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10. The Apps
Getting Started with Apps
Getting Started with Apps

Where you can find them and how to create them.

Salim Jernite avatar
Written by Salim Jernite
Updated over a week ago

In Clevy OnDemand's platform, the concept of Apps is super powerful.

Apps are a digital front door to all your business processes, no matter the tools you use. Apps are a way to create native experiences of all your 3rd party software in one place, your Employee Experience Platform.

Ask for leave on Workday, Generate Documents through Formstack, download a Payslip on UKG, translate text on Deepl, access today's weather forecasts... We turn any process involving a 3rd party solution into a native conversation-based experience in your employee portal or your Virtual Assistant.

When you set up Apps, you give your SelfService tools Superpowers and highly improve the value for your end-users, letting them access all their software in one place and using Natural Language as a way to trigger them, just as they would do with SIRI or Alexa.

In Clevy OnDemand, Apps are the crossroad between Thee Things: A 3rd party Solution, a Use Case, and one (or more) Search Queries. For instance:

3rd-party Solution (API)

Use Case

Search Query (example)

Workday

Ask for leave

"I'd like to go on leave."

Formstack

Generate Document

"I'd like to generate a certificate."

Formstack

Access Forms

"Show me all my forms accessible."

Weather Forecast

Access Today's Weather

"What's the weather like today."

πŸ’‘ Pro tip: You can thus have different Clevy Apps covering different use cases of the same Software.


1. Accessing Apps in the Marketplace

Clevy's Marketplace is composed of 2 sorts of Apps, Enterprise Apps and Business Apps.

Enterprise Apps need specific set-up as they relate to Enterprise 3rd Party Solutions and cannot be set up in one click from your Clevy OnDemand Platform. (e.g., Cornerstone, Success Factors...). If you want to deploy an Enterprise App in your Clevy OnDemand platform, you can either contact our ISV partner, integrator Partners, or our CSM team to help you get started.

Business Apps are self-service Apps that you can set up directly on your Platform. You can find them in Knowledge Base>Article>Add a new block>Business App

The best way to set up your Apps is through Articles:

  • Create an article

  • Add the App you need using the component "Business Apps", e.g., "Formstack Document." The complete documentation of all the Apps can be accessed here

  • Add the App Search Queries, e.g., "I'd like to access a certificate." so that different queries will trigger the App in your Employee Portal and Virtual Assistant.

  • Save

To create a Shortcut for your App in your Employee Portal and Virtual assistant, select the URL of the Article embedding your App; go, for instance, to your Employee Portal Settings, and go to "Shortcuts."

  • Create a Shortcut

  • Add the software's logo as the Image of the Shortcut.

  • Add the name of the software as the shortcut's App.

  • Add the use case (3 words max) as a description.

  • Add the URL of the Article in the URL Section


2. Develop an App with the Sandbox

Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can create a custom conversational app tailored to your own specific needs!

start: 
say "Hello Stranger! πŸ‘‹"
say Image("https://media4.giphy.com/media/dzaUX7CAG0Ihi/giphy.gif")
say Typing(1500)

say Question(
"Do you want to learn more about CSML?",
buttons=[Button("Let's go πŸ€—") as go]
)
hold

say Typing(1500)
say "You can visit CSML Playground to try it out!"
say Url(
"https://play.csml.dev",
text="πŸ‘‰ CSML Playground"
)
say Typing(1000) goto end

1. Build with CSML Studio, the Conversational Development Suite

CSML Studio is a web application that allows you to build and deploy conversational Apps and software. It is built on top of CSML Engine, the most advanced open-source conversational engine on the market, and lets you create the most complex and interconnected experiences within minutes.

CSML Studio is cloud-based and free to use: you don't need to install anything on your computer or your infrastructure; you can simply create an account and get started!

2. Start simple: create a visual diagram of your target experience

Before starting the actual development process, it's a good idea to start with a simple, visual representation of how the user is supposed to interact with your conversational app (which can either be the full chatbot or just a specific part).

For this stage, you can use wireframing or mind-mapping tools like Mural or Draw.io, to create diagrams that explain how users will interact with each other and with the App. These tools often have a free plan and don't require any installation as they run entirely in the browser.

By starting with a simple, visual diagram, you will be able to get feedback from potential users before proceeding with development so that these processes are streamlined and workable for everyone involved in developing and maintaining the app.MuralDraw.io

3. Time to develop your CSML Flow

Clevy OnDemand can consume CSML flows as part of your conversational app. Once you know what your target experience will look like, you can simply create a free account on CSML Studio and start coding!

Here is a list of resources we have gathered for you:

4. Test and deploy your App on Clevy OnDemand

Once you are ready, you can easily test your App by exporting your CSML Flow and importing it into your Clevy OnDemand workspace. You can then easily test it live in your employee portal or in your Virtual Assistant!

⛔️ In Clevy OnDemand, ....

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