App Management

This article discusses the main features that allow you to manage your Virtual Assistant (VA) at a high level. These include Importing, Exporting, and Deleting assistants, as well as viewing change logs.

To learn more about Variables and how to use them, see Using Bot Variables.

Importing and Exporting Assistants

Kore.ai allows you to export and import assistant tasks and associated configurations into another assistant. This feature helps you in the migration of VA definitions, cloning of assistants, or maintaining a periodic backup of VA definitions.

This feature is particularly helpful to test various versions of your assistant at different stages of the development process before it is released for end users. The articles in this section help you understand how the Export and Import features work and how to perform them.

Note

Post v8.0 release, the enableNegativePatterns flag will be included in ‘NLP Settings’ under ‘NLP Data’ in the exported and imported VA definitions. This flag is used to check if the Negative Patterns are enabled/disabled in the assistant.

Prior to this patch, this flag was part of ‘NLP Settings’ under ‘NLP Data’ in the imported VA definitions and ‘Bot Setting’ under ‘Setting’ in the exported VA definitions. This change is aimed at streamlining the functionality and might result in the failure to the incremental import of a VA from an export file generated before v8.0.

Importing an Assistant

You can import tasks and configurations of a specific assistant into a new or existing assistant using one of these import types:

• Full import: Replaces the existing assistant with the imported configurations. Any additional configurations in the target assistant that are not present in the import definition will be deleted. An exception to this rule is the webhook channel, which will be retained even if not present in the import VA definition.

  Note

  We strongly recommend you exercise caution and take a backup of the target assistant before importing using this option.

• Incremental import: Upgrades the current assistant with the configurations available in the import file. Any additional configurations available in the target or imported VA are retained. You can select specific VA components to import from the VA tasks, NLP data, and VA settings. Refer to the Bot Items in the Incremental Import table at the end of the article to learn how the imported VA items replace the target VA’s items in incremental import.

Before you Begin The config.json file consists of variables that need values for the target assistant. Share the file with the relevant developers or enter suitable values yourself for the variables before importing the VA definition into a new VA.

Steps in Importing to an Existing Assistant

To import a Virtual Assistant, follow these steps:

1. Open the assistant you want to import.
2. Select the Deploy tab from the left menu.
3. Select Import & Export under DEPLOY MANAGEMENT.
4. On the Import & Export page, select the Import tab.

5. You can choose one of the below import options:

   • Import by uploading individual JSON files:

     1. Choose the JSON Files radio button.
     2. Click the Choose File buttons next to the App Definition File field and App Config File fields, and upload the appDefinition.json and config.json files, respectively.
     3. Optionally, upload the custom script file from the imported assistant, if any. The file size is limited to 500kb.

     

   • Import by uploading a ZIP file:

     1. Choose the Zip File radio button.
     2. Through the Choose File button, browse and import the Zip file. This option allows you to import an app by directly importing the zip file created at the time of Export without having to unzip it.

     

6. Select one of these import options: Full Import or Incremental Import. You will get a warning to back up your assistant before performing the import.

7. If you select Full import, the VA definition in the in-development copy will be overwritten with the definition in the import file.

   • If the assistant contains one or more additional tasks or languages that are not present in the import definition, these tasks will be marked as deleted and removed when the VA is published.

   • For Generative AI and LLM features, Full import:

     • Deletes existing models and prompts in the target app.
     • Overwrites with models, prompts, and GenAI features from the import file.
     • Retains model configurations if a model exists in both source and target
     • Replaces all feature mappings, custom instructions, guardrails, and DialogGPT.
     • Preserve existing integrations.
     • Import XO-GPT integration as-is.
     • Enable imported features with warnings.
     • Handle Azure Open AI by Kore.ai integration based on token status.

8. If you select Incremental import, you can choose which components to import.

   

   • Flows: Here you can select the flows to be imported.

   • Automation Tasks: Here, you can select to import Tasks only (with or without comments), Dialog tasks, Digital Forms, Small Talk, or FAQs.

     Note

     If you want to import one or more Automation Tasks, also select the NLP Data settings, as they are linked. For example, the utterances assigned to dialog tasks are not imported if you don’t select the NLP Data settings, causing problems in identifying the dialog properly.

   • NLP Data: Here you can import Synonyms, Concepts, Traits, Rules, Utterances, Patterns, and Standard Responses. ML Utterances and Patterns can either be Appended or Replaced.

     1. Append can be used when the utterances in the file should be imported into the assistant, and any additional utterances in the VA should be retained (this is the default behavior).

     2. Replace can be used when the utterances in the file should be imported into the assistant. Any additional utterances will be removed.

        If you are also importing Tasks, the additional utterances related to tasks being imported will be removed.

