Ask Date

The Ask Date action allows the chatbot to collect a date input from the user during a conversation.

This action is commonly used for scheduling tasks such as appointments, bookings, or events. It ensures that the user provides a date in the correct format and within the allowed range.

The selected date is stored in a variable and can be used later in the chatbot workflow for scheduling, confirmations, or automation.

When to Use Ask Date

Use the Ask Date action when the chatbot needs to collect a specific date from the user.

Common Use Cases

  • Appointment booking

  • Event registration

  • Delivery scheduling

  • Reservation dates

  • Service booking

Example interaction:

Bot: Please provide your preferred appointment date. User: 25/03/2026

The chatbot captures the date and stores it for further workflow processing.

How to Add Ask Date

Follow these steps to add the Ask Date action to your bot workflow.

  • Open Bot Builder

  • Click Add Node

  • Select the Ask tab

  • Choose Ask Date

  • Configure the required fields

  • Click Create

Once added, the chatbot waits until the user provides a valid date input.

Ask Date Configuration

When creating an Ask Date action, several configuration options must be completed.

Action Name

The Action Name identifies the action within the bot workflow.

This name is visible only inside the bot builder.

Example:

Scheduling a Doctor Appointment Select Delivery Date Choose Booking Date

Message

The Message field contains the question shown to the user.

Example:

Hello 👋 We are excited to schedule your doctor appointment. Please provide your preferred appointment date in the format: DD-MM-YYYY.

The message supports:

  • Dynamic variables

  • Text formatting

  • Emojis

Variables can be inserted using the Add Variable option.

Date Format

The Date Format option defines the format users must follow when entering the date.

Available formats include:

  • DD/MM/YYYY

  • MM/DD/YYYY

  • ISO DateTime with Milliseconds

Example:

DD/MM/YYYY

This ensures the system captures the date correctly.

Error Attempt

The Error Attempt field defines the number of invalid responses allowed.

Example:

Error Attempt: 3

If the user exceeds the allowed attempts, the chatbot follows the configured Action on Invalid.

Error Message

The Error Message appears when the user enters an invalid date.

Example:

Oops! It seems the date you entered is not in the correct format. Please enter the date in DD/MM/YYYY format.

This helps guide users toward the correct input format.

Action on Invalid

This option determines what happens when the user exceeds the allowed number of invalid attempts.

Available options include:

End the Flow

Stops the chatbot conversation.

Skip the Question

Continues the workflow without collecting the date.

Fall Back Flow

Redirects the user to another predefined chatbot flow.

Validation Settings

The Validation Setting ensures the selected date falls within a defined range.

When enabled, you can specify:

Start Date

Defines the earliest acceptable date.

Example:

Start Date: 02/03/2026

End Date

Defines the latest acceptable date.

Example:

End Date: 31/03/2026

This ensures users select dates within the allowed timeframe.

Store Response in Variable

The Store Response in Variable option saves the selected date.

Example variable:

appointment_date

This stored value can be used for:

  • Appointment scheduling

  • Order tracking

  • Event management

  • Automated reminders

Example Ask Date Interaction

Example chatbot conversation:

Bot: Hello 👋 We are excited to schedule your doctor appointment. Please provide your preferred appointment date. User: 31/03/2026

The chatbot stores the response in the variable:

appointment_date

and continues to the next step in the workflow.

Best Practices

Follow these recommendations when using Ask Date.

Clearly specify the date format

Users should know the required format before responding.

Use validation ranges

Limit dates to valid booking or service windows.

Provide clear error messages

Help users correct incorrect date formats.

Store date responses

Use variables to reuse the selected date in the workflow.

Personalize messages

Add dynamic variables to improve engagement.

Summary

The Ask Date action allows chatbots to collect valid date inputs from users during conversations.

With Ask Date, you can:

  • Collect date inputs for scheduling

  • Define supported date formats

  • Restrict dates using validation ranges

  • Handle incorrect inputs automatically

  • Store date responses for workflow automation

This feature helps businesses manage appointments, bookings, and event scheduling efficiently through chatbot automation.

Last updated