cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Reply
LindaP
Regular Visitor

Is it possible to reconnect the user to a conversation with a Power Virtual Agent and retain the context and previous chat history?

Hi There!

Using Power Virtual Agents, is possible to reconnect the user to a conversation, retaining both the context and previous chat history?

For example,

  • If the user leaves the website by accidentally closing their browser. Is it possible for the user to continue their session when they revisit the site?
  • If the user opens a new tab within the same domain, is it possible for the chatbot conversation to follow them?

The Azure bot service supports reconnecting to a conversation. Is this available for Power Virtual Agents?

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bot-service/rest-api/bot-framework-rest-direct-line-3-0-recon...

Is the Conversation ID available as a property to the hosting website to store for the user?

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bot-service/bot-service-resources-identifiers-guide?view=azur...

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
renatoromao
Most Valuable Professional
Most Valuable Professional

Hi @LindaP ,

 

I created a workflow to solve your problem. (if you are using a Custom canvas)

Please, follow the steps below:

 

Power Automate steps

1. Download the template here: https://bit.ly/PVA-GetConversationTranscript

2. Open flow.microsoft.com

3. Open Solutions (left menu)

4. Import my solution in your environment

5. Open the solution and click on the workflow

6. Turn on the workflow

7. Edit the workflow

8. Find the action called "Compose - Filter days in the past", I inserted "-7" to search seven days in the past because if you are filtering more than 7, maybe your workflow will be loaded up to 2 minutes and Power Virtual Agents will be shown the error. If you want to search for conversations for more than 7 days, test before implementing this feature and remember to insert subtract value before your day like "-10" (ten days in the past).

9.  Find the action called "List records - Conversation Transcript entity" and select your credentials (is not need to change the environment or entity)

10. Done.

 

Custom Canvas

Important: This solution will be work if you are using inside Custom Canvas, like Custom website, Power Apps Portals, SharePoint, or something like that.

1. Add this code inside your custom canvas: https://powervirtualagents.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/change-your-power-virtual-agents-default-canvas-...

2. Change the fetch method to my code below (only fetch code)

 

New fetch code

fetch(theURL)
            .then(response => response.json())
            .then(conversationInfo => {
                window.WebChat.renderWebChat(
                    {
                        directLine: window.WebChat.createDirectLine({
                            token: conversationInfo.token,
                        }),
                        store: store,
                        styleOptions: styleOptions,
                        overrideLocalizedStrings: {
                            TEXT_INPUT_PLACEHOLDER: 'Type your message'
                        }
                    },
                    document.getElementById('webchat')
                );
                $("#webchat input").parent().parent().parent().append("<div id='conversationId'><span>"+conversationInfo.conversationId+"</span></div>")

            })
            .catch(err => console.error("An error occurred: " + err));

 

3. The idea is the user saves the current Conversation Id if he wants to restore this conversation in the future (like a code number). He can save in your notes and personal documents and in the future, if he wants to see the last conversation, he just sends this code.


conversationid-codesample.png

 

4. Insert this CSS code to improve the layout

 

div#conversationId {
    padding: 0 10px;
    color: #888787;
    font-size: 13px;
    text-align: center;
}

 

5. Done.

 

Power Virtual Agents steps

Important: This solution will be work if you are using inside Custom Canvas, like Custom website, Power Apps Portals, SharePoint, or something like that.

1. Open Greeting topic or your Starter topic

2. Create a question with two options
Question: "Do you want to restore a conversation?"
Options: Yes/No
3. If Yes, create a question with identity type "User's entire response" and change the name of variable like "ConversationId". The idea is the user saves the current Conversation Id if he wants to restore this conversation in the future (like a code number).
5. Create an action calling my workflow (Power Automate) using the ConversationId variable like the input parameter.
6. Create a show message and select the variable ConversationHistory (Power Automate output)

7. Done.

 

I hope this solution helps you to do your scenario.


Did I answer your question? Mark my post as a solution!
Thanks!

Renato Romão,

Connect with me here 😉

Power Virtual Agents course (+3.250 students) : English | Português

View solution in original post

10 REPLIES 10
renatoromao
Most Valuable Professional
Most Valuable Professional

Hi @LindaP ,

 

Unfortunately, we can't do it yet.

