Actions on Google (AoG) is the platform for developers to extend the Google Assistant. Using AoG developers can deploy their existing Conversational Agents or build for Google Assistant directly from templates. This is a walk-through guide to integrate your Dialogflow Agent to Actions on Google console.
Actions on Google
Accessing Actions on Google
- Visit Google Assistant | Google Developers.
- Sign in using your Google Account.
Sign in
- Click Go to Actions Console button.
Go to Action Console
First look at Actions Console
If you have visited the console for the first time, you will be asked to create a project before getting started.
No Projects
Creating the first project
- Click the New Project button.
- A dialog appears to enter project-name, language and country. (For explanation purpose I’m creating a basic hello-world project).
New Project Dialog
- Actions on Google allows three categories of Actions: Smart Home, Game, Custom. To integrate Dialogflow Agent to the Action, select Custom.
Action Category
- In Custom Actions, AoG provides 5 sample projects and a Blank Project. Select Blank Project and Start Building.
AoG: Projects
After some time, Actions on Google takes you to your project. Here you can manage all the project related settings.
Integrating Dialogflow Agent to hello-world Action
To continue from here, you must have made a Dialogflow Agent. (Haven’t made an Agent yet? Go through Getting started with Dialogflow).
- Access the Dialogflow Console.
- Select the Agent.
- Go to Integrations Section from Console Pane.
- Select Google Assistant.
Google Assistant Integration
- A Window appears, select Manage Assistant App.
Integrate
Now the Dialogflow takes you to the Actions on Google console, where you can see the project list. Select the hello-world project and voila! you have successfully integrated your Dialogflow Conversational Agent to your Actions on Google.
Actions on Google Console Elements
Overview:
This gives you the overview of your project in three steps,
- Decide how your Action is invoked. Here you can give the invocation name to your action. For example, if you give the invocation phrase name hello world the action can be invoked on Google Assistant by saying, “Talk to hello world”. (Note that invocation phrase must be unique globally)
- Build your Action. This step is already been completed when you integrated your Dialogflow Agent.
- Get ready for deployment are the final information like short description, long description, small logo, large banner, developer name and email, Privacy Policy (This is mandatory for every Action) and Terms of Conditions (optional) which are required for Action description to be listed in Actions Directory.
Test:
This section provides the web simulator to test the functionality of your action across Google Assistant platforms like Smart Home, Phone, Speaker (Google Home). You can also enable On-device testing from Settings to test the Action directly on your Mobile Device having same Google Account.
Test
Deploy:
After you have filled all the necessary details, you can Release your Action from Deploy section. You can make test releases in Alpha (upto 20 users) and Beta (upto 200 users) before launching it to public. When you are ready to release the Action to public, use Deploy > Release > Production > Create a release.
Release
It usually takes few days to get your Action published and if any improvements are needed you will be informed via mail. After improving release it again.