Can Universal request replace Interaction Management?

[anand9]

Hello - I want to understand if Interaction Management cab be replaced by Universal request?

Document talks about use cases of both - but I am not convinced with the detail:-

https://www.servicenow.com/docs/bundle/yokohama-employee-service-management/page/product/universal-r...

 For example:- Interaction Management is mainly used to track the live conversation with user (phone/VA) - but Universal request also have VA integration and AWA support!

So why can't L1 agents create universal request via VA or during Phone call? Once the details are captured, either they will resolve it, or transfer the ticket to appropriate team. SLAs can also be implemented on UR to track L1's performance. L1 can also follow up on the transferred ticket.

Customer can slightly change the process if L1 working on UR (instead of interaction) created from VA, email, etc to immediately resolve or create incident, SR, HR etc out of UR. SLAs are possible on UR.

what Interaction has to offer separate? Also, can I transfer Incident to catalog item the way it works in Interaction Management?

[Dr Atul G- LNG · Accepted solution]

Hi @anand9 

Greetings!!

The decision on which module to use ultimately lies with the business. However, from a ServiceNow perspective, UR)and Interaction are two distinct modules serving different purposes.

(UR is mainly used by end users who may not know whether their issue is an incident or a request. It provides a simplified way for users to raise their needs without technical categorization.

On the other hand, Interaction is designed to capture how an end user interacts with an agent (or vice versa). It gives the agent a complete view of the conversation and helps determine what the user actually needs—whether it results in creating an incident, request, or any other record.

So, from both a technical and practical standpoint, UR and Interaction are separate modules designed for different use cases and should not be combined or interchanged.

[anand9]

Thanks for replying.

Technically speaking - is Interaction management tightly integrated with VA and AWA? How easy or difficult would that me to replace with UR - is it supported by ServiceNow?

[Dr Atul G- LNG]

Hi @anand9 

is Interaction management tightly integrated with VA and AWA?

Atul: 

Using the word "tight" here isn't accurate. Yes, Virtual Agent (VA) and Interaction are linked with each other, but AWA (Advanced Work Assignment) is entirely different.

AWA comes into play after records are created and are pending assignment. It’s not directly tied to the VA-Interaction flow.

How easy or difficult would that me to replace with UR - is it supported by ServiceNow?

Atul: 

It’s ultimately a business decision. ServiceNow provides the modules, and it's up to you how you want to use them — whether to use them as-is or customize them.

But remember, my friend, these are foundational components and represent two different tools for two different purposes.

It’s like asking, “Can I replace a banana with an apple in a salad?”
Yes, you can — but will it work well for everyone? That’s something you need to carefully consider before deciding.

[Uncle Rob]

Wait, they don't replace each other.  They have completely different functions.
What FUNCTION are you looking for?