You can maintain the history in some channels like Microsoft Teams and Facebook because the chat maintains the historical inside the channel. But if you are using the browser, demo website, or something like that, you will lose the conversation.

 

I created the idea here: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/Power-Virtual-Agents-Ideas/Reconnect-the-conversation-with-user-...

Please, vote and make this answer as the solution to many users' votes.

---

Thanks!
Renato Romão
https://www.linkedin.com/in/renatoromao/


Did I answer your question? Mark my post as a solution!
Thanks!

Renato Romão,

Connect with me here 😉

Power Virtual Agents course (+3.250 students) : English | Português

Thanks @renatoromao . You have confirmed what I thought was not possible yet. Thank you.

 

Have already cast my vote for the idea.

renatoromao
Most Valuable Professional
Most Valuable Professional

You're welcome! @LindaP 

Please, Accept this answer as the solution.

 

---

Thanks!
Renato Romão
https://www.linkedin.com/in/renatoromao/


Did I answer your question? Mark my post as a solution!
Thanks!

Renato Romão,

Connect with me here 😉

Power Virtual Agents course (+3.250 students) : English | Português
RezaDorrani
Community Champion
Community Champion

Hi @LindaP and @renatoromao 

 

There is a ConversationHistory entity in CDS that stores information of the user interaction with the bot in json format.

Not sure about anonymous conversations but if user does authenticate I believe that token info is available and one could leverage flow to query the CDS entity to check the last conversation the bot had with the user.

 

@renatoromao thoughts?

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If this post helps answer your question, please click on “Accept as Solution” to help other members find it more quickly. If you thought this post was helpful, please give it a Thumbs Up.

Thanks,
Reza Dorrani, MVP
YouTube
Twitter

renatoromao
Most Valuable Professional
Most Valuable Professional

Great idea @RezaDorrani , but we have a limitation to restore the history to the user 😞

 

But if @LindaP  follow your idea, she can use the authentication to get the user token during the conversation and if the connection has been lost, she can create automation using Power Automate when the record is created on Common Data Service entity called ConversationTranscript, she can read the JSON inside the "Content" field and get the token and identify which user has this token and send the email to him.

It's complex, but works (I think) 🙂 

 

- Create Authentication inside your topic

- Create a workflow inside Power Automate with the trigger "When an item created" (something like that) inside Common Data Service, your bot environment, entity called "ConversationTranscript"

- Create Parse JSON action to get the user token inside the conversation


Did I answer your question? Mark my post as a solution!
Thanks!

Renato Romão,

Connect with me here 😉

Power Virtual Agents course (+3.250 students) : English | Português

@renatoromao 

 

No doubt complicated but should provide the required results.

 

Key here is user authentication because without that it will not be possible to read the users last conversation data.

Also, I beleive conversation history stores data upto a Month only, so the user has to have made their last interaction with the bot within that timespan.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If this post helps answer your question, please click on “Accept as Solution” to help other members find it more quickly. If you thought this post was helpful, please give it a Thumbs Up.

Thanks,
Reza Dorrani, MVP
YouTube
Twitter

Thanks for the idea @RezaDorrani. This could work for the scenario where the user is authenticated to the bot.

 

The scenario that I am trying to resolve is for a non-authenticated user.

 

It would be helpful to have the ConversationId exposed during the chat session so the website could store it in the user's cookies. For example, when the user revisits the website then the bot could try and retrieve the conversation using the stored ConversationId via a Flow and CDS lookup (if within the retention period). Otherwise, start a new conversation if a ConversationId is not stored. I am no website expert, but it was just my idea of how it could potentially work.

renatoromao
Most Valuable Professional
Most Valuable Professional

Hi @LindaP ,

 

I created a workflow to solve your problem. (if you are using a Custom canvas)

Please, follow the steps below:

 

Power Automate steps

1. Download the template here: https://bit.ly/PVA-GetConversationTranscript

2. Open flow.microsoft.com

3. Open Solutions (left menu)

4. Import my solution in your environment

5. Open the solution and click on the workflow

6. Turn on the workflow

7. Edit the workflow

8. Find the action called "Compose - Filter days in the past", I inserted "-7" to search seven days in the past because if you are filtering more than 7, maybe your workflow will be loaded up to 2 minutes and Power Virtual Agents will be shown the error. If you want to search for conversations for more than 7 days, test before implementing this feature and remember to insert subtract value before your day like "-10" (ten days in the past).

