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Auto-Gather Variables are one of the most powerful features in Phonely. They let your agent collect, validate, and format information at the exact moment it’s needed, directly inside a block such as a Payment block, API Request block, Calendar block, Email block, or even Post-Call workflows. Instead of creating Talk blocks just to gather data, Auto-Gather Variables let you define the variable inside the block where it will be used. This keeps your flows cleaner, shorter, and more intelligent.

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Why Auto-Gather Variables Are Useful

Traditionally, collecting a variable required a Talk Block:
  • Ask the caller a question.
  • Define the variable inside that Talk Block.
  • Validate and confirm it.
  • Use it later in your flow.
This works, but becomes complicated when:
  • You need many variables
  • You want to gather them only at specific points
  • Your flow changes over time
  • You want fewer blocks and cleaner logic
Auto-Gather Variables solve all of this by letting you define variables exactly where they’re needed, with built-in validation, formatting, confirmation, and re-use.

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Creating an Auto-Gather Variable

You can create an Auto-Gather variable from inside any block that supports it.
For example: inside API Request, Payment, Calendar, Email, and more.

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How to Create One

  1. Open any block (e.g., API Request or Payment).
  2. Look for the Auto-Gather Variables section.
  3. Click + to create a new variable.
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  1. Fill in the required fields:
  • Variable Name: A short, descriptive name.
  • Variable Type: Choose from several built-in types.
  • Description: Clarify what Phonely should gather, e.g. “The amount the customer wants to donate.”
This helps the AI understand exactly what to capture.

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4. Validation Options

Depending on the type, you may see:
  • Required – forces the agent to collect the value before continuing
  • Confirm – agent asks: “You said 34 dollars, correct?”
  • Spell Back – useful for names, emails, or IDs

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Using Custom Types

Custom types let you define a format using natural language, for example:
“Format this as a raw number with two decimal places. If someone says $34, output 34.00.”
This ensures the agent outputs values exactly the way your system expects them, without extra logic or multiple retries. Great for:
  • Currency formatting
  • Standardized dates (ISO format)
  • Phone numbers
  • IDs
  • Special codes
Custom Auto Gather Variables Pn

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Auto-Gather in Action (Example: Payment Block)

Imagine you want to collect the payment amount from a caller.

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Instead of:

  1. Adding a Talk Block
  2. Asking for the amount
  3. Validating the format manually
  4. Passing it to the Payment block

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You simply:

  1. Open Payment Block
  2. Click + Auto-Gather Variable
  3. Create a variable:
    • Name: amount
    • Type: Custom
    • Custom Type Definition: “Format this as a raw number with two decimal places (e.g., 34 → 34.00).”
    • Description: “Amount the customer wants to pay.”
    • Enable Required and Confirm
Custom Auto Gather Variables Pn Now your agent automatically:
  • Asks for the payment amount right before the block runs
  • Formats it correctly
  • Confirms the value
  • Passes it to the Payment processor
No extra blocks. No manual logic.

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Smart Behavior: Automatic Confirmation

Auto-Gather Variables are intelligent: If Phonely already knows a piece of information, like the caller’s name—it will not ask again. Instead, it confirms: “I have your name as Sarah Johnson. Is that correct?” This prevents frustrating repetition and builds smoother user experiences.