End Session (Alexa) v3.0.1 Help ​

Ends the current Alexa session. Optionally, delivers a message before ending the session.

Note: Steps of the Alexa toolkit work only with existing custom Alexa skills with the method to host your skill's backend resources selected as Provision your own. The skill interaction model must be built with intents and slots on the Amazon developer colsole prior to building solutions with the Alexa toolkit.

How can I use the Step? ​

You can use this Step to force the end of the current interaction between Alexa and the end user. This is useful when the interaction has reached its natural conclusion.

An option to deliver a message before ending the session is available. The message may be used, for example, to inform the end user about the result of the interaction.

Note: The Step does not support the usage of Alexa directives in its message. You can use the Advanced End Session (Alexa) Step instead.

How does the Step work? ​

To send a message before ending the session, define the message content. When this Step is reached in the Flow, Alexa delivers the defined message to the end user, ends the session, and the Flow proceeds down the Step's exit.

Warning! This Step should be used as the last Alexa Step that interacts with the end user in a Flow. The Flow logic built on its exit cannot be used to begin a new Alexa session.

Prerequisites ​

Before building Flows using the Alexa toolkit, you must complete the following steps:

1. Create a Custom Alexa skill with at least one intent in the Amazon developers console. Read more on how to create Alexa skills here.
2. Install the Alexa Skill Adapter flow. See the instruction here.
3. Create an authorization of your OneReach.ai account with the Amazon developer account. See the instructions in the Add an authorization modal of the Authorization section of an Alexa Step.

Skill Adapter Flow ​

The Alexa Skill Adapter Flow is required to manage the interactions between OneReach.ai and the Amazon developer console. To install it take the following steps:

1. Add any gateway Step template from the Alexa toolkit to the Flow. For example, a Wait for Intent (Alexa) Step.
2. Go to the Details tab of the added Step. The Authorization collapsible group contains a warning message with the Install Adapter button. Click to install the adapter Flow. After the installation is completed, a respective message should appear.

Note: In case Alexa Skill Adapter Flow is deactivated or deleted, a respective alert will pop up in the gateway Step of the Flow with a button to fix the problem.

Message content ​

This section defines the message that Alexa delivers to the end user. It may include the following:

• The Outbound message is the message that Alexa delivers to the end user before ending the session. Leave it empty to skip sending a message.

  Set up the outbound message using either Text to speech, Audio file or SSML option.

• The Card that is shown on the end user's device when the outbound message is delivered.

Note: Regardless of the selected option, it is advisable to test the message in the Alexa development console to make sure it is reproduced correctly.

Text to speech ​

The Text to speech option allows you to define the outbound message as plain text that Alexa converts into speech and says to the end user. The Text to speech input should not exceed 600 characters. Unpronounceable Unicode characters, i.e. <, >, &, shouldn't be used.

Audio file ​

Use the Audio file option to make Alexa play prerecorded audio instead of narrating a text.

The Audio file URL input must begin with https:// and lead to a file in mp3 format. The outbound message can contain an audio of up to 240s. All audio file limits are described in the link under the ? icon.

SSML ​

SSML stands for Speech Synthesis Markup Language. The SSML option can be used to create a more complex, nuanced message using the built-in Alexa SSML. The message may contain text to speech and audio inputs, as well as other options allowed by Alexa. Use the SSML tags in the SSML field input. Unpronounceable Unicode characters, i.e. <, >, &, shouldn't be used in the <speak> tag.

Card ​

The end user's device must possess a screen for the defined card to be shown. Read more about cards here.

To set up a card, turn on the Add card to message toggle, then provide the Card title, the Card body and, optionally, the URLs to Small and Large images.

The cumulative characters count for these inputs cannot exceed 8000. Either URL cannot exceed 2000 characters and must begin with https://. The jpg and png image files with up to 500kB in size are supported. The different sizes are used when displaying cards on different-sized screens:

Note: If you only provide one URL, the Alexa app uses that image regardless of the screen size where it is displayed.

Reporting ​

The Step automatically generates Reporting events during its execution, allowing for real-time tracking and analysis of its performance and user interactions. To learn more about Reporting events, follow this link.

Services dependencies ​

• Alexa Skill Adapter v3.0.0 or upper

Release notes ​