9.  Find the action called "List records - Conversation Transcript entity" and select your credentials (is not need to change the environment or entity)

10. Done.

 

Custom Canvas

Important: This solution will be work if you are using inside Custom Canvas, like Custom website, Power Apps Portals, SharePoint, or something like that.

1. Add this code inside your custom canvas: https://powervirtualagents.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/change-your-power-virtual-agents-default-canvas-...

2. Change the fetch method to my code below (only fetch code)

 

New fetch code

fetch(theURL)
            .then(response => response.json())
            .then(conversationInfo => {
                window.WebChat.renderWebChat(
                    {
                        directLine: window.WebChat.createDirectLine({
                            token: conversationInfo.token,
                        }),
                        store: store,
                        styleOptions: styleOptions,
                        overrideLocalizedStrings: {
                            TEXT_INPUT_PLACEHOLDER: 'Type your message'
                        }
                    },
                    document.getElementById('webchat')
                );
                $("#webchat input").parent().parent().parent().append("<div id='conversationId'><span>"+conversationInfo.conversationId+"</span></div>")

            })
            .catch(err => console.error("An error occurred: " + err));

 

3. The idea is the user saves the current Conversation Id if he wants to restore this conversation in the future (like a code number). He can save in your notes and personal documents and in the future, if he wants to see the last conversation, he just sends this code.


conversationid-codesample.png

 

4. Insert this CSS code to improve the layout

 

div#conversationId {
    padding: 0 10px;
    color: #888787;
    font-size: 13px;
    text-align: center;
}

 

5. Done.

 

Power Virtual Agents steps

Important: This solution will be work if you are using inside Custom Canvas, like Custom website, Power Apps Portals, SharePoint, or something like that.

1. Open Greeting topic or your Starter topic

2. Create a question with two options
Question: "Do you want to restore a conversation?"
Options: Yes/No
3. If Yes, create a question with identity type "User's entire response" and change the name of variable like "ConversationId". The idea is the user saves the current Conversation Id if he wants to restore this conversation in the future (like a code number).
5. Create an action calling my workflow (Power Automate) using the ConversationId variable like the input parameter.
6. Create a show message and select the variable ConversationHistory (Power Automate output)

7. Done.

 

I hope this solution helps you to do your scenario.


Did I answer your question? Mark my post as a solution!
Thanks!

Renato Romão,

Connect with me here 😉

Power Virtual Agents course (+3.250 students) : English | Português

Hi! Do you have a still active link for this, please? 

Helpful resources

Announcements

Exclusive LIVE Community Event: Power Apps Copilot Coffee Chat with Copilot Studio Product Team

  It's time for the SECOND Power Apps Copilot Coffee Chat featuring the Copilot Studio product team, which will be held LIVE on April 3, 2024 at 9:30 AM Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).     This is an incredible opportunity to connect with members of the Copilot Studio product team and ask them anything about Copilot Studio. We'll share our special guests with you shortly--but we want to encourage to mark your calendars now because you will not want to miss the conversation.   This live event will give you the unique opportunity to learn more about Copilot Studio plans, where we’ll focus, and get insight into upcoming features. We’re looking forward to hearing from the community, so bring your questions!   TO GET ACCESS TO THIS EXCLUSIVE AMA: Kudo this post to reserve your spot! Reserve your spot now by kudoing this post.  Reservations will be prioritized on when your kudo for the post comes through, so don't wait! Click that "kudo button" today.   Invitations will be sent on April 2ndUsers posting Kudos after April 2nd at 9AM PDT may not receive an invitation but will be able to view the session online after conclusion of the event. Give your "kudo" today and mark your calendars for April 3, 2024 at 9:30 AM PDT and join us for an engaging and informative session!

