This guide covers the full authoring experience - from navigating the chat interface, to adding and editing cards, to previewing and publishing your chat. If you are working with a multi-lingual chat, the final sections explain how locales affect the authoring workflow.
The Chat Interface
When you open a chat from the All Chats page, you land on the COMPOSE view. The interface has the following areas:
Left sidebar - Navigation tabs for different areas of the chat: COMPOSE (authoring), QUOTAS, DISTRIBUTE, CHAT DATA, REPORTS, and EXPORTS.
Chat tree (left panel) - A hierarchical view of all the elements in your chat. At the top you will find the locale selector (for multi-lingual chats), followed by Input Variables, Hidden Variables, and the main Chat flow section containing your cards. Sections can be expanded or collapsed. Each card shows an icon for its type and a ⋯ menu for card-level actions.
Chat flow (right panel) - A visual representation of the currently selected card. When you click a card in the tree, its full editor opens here so you can edit text, choices, media, settings, and more. An AI suggestion panel may appear on the right side of a card with an APPLY button.
Top bar - Shows the breadcrumb path (All Chats / chat name), the chat's status badge (Published / Unpublished), and action buttons on the right: PUBLISH UPDATES (or PUBLISH for unpublished chats), PREVIEW, a favourites star, the Actions menu (⋯), and a close (X) button.
Bottom bar - Displays alert counts (e.g., "0 Alerts +6 in other locales") and utility icons for preview and clipboard operations.
Adding Cards
To add a card to your chat flow:
Click the + button in the chat tree (blue circle at the bottom of the tree) or the + icon in the Chat flow panel.
A popup will appear showing all available card types, organised into four categories showin
Click the card type you want to add. The card will be inserted into the chat tree and its editor will open in the Chat flow panel.
Message cards | Selection questions | Open ended questions | Other cards |
Text | Single Choice | Numeric Open End | Section |
Image | Multiple Choice | Smart Probe Text | Jump Ahead |
Video | Single Choice Emoji | Text Open End | Participation Marker |
| Multiple Choice Emoji | Image Open End | Redirect |
| Numeric Slider | Video Open End | Recontact |
| Profile Question |
| Quota |
| Single Choice Grid |
| Hidden Variable Assignment |
| Multiple Choice Grid |
| Email Address |
Card Types at a Glance
Message cards deliver content to participants without asking a question. Use Text for written messages, Image for visual content (with EDIT IMAGE and ACTIONS options), and Video for video content. Image and video cards have a FULL SCREEN toggle.
Selection questions ask participants to pick from a set of options. Single Choice allows one answer, Multiple Choice allows several. Emoji variants let you attach emoji icons to each choice. Numeric Slider lets participants select a value on a range. Profile Question collects standard profile attributes (e.g., Age, Gender). Grid cards present a matrix of statements and answer options.
Open ended questions capture free-form responses. Numeric Open End collects a number, Text Open End collects text, Smart Probe Text uses AI to follow up on text answers, and Image/Video Open End let participants upload media as their response.
Other cards support chat logic and flow control. Section groups cards together. Jump Ahead skips to a different point in the chat. Participation Marker records that a participant has reached a specific point. Redirect sends the participant to an external URL. Recontact re-engages participants in a future chat. Quota manages sample quotas. Hidden Variable Assignment sets a variable value behind the scenes. Email Address collects an email.
Editing a Card
Click any card in the tree to open its editor in the Chat flow panel. Depending on the card type, you will see fields such as:
Question or message text - The main content shown to participants.
Choices (for selection cards) - Each choice has its own text field, optional emoji, and optional image. Choices have individual ⋯ menus.
Settings - Card-specific settings like randomize, anchor, mask, exclusive, carousel/grid view, min/max selections. These appear as icons in the card header and in the choice set header.
Display logic - Conditions that control whether the card is shown.
Media - Image or video content with EDIT IMAGE, FULL SCREEN, and ACTIONS options.
Changes are saved automatically as you type.
Managing Cards
Right-click a card (or click its ⋯ menu) in the tree to see card management options:
Add display logic - Set conditions for when this card should appear.
