[ADD] livechat: added chatbot doc

closes odoo/documentation#4965

X-original-commit: 729881c7b1
Signed-off-by: Zachary Straub (zst) <zst@odoo.com>

content/applications/websites/livechat.rst

@@ -294,3 +294,4 @@ view, an operator can participate in the chat the same as they would in the norm
 
    livechat/ratings
    livechat/responses
+   livechat/chatbots

content/applications/websites/livechat/chatbots.rst

@@ -0,0 +1,241 @@
+========
+Chatbots
+========
+
+A *Chatbot* is a program designed to mimic a conversation with a live human. Chatbots are assigned a
+script of pre-written steps to follow. The scripts are designed to anticipate a visitor's potential
+response, and lead them through a series of questions and answers the same way a live team member
+would.
+
+Chatbots can be customized to fill various roles, from customer support, to creating leads, to
+collecting contact information. The goal of the chatbot depends on the page of the website they are
+assigned, and the messages included in the script, among other criteria.
+
+.. image:: chatbots/chatbot-visitor-view.png
+   :align: center
+   :alt: View of the chat window with a helpdesk ticket created in Odoo Live Chat.
+
+Build a chatbot
+===============
+
+Before creating a new chatbot, the *Live Chat* application must first be installed on the database.
+This can be done directly from the :menuselection:`Apps` menu by searching for `Live Chat` in the
+:guilabel:`search bar` and clicking :guilabel:`Install`.
+
+Alternatively, *Live Chat* can be installed and enabled by navigating to the :menuselection:`Website
+application --> Configuration --> Settings`, and checking the box labeled :guilabel:`Livechat`. Once
+enabled, the database will refresh, and the *Live Chat* application is accessible.
+
+Once the *Live Chat* application has been installed on the database, open it, and go to
+:menuselection:`Configuration --> Chatbots`.
+
+.. note::
+   When the *Live Chat* app is installed, a sample chatbot is created, named *Welcome Bot*. This
+   chatbot has a pre-configured script that walks through a few basic steps, including asking for a
+   visitor's email address, and forwarding the conversation to an operator.
+
+   *Welcome Bot* can be used as a starting point. The existing steps can be edited or removed, and
+   new steps can be added to customize the script, as needed.
+
+   *Welcome Bot* can be deleted (or archived).
+
+   .. image:: chatbots/chatbot-welcome-bot.png
+      :align: center
+      :alt: View of the Welcome Bot script in Odoo Live Chat.
+
+To create a new chatbot, navigate to the :guilabel:`Chatbot` page (:menuselection:`Live Chat app -->
+Configuration --> Chatbots`) and click :guilabel:`New`. This opens a blank chatbot details page.
+
+On the blank chatbot details page, enter a name in the :guilabel:`Chatbot Name` field and click on
+the :guilabel:`Edit Image` icon in the upper right corner of the form to add a photo.
+
+Chatbot scripts
+---------------
+
+Once the new chatbot has been created and named, the next step is to create a script. Chatbot
+conversations follow an accompanying script. These scripts are comprised of lines of dialogue, each
+designed to either deliver or capture information.
+
+To create a chatbot script, navigate to the :guilabel:`Script` tab of the chatbot details page, and
+click :guilabel:`Add a Line` to open the :guilabel:`Create Script Steps` pop-up form.
+
+This form must be filled out for each line of text (dialogue) that the chatbot could potentially
+deliver during the conversation.
+
+First, enter the content of the message in the :guilabel:`Message` field. Then, select an option
+from the :guilabel:`Step Types` drop-down menu.
+
+Step types
+~~~~~~~~~~
+
+The :guilabel:`Step Type` selected depends on the intended purpose of the message. The available
+options in the :guilabel:`Step Type` drop-down are listed below, as well as their use, and any
+additional information:
+
+Text
+****
+
+This step is used for messages where no answer is expected (or necessary). Text steps can be used
+for greetings and/or to deliver information.
+
+.. important::
+   Text step types are only intended to deliver information, and do not allow for any visitor input.
+   As such, they need to be followed by additional steps to continue the conversation.
+
+Question
+********
+
+This step asks a question and provides a set of answers. The visitor clicks on one answer, which
+either leads to a new step in the conversation, or can lead to an optional link to a new webpage.
+
+.. tip::
+   It is helpful to add a catchall answer to question steps (ex: "Something else"). This helps
+   visitors continue the conversation, even if their needs don't exactly fit with any of the other
+   answers.
+
+Email
+*****
+
+This step prompts visitors to provide their email address, which is stored and can be used by team
+members later to follow up with additional information.
+
+The only accepted inputs for this step type are email addresses that are in a valid format. If a
+visitor attempts to enter anything other than a valid email address, the chatbot responds with a
+message stating it does not recognize the information submitted.
+
+.. image:: chatbots/chatbot-invalid-email.png
+   :align: center
+   :alt: View of a chatbot responding to an invalid email.
+
+Phone
+*****
+
+Similar to email, this step type prompts the visitor to enter their phone number, which can be used
+at a later time to follow up with additional information, or to schedule demos, and more.
+
+.. warning::
+   Due to the vast number of formats used for phone numbers worldwide, responses to this step type
+   are **not** validated for formatting.
+
+Forward to Operator
+*******************
+
