Implementing Custom Screen Pop Logic based on ANI Matching, DNIS Routing, and IVR Selections

How-To-Articles
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Implementing Custom Screen Pop Logic based on ANI Matching, DNIS Routing, and IVR Selections

What This Guide Covers

This guide details the architecture for configuring Genesys Cloud CX to trigger dynamic screen pop events before an agent accepts a call. You will learn to construct flow logic that extracts Automatic Number Identification (ANI), Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS), and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) menu selections, then transmits this data securely via the Screen Pop API to a desktop application. The end result is a pre-arrival context view where CRM records are identified and displayed based on precise routing logic without requiring manual agent search.

Prerequisites, Roles & Licensing

Before proceeding with implementation, verify the following environment constraints. Failure to meet these licensing or permission requirements will result in silent failures during runtime.

  • Platform License: Genesys Cloud CX Premium (CCX) or higher. Standard CCX licenses do not include the Interaction > Events permissions required for custom screen pop payloads.
  • Required Permissions: The integration user must possess the following granular permissions:
    • interaction.screen_pop.Edit (Write access to interaction metadata)
    • interaction.events.Read (To monitor stream status if debugging via Event Streams API)
    • flow.run (To execute flow logic for variable extraction)
  • OAuth Scopes: If utilizing the REST API for external CRM lookups triggered by the flow, the integration application requires the interaction.read and screen_pop.write scopes.
  • Desktop Application: The receiving desktop application must be Genesys Cloud Desktop App version 12.0 or higher (for native SDK support) or a third-party widget compliant with the postMessage screen pop protocol.
  • External Dependencies: A CRM system capable of accepting JSON payloads via REST API POST requests, preferably with endpoint authentication handled via token-based OAuth 2.0 rather than basic auth for security compliance.

The Implementation Deep-Dive

1. Flow Logic: Data Capture and Variable Construction

The first architectural decision is determining where to extract the data. Relying on default ANI capture is insufficient for enterprise environments due to mobile carrier masking and VoIP provider obfuscation. We must construct custom flow variables that normalize this data before it leaves the telephony layer.

Configuration Steps:

  1. Navigate to Admin > Flows. Create a new Inbound Flow or edit an existing one.
  2. Insert a Capture Customer Information step immediately after the initial call routing decision point. Configure this to capture ANI, DNIS, and Duration.
  3. Add a Set Flow Variable step following the Capture step. This is where normalization occurs. You must create variables named screen_pop_ani_normalized and screen_pop_ivr_selection.

Implementation Logic:
Use Genesys Cloud Flow Expression language to parse the raw ANI string. Standard carriers often return ANI in formats like (555) 123-4567 or 15551234567. Your CRM lookup key likely requires a canonical 10-digit format without punctuation.

Flow Expression Example:

{
  "flowVariable": "screen_pop_ani_normalized",
  "value": {
    "expression": "regexReplace(ANI, \"[\\\\D]\", \"\")"
  }
}

In this expression, regexReplace removes all non-digit characters. This ensures the CRM lookup key matches your database schema regardless of how the carrier formats the number.

For IVR selections, you must map menu choices to a stable identifier. Do not pass raw text (e.g., “Press 1 for Sales”) as it varies by language and localization settings. Instead, create a mapping flow variable:

{
  "flowVariable": "screen_pop_ivr_code",
  "value": {
    "expression": "ifElse(MenuSelection == \"1\", \"SALES_PREMIUM\", ifElse(MenuSelection == \"2\", \"TECH_SUPPORT_V1\", null))"
  }
}

The Trap:
A common misconfiguration occurs when developers rely on the MenuSelection variable immediately after a Prompt and Collect step without verifying that the user actually made a selection. If a caller hangs up during the prompt, or if they press an invalid key resulting in a timeout, the flow variable may be null. Passing a null value to the Screen Pop API can cause the receiving widget to fail rendering or default to a generic search screen.

  • Catastrophic Downstream Effect: The agent receives a blank screen pop with no context, increasing Average Handle Time (AHT) by 30 seconds while they manually search for the customer record. This negates the entire purpose of the pre-arrival logic.
  • Mitigation: Always include a default fallback value in your flow expression logic. Use ifElse to set screen_pop_ivr_code to GENERAL_INQUIRY if the selection is null.

2. API Integration: Triggering the Screen Pop Event

Once the data is captured and normalized within the Flow, it must be transmitted to the desktop application. The modern standard for Genesys Cloud is using the Interaction Event Stream combined with the Screen Pop API. This allows for asynchronous delivery that does not block the call flow logic execution.

Architectural Choice:
Do not use legacy callOut or httpRequest steps in the Flow to trigger screen pops directly. The Flow engine executes on the cloud side, and the latency added by an HTTP request to a CRM for every single interaction creates unnecessary load on your telephony resources. Instead, use the Interaction Event system to push data when the interaction state changes to In Progress.

Payload Construction:
You must construct a JSON payload that conforms to the Genesys Cloud Screen Pop specification. This payload is sent via the Interaction API endpoint.

Endpoint Details:

  • Method: POST
  • URI: /api/v2/interactions/{interactionId}/screenPop
  • Headers: Content-Type: application/json, Authorization: Bearer {access_token}

JSON Body Example:

{
  "type": "screenPop",
  "payload": {
    "customerIdentifier": "{screen_pop_ani_normalized}",
    "context": {
      "ivrSelection": "{screen_pop_ivr_code}",
      "dnisNumber": "{DNIS}",
      "timestamp": "{Interaction.StartTime}"
    },
    "priority": "HIGH",
    "action": "lookup"
  }
}

Execution Point:
In the Flow, place an Execute Screen Pop API step (available in CCX Premium) or utilize the Flow Webhook to trigger this endpoint at the moment the interaction enters In Progress. The customerIdentifier field is critical; it is the primary key used by the Desktop App to query the CRM.

