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Screens

Every screen type in the builder, what each setting does, and what callers see when they answer.

Working with screens

To…	Do this
Add a screen	Click it in the left toolbox (it appears on the canvas), or drag it onto the canvas.
Edit a screen	Click its coloured header. Its settings open on the right.
Rename a screen	Click its name on the canvas, or change Name in its settings. Callers never see this name.
Connect screens	Drag from the dot on one screen (or on a menu option) to the top of the next screen.
Remove a connection	Click the line and press Delete or Backspace.
Copy or delete a screen	Use Duplicate screen or Delete screen at the bottom of its settings.
Undo a mistake	Press the undo arrow in the top bar, or Ctrl/⌘ Z.

A USSD screen holds about 182 characters. The counter under What the phone shows keeps track. If a screen is longer, Asterisks splits it and adds 99. Next automatically.

Entry Point

The first screen callers see when they dial. Every app has exactly one. Any screen can be the entry point: open its settings and turn on Start the session here. A new app starts with a menu as its entry point.

Choice Menu

A message with numbered options. The caller replies with a number and goes to the screen joined to that option.

Pay a bill
1. Electricity
2. Water
3. TV

Setting	What it does
What the phone shows	The heading above the options. The numbered options are added underneath for you.
Options come from: This screen	You type the options yourself. Each has a label, a number, and an optional condition.
Options come from: Your API	The options are fetched from your system each time, for example a list of products. See Menus filled from your API on the Logic and data page.
Option condition	Only show the option when the condition is true, such as `balance > 0`. Leave empty to always show it.

If the caller replies with a number that isn't on the menu, they see "Invalid Input, try again." with the menu again.

Ask a Question

Asks the caller to type something, such as a name, an amount or an account number, and saves the answer.

Setting	What it does
Save the answer as	A short name for the answer, like `amount`. Use it later as `{{amount}}` in any screen text, API call or condition.
Answer type	What counts as a valid answer (see the table below).
Shortest answer / Longest answer	The fewest and most characters allowed.
Minimum value / Maximum value	For Numeric and Amount answers: the smallest and largest number allowed.
Answer must match	Optional, for advanced checks: a pattern (regular expression) the whole answer must match, such as `[A-Z]{3}[0-9]{4}` for a code like ABC1234.
Pressing 0 goes back	On by default: replying `0` returns to the previous screen. Turn it off when 0 is a real answer, like a quantity or a PIN digit.

Answer types

Answer type	Accepts	If wrong, the caller sees
Text	Anything	(nothing; any text is accepted)
Numeric	Digits only, like 3 or 0244123456	Please enter a valid number.
Phone Number	Digits and +	Please enter a valid phone number.
Amount	A number above zero with up to two decimals, like 20 or 20.50	Enter an amount, like 20 or 20.50.
PIN/Secret	Digits only	Enter digits only.
Email	An email address	Enter an email address.

When an answer is refused, the caller sees the reason and the question again, and can retry. To stop endless retries, set Max visits under Advanced.

Flash Alert

A short, one-way message, such as a confirmation code. It ends the session; the caller can only dismiss it.

End Session

The last screen: a message, then the call closes. Every path through your app should finish on one (or on a Flash Alert or Collect Payment screen). Use saved answers to make it personal:

Thanks Ama. GHS 50.00 sent to 0244123456.

Settings on every screen

Setting	What it does
Translations	Add the same screen in other languages. The app shows the version that matches the session's `Language` variable.
Max visits	How many times a caller can land on this screen in one session. Useful to limit PIN retries. Empty means unlimited.