Simulate Interactions in CXone Studio

Simulating interactions allows you to test the performance of your scripts. By combining a simulated interaction with script tracing, you can see if the script is doing what you expect it to. If it's not working correctly, the script traces can help you discover the reasons.

Simulate Interactions

Required permissions: ACD > Studio > Scripts > Debug ; ACD > Contact Settings > Points of Contact > Create; ACD > Contact Settings > Campaigns > Create; ACD > Contact Settings > Skills > Create

This section describes a general, high-level process for simulating interactions in CXone. This process applies to interactions on most channels A way for contacts to interact with agents or bots. A channel can be voice, email, chat, social media, and so on.. You can follow these steps to simulate phone interactions. However, it's faster to simulate phone interactions directly from the Studio script.

Depending on the CXone features or products you want to test, you may need to modify the simulation setup process. If you experience difficulty in simulating interactions, refer to the online help for the products or features you use for information about setting them up. There may be a required step that's not included in the generalized instructions provided in this section.

The steps below describe creating ACD skills Used to automate delivery of interactions based on agent skills, abilities, and knowledge, campaigns, and points of contact The entry point that an inbound contact uses to initiate an interaction, such as a phone number or email address. set up for use in testing. If your organization already has these set up, you don't need to create them again. You can skip steps as needed.

You must have the appropriate permissions to perform the tasks described in this section. If you do not, your CXone administrator may be able to help complete some of the tasks. If you test products and features not included in this section, you may need other permissions in addition to the ones mentioned above.

1. In Studio, start a trace or a live contact capture.
2. In CXone, create a campaign to use in testing.
3. In CXone, create an ACD skill to use in testing. The skill must: 
   • Match the media type A medium, such as voice, email, and chat, through which a contact connects with an intended recipient. of the script you're testing. For example, for an email script, you must have an email ACD skill. Refer to the online help for the type of channel you're using for information about creating ACD skills.
   • Be assigned to a CXone user account you have access to.
4. In CXone, create a point of contact for use in testing. When setting up the point of contact, select the script you're testing and the test ACD skill you're using. If you're testing a digital Any channel, contact, or skill associated with Digital Experience. script, set up a digital point of contact by adding a digital channel. Configure it with a test ACD skill and the script you're testing.
5. If you're testing the complete interaction, sign into the agent application your organization uses using the account you assigned the test ACD skill to previously. The CXone profile you use may need permissions or settings enabled to use the features or products you're testing.
6. In the agent application, set your state to Available. For example, in MAX, you must connect the agent leg.
7. Ensure that the channel you're using with the script is set up and configured. Refer to the online help for the channel if you need to complete setup. If you use digital Any channel, contact, or skill associated with Digital Experience. channels, you can find more information in the Digital section of the online help.
8. Simulate the interaction. How you do this depends on the channel and type of script you're using. For example: 
   • Chat channel (non-digital): Copy the point of contact URL from the Point of Contact page in CXone to a browser. This launches the chat window. You can send a message through the chat window and answer it in the agent application.
   • DFO chat: Go to the Initialization & Test page in the channel properties for your Live Chat or Chat Messaging channel. Use the chat bubble that appears on that page to send test messages through the channel. Alternatively, if the chat channel you're testing is already live or has been added to a testing webpage, you can use that chat window instead.
   • Other digital channels: The method of testing will depend on the channel you're using. In many cases, you can launch the appropriate chat window or application and send a message. Consult the testing documentation offered by your channel provider, such as Facebook, Google, Apple, and so on.
   • SMS channel: Send a text message from the agent application to a mobile phone number you have access to. If your organization supports inbound SMS interactions, send a text message to the SMS number associated with the channel you're testing.
   • Manual outbound phone: Make a call from the agent application. Dial a number connected to a phone you can answer.
   • Inbound phone to test voicemail: Call the DNIS Identifies the number the contact dialed to reach you for inbound voice calls and the number the agent or system dialed on outbound voice calls. associated with the channel and leave a voicemail when prompted. You can also do this by simulating an inbound phone interaction from within Studio. Both methods of testing require a script that has a voicemail option.
   • Email: To test inbound email, send an email to the email address associated with the channel. To test outbound email, send an email from the agent application to an address you have access to.
9. Start a trace and use the trace output window to watch as the actions in your script fire.

Simulate Inbound Phone Interactions in Studio

The steps in this task allow you to test the parts of your script before the Onanswer action. To test the parts of your script from Onanswer on, you must include an agent application in your simulation. You will need a CXone user account that has permissions to use that application.

Simulating a phone interaction requires an ACDskill Used to automate delivery of interactions based on agent skills, abilities, and knowledge to use in the test. You may want to create a skill specifically to use in testing. It must be:

• An inbound phone skill.
• Assigned to a CXone user account to which you have access.

1. In CXone, click the app selector and select Omnichannel Routing > Studio .
2. Open a script or create a new one.
3. Click Trace > Start with Trace.
4. Select an inbound phone ACD Skill.
5. To add parameter values to use during this test, enter them in the Parameters field. Enter one value per line. The values you enter map to parameters P1 through Pn, where n is the number of the last parameter value you add.
6. Select Simulate Inbound Call.
7. Enter the Phone Number you want the script to dial. This must be the number of a phone you can answer during testing. This line represents the contact calling your organization.
8. Enter the DNIS for this channel. This is the number the contact would dial to reach your organization. You can use the phone number of another phone you have access to for this number. This line represents the agent leg The portion of an interaction that takes place between CXone and the agent..
9. Enter an ANI. The ANI is the phone number listed as the caller ID of an incoming phone call.
10. If your test relies on a specific date or time: 
    1. Click Simulate Date & Time.
    2. Select the date and time you want to use for the test.
    3. To change the time zone that applies for this test, select a time zone from the Default Business Unit Time Zone drop-down.
11. Click Start Trace.
12. Answer the call when your phone rings and perform the actions needed to test your script. For example, if testing the IVR, you may want to repeat these steps as many times as it takes to test each menu option.
13. Use the Trace Output window to watch as the actions in your script fire.