Virtual Agent where to put the no agent available

[saxtonjoshu]

We recently had a task at my organization to update the No Agents available message in Virtual Agent with more information on when the agents are there (hours). I found there are two places that this message is being updated and I am unsure of what takes precedence. 

Under the Conversational Interface Admin settings: Conversational Interfaces > Settings in the navigator, there is this help text for when agents are unavailable. After clicking the settings to go the Settings tab and the Agent Chat sidebar. 

 

In my PDI on Zurich, there is a No Agents Available message in the sys_ui_message table. Key: "No Agents are available".

It looks like the Conversational Interface settings override this message key but does one matter more than the other in the ServiceNow instance? 

[Itallo Brandão]

Hi @saxtonjoshu ,

That is a great question about hierarchy. It is common to get confused between the "Configuration" layer and the "Localization" layer.

The Short Answer: The Conversational Interfaces > Settings takes precedence. Whatever you type in that specific field (as shown in your screenshot) will override the system's default behavior.

How the Hierarchy Works:

1. Conversational Interfaces Settings (Primary): This is the Configuration Layer. It tells the specific chat client (Agent Chat) exactly what string to display for that context. If you enter text here (e.g., "No agents available. We are open 9am-5pm"), the widget will display exactly that.

2. sys_ui_message Table (Secondary/Fallback): This is the Translation & Default Layer.

   • Scenario A (Default): If the field in CI Settings is empty, the system falls back to the default key in sys_ui_message ("No agents are available").

   • Scenario B (Translation): If you enter custom text in CI Settings, the system uses that text. However, if you support multiple languages (e.g., Spanish), you would copy your new custom text into the sys_ui_message table as the "Key" to provide the Spanish translation.

Recommendation: Use the Conversational Interfaces > Settings to make your update.

• Why? It allows you to be specific to the Agent Chat configuration. Changing the global key in sys_ui_message might inadvertently change the message in other parts of the platform that happen to use the same generic key.
  
  

If this clarifies the precedence, please mark it as Accepted Solution.
This helps future admins find the correct answer faster!

Best regards,
Brandão.

[saxtonjoshu]

Would you happen to have a proof of why it takes precedence (ServiceNow docs or employee knowledge?) 

Your anwer was very well put and I hope it does help others in the future but I was kind of hoping for proof that it's the way ServiceNow designed it. 

[Itallo Brandão]

Hi @saxtonjoshu ,

That is a fair request. I dug into the documentation to find the specific confirmation for you.

Here is the official "Smoking Gun" (the proof) regarding the design hierarchy:

The Evidence: ServiceNow Docs: Change Virtual Agent and Agent Chat system messages

Why this proves the precedence:

1. The Procedure defines the Authority: The documentation explicitly instructs admins to: "Navigate to Conversational Interfaces > Settings" to change these system messages.

   • If sys_ui_message were the primary controller for this feature, the documentation would instruct you to edit the table directly.

   • By directing you to Settings, ServiceNow officially designates the Settings UI as the primary override.
     
     

2. he "Note" confirms the Exception: The document includes a crucial note:

   "Note: While the chat widget uses the Messages table [sys_ui_message] to configure the greeting and closing messages..."
   

   

   
   By explicitly listing Greetings and Closings as the specific exceptions that rely on sys_ui_message, it implies that the Standard System Messages (like "No Agents Available") are indeed controlled by the Settings properties as described in the main procedure.
   
   

If this documentation link provides the evidence you needed, please mark it as Accepted Solution.

Best regards,
Brandão.