        

     3. The imported Traits, Synonyms, and Concepts will replace those in the target VA. Rules can be imported along with their tagged dialog tasks.

   • Settings: App Settings, App Variables, Voice Call Properties, Generative AI and LLM. The Generative AI and LLM setting includes:

     • Integrations
     • Prompts and Requests Library
     • Feature Mappings
     • Guardrails
     • DialogGPT (Conversation Types and Configurations)

   • Custom Dashboards: This is useful in case you have created custom dashboards under the Analyze section and want to import them to the new VA as well.

   • Agent AI Dashboards: Here you can select the Agent coaching rules, Checklists, and their configurations.

   • On the confirmation dialog that opens, click Backup to download the existing assistant configuration.

     

     Note

     While backing up is an optional choice, we strongly recommend you do so, especially when choosing Full Import, as you cannot recover the configurations after the imported assistant replaces them.

9. Click Proceed to start the import.

10. After the import is completed, a success message appears. Click Done.

    Note

    App import would fail if the assistant has been restored but not published after the restore.

Creating a New Assistant Using the Import Option

To import a VA while creating it, follow these steps:

1. On the landing page, click New App. Select Import App from the popup menu.

   

2. The Get Started screen appears. Select Automation AI by clicking the Try now button on the tile.

   

3. Enter an App Name. Optionally, set an app icon.

4. You can choose one of the below import options:

   • Import by uploading individual JSON files:

     1. Choose the JSON Files radio button.
     2. Click the Choose File buttons next to the Bot Definition File field and Bot Config File field, and upload the appDefinition.json and config.json files respectively.
     3. Optionally, upload the custom script file from the imported assistant if any. The file size is limited to 500kb.

   • Import by uploading ZIP file:

     1. Choose the Zip File radio button.
     2. Through the Choose File button, browse and import the Zip file. Using this option you can import an app by directly importing the zip file created at the time of Export, without having to unzip.

5. Click Create App when ready.

   

Components in the Incremental Import

COMPONENT	DESCRIPTION
Tasks with the same Reference ID	Imported tasks replace the tasks in the target assistant, and their status changes to Configured, regardless of their current status (including Suspended and Rejected tasks).
Tasks in the source assistant with a different Reference ID	These tasks are created in the target assistant with the same Reference ID.
Tasks in the target assistant with a different Reference ID	These tasks stay intact.
Utterances, Patterns, and Task-level Synonyms	Imported utterances, patterns, and task-level synonyms replace the ones in the target assistant and apply them to the imported tasks. Published models in the target assistant stay intact.
App Synonyms and Standard Responses	Existing VA synonyms, and standard responses in the target assistant are replaced with the imported ones.
Synonyms, Concepts, and Traits	They are imported from the source VA along with all their underlying terms and replace the ones in the target VA.
Rules	Rules will be imported only if their tagged dialog tasks are imported. Note: On-Prem customers can import the NLP components (Synonyms, Concepts, Rules, Traits) from a source VA of a higher version to a target VA of a lower version by checking the NLP Settings checkbox. However, Rules won’t import unless the tagged dialog tasks are also imported.
Generative AI and LLM	– Keeps existing prompts, only adds new ones. – Replaces all feature mappings, custom instructions, Guardrail, and DailogGPT. – Preserve existing integrations. – Import XO-GPT integration as-is. – Enable imported features with warnings. – Handle "Azure Open AI by Kore.ai" integration based on token status.

Exporting an Assistant

You can export a VA’s definition and configuration using the Export option.

Note

Forward Compatibility is NOT SUPPORTED. That is, Export from a lower (not an end-of-life) version to a higher supported version is allowed for all the virtual assistants. However, a VA export from a higher environment and import to an environment running a lower version or lower patch is not supported.

When you export an assistant, it downloads a zipped file with the following parameters:

• appDefinition.json: Includes metadata, tasks, VA and task-level synonyms, utterances, patterns, knowledge graph, standard responses, flows, and IDPs. You can select specific items to export from tasks, NLP data – NLP settings, utterances, standard responses – and Settings – VA settings, variables, IVR settings- while exporting the assistant.
• config.json: Includes App settings, App variables, and IVR settings.
• Icon.png: Includes the assistant icon.
• <Custom ScriptFile Name.js> (if available): Includes a script file with JavaScript functions. When you upload this file, you can access the functions in the file from anywhere in the assistant.

Note

The assistant and its components are given unique Reference IDs during export. These IDs help the platform to identify matching tasks in the target VA and update them.

Export Modes

You can export assistants in two modes: Published and Latest Version. Depending on the mode that is selected, the corresponding versions of the tasks are exported. You can select specific components to export from the tasks, NLP data, and VA settings in both modes. Further individual Tasks can also be selected.