Add item above/below card - Insert a new card directly above or below the current one.
Convert to multi-select - Convert a single-choice card to multiple-choice (or vice versa where applicable).
Duplicate card - Create a copy of the card with all its content.
Rename card - Change the card's label in the tree (this is the internal name, not the question text shown to participants).
Copy card - Copy the card to your clipboard for pasting into another chat.
Delete card - Remove the card from the chat.
Move card up / Move card down - Reorder the card within its section.
Move card to section - Move the card into a different section.
Working with Sections
Sections help you organise your chat into logical groups. To add a section, click the + button and select Section from the Other cards category.
Cards inside a section can be collapsed or expanded in the tree by clicking the section's expand/collapse arrow. You can move cards between sections using the ⋯ menu → Move card to section.
Sections can also have display logic applied, which controls whether the entire group of cards within them is shown.
Variables
The chat tree includes two variable areas at the top:
Input Variables - Variables passed into the chat from external sources (e.g., participant attributes, invitation parameters). These are read-only during the chat.
Hidden Variables - Variables you define within the chat. Use Hidden Variable Assignment cards to set values during the chat flow based on participant responses or logic.
Previewing Your Chat
Click the PREVIEW button in the top bar to see how the chat will look to participants. The preview simulates the participant experience, including any display logic and branching.
Publishing
When your chat is ready, click PUBLISH (for a new chat) or PUBLISH UPDATES (for changes to a previously published chat). Publishing makes the chat available for distribution via invitations, reminders, and links.
Chat-level Actions
Click the Actions menu (⋯) in the top bar for chat-level operations:
Edit chat settings - Change the chat name, default locale, additional locales, and chat category.
Export chat script - Export the chat as a .yaml script file (with or without media references).
Bulk edit chat - Download a spreadsheet to edit card text in bulk, then re-import it.
Populate empty fields for additional locales (multi-lingual chats only) - Auto-fill empty locale-specific fields with the default locale content.
Authoring a Multi-lingual Chat
If your chat has multiple locales, the authoring experience adds a few additional elements. Everything above still applies - this section describes the locale-specific extensions.
Switching Between Locales
In the chat tree, you will see a locale selector dropdown at the top. It shows the currently selected locale with a country flag and locale name. Your default locale is labelled DEFAULT. Click the dropdown to switch to any other locale. When you switch, a confirmation toast will appear: "Now viewing the [Locale Name] version of the chat." Secondary locales with incomplete translations will show a warning icon (⚠️) in the dropdown.
How Cards Work Across Locales
Adding a card in any locale automatically creates it in all locales at the same position with the same label.
Deleting a card in any locale removes it from all locales.
Moving a card or changing card order reflects across all locales.
Duplicating a card creates a copy in all locales, preserving the locale-specific content for each locale.
Editing Locale-specific Content
When you open a card, you will see fields that are locale-specific (e.g., question text, choice text, media). Edit these in each locale independently:
Select the default locale and enter your content.
Switch to each secondary locale and enter the translated or locale-specific content.
Tip: When you first switch to a secondary locale, fields are auto-populated with the default locale's values. You can override them with locale-specific content. Once you have customised a field in a secondary locale, editing the default locale will not overwrite your customisation.
Global Elements (Globe Icon)
Elements marked with a 🌐 globe icon are global - they apply to all locales. Changing a global element in one locale updates it everywhere. Global elements include:
Card settings: randomize, anchor, mask, exclusive, carousel/grid view, image gallery
Min/max selection limits
Display logic rules
Section structure and card order
Hidden variable assignments
For a full reference of which elements are global vs locale-specific for every card type, see the Global vs Locale-specific Elements guide.
Warnings for Incomplete Translations
If you leave locale-specific fields empty in any secondary locale, the authoring interface will show a warning icon (⚠️) next to each affected card in the tree and next to the locale in the locale selector dropdown. The bottom of the chat tree shows a count of alerts (e.g., "3 Alerts +3 in other locales"). Resolve these warnings by entering content for all locales before publishing.
Tip: Use the Actions → Populate empty fields for additional locales option to auto-fill empty locale-specific fields with default locale content as a starting point for translation.