Custom Actions Overview

Custom Actions are JavaScript functions you register with Nobi that the AI can execute when appropriate. When users ask to perform an action, Nobi recognizes the intent, collects any necessary information through natural conversation or forms, executes your function, and confirms the result in plain language.

Example: A user asks "Can I schedule a consultation for next Tuesday at 2pm?" Nobi recognizes this matches your bookAppointment function, collects the necessary details, executes the booking, and responds "Your consultation is scheduled for Tuesday, March 12th at 2:00 PM. Confirmation number: #12345."

Custom Actions turn Nobi into an active participant in your business processes rather than just a source of information.

Why Use Custom Actions?

Reduce Friction in Customer Journeys

Customers can complete actions without leaving the conversation:

Submit lead forms while discussing your services

Book appointments during product inquiries

Calculate shipping costs while browsing

Check store inventory in real-time

Configure products through conversation

Every action that happens in-chat is one less form to find, one less page to navigate to, one less step toward conversion.

Capture Intent at the Moment of Interest

When customers express interest, Custom Actions let you capture it immediately:

"I'd like to talk to someone" → Contact form submitted instantly

"How much would shipping cost?" → Calculator runs without leaving chat

"I need this by Friday" → Appointment booking initiated on the spot

No more "I'll come back later" drop-offs. Actions happen when customers are engaged.

Automate Complex Workflows

Custom Actions can trigger sophisticated operations:

Multi-step form submissions

Real-time pricing calculations

Inventory checks across locations

Appointment scheduling with availability checking

Custom product configurations

Your business logic runs directly in the browser, integrated seamlessly with your existing systems.

Maintain Context Throughout

Unlike traditional forms that interrupt conversation flow, Custom Actions preserve context:

Information from the conversation pre-fills form fields

Users only provide missing details

Confirmations feel natural, not robotic

Customers stay in the conversational experience

The AI remembers what was discussed and only asks for what's needed.

Build Brand-Specific Experiences

Custom Actions let you tailor Nobi to your unique business:

Industry-specific calculations (mortgage quotes, insurance estimates)

Proprietary workflows (custom quoting processes)

Integration with your existing tools (CRM, booking systems, inventory)

Brand-specific interactions that reflect your business model

Nobi becomes an extension of your operations, not a generic chatbot.

What You Can Build

Lead generation & contact forms

Shipping & delivery calculators

Appointment booking

Inventory checker

The sky’s the limit. Check out our use cases and examples page to learn more.

How Custom Actions Work

1. Register Your Functions

Define JavaScript functions on your website that Nobi can invoke:


window.NobiTools = [
  {
    name: "submitContactForm",
    description: "Submit a contact form with user information",
    parameters: { /* What data is needed */ },
    handler: function(data) { /* Your implementation */ }
  }
];

You control what actions are available and how they execute. Nobi never runs code you haven't explicitly registered.

2. AI Decides When to Invoke

When users chat with Nobi, the AI understands their intent and determines if a Custom Action should be used:

User: "I'd like to talk to someone about your services"

Nobi thinks: This matches the submitContactForm tool → Should invoke it

The AI makes intelligent decisions about when actions are appropriate based on your function descriptions.

3. Automatic Parameter Collection

If information is missing, Nobi collects it through conversation or forms:

From conversation:

User: "I want to book an appointment for haircut on March 15th"

Nobi extracts: service = "haircut", date = "March 15th"

Still needs: time

From form:

Nobi: "What time works best for you on March 15th?"

Form appears asking only for time

User completes form

Nobi intelligently determines what's already known and what needs to be asked.

4. Execution in Your Browser

Your function executes directly in the browser with full access to:

Your page's DOM and JavaScript

Your existing APIs and systems

User session and authentication

Shopping cart, user profile, etc.

The function runs in your environment, giving you complete control and access to your business logic.

5. Natural Language Confirmation

Results are sent back to Nobi, which generates a natural language response:

Nobi responds:
"Perfect! Your appointment is confirmed for March 15th. Your confirmation number is CNF-12345. We'll send you a reminder 24 hours before."

The AI transforms technical results into conversational confirmations that feel natural.

