Setting up an Alexa channel

Create Pega Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA) for Alexa so that users can interact with a Pega Platform application to ask questions, report an issue, or step through a process by using voice commands. For example, with an IVA for Alexa, users can create a case to inquire about a car price estimate or to book a flight.

Before you begin: Create an Alexa skill definition in the Amazon developer portal. For more information, see Creating an Alexa skill definition.

The default chatbot skill configuration results include sample intent schema, a list of answers for all questions, and content for sample utterances that helps users order a pizza. The sample utterances also include unknown definitions for unknown responses. They force the Alexa chatbot to say "I don't understand" for responses that it does not understand.

  1. In the header of Dev Studio, click the name of the application, and then click Channels and interfaces.
  2. In the Create new channel interface section, click Alexa.
  3. In the Channel interface name field in the Details section, enter a name for your Alexa channel.
  4. Optional: In the Description field, describe the purpose for your IVA for Alexa.
  5. In the Alexa channel, click the Connection tab.
  6. In the Alexa application ID field, enter the application ID for the Amazon Alexa skill that you saved to a file when you created an Alexa skill definition.
    You specify the application ID value that was previously generated in the Amazon developer portal. For more information, see Creating an Alexa skill definition.
  7. In the Template operator ID list, click the name of an existing Pega Platform operator to use as the template.
    This value is used as a template from which you create all accounts. Each account has a unique Alexa identifier as its ID. For more information, see Template operator for IVA channel.
  8. Click Save, and then generate the default skill configuration results for the chatbot by clicking Generate configuration.
    This information is later added to the Amazon Alexa skill definition that you created.
  9. Save the information from the Intent Schema section to a temporary file.
  10. Save the information from the LIST_OF_ANSWERS_FOR_ALL_QUESTIONS section to a temporary file.
  11. Save the information from the Sample Utterances section to a temporary file.
  12. Optional: If you update the chatbot case and response command content, click Generate configuration on the Connection tab, and then copy the generated content to the Amazon skill definition.
    Note: Do not modify the unknown responses.
What to do next: In the Amazon developer portal, update the Alexa skill configuration with the generated intent schema, list of answers for all questions, and sample utterances. For more information, see Updating the Alexa skill configuration.