Published Mode

When you export a VA in the Published mode, only the published versions of the tasks are exported, regardless of any other existing versions. For example, if a VA consists of a published version of a task and also version in Upgrade in Progress, only the published version gets exported. Refer to the table below to understand which versions of the tasks are exported in the Published mode:

Task	Status
In Progress	Not exported If a task is in progress for development, it isn’t exported in the Published mode.
Configured	Not exported If the task configuration is complete but not published for use, it doesn’t get exported in the Published mode.
Published	Exported All published tasks get exported
Upgrade in Progress	Not exported Task upgrade configurations that are in progress do not get exported. Only the published configurations get exported.
Rejected	Not exported Task configurations rejected by admins do not get exported.
Suspended	Not exported Suspended tasks do not get exported.

Note

In Dialog tasks, only the nodes in the Published status get exported.

Latest Version

When you export a VA in the Latest mode, the latest versions of the tasks get exported, regardless of their publishing status. For example, if a VA consists of a published version of a task and also the version in Upgrade in Progress, the Upgrade in Progress version gets exported, whereas if it just has a Configured version, the configured version is exported. Refer to the table below to understand which versions of the tasks are exported in the Latest mode:

Task	Status
In Progress	Exported if it is the only available version Not Exported if a later version exists
Configured	Exported if it is the only available version Not Exported if a later version exists
Published	Exported if it is the only available version Not Exported if a later version exists
Upgrade in Progress	Exported regardless of any other task version in the assistant
Rejected	Not exported Task configurations rejected by admins do not get exported
Suspended	Not exported Suspended tasks do not get exported

Steps in Exporting the Assistant

1. Open the assistant you want to export.
2. Select the Deploy tab from the left menu.
3. Select Import & Export under DEPLOY MANAGEMENT.
4. On the Import & Export page, select the Export tab.
5. In the Export tab, select either Published or Latest Version exporting mode.

6. By default, all the components are selected for export. Deselect the items that you do not want to export.

   

7. For Automation Tasks, you can further choose to export only selected tasks. By default All Tasks are selected.

   Note

   If you want to export one or more Bot Tasks, also select the NLP Data settings, as they are linked. For example, the utterances assigned to dialog tasks are not exported if you don’t select the NLP Data settings, causing problems in identifying the dialog properly.

8. You can also choose to Include dependent tasks or not for export. The existence of these will be checked before import and the import will fail if the dependent tasks are missing. These dependent tasks include the following:

   • Linked Dialogs i.e. dialog nodes present in the definition of another dialog;
   • Dialogs linked in defining ‘Behavior on Exceeding Retries’ for IVR Properties of any node of the dialog;
   • Dialog linked as part of sub-intent / interruption settings;

   • Any other scenario where a dialog execution could fail if a dependent task is not included;

     

9. Click Export. The export happens in the background and the Download button gets activated after it is complete. Click Download to download the file to your local computer.

Exported App Components

When you export a VA, the following components get exported, depending on your Latest or Published Mode selection:

Flows
Start Flows	System-created conversational start flow for calls and chat
Exis Flows	System Created Flow to handle No Agents Available in Voice and Chat System-created flow to handle Out Of Operational Hours in Voice and Chat
Automation Tasks
Alert Tasks, Dialog Task, Digital Forms, FAQs, Small Talks	Task Definition (Action, Alert, Information, and Dialog) Synonyms (Task, Field, and Entity) Patterns (Task, Field, and Entity)
Natural Language
NL Model	The Advanced NLP Settings and Ignore words and Field memory. The Advanced NLP Settings ( Natural Language > Advanced Settings) include the following: Auto-train settings for ML Utterances Multiple intent detection settings Threshold and Configurations settings for Fundamental meaning Knowledge Graph Machine Learning Concepts, Synonyms, and traits, even if no tasks are specifically selected Rules, only if you are exporting the corresponding dialog tasks too.
Utterances	All the utterances of all the enabled languages
Standard Responses	All the standard responses of the assistant in all enabled languages
Settings
App Settings	The following information from the App Settings page: General Settings App name, description, and VA synonyms for each enabled language Language selection time frame (App Settings > Language Management) Welcome message Hold and Resume settings (App level) Custom Script file Tenancy URLs Error messages Task setup and execution settings (for executing tasks using UI forms).
App Variables	All the global and content variables present in the assistant, along with their values.
Voice Call Properties	Configurations of all voice channels.
Generative AI and LLM	Integrations Prompts and Requests Library Feature Mappings Guardrails DialogGPT (Conversation Types and Configurations)
Custom Dashboard
Agent AI Dashboard
Agent Coaching	Agent coaching rules and their configurations
Agent Playbook	Checklists and their configurations

Related Links

Deleting an App
Viewing the Change Log

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