Tuesday Tip: Unlocking Community Achievements and Earning Badges

TUESDAY TIPS are our way of communicating helpful things we've learned or shared that have helped members of the Community. Whether you're just getting started or you're a seasoned pro, Tuesday Tips will help you know where to go, what to look for, and navigate your way through the ever-growing--and ever-changing--world of the Power Platform Community! We cover basics about the Community, provide a few "insider tips" to make your experience even better, and share best practices gleaned from our most active community members and Super Users.   With so many new Community members joining us each week, we'll also review a few of our "best practices" so you know just "how" the Community works, so make sure to watch the News & Announcements each week for the latest and greatest Tuesday Tips!     THIS WEEK'S TIP: Unlocking Achievements and Earning BadgesAcross the Communities, you'll see badges on users profile that recognize and reward their engagement and contributions. These badges each signify a different achievement--and all of those achievements are available to any Community member! If you're a seasoned pro or just getting started, you too can earn badges for the great work you do. Check out some details on Community badges below--and find out more in the detailed link at the end of the article!       A Diverse Range of Badges to Collect The badges you can earn in the Community cover a wide array of activities, including: Kudos Received: Acknowledges the number of times a user’s post has been appreciated with a “Kudo.”Kudos Given: Highlights the user’s generosity in recognizing others’ contributions.Topics Created: Tracks the number of discussions initiated by a user.Solutions Provided: Celebrates the instances where a user’s response is marked as the correct solution.Reply: Counts the number of times a user has engaged with community discussions.Blog Contributor: Honors those who contribute valuable content and are invited to write for the community blog.       A Community Evolving Together Badges are not only a great way to recognize outstanding contributions of our amazing Community members--they are also a way to continue fostering a collaborative and supportive environment. As you continue to share your knowledge and assist each other these badges serve as a visual representation of your valuable contributions.   Find out more about badges in these Community Support pages in each Community: All About Community Badges - Power Apps CommunityAll About Community Badges - Power Automate CommunityAll About Community Badges - Copilot Studio CommunityAll About Community Badges - Power Pages Community

Tuesday Tips: Powering Up Your Community Profile

TUESDAY TIPS are our way of communicating helpful things we've learned or shared that have helped members of the Community. Whether you're just getting started or you're a seasoned pro, Tuesday Tips will help you know where to go, what to look for, and navigate your way through the ever-growing--and ever-changing--world of the Power Platform Community! We cover basics about the Community, provide a few "insider tips" to make your experience even better, and share best practices gleaned from our most active community members and Super Users.   With so many new Community members joining us each week, we'll also review a few of our "best practices" so you know just "how" the Community works, so make sure to watch the News & Announcements each week for the latest and greatest Tuesday Tips!   This Week's Tip: Power Up Your Profile!  🚀 It's where every Community member gets their start, and it's essential that you keep it updated! Your Community User Profile is how you're able to get messages, post solutions, ask questions--and as you rank up, it's where your badges will appear and how you'll be known when you start blogging in the Community Blog. Your Community User Profile is how the Community knows you--so it's essential that it works the way you need it to! From changing your username to updating contact information, this Knowledge Base Article is your best resource for powering up your profile.     Password Puzzles? No Problem! Find out how to sync your Azure AD password with your community account, ensuring a seamless sign-in. No separate passwords to remember! Job Jumps & Email Swaps Changed jobs? Got a new email? Fear not! You'll find out how to link your shiny new email to your existing community account, keeping your contributions and connections intact. Username Uncertainties Unraveled Picking the perfect username is crucial--and sometimes the original choice you signed up with doesn't fit as well as you may have thought. There's a quick way to request an update here--but remember, your username is your community identity, so choose wisely. "Need Admin Approval" Warning Window? If you see this error message while using the community, don't worry. A simple process will help you get where you need to go. If you still need assistance, find out how to contact your Community Support team. Whatever you're looking for, when it comes to your profile, the Community Account Support Knowledge Base article is your treasure trove of tips as you navigate the nuances of your Community Profile. It’s the ultimate resource for keeping your digital identity in tip-top shape while engaging with the Power Platform Community. So, dive in and power up your profile today!  💪🚀   Community Account Support | Power Apps Community Account Support | Power AutomateCommunity Account Support | Copilot Studio  Community Account Support | Power Pages

