Creating Winston Chatbot

Objective

After completing this lesson, you will be able to configure Winston Chat chatbots using the configuration panel to create a customized and branded candidate experience.

Winston Chatbot Configuration Panel

The Winston Chatbot Configuration Panel empowers admins to build, customize, and manage candidate-facing chatbots tailored to their business needs.

The intuitive dashboard and configuration tools allow admins to control every aspect of chatbot creation, identity, workflow, and deployment, all in one place. Enhanced branding, compliance options, and channel management ensure each chatbot delivers a seamless and on-brand candidate experience.

Displays SmartRecruiters Winston Chat Configuration panel - screen showing two live chatbots, Danny and Winston, with search field and + Chatbot button.​

Key Features

  • Guided three-step chatbot setup covering identity, knowledge base integration, and rapid deployment with live share links and embed codes.
  • Centralized dashboard to view, edit, disable, clone, or delete chatbots, track live/draft status, and manage variants.
  • Deep customization of chatbot identity: name, avatar, company info, brand tone, theme colors, and knowledge base uploads.
  • Advanced settings include chatbot variants for different contexts (e.g., distinct business units), quick action keywords for campaigns/job targeting, and channel enablement (web, WhatsApp, or SMS).
  • Automated candidate re-engagement workflows (reminders, nudges, confirmations) across enabled channels to reduce drop-offs and boost conversions.
  • Compliance and consent management, multilingual content, and global asset libraries for media and knowledge reuse.
  • Simple publishing flow. Deploy chatbots instantly to career sites or test via shareable links.

Winston Chatbot Settings

Each chatbot comes with a full suite of configurable settings. These controls let you adjust everything from general details and compliance requirements to branding, tone, and advanced features.

General

In General settings, you can update the chatbot name, default language, and company information, all of which were previously configured when creating a new chatbot.

Additionally, you can add a Power by Link, a Privacy Link, and a Terms and Conditions Link. Adding these links during Winston chatbot configuration is important because it ensures brand transparency and trust while meeting legal compliance requirements and respecting user data rights.

Displays SmartRecruiters Winston Chatbot Configuration panel: General settings with Chatbot Name 'Winston', Languages list, and Company Information fields.​

Channels

Manage where Winston interacts with candidates by enabling or disabling different channels. Alongside the web chatbot, you can configure WhatsApp or SMS with linked phone numbers. This flexibility allows you to meet candidates where they are, increasing engagement across different communication platforms.

Displays SmartRecruiters Winston Chatbot Configuration Panel – Channels screen showing Communication preferences: Web Chatbot script (default), WhatsApp and Text SMS, showing connected status and Edit buttons.

Compliance

Set up how candidate consent is captured before conversations begin. You can require explicit consent, where users actively agree to policies, or disable consent collection if it’s not needed. This ensures the usage for Winston remains adaptable across markets while maintaining candidate trust and alignment with compliance.

Displays SmartRecruiters Winston Chatbot Configuration Panel, Compliance page including Explicit data consent enabled; data retention period settings for conversations, resumes, applications set to 53 weeks.

In the Data Consent section, choose whether users must consent to sharing their data or not. Select either:

  • Explicit - Users must actively consent before using the chatbot. If using the explicit option, you can select for how long different types of data should be stored before automatic deletion, including Conversation Data, Resume Data, and Application Data.
  • Disable - No consent is requested or collected from users.

Configurations

Within the Configuration tab, you can define how candidates can search and view jobs through Winston. Supported options include search by job title or by location (commute time). You can customize job listing cards, details pages, and even prompt candidates to join the talent community if no jobs are found. Interview scheduling can also be enabled here, giving recruiters a seamless setup for the full candidate journey.

Displays SmartRecruiters Winston Chatbot Configurations screen: Search Experience with job search fields (City, Category, State, Country, Title, Employment Type), commute based search enabled.

Create a Winston Chatbot

Steps

  1. Navigate to Settings.

  2. Select Winston Chat in the Configuration section.

  3. Choose + Chatbot on the Chatbots tab.

  4. Enter a name for your chatbot in the Chatbot Name field.

    Display Chatbot setup: name 'Super Chatbot', choose avatar, language, theme color; right panel previews chat greeting for Super Chatbot.

  5. Select an avatar or upload a custom avatar in the Chatbot Avatar field.

    Displays Chatbot setup screen: highlighting Chatbot Avatar for name 'Super Chatbot', select avatar, language, theme color; right preview shows Super Chatbot greeting message.

  6. Select the default language for the chatbot in the Default Language field.

  7. Select a theme color to keep your chatbot on-brand in the Theme Color field.

  8. Choose Continue.

Set up Chatbot Knowledge

Steps

  1. Enter the name of the company associated with the Chatbot in the Company Name field.

  2. Enter a brief description of the company associated with the Chatbot in the Company Description field. Providing this information ensures the chatbot communicates with accurate context, making candidate interactions more relevant and trustworthy.

    1. Option 1: Select Knowledge Hub to source chatbot knowledge from one of your global Knowledge Hubs.

      • In the Select a knowledge base field, select a knowledge base from the dropdown list.

    2. Option 2: Select Create with AI to train your chatbot with a website or documents.

      • In the Company URL field, you can enter your company website for AI to pull information from.
      • In the Company Documents field, you can upload individual documents to provide the AI tool with specific information such as a company overview, work policies, or other resources.
      Displays Step 2: Provide details to train your chatbot—fields for Company Name and Description; choose Knowledge Hub or Create with AI; select Knowledge Base dropdown.​

  3. Select Finish.

  4. Once setup is complete, your bot is ready to go live. You’ll receive an embed code that can be placed directly on your career site, along with a shareable link for testing. From here, you can either launch Winston instantly or refine it further in the Dashboard before publishing more widely.

Summary

  • The Winston Chatbot Configuration Panel allows admins to build, customize, and manage candidate-facing chatbots tailored to their business needs through an intuitive dashboard.
  • Key features include guided chatbot setup, a centralized dashboard for managing chatbots, deep customization of chatbot identity, advanced settings for different contexts, and automated candidate re-engagement workflows.
  • Winston Chatbot settings include general settings for updating chatbot name and company information, channel settings for enabling different communication platforms, and compliance settings for managing candidate consent.

Learning

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