# Virtual Assistant task setup

Build virtual assistant tasks from reusable steps and data fields, with actions for each answer or skipped step.

*Release 3.3 · admin, developer, supervisor*

**Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks** · **Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps** · **Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Data Fields**

## What it is

**Tasks** are virtual assistant flows made from reusable steps. Each step can collect information or present an interaction, then run actions based on the answer or on a skip. Reusing steps and data fields helps you maintain consistent questions across tasks.

## Who uses it and why

- Administrators and supervisors with **Bot Trainer** access build and maintain task flows.
- Developers configure supported scripts and external interactions used by steps.

## Where to find it

Use **Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks** to assemble tasks. Manage reusable content in **Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps** and **Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Data Fields**.

These screens require the **Bot Trainer** role. Having the **Settings** role alone does not grant the bot-authoring screens.

## How it works

A task has its own name, type, group and operator controls. Its **Task Steps** list places reusable steps in an order. Each use of a step can have its own enabled state, completion actions, skip actions and hidden picklist choices.

Completion and skip actions can branch according to the answer, jump to a different step or refer to another task. The step's data field controls the expected answer and validation. The same reusable step can participate in several tasks.

Visitors receive the configured messages, choices and fields through the applicable channel. Operators can send tasks where **Operator can Send Task** is enabled and the task's team and channel restrictions permit selection. **Operator can Cancel Task** separately controls operator cancellation.

## Configure it

1. Create the required **Data Fields** and **Steps**.
2. In **Tasks**, select **Add Task**, enter **Task Name** and choose **Type**. The choices are **Chat**, **Pre-Chat** and **Verification**.
3. Set **Task Group**, welcome text and operator controls as needed.
4. Under **Task Steps**, choose **Add Step**, arrange the steps and configure the actions for answers and skips.
5. Save the draft, preview the paths and publish the intended version using **Go Live**.

Use **Copy Task** when creating a related task. Review whether its steps should remain shared or be copied as new steps. Editing a shared step can affect other tasks that use it.

### Settings

| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | website | Chat | Bot Trainer role | Selects Chat, Pre-Chat or Verification for the task. |
| Operator can Send Task | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | website | Off | Bot Trainer role | Makes the task available for operators to send, subject to its restrictions. |
| Restrict to following Team(s) | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | website | Not set: no team restriction | Bot Trainer role | Restricts operator task selection to the selected teams. |
| Restrict to following Channel(s) | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | website | Not set: no channel restriction | Bot Trainer role | Restricts operator task selection to the selected channels. |
| Operator can Cancel Task | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | website | Off | Bot Trainer role | Allows an operator to cancel the task. |
| Operator Cancel Task Message | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | website | Not set: no cancellation message is sent | Bot Trainer role | Supplies the message used when an operator cancels the task. |
| Welcome Message (Operator Available) | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | website | Not set: uses the virtual assistant's online welcome message if one is configured and welcome messages are enabled | Bot Trainer role | Supplies the task welcome text when an operator is available. |
| Welcome Message (No Operator Available) | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | website | Not set: uses the virtual assistant's offline welcome message if one is configured and welcome messages are enabled | Bot Trainer role | Supplies the task welcome text when no operator is available. |
| Skip Step Label | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | website | Not set: uses the standard Skip or Skip this Info label unless the step supplies its own label | Bot Trainer role | Sets the visitor-facing label for skipping eligible steps. |
| Cancel Step Label | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | website | Not set: standard cancel buttons use Cancel unless the step supplies its own label | Bot Trainer role | Sets the visitor-facing cancellation label in the No Operator Assigned configuration. |

### Fields

| Field | Where | Required | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task Name | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | Yes | Gives the task a unique website-level name of no more than 255 characters. |
| Description | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Describes the task's purpose for people managing it. |
| Task Group | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Groups related tasks in the management list. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Bot Trainer | Access virtual assistant Tasks, Steps and Data Fields. |

## Limits and good to know

- A task needs a non-blank, unique name within the website, limited to 255 characters.
- An enabled task must contain at least one step.
- Publication rejects references to missing or disabled tasks.
- A task already used as a jump destination in another task cannot itself add a further task jump in the checked publication path. Simplify nested flows if publication reports this restriction.
- INSIDE prevents task deletion while checked references remain in task actions, pre-chat or offline themes, social account settings or SMS start-task settings. Remove or replace those references first.
- Saving a draft does not make it the live version.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Configured in** [Teams](ADM-013.md): Team choices can restrict operator task selection.
- **Configured in** [Website, channel and subsite access](ADM-009.md): Channel choices can restrict operator task selection.
- **Configured in** [Virtual Assistant task drafts and publishing](ENG-010.md): Drafts and publication control which task version is live.
- **Configured in** [Virtual Assistant task data fields](ENG-012.md): Reusable field definitions set the answer types, validation and storage used by task steps.
- **Configured in** [Existing answers in Virtual Assistant tasks](ENG-013.md): Existing-answer rules decide whether a task asks again, confirms an answer or skips a question.
- **Configured in** [Virtual Assistant task messages and identity](ENG-014.md): Task and step content defines the messages, language versions and assistant identity.
- **Configured in** [Virtual Assistant task pauses and handover](ENG-015.md): Handover and task-control settings define pause, resume, cancellation and transfer behaviour.
- **Configured in** [Virtual Assistant task actions](ENG-016.md): Business and outbound actions define the updates and messages performed on task branches.
- **Configured in** [Task integrations, appointments and embedded pages](ENG-017.md): Integration actions and their return branches define external interactions within a task.
- **Configured in** [Virtual Assistant task validation and retries](ENG-028.md): Help and invalid-input settings define the recovery choices offered by a task.
- **Configured in** [Visitor event updates to customer context](ENG-007.md): Visitor-event actions choose which task to start automatically.
- **Configured in** [Offline help for visitors](VX-011.md): The theme selects the task used for offline intake.
- **Configured in** [Messaging channel connections](CHN-001.md): Messaging account settings choose the tasks started when operators are available or unavailable.
- **Configured in** [SMS number and channel setup](CHN-022.md): SMS account settings choose start tasks and whether operator assignment happens first.
- **Works better with** [Virtual Assistant task preview](ENG-018.md): Preview helps review task behaviour before publication.
- **Works better with** [Virtual Assistant task import and export](ENG-019.md): Copy, export and import support task reuse.
- **Works better with** [Pre-chat survey for visitors](VX-008.md): A pre-chat survey can collect details before a task starts.
- **Works better with** [Virtual Assistant tasks in messaging channels](CHN-004.md): Channel rendering determines how task steps appear to visitors.
- **Related** [Virtual Assistant task steps and branches](ENG-011.md): Published task definitions supply the ordered steps and branches used during execution.
- **Needs licence or module** Admin settings and feature switches (managed by Powerfront): Powerfront must enable Virtual Assistant for the website to use task features.

