Designing Custom Interaction Widgets for the Genesys Agent Workspace using the SDK

How-To-Articles
1

Designing Custom Interaction Widgets for the Genesys Agent Workspace using the SDK

What This Guide Covers

This masterclass details the development of Custom Client Applications (Interaction Widgets) that run natively within the Genesys Cloud Agent Workspace. By the end of this guide, you will be able to architect a web-based widget that automatically “pops” when an interaction arrives, retrieves customer context from your CRM, and allows agents to perform specialized tasks (e.g., credit card processing, loyalty point redemption) without leaving the Genesys UI. You will learn how to use the Client App SDK to listen for conversation events and synchronize data in real-time.

Prerequisites, Roles & Licensing

Custom widgets require a hosted web application and administrative configuration in Genesys Cloud.

  • Licensing: Genesys Cloud CX 1, 2, or 3.
  • Permissions:
    • Integrations > Custom Connector > View/Add
    • Integrations > Client App > View/Add
  • OAuth Scopes: conversations, users.
  • Development Tooling: Genesys Cloud Client App SDK (JavaScript).

The Implementation Deep-Dive

1. Registering the Client Application

A widget is essentially an iframe that Genesys Cloud loads into the sidebar or as a standalone tab.

Configuration Step:

  1. Navigate to Admin > Integrations > Client Apps.
  2. Create a new Interaction Widget.
  3. Set the Application URL to your hosted app (e.g., https://widget.example.com).
  4. Communication: Enable the Interaction Metadata and User Context toggles.

2. Bootstrapping the Client App SDK

Your web app must “handshake” with the parent Genesys Cloud window to receive interaction updates.

Implementation Pattern:

import ClientApp from 'https://sdk-cdn.mypurecloud.com/client-apps/2.6.4/purecloud-client-app-sdk.js';

const myApp = new ClientApp({
  pcEnvironment: 'mypurecloud.com'
});

// 1. Get the current conversation ID
myApp.alerting.getAlertingConversation()
  .then((conversation) => {
    console.log(`Loading data for conversation: ${conversation.id}`);
    fetchCRMData(conversation.participants[0].attributes.crm_id);
  });

3. Implementing “Automated Screen Pop” Logic

You can configure the widget to automatically appear the moment a call or chat is answered.

Architectural Reasoning:
Do not force agents to click a button to load customer data. Use Architect Participant Data to pass a CRM_URL or Customer_ID to the interaction. When the widget loads, it reads this attribute and immediately renders the correct profile.

4. Real-Time Data Synchronization

A powerful widget doesn’t just show data; it updates it based on the agent’s actions.

Implementation Step:
Use the Conversations API from within your widget to update participant attributes. For example, if an agent completes a payment, the widget can set a payment_status attribute to verified. This attribute then becomes part of the interaction record and can be used by Architect for post-call routing or by Analytics for reporting.

Validation, Edge Cases & Troubleshooting

Edge Case 1: The “Identity Mismatch” Security Risk

  • The failure condition: An agent opens a widget for Customer A, but the widget still shows data for Customer B from the previous interaction.
  • The root cause: The widget’s internal state (or a local cookie) wasn’t cleared when the previous conversation ended.
  • The solution: Use the SDK’s Lifecycle Events. Listen for the conversationDisconnected event and immediately clear the widget’s UI and local storage.

Edge Case 2: Multi-Interaction Handling

  • The failure condition: An agent is handling three chats simultaneously. The widget gets confused about which customer’s data to display.
  • The root cause: The widget is assuming there is only ever one “Active” interaction.
  • The solution: Always use the conversationId passed by the SDK as a filter for all API requests. Implement a “Switching” logic that refreshes the widget’s content whenever the agent clicks on a different chat tab in the workspace.

Official References