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Build by use case

You know what you want the bot to do - the question is which kind of agent to build. Nexus has two types: a conversational agent that reasons out each reply on its own from your instructions and knowledge, and a guided agent that runs a fixed flow you design, the same way every time. This page is a jobs-to-be-done router: find the scenario closest to yours, see which type fits and why, and jump straight to the build path.

Not sure which fits? Start at Create an agent - it walks through the Create picker and the conversational-vs-guided choice in one place. The rule of thumb: if you'd describe the work as "it depends on what they ask," build a conversational agent; if you'd describe it as "first this, then this, then this - every time," build a guided agent.

What are you building?​

GoalBest fitWhyStart here
Open-ended support / FAQ - answer questions, troubleshoot, diagnose, guide to a resolutionConversationalThe path depends on what the user says; the agent works out each reply from your knowledge and adapts turn by turn.Conversational agents + Knowledge base
Order tracking / status lookups - fetch a record and report back ("where's my order?")Conversational + a workflow toolStill open-ended (users phrase it many ways), but the lookup itself must hit a system of record - so attach a workflow that does the fetch.Conversational agents + Tools
Appointment booking / KYC / returns - a fixed multi-step procedure that must run identically every timeGuidedThe steps and their order are fixed; you want every run consistent and auditable, with no step skipped or reordered.Guided agents
Lead qualification - gather details and score/route a prospectConversational (or Guided if scripted)If the questions adapt to the answers, conversational. If sales mandates the exact questions in the exact order, make it a guided flow.Conversational agents · Guided agents
Voice agent - handle the same job over a phone callEitherType is independent of channel - a conversational or guided agent can run on voice. Pick the type by the job above, then enable voice.Voice on Nexus

The scenarios in detail​

Open-ended support / FAQ​

Reach for a conversational agent. There's no fixed path to enforce - the agent understands the question, asks for anything it's missing, and reasons out each reply from your knowledge. Give it a Knowledge base tool so its answers stay grounded in your content, and write a clear trigger and instructions on the conversational agent profile.

Order tracking / status lookups​

Also a conversational agent, because users ask in a hundred different ways - but the answer has to come from a system of record, not from the model. Attach a workflow tool that does the lookup (an API call keyed by order ID, account number, or ticket reference) and the agent calls it when it has what it needs. See Tools for how workflows plug into an agent, and the conversational agent page for wiring the tool to a trigger.

Appointment booking / KYC / returns (fixed multi-step)​

Build a guided agent. These are regulated or procedural journeys where skipping or reordering a step is unacceptable - collect details, check eligibility, confirm, then act. A guided agent draws the path explicitly on a canvas, so every run is consistent and auditable. Start at Guided agents; a step that genuinely needs open-ended reasoning can still be a Conversational Agent node inside the flow.

Lead qualification​

This one goes either way. If the conversation should adapt - probing deeper when a prospect sounds qualified, moving on when they don't - build a conversational agent and let it reason. If your sales process mandates the exact questions in the exact order (for scoring parity or compliance), build a guided agent so every lead is qualified identically. See Conversational agents and Guided agents.

Voice agent​

Agent type is independent of channel. The same conversational or guided agent you'd build for chat can run a phone call - so choose the type by the job (use the rows above), then turn on voice. Start at Voice on Nexus for the runtime modes, voice library, and testing.

Tip - you can mix both. A conversational agent can call a guided agent as a tool when a conversation reaches a part that needs a fixed procedure (for example, a support agent that hands off to a kyc-verification guided agent). And a guided agent can include Conversational Agent nodes for the steps that need open-ended reasoning. You rarely have to pick one type forever.

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