> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.phonely.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Collect

> Ask for a defined set of information and use the caller's answers in later blocks.

Choose **Collect** when the agent needs a defined set of information, such as a caller's name, contact details, or appointment preferences. It asks for the information one item at a time and stores the answers as variables for later blocks.

Each **Question** guides what the agent should ask, but it is not a fixed script. The agent can phrase or rephrase the question naturally. Choose [Talk](/blocks/flow-blocks/talk) when the task needs a more open-ended conversation or different routes based on its outcome.

## Describe the information

In **Describe what information you want the AI to collect**, enter a short summary of the fields you need.

For example:

> Gather the caller's name, email address, phone number, and reason for calling.

Choose **Generate with AI** to create a starting configuration from your description, or choose **Build Manually** to configure each question yourself.

## Configure the questions

Add one question for each value the block should collect. Collect requires at least one question, and every variable name must be unique within the block.

| Field             | Purpose                                                                |
| :---------------- | :--------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Variable Name** | Name shown in **Available Variables**; must be unique within the block |
| **Type**          | Expected format of the answer                                          |
| **Question**      | Question to ask; the agent may phrase it naturally during the call     |
| **Required**      | Collect the answer before leaving the block                            |
| **Confirm**       | Ask the caller to confirm a required answer                            |
| **Spell Back**    | Spell a confirmed answer character by character                        |

**Confirm** is available after **Required** is enabled, and **Spell Back** is available after **Confirm** is enabled.

Choose the type that matches the expected answer. See [Variables](/flow-editor/variables) for available types, formats, and downstream availability.

### Completion and routing

Collect asks for missing information in a conversational style. It can move to the next block after all required answers have been collected and any enabled confirmations are complete.

Enable **Required** for every answer the flow depends on. A question without **Required** does not prevent Collect from continuing.

Collect has one live-call continuation and does not branch by answer. To route using a collected value, connect Collect to a [Filter](/blocks/flow-control-and-routing/filter) and create the cases there.

## Example: Collect caller details

| Variable             | Type  | Question                          |
| :------------------- | :---- | :-------------------------------- |
| `caller_name`        | Name  | What is your name?                |
| `caller_email`       | Email | What email address should we use? |
| `reason_for_calling` | Text  | What can we help you with today?  |

Enable **Required** for each answer the flow cannot continue without. For information that is easy to mishear, enable **Confirm** and, when useful, **Spell Back**.

Later blocks on the continuation route can use these answers as variables.

## Test Collect

Try complete, unclear, corrected, and missing answers. Confirm that Collect:

* requests missing information naturally, one question at a time;
* does not continue until every required answer is collected and any configured confirmation is complete;
* updates a stored value when the caller corrects it;
* spells back answers when configured; and
* makes the collected values available to later blocks.

Use **Web Call** to hear questions, confirmations, and spelled-back answers.

For an unexpected result, open **Call Details**, select **Blocks**, and expand Collect to review its conversation turns and stored variables.

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="The agent leaves without an answer">
    Enable **Required** for every answer the flow must collect before continuing. Leave it off only when later blocks can run without that value.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The block does not finish">
    Check which required answer is still missing or waiting for confirmation. Make the corresponding **Question** clearer and confirm that its **Type** matches the expected response.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The agent does not use the exact question wording">
    Collect asks questions conversationally and may rephrase them. Write the **Question** as a clear request for one value rather than relying on exact wording.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A collected value is empty later">
    Open **Call Details** and confirm that Collect stored the value. If later blocks always need it, enable **Required**. Otherwise, make sure those blocks can run without it.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>