This section of the user guide is focused on understanding how variables are used in your responses. To help you navigate the article we have broken it down into the following sections:

How Variables Are Used


Variables are used in the responses to general library questions to ensure that whenever possible, your custom terms and URLs flow throughout the general library knowledge base, thus reducing the need for further customization.


On the Edit Question page, variables are identified by an exclamation point as the first character of the text.


Link variables have to be used as a hyperlink within a response. A link variable can be used to hyperlink to text or can be combined with a text variable.


Example: When you create a new custom question, use the text variable (in this case, “!custom-graduationhomepagename” and then use the hyperlink tool to link the text variable to the link variable: 

Note:  This example was done showing a custom variable, but any link variable can be used in the same way.



Office Contact Variables


The only variables that are not visible and editable in the admin portal are the office contact variables. 


Please contact your Client Success Manager or open an Ocelot Support Ticket to adjust any of your office contact variable values.


There are two types of office contact variables:


  • Office-clarifiers

    • Office-clarifier variables will drive the bot to ask which office the user would like to engage in before displaying the chosen office’s information. 
    • Office-clarifier variables have the "fancy-bracket" prefix !{office}.
    • The variables below are the office-clarifier variables:
      • !{office}-office - Displays the office name based on which office the user chooses.
      • !{office}office-hours - Displays the office’s hours of operation based on which office the user chooses.
      • !{office}contact-number - Displays the office’s phone number based on which office the user chooses.
      • !{office}contact-location - Displays the office’s address based on which office the user chooses.
      • !{office}contact-link - Displays the office's email based on which office the user chooses.
    • In the general library, this variable is often "hidden" behind the word "email" as the email's hyperlink: 


Alert: Since the functionality of these variables affects all offices using the bot, THESE VARIABLES SHOULD NOT BE DELETED WHEN CUSTOMIZING YOUR RESPONSE.

If they are deleted during the customization process, Ocelot will not be able to make the question live and will work with you to provide a better response.

We recommend having an Administrative-level user lock the questions that contain these variables.

For more information on how to lock knowledge base responses, review the Content Locking article. 


  • On the General Library page, search "!{office}" to find the applicable questions that contain these variables:


  • Office-specific

    • Office-specific variables will display the office’s contact information to the user.
    • Office-specific variables have an acronym for each office as the prefix. 
      Example: "FA" is the Financial Aid prefix, which will display like: “!FA-OFFICE”


    • In the general library, the contact-link variable is often "hidden" behind the word "email" as the email's hyperlink.
    • If the office you are looking for is not listed, it is likely because there are no distinct variables for that specific office.

 The following chart outlines all office-specific variables:


OFFICE*PREFIXVARIABLEDEFINITION

Academic Advising

ACADV!ACADV-officeOffice Name
!ACADVoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!ACADVcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!ACADVcontact-locationOffice Address
!ACADVcontact-linkOffice Email**

Admissions

ADM!ADM-officeOffice Name
!ADMoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!ADMcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!ADMcontact-locationOffice Address
!ADMcontact-linkOffice Email**

Alumni

ALUMNI!Alumni-office
Office Name
!Alumnioffice-hours
Office Hours
!Alumnicontact-number
Office Phone Number
!Alumnicontact-location
Office Address
!Alumnicontact-link
Office Email**

Athletics

ATHLETE!Athlete-officeOffice Name
!Athleteoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!Athletecontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!Athletecontact-locationOffice Address
!Athletecontact-linkOffice Email**

Basic Needs

BASIC!Basic-officeOffice Name
!Basicoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!Basiccontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!Basiccontact-locationOffice Address
!Basiccontact-linkOffice Email**

Billing / Student Accounts / Bursar

BILL!BILL-officeOffice Name
!BILLoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!BILLcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!BILLcontact-locationOffice Address
!BILLcontact-linkOffice Email**

Bookstore

BOOK!BOOK-officeOffice Name
!BOOKoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!BOOKcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!BOOKcontact-locationOffice Address
!BOOKcontact-linkOffice Email**

CalWORKs

CalWORKs!CalWORKs-officeOffice Name
!CalWORKsoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!CalWORKscontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!CalWORKscontact-locationOffice Address
!CalWORKscontact-linkOffice Email**

Career Services

CAREER!CAREER-officeOffice Name
!CAREERoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!CAREERcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!CAREERcontact-locationOffice Address
!CAREERcontact-linkOffice Email**

Counseling Services

COUNS!COUNS-officeOffice Name
!COUNSoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!COUNScontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!COUNScontact-locationOffice Address
!COUNScontact-linkOffice Email**

Disability Services

DIS!DIS-officeOffice Name
!DISoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!DIScontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!DIScontact-locationOffice Address
!DIScontact-linkOffice Email**

Diversity

DIV!DIV-officeOffice Name
!DIVoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!DIVcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!DIVcontact-locationOffice Address
!DIVcontact-linkOffice Email**

