# Virtual Assistant task actions

Use task answers to update conversation details, create follow-up work and send outbound messages.

*Release 3.3 · admin, operator, visitor*

**Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks**

## What it is

Task actions can do more than select the next question. They can update conversation details, record a consent choice, create follow-up work or send a message. The action belongs to a particular answer, skip or return branch.

## Who uses it and why

- Administrators with **Bot Trainer** access configure which updates and communications each outcome should trigger.
- Operators receive the resulting tickets, notes, comments and conversation details.
- Visitors receive the configured follow-up messages or continue in the selected channel.

## Where to find it

With the **Bot Trainer** role, open **Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks**, edit a draft and open the relevant step's answer actions. The action menu includes **Set Department**, **Set Disposition**, **Set Tags**, **Start a Ticket**, **Send an Email** and **Send an SMS**, subject to enabled services.

## How it works

On an ordinary submitted answer, INSIDE applies the configured updates and outbound actions before continuing the task's next-step logic. Department changes and added tags can recalculate skills and channel routing. **Verification** applies the configured verification state.

Opt-in updates are explicit actions. Sending a message does not itself select **Set Text Opt In/Out Flag**, **Set WhatsApp Opt In/Out** or **Set Email Opt In/Out Flag**.

Email and ticket actions choose an account, recipient and content. Ticket configuration also supports a subject, description, assignment and **CC** and **BCC**. A recipient can come from the current visitor, an entered address or a collected field where supported. For a ticket addressed to the current visitor, INSIDE prefers the email of the currently linked identity.

**Create Text Conversation** can carry selected details from the current conversation, route the new work and postpone it. **Create Whatsapp Conversation** has separate return paths for an invalid number and a conversation that already exists.

Subsite-specific actions run alongside actions that have no subsite restriction. A visitor on one subsite can therefore trigger both a general action and that subsite's action.

## Configure it

1. Select the answer or outcome that should cause the action.
2. Add the required update or outbound action. Choose its account, recipient source and content.
3. For a ticket, review assignment, **CC** and **BCC**. For a new conversation, review inherited details, routing and postponement.
4. Review subsite restrictions so general and specific actions do not send unintended duplicate communications.
5. Check existing-answer behaviour and failure return paths.
6. Preview the journey, then verify outbound actions with a controlled live test before using them with visitors.

Ask Powerfront to configure or change email and SMS accounts and service activation.

### Fields

| Field | Where | Required | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set Department | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Changes the department and recalculates the conversation's relevant routing context. |
| Set Disposition | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Adds the configured outcome classification to the conversation. |
| Set Tags | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Adds or removes conversation tags; adding tags can also affect routing. |
| Verification | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Applies the configured visitor verification state. |
| Set Text Opt In/Out Flag | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Explicitly updates the text-message opt-in choice when SMS is enabled. |
| Set WhatsApp Opt In/Out | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Explicitly updates the WhatsApp opt-in choice when WhatsApp is enabled. |
| Set Email Opt In/Out Flag | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Explicitly updates the email opt-in choice when email tickets are enabled. |
| Start a Ticket | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Creates email follow-up work using the selected account, content, recipient and assignment. |
| Send an Email | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Sends the configured email to the selected recipient. |
| Send an SMS | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Sends the configured text message through the selected account. |
| From Account | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Selects the outbound account for an action. Default account resolution can depend on the visitor's subsite. |
| Recipient Type | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Uses the current visitor, an explicit address or number, or a collected field where that action supports it. |
| Add Internal Comment | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Adds a comment for operators to the conversation. |
| Add Note with Reminder | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Adds a follow-up note with the configured reminder. |
| Create Text Conversation | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Starts a text conversation with optional routing, postponement and inherited conversation details. |
| Create Whatsapp Conversation | Settings › Bots › Virtual Assistant › Tasks | No | Starts a WhatsApp conversation and supports separate outcomes for an invalid number or an existing chat. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Bot Trainer | Configure business and outbound actions on task answer branches. |

