--- sourceDocument: Xanadu ServiceNow AI Platform Capabilities sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/xanadu/servicenow-platform Release : - xanadu ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Xanadu ServiceNow AI Platform Capabilities ft:clusterId : - platcap bundleId : - platcap workflow : - Platform --- # External routing overview # External routing overview {#ariaid-title1} * Release version: Xanadu * * Updated August 1, 2024 * * ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 3 minutes to read External Routing involves routing to external queue based on the service channel and queue conditions, and then the assignment is completed by the third-party system. ## Process flow {#awa-external-routing-overview__section_mkp_1x2_b5b} This is how the work items are processed when using external routing: 1. Work items are routed to the queue in a queued state but are unassigned. Work items expire if the Max timeout is set. 2. External solution looks for work items in queued state by the Work Item Table API. 3. External solution looks for agent availability vi the AWA Agent API before assigning to agent. 4. The external solution uses the AWA Assignment API to assign the work items to the agent. 5. The agent sees an inbox card. {#awa-external-routing-overview__ol_mwx_dx2_b5b} When Advanced Work Assignment is configured to use external routing: * Queues do not allow to have Assignment Eligibility Groups defined. * Work items remain in the queue with a "queued" status until the external system assigns the work item or the queue maximum wait time elapses. * Related lists are displayed on the Queues screen. {#awa-external-routing-overview__ul_ofv_y4b_rvb} These APIs are required for external routing: * AWA Assignment API to support the external routing system to assign work items. For information on AWA Assignment API, see [AWA Assignment API](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=awa_manual_assign-api&version=xanadu&pubname=xanadu-api-reference&ft:locale=en-US) . * Work item table API (awa_work_item) to look up the queued work items waiting for assignment. For information on table API, see [Table API](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=c_TableAPI&version=xanadu&pubname=xanadu-api-reference&ft:locale=en-US). * AWA Agent API if the external solution requires validation of agent availability within Workspace before assignment. For more information on the AWA Agent API, see [AWA Agent API](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=agent-api&version=xanadu&pubname=xanadu-api-reference&ft:locale=en-US). {#awa-external-routing-overview__ul_pfv_y4b_rvb} ## Functionality of AWA components {#awa-external-routing-overview__section_kzz_kx2_b5b} When external routing is enabled, the AWA components provide these capabilities: Agent * Components utilized * Agent availability * Accept button * Agent capacity in use (Service channel capacity) increases but is not utilized against the max capacity of service channel * Agent universal capacity in use increases but is not utilized against the max universal capacity * Reject button with rejection reasons: The Reject button is used when configured in the manual assignment API. If the reject button is enabled (allowed_to_decline=true parameter in assignment API request), then the rejection reasons are supported. {#awa-external-routing-overview__ul_mmt_y2m_b5b} * Components not utilized * Max agent capacity * Max universal capacity {#awa-external-routing-overview__ul_hn4_bfm_b5b} {#awa-external-routing-overview__ul_tyq_x2m_b5b} Service channel * Components utilized * Channel advanced condition * Inbox layouts * Queue order * Assign to and assignment group fields {#awa-external-routing-overview__ul_gpz_ffm_b5b} * Components not utilized * Capacity and utilization features * Agent capacity overrides * Work item override {#awa-external-routing-overview__ul_ocr_3fm_b5b} {#awa-external-routing-overview__ul_r2j_ffm_b5b} Queue * Components utilized * Max wait time will expire work items if set on queue * Work item routing conditions * Queue order * Queue agents' presence checks: Agent's presence is checked during the assignment API request processing. {#awa-external-routing-overview__ul_hyy_lfm_b5b} * Components not utilized * Work items remain in the queue with a status of "queued" until the external system routes the work item * Queue schedules * The following related lists are hidden on the queue since they are not utilized: * Assignment eligibility and rules * Work item sort order * Agent Affinity * Agent assignments * Group queue priorities * Work items {#awa-external-routing-overview__ul_xhz_4fm_b5b} {#awa-external-routing-overview__ul_fjj_nfm_b5b} {#awa-external-routing-overview__ul_xwk_lfm_b5b} ## Functionality of External routing in AWA {#awa-external-routing-overview__section_frs_lnd_5bc} External routing enables AWA to integrate with third-party contact-center-as-a-service (CCaaS) providers. When the external provider has made an assignment decision, the work item gets assigned utilizing the existing AWA Assignment API. External Routing can * Send events to keep providers informed about the work item and agent status. * Enhance the assignment API to handle provider-initiated work items. * Track and offer contact center work items, while outsourcing agent selection to the contact center. {#awa-external-routing-overview__ul_mnv_mdw_ccc} When Advanced Work Assignment is configured for external routing: * AWA provides additional parameters for an Inbox experience. * AWA provides additional logging and performance improvements. * The Inbox card is presented to the Agent with both the Reject and Accept buttons when Auto-accept is false. * The Inbox card shows the Time-out value to Agent. If auto-assign is true, this field is ignored, when the Time-out value of the Work Item is greater than 0. * The presence state of the agent switches to the specified presence state. If auto-assign is true OR no timeout is passed in, this field is ignored. * The work item is immediately assigned to Accept, when the Auto-assign value is true. * The auto-assigned work item is either displayed as an Inbox card, or both Inbox card and workspace tab. If the auto-assign value is false, this field is ignored. {#awa-external-routing-overview__ul_tvb_s5m_nbc} * **[Create a connection Alias for third-party provider](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/NgF9Zx9wFW8XVayPljgtYQ)** Create a connection Alias for your third-party provider to enable external routing on your instance. * **[Create a custom flow action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/uDwC24FCOKQP98eiHvwmVg)** Create a custom flow action in Workflow Studio for enabling external routing. * **[Create a subflow](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/xWwF3J8~mx2_AiR_L4x3jw)** Create a subflow for the Workflow Studio for enabling external routing. * **[Create a payload for external third-party providers](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Ddc4BFtp5emRU_pCAdDBEA)** Create a payload for external third-party providers to send your work item details and events to the external queue. * **[Link Subflow and Payload to External Queues](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/RuUqZvD~X7A87Ei5W_xW_A)** Link the subflow and the payload to your external queue to complete external routing. * **[Enable external routing for queues](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/6FE~TW9F3hve4h7jwd0vkA)** Configure Advanced Work Assignment to route work items in the queue using external routing. * **[Configure External Routing events and payload](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/q9RqUZqaMPEyrcE1ZmT4kQ)** Configure Advanced Work Assignment with external routing using AWA External Service API for CCaaS and third-party providers to enable them to submit events. * **[Define external routing test implementation](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/SckTpGt~x_ZPKVsNlu2OlA)** Define the External Routing Test Tools plugin \[com.glide.awa.external.test_tools\] with a simplified external-routing-provider sample Automated Test Framework (ATF) by using the demo data that is available with the plugin installation. * **[Tutorial: Route interactions by context](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Stln8tioYze~Hv02uQVPLQ#context-routing-tutorial)** Learn how you can configure Advanced Work Assignment to route conversations to agents according to the context of the conversation.