Trigger Intent Flow (Alexa) v3.0.3 Help ​

Triggers a Flow in the ongoing Alexa session that processes the current intent.

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 trigger another Flow that starts with a Wait for Intent (Alexa) Step. This can be useful for directing an ongoing Alexa conversation to another Flow that processes the intent recognized by Alexa in the current Flow.

Caution: If the recognized intent matches the selected intent in the Step that triggered the current Flow, this Flow is triggered again.

How does the Step work? ​

Place the Step in the logic on the exit(s) of a Request Response (Alexa), a Advanced Request Response (Alexa) or a Request Confirmation (Alexa) Step.

When the Flow enters this Step, the following behavior is expected:

  • If Alexa recognized an intent, the Step searches your account for an active Flow that starts with the Wait for Intent (Alexa) Step in which the respective intent is selected.

    • If such intent Flow is not found, the Step exits down the no flow exit.
    • If such intent Flow is found, it proceeds down its Wait for Intent (Alexa) Step's exit. This Step proceeds down the success exit if that Flow resumes communication between Alexa and the end user in the time set in the timeout field of this Step. Otherwise, the Step goes down the timeout exit.

  • If Alexa does not recognize an intent, the Step exits down the no flow exit.

Warning: If Step proceeds down the no-flow or timeout exits, the current Alexa session continues in this Flow.

Prerequsites ​

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.

Alexa 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.

Additional parameters ​

In this section you can define some additional parameters that can be passed on to the triggered intent Flow as Merge field values. To add a parameter, do the following:

  1. Click the Add parameter button.
  2. Specify the Parameter name.
  3. Optionally, add Parameter value.
  4. To add multiple parameters repeat steps 1-3. Use the drag handle to reorder.

Each parameter name and value are interpreted as a JSON object key and value, respectively.

Note: To see the defined parameters as quick access merge field values in the intent Flow, check the additionalData box in the Wait for Intent (Alexa) Step of that Flow.

Error handling ​

By default, the Step handles errors using a separate exit. If an error occurs during the Step execution, the Flow proceeds down the error exit, e.g. the intent Flow returns an error. For more information on error handling, follow this link.

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 ​

v3.0.4

  • restore isUseEmitKey variable in step data

v3.0.1

  • udate help text
  • update error handling

v3.0.0

  • Added skill locale support (updated events trigger path).
  • This version works with "Wait for..." steps v3.0.X.