## Limits and good to know

- Available actions depend on the website's enabled services and configured accounts.
- **Default** account selection is contextual. For tickets, INSIDE checks subsite defaults and enabled accounts before falling back to website accounts.
- Automatic completion using existing answers does not repeat these ordinary side effects.
- Task completion is not a delivery receipt. Check the resulting ticket, conversation or outbound message.
- A failed later action does not promise to undo earlier updates or messages. Check what already happened before repeating the task.
- **Add Internal Comment** creates operator content rather than a public visitor reply.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Requires** [Virtual Assistant task setup](ENG-009.md): Business and outbound actions must belong to an authored task branch.
- **Requires** [Virtual Assistant task steps and branches](ENG-011.md): Actions run as part of task execution.
- **Configured in** [Existing answers in Virtual Assistant tasks](ENG-013.md): Automatic existing-answer completion skips ordinary side effects.
- **Configured in** [Departments](CHAT-006.md): Department definitions supply the department selected by Set Department actions.
- **Configured in** [Skillsets and skills-based routing](CHAT-007.md): Skill rules determine routing recalculations after task actions change departments or tags.
- **Configured in** [Dispositions](CHAT-019.md): Disposition definitions supply the classifications selected by task actions.
- **Configured in** [Email account and mailbox setup](CHN-024.md): Email account settings supply sending identities and defaults for email and ticket actions.
- **Configured in** [Email ticket handling and statuses](CHN-026.md): Tickets created by tasks follow the configured ticket assignment and lifecycle policies.
- **Configured in** [SMS number and channel setup](CHN-022.md): SMS account settings determine the sending number and routing used by text actions.
- **Configured in** [WhatsApp channel setup](CHN-006.md): WhatsApp account settings supply the enabled business account used for new conversations.
- **Works better with** [Virtual Assistant task data fields](ENG-012.md): Collected fields can supply recipients and message content.
- **Works better with** [Virtual Assistant task messages and identity](ENG-014.md): Macros and language content personalise outbound messages.
- **Works better with** [Tags and conversation data](CHAT-031.md): Task actions add and remove conversation tags.
- **Works better with** [Internal comments](CHAT-014.md): Task actions can add internal comments.
- **Works better with** [Postponing conversations](CHAT-012.md): A newly created outbound conversation can be postponed.
- **Works better with** [Contact opt-in and blocking](CRM-007.md): Consent updates are explicit actions, separate from sending a message.
- **Works better with** [Subsites](ADM-003.md): Subsites allow general and subsite-specific task actions to run together.
- **Works better with** [Task notes and operator reminders](ENG-024.md): Add Note with Reminder lets a task branch schedule an operator follow-up.

### Used by

- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task setup](ENG-009.md): Business and outbound actions define the updates and messages performed on task branches.
- **Configures** [Virtual Assistant task steps and branches](ENG-011.md): Configured answer actions determine the business updates and outbound messages performed.
- **Enhances** [Virtual Assistant tasks started by Autopilot](ENG-027.md): Action-only tasks can perform permitted business and outbound actions during voice calls.
- **Enhances** [SMS number and channel setup](CHN-022.md): An outbound workflow action can choose a text number for a new conversation.
- **Related** [Existing answers in Virtual Assistant tasks](ENG-013.md): Automatic answer reuse skips ordinary business and outbound completion actions.
- **Related** [Virtual Assistant task import and export](ENG-019.md): Imported outbound actions need destination account, recipient and routing review.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

**Why is an outbound action missing from the menu?**

Check whether the relevant service is enabled and an account is configured. Ask Powerfront to review service activation.

**Why were two messages sent for one answer?**

Review the general and subsite-specific actions. Both can apply. Also check whether the visitor or operator repeated a branch containing a send action.

**Why did the task succeed but no email arrive?**

Check the recipient value, selected account and outbound result. A task's success does not establish delivery, and automatic existing-answer completion skips ordinary send actions.

**Does selecting an opt-in action send a message?**

No. The opt-in flag and the send action are separate choices. Configure each only where appropriate to the visitor's answer.