Slot Filling is the process of having an intent called, and then having certain variables filled with specific data around a certain topic/request. It is, essentially, a way in making intents, variables, and entities more intelligent as a way to properly collect all the necessary data from a user to move a conversation forward.
With Slot Filling, it is best to get familiar with creating Intents, Variables, and Entities and how they work within the platform as well.
Note: Intents will work between most content blocks, but will not work between a regular content block and a "User Says" block, as the User Says block is already a pre-determined user input in the conversation.
To get started, start by going into the "Intents" part of the sidebar in your Botmock Flow Dashboard. You can start by creating intents, and then you will be presented with the options to name and train your intent, but also an option to add slot-filling into the mix as well, but only after you have added variables into your training phrases of your intent.
Botmock will automatically populate the variables, and from here, you can mark your variables as required steps in the process of slot filling. When required, you will get an option to add a "prompt" to your intent that will make sure that data is asked for properly when you run a preview.
If a variable is not marked as required, then Botmock will normally process the request of saving that variable to a Preview "Session" every time you run a test.
Slot Filling features are available both in the regular "Preview" sidebar section of Botmock, and is also available in Usability Tests that can be used to test with users outside of your Botmock teams.
To preview Slot Filling, simply start by entering an intent at its proper point in preview and your slot filling prompt should begin. As you go through the prompt, your variable will save as usual and your user can see the variable they entered later in the conversation if needed.
It is also important to mention that Slot-Filling will function the same way when you run a Usability Test that you share with users outside of your Botmock Team.
From here, the choice is yours on how to use intents, variables, and entities, but if you have any requests, bugs, or comments, feel free to email us at: help@botmock.com