---
title: "Reply Bots"
slug: "reply-bots"
updated: 2026-06-18T14:19:18Z
published: 2026-06-18T14:19:18Z
canonical: "knowledge.technolutions.net/reply-bots"
---

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

# Reply Bots

> [!WARNING]
> 🏗️ This feature is not currently accessible
> 
> Keep up with the latest Summit feature releases in [What’s New](https://community.technolutions.net/whats-new).

**Reply bots** are one of the four types of [bots](/v1/docs/bots) you can create in Slate. When associated with SMS messages, they can complete actions in Slate.

## Actions

Reply bots receive **reply codes** and take **actions**.

When the bot receives a reply code, like `YUP`, from a constituent, you can tell it to take some action, like registering the constituent for an event. The constituent receives an automated reply specific to that reply code.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/reply bot text image.jpg?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-09T11%3A12%3A15Z&se=2026-11-09T12%3A12%3A15Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=SfBjMTiU1tDE8VnTPwdxYcQAD7oN8KT1fbwfFkMHjhU%3D)

## Creating a reply bot

1. Go to **Database → Bots.**
2. Select **New Bot**.
3. Configure the following settings:
  - **Status:** Active
  - **Name**: Enter a name for the bot.
  - **Type**: Reply Bot
  - **System Prompt:** Enter directions for the reply bot. Find examples in the following section.
  - **Session Lifetime (Days):** Enter the number of days of inactivity after which the bot’s session with a constituent should expire.
4. Select **Save.**

You’re brought to the reply bot’s overview page.

## Creating a reply group

**Reply groups** create logical groupings of possible inputs and their associated replies.

1. Select **New Reply Group.**
2. Select **Insert Reply.**
3. Configure the following settings:
  - **Start:** Defaults to *Initial Communication* for the first reply group. Reply groups after the first can have *Start* values set to other reply groups, so you can chain groups together.
  - **Name:** Enter a name for the reply group.
  - **Replies:** For each reply you want to handle:
    - **Reply Code:** Enter the exact message, for example, *YUP*, required to trigger this reply.
    - **Reply Message:** Enter the message to be sent in response to the reply code, for example, *Thanks for your RSVP! See you there!*
    - **Action:** Select the process to be carried out. Options include:
      - **Event Outreach Actions:** *RSVP Yes* or *RSVP No* to a given event.
      - **Inboxes:** Select an [inbox group](/v1/docs/inbox-overview) to which you want to route the conversation upon receipt of a given response.
      - **Reply Groups:** Select a reply group to which you want to route the conversation upon receipt of a given response. Pair this setting with a corresponding value in the *Start* field of another reply group to chain them together.

![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/Reply group.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-09T11%3A12%3A15Z&se=2026-11-09T12%3A12%3A15Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=SfBjMTiU1tDE8VnTPwdxYcQAD7oN8KT1fbwfFkMHjhU%3D)
4. Select **Insert Reply** to create as many replies as you want for the reply group.
5. Select **Save.**

Create as many reply groups as your process requires.

#### Chaining bots

A reply bot’s action can be set to another bot. This means that you can, for example, have an SMS campaign start with a reply bot and, if the recipient asks for more assistance, progress to an [AI chat bot](/v1/docs/ai-chat-bots).

Or, you might go in the other direction: have a natural language bot route the recipient to a reply bot.

You might also create a nested experience by chaining reply bots or reply groups together.

## Associating the reply bot with a communication

With the bot’s repertoire of replies ready to go, we just need to associate the bot with a communication.

1. Go to **Deliver**.
2. Select an existing SMS communication, or [create a new one](/v1/docs/sms).
3. Select **Edit Message**.
4. Configure the following settings:
  - **Reply Bot:** Select the reply bot you’ve created.
  - **Sender:** Select a sender number. If you don’t see any, [provision a new one](/docs/purchasing-slate-credits-for-sms-print-and-voice#smsvoice).
  - **Recipient:** Add a recipient number or merge field.
  - **Message:** Enter the text content of the message. Include all permissible replies (that is, all of the reply codes we created earlier). ![](https://cdn.us.document360.io/cd8ea7a6-07f3-4846-a554-627ac016d3e3/Images/Documentation/reply bot message image.png?sv=2026-02-06&spr=https&st=2026-11-09T11%3A12%3A15Z&se=2026-11-09T12%3A12%3A15Z&sr=c&sp=r&sig=SfBjMTiU1tDE8VnTPwdxYcQAD7oN8KT1fbwfFkMHjhU%3D)
5. Select **Save.**

Actions are tracked in the mailing’s statistics.