The Trap:
Developers often attempt to send the Screen Pop payload immediately upon call arrival (before the IVR finishes). This creates a race condition where the data reaches the desktop application before the agent has logged in or before the interaction state is fully established as In Progress. The Desktop App may discard the event if the interaction state does not match expectations.

  • Catastrophic Downstream Effect: The screen pop appears too early, causing the UI to flash or crash if the agent is not yet ready. Alternatively, the event is queued but never rendered because the interactionId changes during call transfer scenarios.
  • Mitigation: Ensure your Flow logic triggers the Screen Pop API call only after the state machine confirms the interaction is in In Progress. Use the Interaction State variable to gate the execution.

3. CRM Matching Logic: Regex and DNIS Context Mapping

The final component of this architecture is how the desktop application interprets the incoming data to find the correct record. Simply matching the ANI is insufficient for modern omnichannel environments where one customer may have multiple phone numbers or where DNIS indicates a specific product line.

Matching Strategy:
Implement logic in your CRM middleware (or within the Screen Pop widget itself) that prioritizes DNIS over ANI if the call is directed to a specialized support line. This allows for “Product Context” routing without requiring a separate IVR step for every product.

Pseudocode Logic:

IF DNIS == "555-0100" THEN
    Lookup Customer by ANI AND Product_Code = "TECH_SUPPORT"
ELSE IF ANI EXISTS AND Matches Regex "^(555-123)" THEN
    Lookup Customer by ANI AND Priority_Level = "PREMIUM"
ELSE
    Search Full Name Match (Fallback)

Implementation in Screen Pop Payload:
To support this, include the productContext field in your JSON payload. You can derive this value in the Flow using DNIS matching logic.

Flow Logic for Product Context:

{
  "flowVariable": "screen_pop_product_context",
  "value": {
    "expression": "ifElse(DNIS == \"5550100\", \"TECH_SUPPORT_V2\", ifElse(DNIS == \"5550200\", \"SALES_PREMIUM\", \"GENERAL\"))"
  }
}

The Trap:
A frequent architectural failure is relying solely on the ANI for CRM lookups. In enterprise environments, ANI often matches a corporate main line rather than an individual employee number. If your CRM contains multiple records for that same ANI (e.g., the company main line and individual extensions), the Screen Pop will return the first record it finds, which is likely not the caller’s personal record.

  • Catastrophic Downstream Effect: The agent sees the wrong customer profile. This leads to incorrect billing adjustments or support history access, potentially violating PCI-DSS compliance if sensitive financial data is displayed for the wrong entity.
  • Mitigation: Always prioritize DNIS context when available. Use DNIS to filter the search criteria in your CRM lookup API call before returning the record ID. The Screen Pop payload should instruct the widget to perform a filtered query, not just an ID fetch.

Validation, Edge Cases & Troubleshooting

Edge Case 1: Masked ANI on Mobile Networks

Mobile carriers frequently mask ANI data for privacy or roaming reasons. Your Flow logic will receive ANI as null or empty in these scenarios.

  • The Failure Condition: The Screen Pop API is triggered, but the customerIdentifier field is empty. The Desktop App fails to execute a search and displays a “No Record Found” state immediately.
  • The Root Cause: Mobile network signaling does not pass the originating number in the SIP headers or ISDN QSIG data used by Genesys Cloud.
  • The Solution: Implement a secondary capture method. Use the Request Voice Prompt step to ask the customer for their account number or email address if ANI is null. Capture this value into customerIdentifier before triggering the Screen Pop API. Ensure your Flow logic checks:
    "expression": "ifElse(ANI == null, AccountNumberProvided, ANI)"
    This ensures the Screen Pop payload always contains a valid identifier, even if the phone number is masked.

Edge Case 2: Interaction State Change During Transfer

Calls are frequently transferred from one queue to another during complex routing scenarios. The interactionId remains constant, but the state may fluctuate between In Progress, Ringing, and Held.

  • The Failure Condition: A Screen Pop event is sent while the interaction state is Held. The Desktop App receives the payload but does not render it because the agent is busy on another call. When the state returns to In Progress, the widget ignores the stale event.
  • The Root Cause: Stateful synchronization between the Cloud Interaction engine and the local Desktop App listener is asynchronous. Events sent during non-active states are dropped by default listeners.
  • The Solution: Use the Genesys Cloud JS SDK event listener interaction.stateChanged to filter events. Configure your Screen Pop widget to re-evaluate incoming payloads whenever the state transitions back to In Progress. This requires a small snippet of JavaScript in the Desktop App configuration:
    window.addEventListener('interactionStateChange', (event) => {
  if (event.detail.state === 'in_progress') {
    // Re-check for pending screen pop data
    checkPendingScreenPop();
  }
});

Edge Case 3: PII Leakage in Screen Pop URLs

A security vulnerability exists when developers construct the Screen Pop URL by appending query parameters containing sensitive data (e.g., ?customer_id=123&ssn_masked=***). If this URL is logged or bookmarked, it creates a compliance breach.

  • The Failure Condition: The CRM lookup endpoint logs the full URL including PII fields in plain text.
  • The Root Cause: Using GET requests for screen pop actions instead of POST requests with a JSON body.
  • The Solution: Always use the POST method for Screen Pop payloads as defined in the API specification above. Never embed sensitive data in URL query strings. Use HTTPS for all communication. Ensure your CRM logs are configured to redact query parameters containing fields named ssn, credit_card, or account_number.

Official References