Stino12547•4h ago

{last utterance} captures button name

I have a question. When the user presses a button, the button information is stored in {last_utterance}. I don't want this. How can I prevent this from happening? Context: The user types, for example, "I want a product that gives me more energy." Then, two buttons appear. After that, an AI block will generate an answer based on {last_utterance}. But {last_utterance} no longer contains "I want a product that gives me more energy," but the name of the button. I also can't set {last_utterance} to another variable with a set block because the AI block has multiple functions and needs the {last_utterance}.

2 Replies

Tico | Voiceflow Assistant•4h ago

{last_utterance} is a system-controlled variable – it is overwritten every time the user does anything (types text, taps a quick-reply button, selects a carousel button, etc.). Because of that behaviour it isn’t possible to “freeze” or exclude button clicks from {last_utterance}. Instead use one of these work-arounds: 1. Store the message you care about in your own variable before you show the buttons

… AI/Text step that asks the question …
Set step →  my_query = {last_utterance}   ⟵ copies the user’s text
Choice / Button step …

Later AI block → use {my_query} (or {vf_memory}) instead of {last_utterance}

… AI/Text step that asks the question …
Set step →  my_query = {last_utterance}   ⟵ copies the user’s text
Choice / Button step …

Later AI block → use {my_query} (or {vf_memory}) instead of {last_utterance}

2. Rely on the conversation memory • {vf_memory} contains the last turns of the chat, so the user’s sentence and the fact they pressed a button are still there. Point your AI block at {vf_memory} (or just use an Agent step, which already sends the memory automatically). 3. Detect button clicks separately • {last_event} is populated only when the user presses a button. You can branch on {last_event.type === "button"} to handle the button logic, while keeping the user’s text stored in another variable for later prompts. So while you can’t stop {last_utterance} from changing, you can keep a copy of the earlier message (or use {vf_memory}) and reference that in any downstream AI steps.

Stino12547OP•3h ago

Thanks

{last utterance} captures button name

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