Variables are custom terms and URLs that flow throughout the General Library, thus customizing the knowledge base to speak your institution's language out of the box. For more information on variables, please review the variables section of the Chatbot User Guide.


In order to add a standard variable to a new, custom question in your knowledge base, there are a few instructions to follow.


Email address variables:

  • When adding an email contact variable, type your response text. For example, "Please contact us via email at admissions@centennial.edu".
  • In this example, we will hyperlink the word "email" and also the email address. This will provide the option for the user to click-through the chatbot response to begin an email.
  • When highlighting the word "email" and inserting the link, in the "Link URL" box, please add the variable (e.g., the "!ADM.... email variable name).


Highlighting the "email" text and inserting the "Link URL" with the variable name: 


After saving the "Link URL" with the email variable: 


In this case, you can also highlight the displayed email address in the response and use the variable: 

After saving the "Link URL" with the email variable: 



Phone number variables:

  • When adding a phone number, type your response text.  For example, "Please call us at 720-239-2230" OR you can use the phone number variable inserted inside the response text.
  • In this example, we will hyperlink the phone number.  This will provide the option for the user to click-through the chatbot response to begin a phone call.
  • When highlighting the phone number and inserting the link, in the "Link URL" box, please add the variable (e.g., the "tel:720-239-2230").
  • When entering a phone number on a response, there is also the option to link the displayed phone number text.  For example, enter the text "720-239-2230" on the response text, and then link the "720-239-2230" text itself.
  • Please note that linking a phone number behind non-numbered text is not an optimal user experience from an accessibility standpoint (e.g. for users who may be using a screen reader or other assistive technology.)


Highlighting the phone number display and inserting the "Link URL" with the variable name:


Highlighting the 720-239-2230 phone number text and inserting the "Link URL" with the "tel:xxx-xxx-xxxx":


After saving the "Link URL" with the phone number: