# Virtual Assistant task messages and identity

Give task questions and replies the right wording, language, links and assistant identity for each channel.

*Release 3.3 · admin, operator, visitor*

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

## What it is

Task messages ask questions, explain results and offer links or next actions. You can provide language and channel versions and personalise content with available answers. **Bot Alias** supplies a task-specific assistant name and image.

## Who uses it and why

- Administrators with **Bot Trainer** access write questions and responses and check the assistant identity.
- Operators see the task's questions and answers in the conversation.
- Visitors receive the wording and content supported by their channel and language.

## Where to find it

With the **Bot Trainer** role, open **Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks** for welcome messages, **Bot Alias** and action content. Open **Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps** for question text, labels and help. General assistant configuration is in **Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Settings**.

## How it works

Task configuration provides separate welcome wording for operator availability. A step can use different questions when collecting a new answer and confirming an existing one. **Message Type** controls whether supported questions appear as a heading or an operator message bubble.

An action can send text, cards and links, images, audio, video or files where supported. Response content has an order, and text responses can include variants. Channel-specific content takes precedence over web-chat content; web-chat content is used as a fallback when no specific version is available. The receiving channel still determines what it can display.

Macros replace placeholders with available visitor, conversation and collected-field values. They can also personalise links. An answer must be available to the task for it to fill the placeholder.

A task can set its own **Bot Alias**. The visitor's chat theme can override that name and image, so review both when the displayed identity differs from the task editor.

Links can open a page in the same or a new tab, start an email or phone action, or carry a configured task action. Treat action links as part of the task journey when checking branches.

## Configure it

1. Write both welcome messages where the task needs them.
2. Set the task's **Bot Alias** name and image, then check the theme's assistant identity.
3. Add questions, help and labels to the reusable steps.
4. Add action **Message** content and **Links**. Review the language tabs and channel versions you use.
5. Insert the required macros through the available editor controls. Check the result with realistic answers.
6. Preview, publish and verify the content on each intended channel.

Ask Powerfront to change the website's supported-language configuration if you need additional editing languages.

### Fields

| Field | Where | Required | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Sets the task's Bot Alias name. A chat theme can override the assistant identity shown to visitors. |
| Welcome Message (Operator Available) | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Sets welcome text for the task when an operator is available. |
| Welcome Message (No Operator Available) | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Sets welcome text when no operator is available. |
| Skip Step Label | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Sets the text of the visitor's skip control for eligible steps. |
| Cancel Step Label | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Sets the cancellation choice in the No Operator Assigned configuration. |
| Message Type | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps | No | Chooses question presentation, including Text Heading or Operator Message Bubble where offered. |
| Message (No Existing Data) | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps | No | Supplies the question when a new answer is required. |
| Message (Existing Data) | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Steps | No | Supplies the question when confirming an existing answer. |
| Message | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Adds response content to an answer action, with language and channel versions where supported. |
| Links | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Adds links to the response. Links can open destinations or carry configured task actions. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Bot Trainer | Edit task messages, assistant aliases and step wording. |

## Limits and good to know

- Rich content and interactive links differ between channels. Web preview does not establish social-channel rendering.
- A typing indicator or short delay can precede task messages. Many automated task paths skip that delay, so do not rely on it for precise timing.
- Language versions need review for questions, field labels, responses and links, not just the welcome message.
- Subsite-specific content can change what an otherwise identical task sends.
- Editing a reusable step can affect other tasks that use it.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Requires** [Messages and rich content](CHAT-002.md): Task replies use conversation messages to deliver their text and supported rich content.
- **Configured in** [Virtual Assistant task setup](ENG-009.md): Task and step authoring supplies the content and action links.
- **Configured in** [Virtual Assistant task drafts and publishing](ENG-010.md): Publish the edited version before expecting new live task content.
- **Configured in** [Virtual Assistant task data fields](ENG-012.md): Field and step definitions supply labels, help and the values used by message macros.
- **Configured in** [Existing answers in Virtual Assistant tasks](ENG-013.md): Existing-answer settings choose between new-answer and confirmation wording.
- **Configured in** [Visitor chat themes and branding](VX-003.md): Chat themes can override the assistant name and image.
- **Configured in** [Visitor chat languages and text direction](VX-031.md): Visitor language affects the wording selected for messages.
- **Configured in** [Supported languages](ADM-022.md): Supported languages determine the language versions available for editing.
- **Works better with** [Virtual Assistant tasks in messaging channels](CHN-004.md): Messaging channels provide supported task formats and text fallbacks beyond web chat.
- **Works better with** [Subsites](ADM-003.md): Subsites allow task responses and links to vary by brand or region.
- **Works better with** [Virtual Assistant task preview](ENG-018.md): Preview helps check question text, links and presentation.

### Used by

- **Configures** [Chat tasks and topics for visitors](VX-017.md): Workflow wording and translations supply visitor prompts.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task setup](ENG-009.md): Task and step content defines the messages, language versions and assistant identity.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task steps and branches](ENG-011.md): Task and step content defines the questions and messages sent during execution.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task data fields](ENG-012.md): Task content supplies translated field labels, help and messages containing collected values.
- **Configures** [Existing answers in Virtual Assistant tasks](ENG-013.md): Step messages supply the wording shown when an existing answer needs confirmation.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task preview](ENG-018.md): Saved task content supplies the questions, responses and labels shown in preview.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task validation and retries](ENG-028.md): Help, error and recovery messages can have language versions.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant tasks in messaging channels](CHN-004.md): Task text and translations supply customer-facing questions.
- **Enhances** [Virtual Assistant task pauses and handover](ENG-015.md): Visitor labels and handover messages explain the available choices.
- **Enhances** [Virtual Assistant task actions](ENG-016.md): Macros and language content personalise outbound messages.
- **Enhances** [Task integrations, appointments and embedded pages](ENG-017.md): Action messages explain the integration and its outcome.
- **Enhances** [Task notes and operator reminders](ENG-024.md): Message substitutions can fill the reminder description from collected answers.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

**Why does the task show a different assistant name?**

Check the task's **Bot Alias** and the chat theme. A theme-specific name and image can override the task identity.

**Why is a card different on a messaging channel?**

Review the content for that channel and its supported rendering. Missing channel-specific content may fall back to web-chat content.

**Why is a personalised value blank or old?**

Check the field used by the macro, its storage and whether it has been collected in this journey. A custom field is not automatically the system identity field.

**Why does preview show different wording from a visitor's conversation?**

Preview has no live visitor context. Check the visitor's language, subsite, existing answers and the version currently published.