### Used by

- **Required by** [Virtual Assistant task drafts and publishing](ENG-010.md): Task versions contain the authored task and its step configuration.
- **Required by** [Virtual Assistant task steps and branches](ENG-011.md): Execution needs an authored task with enabled steps and configured branches.
- **Required by** [Existing answers in Virtual Assistant tasks](ENG-013.md): Answer reuse needs an authored task step linked to the relevant fields.
- **Required by** [Virtual Assistant task pauses and handover](ENG-015.md): Pause, cancellation and handover need an authored task and its action configuration.
- **Required by** [Virtual Assistant task actions](ENG-016.md): Business and outbound actions must belong to an authored task branch.
- **Required by** [Task integrations, appointments and embedded pages](ENG-017.md): External interaction actions must be configured within an authored task.
- **Required by** [Virtual Assistant task preview](ENG-018.md): Preview uses a saved task and its enabled steps.
- **Required by** [Virtual Assistant task import and export](ENG-019.md): Transfer operates on the reusable field, step and task definitions.
- **Required by** [Task notes and operator reminders](ENG-024.md): A task must contain the reminder action on a branch that can run.
- **Required by** [Virtual Assistant tasks started by Autopilot](ENG-027.md): The function needs an authored task to select and start.
- **Required by** [Virtual Assistant task validation and retries](ENG-028.md): Recovery routes need an authored task and its current step configuration.
- **Required by** [Virtual Assistant tasks in messaging channels](CHN-004.md): Tasks and reusable steps define the questions.
- **Configures** [Custom fields in visitor forms](VX-010.md): Task-step authoring defines workflow forms.
- **Configures** [Chat tasks and topics for visitors](VX-017.md): Tasks and reusable steps define the guided interaction.
- **Configures** [Visitor popup event setup](ENG-006.md): The selected task defines the journey started by an open-chat popup.
- **Configures** [Visitor event updates to customer context](ENG-007.md): The selected enabled task defines the journey requested by Start Task.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task data fields](ENG-012.md): Steps bind reusable fields to task questions.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task messages and identity](ENG-014.md): Task and step authoring supplies the content and action links.
- **Configures** [FAQ bot training and automatic replies](ENG-021.md): Task definitions supply the steps run by task-based intent responses.
- **Configures** [Autopilot handover and error handling](AI-004.md): The selected tasks define what happens after an expiry, error or intentional handoff.
- **Configures** [AI guardrail routing and fallback actions](AI-025.md): A selected workflow task defines what happens after a guardrail rule triggers it.
- **Configures** [Live show RSVP, reminders and follow-up](RTC-026.md): Callback Task selects a separately authored, enabled workflow.
- **Configures** [Event, link and Virtual Assistant reports](REP-013.md): Task definitions supply the task names and steps shown in Virtual Assistant reports.
- **Enhances** [Visitor and conversation information panels](CON-017.md): Available tasks can be launched from the conversation controls.
- **Enhances** [Chat queue](CHAT-005.md): Queue action buttons can start configured tasks instead of continuing to wait for an operator.
- **Enhances** [Broadcast for acceptance](CHAT-009.md): An optional task handles acceptance expiry.
- **Enhances** [Offline messages](CHAT-028.md): A configured task can replace the ordinary offline form.
- **Enhances** [Proactive chat invitations](ENG-004.md): Invitations can start a configured pre-chat task.
- **Enhances** [AI updates to customer and conversation data](AI-019.md): Optional Workflow functions select an existing task.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

### Why can I not see Tasks?

The task-authoring screens require the **Bot Trainer** role. Check the roles assigned to your account.

### Why can an operator not send a task?

Check that the intended version is live and enabled, **Operator can Send Task** is on and the operator meets its team and channel restrictions.

### Why did a change affect several tasks?

Those tasks may share the same reusable step or data field. Review its uses before changing it, or create a separate definition for different behaviour.

### Why is publishing blocked by another task?

Check whether a referenced task is disabled or missing, and whether the flow adds an unsupported further level of task jumps.

### Why can I not delete an unused-looking task?

It may still be referenced by a cancellation action, chat theme or messaging account. Follow the reference described in the error and remove it first.