Implementation

Easily set up your action's external webhook in NLX's Dialog Studio

What's the Implementation tab?

Implementation is where you'll set up a static response or external webhook/API for your action. When a conversation is brought to an Action node in an intent flow, the webhook for that action will trigger by sending a POST request to a specified URL and run the process required.

Need more context? See Action node

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Access

To access this feature, click the Implementation tab of your action:

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External implementation

External mode is used for integrating with a URL that triggers your action:

• Set implementation toggle to External

• Select the appropriate HTTP method from the Method dropdown (usually POST for an action)

• Expand endpoint section > enter the URL

• Use NLX's AWS CloudFormation template provided within the Instructions section

• Click Save

Whether you have sensitive data or frequently enter the same URL string, try setting up a parameter in your workspace for enhanced security and efficiency.

Optional setup

• Headers: expand section > Click + Add header > Enter the Name and static Value to be sent with the request. Useful for custom headers such as an API key, content type, content length, etc.

• Dynamic: Enabling the toggle allows you to view the header and provide it a custom value on the Action node's side panel when triggering the action in an intent flow

• Development endpoint: For situations where multiple URLs are used by the environment

Now that your implementation setup is complete, you may move on to configuring your request model.

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Static response

Static mode is useful for creating a static payload when building demos or for early testing. Switch the implementation's toggle to Static to begin:

• Enter your response in JSON structure

• Click Save

Now that your implementation setup is complete, you may move on to configuring your request model.

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API spec

HTTP payloads that are delivered to your action's configured URL endpoint will contain several headers, including:

Header	Value	Description
Content-Type	application/json	The only content type currently supported is JSON.
nlx-webhook-version	v3	The version associated with the action configuration.
x-nlx-botId	<uuid>	A unique identifier of the bot.
x-nlx-channelId	<uuid>	A unique identifier of the channel associated with the bot.
x-nlx-channelType	string	A human friendly label indicating the channel type in use such as API, AmazonChime or Genesys
x-nlx-conversationId	<uuid>	A unique identifier of the conversation that triggered this action.
x-nlx-correlationId	<uuid>	A unique identifier that can be used for debugging with the NLU Logs.
x-nlx-deploymentKey	<uuid>	A unique identifier of the deployment associated with the bot.
x-nlx-intentId	string	The intent ID from where the action has triggered.
x-nlx-languageCode	string	The bot language code used in the current conversation.
x-nlx-userId	string	A user identifier such as a E.164 format phone number, UUID or other formats depending on the channel type.

The body of the request your webhook will receive may contain the conversation context (nlx_context) if the send context option is enabled in the action settings. It will always include the properties defined in the action's Request model.

Name	Type	Description
nlx_context	object	The conversation context containing essential values such as the conversationId and any context attributes that have been set up to this point in the conversation.
nlx_context.botId	string	A unique identifier of the bot.
nlx_context.channelType	string	A human friendly label indicating the channel type in use such as API, AmazonChime or Genesys
nlx_context.channelId	string	A unique identifier of the channel associated with the bot.
nlx_context.conversationId	string	A unique identifier of the conversation that triggered this action.
nlx_context.languageCode	string	The bot language code used in the current conversation.
nlx_context.<attributeName>	string, number or boolean	A set value of a custom context attribute. The attribute name can be an alphanumeric string with dashes and underscores.
<propertyName>	any	One or more set values corresponding to the schema defined in the action's request model.

The response body of your action can optionally include the following properties:

Name	Type	Description
context	object	A map of key value pairs that you would like to be set as context attributes.
context.<attributeName>	string, number or boolean	A set value of a custom context attribute. The attribute name can be an alphanumeric string with dashes and underscores.

For example the response body of an action may look like this:

{
    "context": {
        "SmsSent": true
    }
}