scripts, Create/Edit Scripts

A transcription profile allows you to use a different transcription service from the one the virtual agent provider offers. Each virtual agent can have one transcription profile. You only need to follow the steps in this section if you are working with a voice virtual agent and need to change the transcription profile.

1. In Studio, open or create a script and add a virtual agent action, if it doesn't contain one already.
2. Double-click the virtual agent action to open Virtual Agent Hub.
3. In the list of virtual agent configuration apps on the left side of the Virtual Agent Hub page, click the one you want to modify.
4. In the center of the virtual agent app properties page, click the Voice tab.

5. Under Transcription Options, select Use CXone transcription Profile if it isn't already selected.

6. Select the Turn by Turn Transcription Profile you want this virtual agent integration to use. If the option you want to use isn't there, you can add it.

7. Click Save.
8. Test your transcription service by using the microphone option in the Test section of your virtual agent app properties page.

Test Your Virtual Agent Bot

Permissions Required: View Scripts, Create/Edit Scripts

You can test many aspects of your virtual agent to make sure everything works as intended. You can run tests from the virtual agent app's properties page in Virtual Agent Hub. You can: 

• Verify that the virtual agent app is correctly configured to communicate with the virtual agent provider.
• Add custom payload JSON to test the virtual agent's handling of custom payload data.
• Trigger a welcome intent event to test how the virtual agent begins a conversation.
• Trigger a custom intent event to test any custom events you've created for your virtual agent.
• Trigger a timeout event to test how the virtual agent responds when the contact times out.
• Test how the virtual agent handles DTMF Signaling tones that are generated when a user presses or taps a key on their telephone keypad. input.

The following image is an example of the properties page for a virtual agent app in Virtual Agent Hub. It shows the Configuration and Voice tabs and the Test pane.

1. In Studio, open or create a script and add a virtual agent action, if it doesn't contain one already.
2. Double-click the virtual agent action to open Virtual Agent Hub.
3. Click to select the configuration app for the virtual agent you want to test from the list on the left.

4. In the Test pane, enter a test message in the Type a message field and press Enter to send it. You can also click Microphone and speak into your computer's microphone.

5. Click Start with welcome intent to start a test conversation from the beginning. The virtual agent responds with its default welcome message. You can enter test messages.

6. Click More Options to test other aspects of your virtual agent.

   Learn more about fields in this step

   Field	Details
   Add Custom Payload JSON	Select to test sending custom payload JSON to your virtual agent. Enter the custom payload in the Add Custom Payload JSON text box that appears on the Test + Add page. Press Enter after each line. Send a test message when you're ready to test the custom payload. When you're finished testing custom payload, click Close on the Add Custom Payload JSON pane.
   Trigger Welcome Intent Event	Select to test the default Welcome intent The meaning or purpose behind what a contact says/types; what the contact wants to communicate or accomplish. The virtual agent sends the welcome message. Enter a message to respond.
   Trigger Custom Intent Event	Select to test a custom intent event. Enter the Event Name in the pop-up that appears and click Trigger. The virtual agent sends the message for the intent you entered. Send a response to test the intent.
   Trigger Timeout Event	Select to view the default timeout intent. The virtual agent sends the timeout response message that it's configured with.
   DTMF Input	Select to test your voice virtual agent's response to DTMF Signaling tones that are generated when a user presses or taps a key on their telephone keypad. tones. Enter DTMF Characters and click Input to see the virtual agent's response to those characters.

7. Click Reset to start your test again.

8. If you need to make changes based on the results of your testing, you can: 

   • Modify the Studio scripts for the virtual agent.
   • Modify the configuration settings in the virtual agent's app in Virtual Agent Hub.
   • Modify the virtual agent's configuration settings in the provider's console. Click the large square button on the app properties page in Virtual Agent Hub. The example at the beginning of this section shows the Google Dialogflow CX app with the provider button. It has the icon on it to indicate that the link opens an external site.
9. Test the virtual agent thoroughly after each change to your scripts or any configuration settings.
10. When you're finished testing, click Close.