# Virtual Assistant task data fields

Collect task answers in reusable typed fields, with validation, storage choices and display masking.

*Release 3.3 · admin, developer, operator, visitor*

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

## What it is

**Data Fields** define the answers a task collects. A field can check the type of answer, save it for later use and hide selected characters from visitors or operators. Steps reuse these fields and add their own question, help and mandatory-answer choice.

## Who uses it and why

- Administrators with **Bot Trainer** access define fields and their storage and privacy choices.
- Developers agree the fields needed by task integrations.
- Operators read or edit stored answers where allowed.
- Visitors complete the questions and correct answers that fail validation.

## Where to find it

With the **Bot Trainer** role, use **Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Data Fields** to manage field definitions. Use **Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps** to attach a field to a question and configure its presentation.

## How it works

The editor offers **Text**, **Number**, **Picklist**, **Boolean**, **Date/Time** and **File**. Text includes single-line, multi-line, email and URL inputs. Number includes numeric, percentage, currency and phone inputs. Picklists support single or multiple choices.

On completion, INSIDE checks mandatory answers and the field's applicable validation rules. These can include text length or pattern, number limits and decimal places, phone validity and file restrictions. Standard email validation removes whitespace from the answer. Valid phone answers are normalised using the visitor's region where available.

**Data Storage** determines whether a reusable value belongs to the conversation, the visitor/contact or neither. Selecting **None** does not mean no answer can appear in the conversation transcript.

For Text and Number fields, **Sensitive Data** enables **Masking Rules** and a character range. The displayed choices are **Mask to Operator**, **Mask to Visitor** and **Mask to Visitor & Operator**. These control display masking. They do not promise that the original stored value has been removed.

## Configure it

1. Create the field and select **Field Type** and its subtype.
2. Set the applicable validation limits and picklist options.
3. Choose **Data Storage**, **Data Expiry** and **Visibility**. New fields initially use **None**, **Never** and **Populated** respectively; selecting no storage hides storage-related controls.
4. Set **Operators Can Edit** and the privacy options required for the field.
5. Add the field to a step. Set **Mandatory**, **Help Message**, **Validation Error Message** and **Default Value** where applicable.
6. Preview the step, then check it on each live channel before relying on its validation or masking.

### Fields

| Field | Where | Required | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field Type | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Data Fields | Yes | Selects Text, Number, Picklist, Boolean, Date/Time or File and the relevant validation options. |
| Data Storage | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Data Fields | Yes | Stores the answer against the Conversation or Visitor/Contact, or selects None for no persistent field value. |
| Data Expiry | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Data Fields | Yes | Selects Conversation End, Session End or Never for stored field values. New fields initially use Never. |
| Visibility | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Data Fields | No | Selects Hidden, Always or Populated for displaying the stored field in the operator interface. |
| Operators Can Edit | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Data Fields | No | Allows operators to edit the stored field. Initially off for a new field. |
| Sensitive Data | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Data Fields | No | Enables character masking for Text and Number fields. Initially off. |
| Masking Rules | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Data Fields | Yes | Chooses masking for the operator, visitor or both. Required when Sensitive Data is on. This display choice does not itself erase the stored answer. |
| Mask Characters from | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Data Fields | Yes | Sets the start of the character range to mask. Required when Sensitive Data is on. |
| Mask Characters to | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Data Fields | Yes | Sets the end of the character range to mask. Required when Sensitive Data is on. |
| This field contains PII | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Data Fields | No | Marks the field as personal information for privacy cleanup and display rules. |
| Data Field | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps | Yes | Selects the reusable field collected by this step. |
| Mandatory | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps | No | Requires an answer when the visitor completes the step. |
| Validation Error Message | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps | No | Supplies the visitor-facing message for an invalid answer. |
| Help Message | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps | No | Explains the answer expected by the field. |
| Default Value | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps | No | Supplies an initial value where that field type supports it. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Bot Trainer | Manage virtual assistant Data Fields and bind them to Steps. |