Super User of the Month | Chris Piasecki

In our 2nd installment of this new ongoing feature in the Community, we're thrilled to announce that Chris Piasecki is our Super User of the Month for March 2024. If you've been in the Community for a while, we're sure you've seen a comment or marked one of Chris' helpful tips as a solution--he's been a Super User for SEVEN consecutive seasons!   Since authoring his first reply in April 2020 to his most recent achievement organizing the Canadian Power Platform Summit this month, Chris has helped countless Community members with his insights and expertise. In addition to being a Super User, Chris is also a User Group leader, Microsoft MVP, and a featured speaker at the Microsoft Power Platform Conference. His contributions to the new SUIT program, along with his joyous personality and willingness to jump in and help so many members has made Chris a fixture in the Power Platform Community.   When Chris isn't authoring solutions or organizing events, he's actively leading Piasecki Consulting, specializing in solution architecture, integration, DevOps, and more--helping clients discover how to strategize and implement Microsoft's technology platforms. We are grateful for Chris' insightful help in the Community and look forward to even more amazing milestones as he continues to assist so many with his great tips, solutions--always with a smile and a great sense of humor.You can find Chris in the Community and on LinkedIn. Thanks for being such a SUPER user, Chris! 🌠💪

Tuesday Tips: Community Ranks and YOU

TUESDAY TIPS are our way of communicating helpful things we've learned or shared that have helped members of the Community. Whether you're just getting started or you're a seasoned pro, Tuesday Tips will help you know where to go, what to look for, and navigate your way through the ever-growing--and ever-changing--world of the Power Platform Community! We cover basics about the Community, provide a few "insider tips" to make your experience even better, and share best practices gleaned from our most active community members and Super Users.   With so many new Community members joining us each week, we'll also review a few of our "best practices" so you know just "how" the Community works, so make sure to watch the News & Announcements each week for the latest and greatest Tuesday Tips!This Week: Community Ranks--Moving from "Member" to "Community Champion"   Have you ever wondered how your fellow community members ascend the ranks within our community? What sets apart an Advocate from a Helper, or a Solution Sage from a Community Champion? In today’s #TuesdayTip, we’re unveiling the secrets and sharing tips to help YOU elevate your ranking—and why it matters to our vibrant communities. Community ranks serve as a window into a member’s role and activity. They celebrate your accomplishments and reveal whether someone has been actively contributing and assisting others. For instance, a Super User is someone who has been exceptionally helpful and engaged. Some ranks even come with special permissions, especially those related to community management. As you actively participate—whether by creating new topics, providing solutions, or earning kudos—your rank can climb. Each time you achieve a new rank, you’ll receive an email notification. Look out for the icon and rank name displayed next to your username—it’s a badge of honor! Fun fact: Your Community Engagement Team keeps an eye on these ranks, recognizing the most passionate and active community members. So shine brightly with valuable content, and you might just earn well-deserved recognition! Where can you see someone’s rank? When viewing a post, you’ll find a member’s rank to the left of their name.Click on a username to explore their profile, where their rank is prominently displayed. What about the ranks themselves? New members start as New Members, progressing to Regular Visitors, and then Frequent Visitors.Beyond that, we have a categorized system: Kudo Ranks: Earned through kudos (teal icons).Post Ranks: Based on your posts (purple icons).Solution Ranks: Reflecting your solutions (green icons).Combo Ranks: These orange icons combine kudos, solutions, and posts. The top ranks have unique names, making your journey even more exciting! So dive in, collect those kudos, share solutions, and let’s see how high you can rank!  🌟 🚀   Check out the Using the Community boards in each of the communities for more helpful information!  Power Apps, Power Automate, Copilot Studio & Power Pages

Find Out What Makes Super Users So Super

We know many of you visit the Power Platform Communities to ask questions and receive answers. But do you know that many of our best answers and solutions come from Community members who are super active, helping anyone who needs a little help getting unstuck with Business Applications products? We call these dedicated Community members Super Users because they are the real heroes in the Community, willing to jump in whenever they can to help! Maybe you've encountered them yourself and they've solved some of your biggest questions. Have you ever wondered, "Why?"We interviewed several of our Super Users to understand what drives them to help in the Community--and discover the difference it has made in their lives as well! Take a look in our gallery today: What Motivates a Super User? - Power Platform Community (microsoft.com)

Top Solution Authors
Users online (5,868)