Introduction to Node types

Branches are the potential exits that a node may use once it has carried out its function. A service will travel from node to node using paths that connect branches to nodes until it reaches an end point in the routing flow, such as an End Call node.

When a service reaches a node it may carry out a specific function, such as playing audio. Once the function is complete the service will exit the node via a branch and follow the path to the next node. Some node types have only one branch, while others have more than one branch. Branches can be mandatory or optional.

E.G. A DTMF Menu node type allows you to add one or more optional branches to it, to represent the various DTMF keypresses available to callers.

• Mandatory Branch: A mandatory branch represents an outcome that you must consider when designing the routing flow. Any branches you see on a node when it is first placed in the routing flow are mandatory branches. You cannot delete mandatory branches from a node.
  • E.G. The Outdial Request node type possesses a single mandatory branch called Next, which passes service flow to the next node.
  • E.G. The Join Queue node type possesses three mandatory branches called Connected, Limited Reached and DTMF.
• Optional Branch: An optional branch represents an outcome that you may want to consider.

Parameters are the information used to configure the node to work as required. For a description of the different value types for parameters, see Parameter value types.

E.G. A Play Announcement node plays an audio file announcement to the caller. It requires an Audio Filename parameter, which specifies the name of the audio file to be played to callers. It has one branch (Next), which it follows when the audio file has been played.