EOPS/CARE

EOPS!EOPS-officeOffice Name
!EOPSoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!EOPScontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!EOPScontact-locationOffice Address
!EOPScontact-linkOffice Email**

Financial Aid

FA!FA-officeOffice Name
!FAoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!FAcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!FAcontact-locationOffice Address
!FAcontact-linkOffice Email**

Foster Youth

FOSTER!FOSTER-officeOffice Name
!FOSTERoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!FOSTERcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!FOSTERcontact-locationOffice Address
!FOSTERcontact-linkOffice Email**

Health Services

HEALTH!HEALTH-officeOffice Name
!HEALTHoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!HEALTHcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!HEALTHcontact-locationOffice Address
!HEALTHcontact-linkOffice Email**

Housing

HOUS!HOUS-officeOffice Name
!HOUSoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!HOUScontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!HOUScontact-locationOffice Address
!HOUScontact-linkOffice Email**

Human Resources

HR!HR-officeOffice Name
!HRoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!HRcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!HRcontact-locationOffice Address
!HRcontact-linkOffice Email**

Information Technology

IT!IT-officeOffice Name
!IToffice-hoursOffice Hours
!ITcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!ITcontact-locationOffice Address
!ITcontact-linkOffice Email**

International Programs

OIP!OIP-officeOffice Name
!OIPoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!OIPcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!OIPcontact-locationOffice Address
!OIPcontact-linkOffice Email**

Libraries

LIB!LIB-officeOffice Name
!LIBoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!LIBcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!LIBcontact-locationOffice Address
!LIBcontact-linkOffice Email**

Mailing Services

MAIL!MAIL-officeOffice Name
!MAILoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!MAILcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!MAILcontact-locationOffice Address
!MAILcontact-linkOffice Email**

Orientation

ORI!ORI-officeOffice Name
!ORIoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!ORIcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!ORIcontact-locationOffice Address
!ORIcontact-linkOffice Email**

Outreach

OUTREACH!OUTREACH-officeOffice Name
!OUTREACHoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!OUTREACHcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!OUTREACHcontact-locationOffice Address
!OUTREACHcontact-linkOffice Email**

Parking & Transportation

PARK!PARK-officeOffice Name
!PARKoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!PARKcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!PARKcontact-locationOffice Address
!PARKcontact-linkOffice Email**

Recreational Center

REC!REC-officeOffice Name
!RECoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!RECcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!RECcontact-locationOffice Address
!RECcontact-linkOffice Email**

Registration / Registrar / Records

REG!REG-officeOffice Name
!REGoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!REGcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!REGcontact-locationOffice Address
!REGcontact-linkOffice Email**

Student Employment

StuEmploy!StuEmploy-officeOffice Name
!StuEmployoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!StuEmploycontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!StuEmploycontact-locationOffice Address
!StuEmploycontact-linkOffice Email**

Student Life

SLLA!SLLA-officeOffice Name
!SLLAoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!SLLAcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!SLLAcontact-locationOffice Address
!SLLAcontact-linkOffice Email**

Study Abroad

SA!SA-officeOffice Name
!SAoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!SAcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!SAcontact-locationOffice Address
!SAcontact-linkOffice Email**

Testing Services

TEST!TEST-officeOffice Name
!TESToffice-hoursOffice Hours
!TESTcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!TESTcontact-locationOffice Address
!TESTcontact-linkOffice Email**

Title IX

TitleIX!TitleIX-officeOffice Name
!TitleIXoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!TitleIXcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!TitleIXcontact-locationOffice Address
!TitleIXcontact-linkOffice Email**

TRIO SSS

SSS!SSS-officeOffice Name
!SSSoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!SSScontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!SSScontact-locationOffice Address
!SSScontact-linkOffice Email**

TRIO Upward Bound

UPBOUND!UPBOUND-officeOffice Name
!UPBOUNDoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!UPBOUNDcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!UPBOUNDcontact-locationOffice Address
!UPBOUNDcontact-linkOffice Email**

Transfer

TRA!TRA-officeOffice Name
!TRAoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!TRAcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!TRAcontact-locationOffice Address
!TRAcontact-linkOffice Email**

Tutoring

TUTOR!TUTOR-officeOffice Name
!TUTORoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!TUTORcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!TUTORcontact-locationOffice Address
!TUTORcontact-linkOffice Email**

Veterans

VET!VET-officeOffice Name
!VEToffice-hoursOffice Hours
!VETcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!VETcontact-locationOffice Address
!VETcontact-linkOffice Email**

Workforce Development

WORKFORCEDEV!WORKFORCEDEV-officeOffice Name
!WORKFORCEDEVoffice-hoursOffice Hours
!WORKFORCEDEVcontact-numberOffice Phone Number
!WORKFORCEDEVcontact-locationOffice Address
!WORKFORCEDEVcontact-linkOffice Email**