Best Practices

Always Provide Highly-Detailed Descriptions And Names

The system uses the names and descriptions to help figure out what to do next, by making it clear and obvious what your function does and when to use it, it’s more likely that it will be invoked correctly

Provide Examples In Your Function’s Descriptions

Examples of when to use your function, conversations in which the function should be called, and example requests that lead to using your function help the system figure out when to call it

Start Simple, Then Scale

Begin with one or two straightforward actions:

Contact forms or lead capture

Simple calculations or lookups

Basic booking or scheduling

Add complexity as you understand how users interact with Custom Actions.

Focus on High-Impact Moments

Prioritize actions that:

Remove significant friction points

Capture high-intent behaviors

Replace manual processes

Improve conversion rates

Choose actions that solve real customer problems.

Keep Functions Focused

Each action should do one thing well:

Don't create a "do everything" function

Separate related but distinct actions

Make functions intuitive and predictable

Focused functions are easier to maintain and easier for the AI to understand.

Provide Clear Error Messages

When operations fail:

Explain what went wrong in simple terms

Suggest alternative actions

Include contact information for support

Make retry easy

Good error handling maintains trust even when things go wrong.

Test with Real User Language

Users phrase requests differently than you expect:

"I want to talk to someone" vs "Contact sales"

"How much to ship to Chicago?" vs "Calculate shipping cost to 60601"

"Book me for Tuesday" vs "I need an appointment next week"

Test with varied phrasings to ensure the AI recognizes intent consistently.

Monitor Performance

Track how Custom Actions perform:

Completion rates (started vs finished)

Common failure points

User feedback and satisfaction

Conversion impact

Use data to prioritize improvements.

Security and Privacy

You Control Everything

Custom Actions execute your code on your page:

You define what actions are available

You control what data is collected

You implement security measures

You handle authentication and permissions

All execution happens in the browser:

Best Security Practices

When implementing Custom Actions:

Validate all input on the server side

Enforce authentication where needed

Use HTTPS for all API calls

Sanitize user-provided data

Implement rate limiting

Treat Custom Actions like any other user-facing feature.

Common Questions

Do I need to be a developer to use Custom Actions?

Not necessarily, but you will need to use JavaScript to define the custom actions on your site. You can have a developer do it, or you can use AI to read these docs and create the code for you. Check out our Custom Actions API reference to start.

Can Custom Actions access my user's data?

Custom Actions run in the browser with the same access as any other JavaScript on your page. They can access session data, cookies, localStorage, and anything else available to client-side JavaScript.

What if my action takes a long time to complete?

Custom Actions have a 30-second timeout. For longer operations, return immediately with a status message and notify users via email or another channel when complete.

Can I update Custom Actions after deployment?

Yes. Custom Actions are defined in your website's JavaScript, so updates deploy like any other code change. No coordination with Nobi is required.

Do Custom Actions work on mobile?

Yes. Custom Actions work identically on mobile and desktop. Forms are touch-optimized for mobile devices.

Can multiple Custom Actions run in sequence?

Yes. If a user request requires multiple actions, Nobi can invoke them in sequence. Each action completes before the next begins.

How do I test Custom Actions before launching?

Test by chatting with Nobi on your staging or development environment. Try various queries to ensure the AI recognizes intent and forms work correctly.

Learn More

Custom Actions API → - Technical implementation guide

Use Cases & Examples → - Real-world applications with code

Custom Actions Overview What Are Custom Actions?Why Use Custom Actions?Reduce Friction in Customer Journeys Capture Intent at the Moment of Interest Automate Complex Workflows Maintain Context Throughout Build Brand-Specific Experiences What You Can Build How Custom Actions Work 1. Register Your Functions 2. AI Decides When to Invoke 3. Automatic Parameter Collection 4. Execution in Your Browser 5. Natural Language Confirmation Best Practices Always Provide Highly-Detailed Descriptions And Names Provide Examples In Your Function’s Descriptions Start Simple, Then Scale Focus on High-Impact Moments Keep Functions Focused Provide Clear Error Messages Test with Real User Language Monitor Performance Security and Privacy You Control Everything Best Security Practices Common Questions Do I need to be a developer to use Custom Actions?Can Custom Actions access my user's data?What if my action takes a long time to complete?Can I update Custom Actions after deployment?Do Custom Actions work on mobile?Can multiple Custom Actions run in sequence?How do I test Custom Actions before launching?Learn More