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Displaying Answers Within a SmartScript

You can define each question in a SmartScript to contain answer controls or be informational in nature. Informational questions do not require answer controls; they usually provide instructions, information, or dialog to the user. You use answer controls when you want the user to provide responses to questions.

If you want to limit the possible answers that a user might select from, you have the option of defining these answer options within the SmartScript definition as Question Answers, or reusing an existing Pick applet or MVG applet already defined in Siebel Tools.

NOTE:  SmartScripts do not support the use of association applets.

In the simplest case, users select answers to a question from a drop-down list of answers that you define specifically for that question, using the Answer subview of the Questions view in the Administration - SmartScript screen. These drop-down lists of answers are defined with respect to a unique question and are an extension of the question definition.

To use a drop-down list, select the Pick Only check box in the Questions view.

NOTE:  By default, the Pick Only column does not appear. You must display it.

To use single or multiselect pick applets, or detail applets, do not select Pick Only.

To use radio buttons or multiselect check boxes, your answers must be set up as part of the SmartScript definition.

The following sections list Question Answer options.

Information Text

A question can be set up simply to display as informational or instructional text without any solicitation of a user answer to the question. This is useful for providing guidance to a user to answer subsequent questions or to display dynamically provided text using Text Substitution.

Text Box

A simple input control for users is a text box, where the user does not have the option of selecting from a fixed list of answer options, but instead types free text.

Drop-Down Lists

If the answers to a question are simple, single-value answers, then you can create a simple drop-down list by defining each answer option in the Answers form in the SmartScript definition. You define a unique domain of answers for the question. Fields that are based on LOVs also display the LOV values in a drop-down list, based on the save field value.

Radio Buttons

You can display your answer choices as radio buttons in employee or customer applications. Radio buttons are similar to drop-down lists, because the user can choose only a single selection from a fixed list of answer options.

Multiselect Check Boxes

You can define answer options for a question, then have these options display as multiselect check boxes. You must include your answers as part of your SmartScript definition, then choose Check Box for your answer control in order to have your answer options display with check boxes. If you select Boolean for your answer type, only one check box appears.

Pick Applets

Any question can employ a Pick applet for users to select answers to that question. For a question to use a Pick applet or MVG applet, you must set the question to save the selected record to the appropriate field in the business component. To do this, you enter values for the following parameters:

• Save Business Object
• Save Bus Comp
• Save Field

You cannot define branching for answers selected from Pick applets. You must configure a Pick applet or MVG applet in Siebel Tools to save to the Save Field in the entered business component.

NOTE:  The listed applets that appear in each dialog box are not necessarily all valid. Valid applets must include a field that maps to the Save Field in the Save Bus Comp. Selecting an appropriate applet requires some familiarity with Siebel Tools and the business components that SmartScript must be linked to. For more information on working with applets, see Using Siebel Tools.

Detail Applets

Some applets have a detail applet defined for a control or list column. These are specialized applets that operate on that control or list column in a specific way. Usually these are pop-up applets that allow end users to enter data that is configured or formatted for a specific purpose.

The detail applets that are most commonly used are the Currency Popup applet and the File Attachment applet. If you use the Currency Popup applet, the agent sees an icon next to the question's input box at run time. Clicking this icon causes the applet to pop up, allowing the agent to specify the currency when entering an amount. Without this detail applet, a calculator appears, and the currency cannot be changed from one answer to the next. In the case of a file attachment applet, the user can add a file to the record.

NOTE:  Branching from a question can only be defined for answers that are defined as part of the SmartScript definition and not those selected from pick applets, or based on the list of values. If a user selects multiple responses to a question that uses multiselect check boxes, the default branch is used.