Overview
Authoring Assistant converts an existing research guide or survey document into a Rival chat script, so you don't have to build every card by hand. You upload a document, review how it was interpreted, and create a chat from the result.
Authoring Assistant works from your document. It does not write a survey from a prompt, and it is not intended to reword your questions.
Pilot feature: Authoring Assistant is in pilot and is enabled on request. To get access, contact your Customer Success (CS) team. Once it is enabled, New chat from template document appears in the Create menu.
When to use Authoring Assistant
Use it when your questions already exist in a document and you want to avoid retyping them into cards.
Good use cases | Why it works well |
A research guide with questions, answer options and display notes | Questions and choices are carried across instead of retyped |
A survey specification handed over by a client or researcher | You review one generated script rather than building each card |
A recurring activity where only a few details change | Update the document and run it again |
Prepare your document
Authoring Assistant supports .doc, .docx and .txt files up to 100 MB.
Keep each question, its answer options and any display notes together.
Mark the type of each message or question clearly. For example, a document might label a card TEXT ONLY and include a line such as BUTTON: Continue.
Describe logic and routing in plain, specific language.
Keep project details such as dates, audience and sample size separate from participant-facing content. They are usually excluded from the script, which you can confirm during review.
How to create a chat from a document
1. Open the chat creation flow
Go to the All Chats page.
Click CREATE.
Select New chat from template document. It is marked PILOT.
2. Accept the pilot terms
The first time you use the feature, the Participation in Rival Platform's Pilot Features dialog opens. Read the terms and click PROCEED to continue, or CANCEL to exit.
3. Upload your document
In the New chat from document window, drag and drop your file, or click BROWSE FILES.
Your document appears as numbered lines of text so you can confirm you uploaded the right file.
To use a different file, click RESET DOCUMENT.
4. Process the document
Click PROCESS DOCUMENT.
A message confirms that your document is being processed and the button shows PROCESSING.... Keep the window open until it finishes.
5. Check how your document was divided
When processing finishes, your document appears as a series of blocks.
Blocks that are not part of the participant experience, such as project name, dates and target audience, appear as EXCLUDED. The block shows the message This content will be excluded from the script.
Use the status menu on a block to change whether it is included.
Use the scissors icon to split a block that contains content for more than one card.
6. Convert to a Rival script
Click CONVERT TO RIVAL SCRIPT.
A message reads Processing your ranges and the button shows CONVERTING....
7. Review the card preview
The result opens with two tabs:
Tab | What it shows |
CARD PREVIEW | Each card in the order it will have in the chat, labeled with its type, for example a Section card followed by Text message cards |
CHAT SCRIPT | The generated chat script |
Each card in the preview shows:
Element | What it shows |
Card type | The kind of card, such as Section or Text message |
Card name | The name the card will have in the chat tree, for example |
Message text | The text participants will see |
Buttons | Any button on the card, shown below the message |
Click COPY SCRIPT to copy the script.
8. Edit cards (if needed)
Click EDIT CARDS to make changes. The source text for each card is shown with its type menu and name field.
Change the card type: Click the type menu on the card and select a type. See the table below.
Rename a card: Edit the name, then click SAVE to keep the change or CANCEL to discard it.
Merge cards: If one card was split but belongs together, click the Merge with Above icon, or open the menu (⋮) and select Merge with Above.
Split a card: If one card contains content for more than one card, click the scissors icon, or open the menu (⋮) and select Split Element.
Exclude a card: Open the type menu and select Exclude from script to leave the card out.
Available card types |
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Section | Single choice | Numeric open end |
Text message | Multi choice | Recontact card |
Image message | Open end | Participation marker |
Video message | Video open end | Jump ahead |
Single choice grid | Image open end |
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Multi choice grid |
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Not yet available in Authoring Assistant: The following cards and features exist in Rival but are not currently available in Authoring Assistant. They will be added soon. Until then, add them by editing the chat after it is created.
9. Check your cards before you continue
Conversion is automated, so cards can be split in the wrong place, typed incorrectly, or missing details. It is faster to fix them here than after the chat is created.
Check | What to look for |
Wording | Question text, answer options, captions and button labels match your document |
Order | Cards appear in the same order as your document |
Emojis and formatting | Emojis and text styling were kept |
Choice type | Single choice and multi choice questions are not swapped |
Quotation marks | Quotation marks in labels were kept. Missing quotation marks in generated labels have been reported as an issue |
Logic and jumps | Routing, branching and jumps you described appear where expected |
Excluded content | Nothing participants should see is excluded, and no internal notes are included |
Messages | Incentive, eligibility and welcome messages are correct for this activity |
10. Create the chat
Click CREATE CHAT.
The Create chat from script drawer opens with your script already attached as a .yaml file.
Fill in the following:
Field | Description |
Chat name | Give your chat a clear, descriptive name. (Required) |
Folder | Defaults to All Chats. Click the pencil icon to choose another folder. (Required) |
Language (Locale) | Select the default locale for your chat. (Required) |
Field in multiple locales | Leave unchecked for a single-locale chat. |
Chat category | Select a category for your chat. (Required) |
Click CREATE.
Your new chat opens in the chat tree, ready for further authoring. Nothing becomes a chat until you click CREATE.
About the pilot
When you proceed, you agree to the pilot terms shown in the dialog. In summary:
Pilot features are experimental and provided as is. They may be incomplete, unstable, or change without notice.
Your data stays in Rival's secure environment under standard security protocols.
Data generated or stored through pilot features may not be kept permanently. By default it is stored for the length of your active participation, and Rival may delete it without further notice.
Pilot features are not covered by standard support or service level agreements.