Action blocks let you automate communication, update conversation data, integrate with external systems, route work to the right people, control who can message during a workflow, and guide customers through structured paths. Use them to streamline execution and create clear, interactive chat experiences.

This article provides an overview of the different types of action blocks and how they can be used to streamline workflow execution and improve user interactions.

Types of action blocks in workflows

These action blocks help automate communication, data handling, and system integration during workflow execution. They include:

• Send Message
• Send Email
• Update Conversation Field
• Trigger Webhook
• Trigger Auto-Assignment
• Manage Inputs
• Set Assignee
• Navigate To Block

Sending messages to customers or agents

The Send Message action block allows you to send predefined messages to either the customer or the support agent during a workflow. This is helpful for sharing instructions, confirmations, or internal notes.

Send as private message

• When enabled: Sends the message as a private note to the agent (not visible to the customer).
• When disabled (default): Sends the message to the customer.

Content

This is a required field where you compose your message. It supports:

• Text formatting (bold, italic, underline)
• Emojis, links, and line breaks

You can write messages like:

• “Welcome! How can we assist you today?” (to be sent to a customer)

  
  
  

• “Customer doesn’t have a license. Provide basic support and assign to the Sales team for follow-up.” (to be sent privately to the agent)

  
  
  

Send email to the recipients

• The Send Email action block allows you to send emails to selected recipients as part of a workflow.

• It helps improve communication by automatically sending emails at the right moment during the process, ensuring timely and efficient updates.

  
  
  

Updating conversation fields

Use the Update Conversation Field action block to refresh chat fields configured for your brand’s workflow. It automatically assigns the necessary values without requiring any user input. You can update these fields at any stage of the workflow.

Configuration options

Value types

There are two types of values that can be assigned to a chat field:

• Static value: A fixed value that is entered directly in the UI. Based on the selected chat field type, the appropriate input control (e.g., textbox, date picker, dropdown, etc.) will be rendered.
• Dynamic value: Uses the value stored in a temporary field that was created and populated earlier in the workflow — either through an input block (e.g., text input, button, dropdown, etc.) or via a Trigger Webhook block.

• Example 1: Temporary fields disabled
• API Field Name: Priority (a chat field mapped to the brand associated with the workflow).
• Use Temporary Fields: Disabled.
• Value: Medium (a static value selected from the dropdown options configured for the chosen API field name).

In this setup, a fixed value (Medium) is assigned directly to the Priority field without using a temporary field.

Example 2: Temporary fields enabled

• API Field Name: Category (a chat field mapped to the brand associated with the workflow).
• Use Temporary Fields: Enabled.
• Value: tf_category (a temporary field created earlier in the workflow, typically through an input block).

In this setup, the value stored in the selected temporary field (tf_category) will be assigned to the Category chat field.
Ensure the value inside the temporary field exactly matches one of the valid options configured for the selected API field name.

Integrating with external systems via webhooks

The Trigger Webhook block allows workflows to send HTTP requests to external systems by calling a configured webhook URL. This enables real-time integration with third-party services for automating processes, syncing data, or validating information dynamically.

By configuring request details such as URL, method, headers, and payload, workflows can seamlessly communicate with external APIs.

The webhook response can then be used to influence workflow logic or update conversation fields.

Auto-assigning conversations to agents

The Trigger Auto-Assignment block allows you to automatically assign conversations to agents, groups, or a specific agent within a team. It helps streamline routing and ensures the right person or team handles the conversation based on your workflow configuration.

You can configure the assignment logic using modes like evenly distributed round robin or load-based round robin, depending on how you want chats to be distributed.

Managing messaging during workflow execution

The Manage Inputs block allows you to control who can send messages during workflow execution. You can configure input permissions for the requester (customer), agent, or system.

Use this block to temporarily disable or enable input from specific participants (agent, customer or system) or to pause messages during specific processing steps in the workflow.

• Requester Input: When enabled, the requester is allowed to send messages while the workflow is active.

• Agent Input: When enabled, the agent is allowed to send messages while the workflow is active.

• System Messages: When enabled, automated system messages are allowed while the workflow is active.

  
  
  

Set Assignee to conversation

The Set Assignee block allows you to assign, update, or remove the assignee for a conversation at any time through the block settings. This ensures that conversations are directed to the right person or team.

Navigate To Block

Navigate To Block allows the workflow to jump directly to another block within the same workflow.
This is essential for building interactive flows such as menus, repeatable loops, or alternate paths.

Common Use Case: Interactive Menu

Example flow:

• Send Message → Show list of product options
• Input Block → Capture customer selection
• Navigate To Block → Route to product details block
• Another Navigate To Block → Return to main menu

Explore further instructions about Navigate to Block in Chat Workflows.

FAQs

1. Can I build a main menu that customers can revisit during a chat?
   Yes. Use Navigate To Block to route to a menu block, then add another Navigate To Block in each detail path to return to the same menu.

2. Does disabling requester input stop the workflow?
   No. The workflow continues running. It only prevents the customer from sending messages until the block completes.

3. Can I assign a chat to multiple agents using Set Assignee in the workflow?
   No. BoldDesk supports assigning each conversation to one agent or one group at a time.

4. Can Trigger Auto-Assignment override an existing assignee?
   No. Auto-assignment only runs when a conversation has no current assignee.

Related Article

• Streamline Your Live Chat: Automate Messages Today
• Update Conversation Field Based on Details Provided by Customer in Workflow
• Understanding User Input Block configurations