Implementing Secure Pause/Resume Recording Logic in Studio

How-To-Articles
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Implementing Secure Pause/Resume Recording Logic in Studio

Executive Summary & Architectural Context

When a customer reads their credit card number or CVV to an agent, that audio absolutely cannot be recorded. If the 16-digit PAN is captured in a WAV file and stored in your cloud storage bucket, your entire contact center instantly violates PCI-DSS compliance, opening the organization to massive fines and mandatory security audits.

While agents can be trained to click a “Pause Recording” button on their desktop client, human error is inevitable. Agents will forget. The only compliant architecture is to fully automate the pause and resume process using NICE CXone Studio Scripts.

This masterclass details how to architect bulletproof, API-driven, and event-driven Pause/Resume logic within CXone, removing the burden of compliance entirely from the human agent.

Prerequisites, Roles & Licensing

  • Platform: NICE CXone.
  • Roles & Permissions: Studio > Script > Edit
  • Platform Dependencies:
    • The queue must have Call Recording enabled at the Skill level.
    • A basic understanding of Studio event handlers (ONRECV, ONDISCONNECT).

The Implementation Deep-Dive

1. The Architectural Strategy

A standard Studio script handles the inbound IVR (pressing 1 for Sales), routes the call to the agent, and then the script technically “ends” its primary logic path. However, the script remains alive in the background for the duration of the call.

To trigger a pause mid-call, we use Signaling. The agent’s CRM (e.g., Salesforce) or a custom desktop button sends a signal to the CXone REST API. The Studio script intercepts this signal and executes the pause.

2. Building the Event Listener in Studio

  1. Open your Inbound Voice script in NICE CXone Studio.
  2. Pan to an empty area of the canvas. This logic will run completely parallel to your main routing flow.
  3. Drag an ONRECV event node onto the canvas. This node listens for custom signals sent via the API.
  4. Double-click the ONRECV node and set the EventName to PauseRecordingSignal.

3. Executing the Pause

  1. Connect the ONRECV node to a LOGIC or SNIPPET node to parse the incoming signal.
  2. Drag a RECORD action onto the canvas.
    • Note: In CXone, the RECORD action is overloaded. It is used to start, stop, pause, and resume.
  3. Open the RECORD action properties.
  4. Set the Action property to Pause.
  5. Connect the Default branch to a PLAY node (Optional but recommended). Play a short “beep” to the agent only, confirming the recording is suspended.

4. Executing the Resume (The Safety Net)

If the CRM sends a pause signal, but fails to send the resume signal due to a network glitch, the rest of the call goes unrecorded, violating Quality Assurance requirements. You must build a safety net.

  1. Create a second ONRECV node. Set the EventName to ResumeRecordingSignal.
  2. Connect it to a RECORD action. Set the Action property to Resume.
  3. The Safety Net: Connect your Pause logic to a WAIT node set to 120 seconds.
  4. Connect the output of the WAIT node to the Resume action.
    • Logic: If the agent or CRM forgets to resume the recording, the script will automatically forcefully resume it after exactly 2 minutes, minimizing the loss of QA audio.

5. Triggering the Logic via API

Your external system (CRM or custom UI) must trigger these events.

  1. When the agent navigates to the “Payment Page” in Salesforce, Salesforce executes a POST to the CXone REST API:
    • POST /inContactAPI/services/v22.0/interactions/{contactId}/signal
    • Payload: {"eventName": "PauseRecordingSignal"}
  2. When the agent leaves the payment page, Salesforce fires the resume signal:
    • Payload: {"eventName": "ResumeRecordingSignal"}

Validation, Edge Cases & Troubleshooting

Edge Case 1: Transcriptions and Screen Recording

Pausing the audio recording does not automatically pause Screen Recording or Real-Time Analytics (transcriptions).

  • Troubleshooting: If your organization utilizes CXone Screen Recording, you must explicitly configure the CXone Screen Agent client to mask the payment screen. The RECORD action in Studio only affects the voice payload. Furthermore, if you are using third-party transcription services connected via SIP REC, you must ensure the Pause action sends the appropriate SIP UPDATE control frames to halt the secondary media fork.

Edge Case 2: Blind Transfers

If Agent A pauses the recording, takes the credit card, and then blindly transfers the caller to Agent B, what is the recording state?

  • The Trap: In CXone, if a call is transferred, the recording state is often maintained. Agent B’s conversation will not be recorded because Agent A left it paused.
  • Solution: Always add a Resume action immediately prior to any BLINDXFER or REQAGENT node in your transfer scripts. Ensure the recording is explicitly restarted before handing the caller to a new agent.

Official References