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# Capture block

## Overview

The Capture block prompts customers for information, like their names, and saves it as a variable to use in other blocks. For example, you can ask customers their name, save it in a variable, and later use their name in other blocks. For each variable you want to populate with a value from a customer, use a separate Capture block.

## Configuration

Configure the Capture block using the table below as a guide:

| Field                                             | Instructions                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Content**                                       | Add a message to this field requesting the information you want to capture.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| **Placeholder Text on the Chat Input** (Optional) | Use this field to customize the placeholder text visible in the message field. Craft a brief instruction or example to help your customers understand what information they should send.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| **Validation**                                    | Set the type of data the created variable will accept: - **Text** – Accepts any character type. - **Email** – Only accepts valid email addresses. Also verifies that the domain is valid, such as .com, .ca, etc. - **Phone Number** – Only accepts input formatted as a phone number, disregarding any letters or special characters. - **Number** – Only accepts numbers; allows periods and commas. - **Yes** and **No** – Only accepts a positive or negative response (e.g., yes/no, true/false).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| **Capture Settings**                              | This section contains toggles that let you control the block's interaction behavior.  **Always Ask** - Disabled – The Capture block won't display for customers if its variable is already populated. This ensures the AI Agent only asks for specific information once, such as a customer's name. - Enabled – The block will always trigger whenever it is encountered, and overwrite any data that already exists in its variable.  **Required** - Disabled – A **Skip** button displays in the chat window. Clicking this allows the customer to skip the Capture block and move on to the next block in the handoff content. - Enabled – A **Never mind** button displays in the chat window. Clicking this exits the handoff content entirely, and directs the customer to ask about something else instead. |
| **Save Response As**                              | Use the drop-down menu to choose the variable the Capture block populates with the captured data. You can select an existing variable, or create a new one.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
| **Smart Detection** (Optional)                    | Your AI Agent can detect relevant information that returning customers have provided in past conversations. Depending on your AI Agent's configuration, this option may not be available.  Click the **Select entity type** drop-down menu and select the relevant entity for this capture event. Click **Clear** to remove a previously assigned entity type (e.g., full name, city, airport, date or time, etc.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |

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Have any questions? Contact your Ada team, or email us at [](mailto:help@ada.cx?subject=Help%20Docs%20inquiry).