## Limits and good to know

- You cannot change an existing field's **Field Type** in this editor.
- Available storage choices depend on the field's current storage and connected CRM configuration. Some system-field controls are fixed.
- A masked display, a hidden field and expired data are different controls. Check each separately.
- Validation varies by field type. A date format or displayed limit should be tested with both acceptable and unacceptable answers.
- Numeric limits and decimal-place checks activate for positive configured limits. A value of zero does not enforce a zero minimum, maximum or decimal-place limit.
- File questions also depend on the attachment policy and channel capabilities.
- Reusing a field means its definition can affect several steps.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Configured in** [Virtual Assistant task setup](ENG-009.md): Steps bind reusable fields to task questions.
- **Configured in** [Existing answers in Virtual Assistant tasks](ENG-013.md): Storage, expiry and existing-answer choices control whether a captured value can be reused.
- **Configured in** [Virtual Assistant task messages and identity](ENG-014.md): Task content supplies translated field labels, help and messages containing collected values.
- **Configured in** [Attachment file types and virus scanning](ADM-018.md): Attachment policies also affect file answers.
- **Configured in** [Customer identity and conversation visibility permissions](SEC-016.md): Personal-information access rules also affect operator visibility.
- **Configured in** [Captured data expiry and message sanitisation](SEC-022.md): Field expiry and personal-information cleanup govern retained answers.
- **Works better with** [Virtual Assistant task validation and retries](ENG-028.md): Invalid-input recovery can offer another route after failed answers.
- **Works better with** [Customer contact details](CRM-001.md): Visitor/Contact storage can retain answers on the contact profile.
- **Works better with** [Tags and conversation data](CHAT-031.md): Conversation storage retains answers as conversation data.
- **Works better with** [Custom fields in visitor forms](VX-010.md): Visitor forms display the typed inputs and validation feedback.
- **Works better with** [Virtual Assistant tasks in messaging channels](CHN-004.md): Messaging channels render and collect supported field types differently.
- **Related** [Virtual Assistant task steps and branches](ENG-011.md): Execution validates submitted field answers before continuing to the next task branch.

### Used by

- **Required by** [Existing answers in Virtual Assistant tasks](ENG-013.md): Reuse and expiry apply to defined data fields.
- **Required by** [AI updates to customer and conversation data](AI-019.md): Existing field definitions control formats, choices, validation, masking and storage.
- **Configures** [Attachments in conversations](CHAT-018.md): A workflow file question can further restrict accepted file extensions.
- **Configures** [Tags and conversation data](CHAT-031.md): Configured data fields define structured information collected through workflows and forms.
- **Configures** [Custom fields in visitor forms](VX-010.md): Workflow fields define their own types, validation and masking options.
- **Configures** [Chat tasks and topics for visitors](VX-017.md): Workflow field definitions control accepted answers and validation.
- **Configures** [File attachments for visitors](VX-021.md): Workflow file questions can further restrict allowed file extensions.
- **Configures** [Visitor event targeting conditions](ENG-002.md): Stored task fields appear in event filters when Can Use in Events is enabled.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task setup](ENG-009.md): Reusable field definitions set the answer types, validation and storage used by task steps.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task steps and branches](ENG-011.md): Field definitions determine how submitted answers are validated and stored.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task messages and identity](ENG-014.md): Field and step definitions supply labels, help and the values used by message macros.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task pauses and handover](ENG-015.md): Handover phrase checking is enabled on the step's field.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task preview](ENG-018.md): Field definitions determine the inputs and validation shown in preview.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task import and export](ENG-019.md): Existing field definitions determine how imported field references are matched.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant tasks started by Autopilot](ENG-027.md): Field definitions supply the task's questions and stored prerequisites.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task validation and retries](ENG-028.md): Field types and validation rules decide whether an answer is valid.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant tasks in messaging channels](CHN-004.md): Data-field types and validation determine accepted replies.
- **Configures** [Customer contact details](CRM-001.md): Visitor/contact data fields control the available fields, validation and operator editing.
- **Configures** [Visitor data mapping for customer identity](CRM-002.md): Visitor contact-field definitions determine which persisted member values become contact information.
- **Configures** [Contact merge preview and assignment](CRM-004.md): Visitor/contact field definitions determine which merged values support multiple entries.
- **Configures** [Customer identity and conversation visibility permissions](SEC-016.md): Data-field classification determines which additional workflow fields count as personal information.
- **Configures** [Captured data expiry and message sanitisation](SEC-022.md): Data Fields sets each captured field's storage, expiry and personal-information classification.
- **Enhances** [Virtual Assistant task actions](ENG-016.md): Collected fields can supply recipients and message content.
- **Enhances** [Task integrations, appointments and embedded pages](ENG-017.md): Collected data fields can provide integration input.
- **Enhances** [Virtual Assistant usage](ENG-025.md): Field responses and selected picklist options contribute to recorded step activity.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

**Why does an answer not advance the task?**

Check **Mandatory**, the selected subtype and validation limits. Supply a valid answer or use an offered alternate route.

**Why can an operator not edit the answer?**

Check **Operators Can Edit**, **Visibility** and personal-information access. Some system fields cannot be edited through this control.

**Does masking remove the original answer?**

The three displayed **Masking Rules** choices hide characters for the selected audience. Review storage, expiry and privacy settings separately with Powerfront if stored masking is required.

**Why is Visitor/Contact storage unavailable?**

The editor restricts storage choices for existing fields and some CRM integrations. Review the current field and CRM setup before creating a replacement.