+This step forwards the conversation to an active live chat operator, so that they can continue
+assisting the visitor. As the conversation transcript is passed on to the operator they are able to
+pick up where the chatbot left off. This not only saves time for all parties involved, it can also
+help qualify conversations before they reach live human operators.
+
+.. note::
+   If no active operator is available on the channel, the chatbot continues the conversation with
+   the visitor. Therefore, additional steps should be added after this one to ensure that there is
+   no abrupt end to the conversation.
+
+   .. image:: chatbots/chatbot-no-operator.png
+      :align: center
+      :alt: View of a chatbot follow up messages when no live chat operator is available.
+
+Free Input/Multi-Line
+*********************
+
+The free input step allows visitors to respond to questions without providing pre-written responses.
+Information provided in these responses is stored in the chat transcripts.
+
+Choose between :guilabel:`Free Input` and :guilabel:`Free Input (Multi-Line)` depending on the type
+and amount of information being requested from the visitor.
+
+Create Lead
+***********
+
+This step creates a lead in the *CRM* application. Select an option from the :guilabel:`Sales Team`
+drop-down to assign the created lead to a specific team.
+
+Create Ticket
+*************
+
+This step creates a :doc:`ticket </applications/services/helpdesk/overview/receiving_tickets>` in
+the *Helpdesk* application. Select an option from the :guilabel:`Helpdesk Team` drop-down to assign
+the created ticket to a specific team.
+
+Only if
+~~~~~~~
+
+Chatbot scripts operate on an if/then basis, which means the next question presented to the visitor
+is determined by the answer they provide to the previous question.
+
+To continue the progression of the conversation, the form for a new step contains a field labeled
+:guilabel:`Only If`. This field is where the progression of questions is defined.
+
+If a step is intended to follow all of the previous messages, this field can be left empty. However,
+if a message should **only** be sent conditionally, based on a previous response (or several
+previous responses), those responses need to be added to this field.
+
+.. important::
+   If there are any selections made in the :guilabel:`Only If` field, the step will **not** be shown
+   in a conversation unless **all** of the answers have been selected. Only include selections in
+   this field if they are necessary for this step to be displayed.
+
+.. example::
+   In the *Welcome Bot* script, a visitor can ask about pricing information. If the visitor selects
+   this response, a step is included to forward the conversation to an operator. The chatbot first
+   sends a message informing the visitor that it is checking to see if an operator is available to
+   chat.
+
+   However, this message should **only** be delivered if the visitor requests pricing information.
+   In that situation, the conversation would proceed as below:
+
+   - Welcome Bot: "*What are you looking for?*"
+   - Visitor: "**I have a pricing question.**"
+   - Welcome Bot: "*Hmmm, let me check if I can find someone that could help you with that...*"
+
+   In the details form for the :guilabel:`Text` step, the *I have a pricing question* response has
+   been selected in the :guilabel:`Only If` field. As such, this step is **only** shown in
+   conversations where that response has been selected.
+
+   .. image:: chatbots/chatbot-only-if.png
+      :align: center
+      :alt: View of the new message form emphasizing the Only If field.
+
+Script testing
+--------------
+
+In order to ensure all visitors have a satisfactory experience with the chatbot, each message needs
+to lead to a natural conclusion. Chatbot scripts should be tested to confirm there are no dead-ends,
+and to get an understanding of what the visitor sees when they interact with the chatbot.
+
+.. important::
+   If there is an answer or input provided by the visitor that is **not** assigned a corresponding
+   follow-up response, the conversation stops (*dead-end*). Since the visitor cannot re-engage the
+   chatbot, they will have to re-start the conversation, by refreshing the chat window, or their
+   browser.
+
+To test the performance of a chatbot, first click on the :guilabel:`Test` button at the top-left of
+the chatbot script page. Then, upon being redirected to the testing screen, answer the chatbot
+prompts the same way a potential site visitor would.
+
+When the script has reached an end-point, the message *Conversation ended...Restart* appears at the
+bottom of the chat window. To begin the conversation at the beginning of the script, click on
+:guilabel:`Restart`. To return to the script page, click :guilabel:`Back to edit mode` at the top of
+the page.
+
+Add chatbot to a channel
+========================
+
+After a chatbot has been created and tested, it needs to be added to a live chat channel.
+
+First, open the :menuselection:`Live Chat` application, and select the kanban card for a
+:guilabel:`Channel`, or create a :doc:`new one </applications/websites/livechat>`. Click on the
+:guilabel:`Channel Rules` tab. Then, open an existing rule, or create a new one by clicking
+:guilabel:`Add a line`.
+
+On the :guilabel:`Create Rules` pop-up detail form, choose the appropriate chatbot in the
+:guilabel:`Chatbot` field.
+
+If the chatbot should **only** be active if there are no available live chat operators, check the
+box labeled :guilabel:`Enabled only if no operator`.
+
+.. image:: chatbots/chatbot-add-to-channel.png
+   :align: center
+   :alt: View of the channel rules emphasizing the chatbot field.
+
+.. seealso::
+   :doc:`Live chat channel rules </applications/websites/livechat>`