Closing idle bot-to-bot conversations

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Closing idle bot-to-bot conversations

    In ServiceNow’s Virtual Agent API bot-to-bot integrations, conversations that remain idle—meaning no activity from the requester—for over one hour are automatically closed. This automatic closure is handled by a scheduled job namedTime Out Abandoned B2B Conversations, which runs hourly every day to clean up these abandoned interactions.

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    Configuring Idle Timeout Period

    Administrators can customize the default idle timeout period (which is 3600 seconds or 1 hour) by setting a system property. This property, com.glide.cs.b2bconversationidletimeout, defines how long an abandoned bot-to-bot conversation remains open after the last user response before it is closed.

    To change this timeout:

    • Navigate to the sysproperties table in the system.
    • Create a new system property with the name com.glide.cs.b2bconversationidletimeout.
    • Set the type to integer and specify the timeout value in seconds (for example, 1800 seconds for 30 minutes).
    • Submit the property to apply the new timeout globally to all Virtual Agent bot-to-bot conversations.

    Adjusting the Scheduled Job Timing

    Administrators can also modify when and how often the Time Out Abandoned B2B Conversations scheduled job runs:

    • Locate the scheduled job under System Definition > Scheduled Jobs.
    • Open the job record and adjust the execution time or frequency. This includes changing the run time, setting the job to run periodically, and defining repeat intervals.
    • Update the record to save changes, which take effect immediately.

    Practical Benefits

    This functionality helps maintain clean and efficient bot-to-bot integrations by automatically closing conversations that are no longer active, preventing resource waste and potential confusion from lingering idle dialogs. By customizing the timeout and scheduling, ServiceNow customers can align this behavior with their operational needs.

    In bot-to-bot integrations (Virtual Agent API), abandoned conversations that are "idle" for more than an hour are automatically closed by the scheduled job, Time Out Abandoned B2B Conversations. This job runs hourly each day.

    The default timeout period for abandoned bot-to-bot conversations is one hour (3600 seconds). The Time Out Abandoned B2B Conversations job closes any bot-to-bot conversations that have been open longer than one hour (3600 seconds). You (admins) can change the default timeout period for idle bot-to-bot conversations by adding the system property com.glide.cs.b2b_conversation_idle_timeout.

    The timeout value that you specify in this property applies to all bot-to-bot conversations involving the Virtual Agent.

    Change the timeout period for idle bot-to-bot conversations

    Add the com.glide.cs.b2b_conversation_idle_timeout property to the System Property [sys_properties] table to specify the length of time that an abandoned bot-to-bot conversation remains open (idle). When the Time Out Abandoned B2B Conversations job runs hourly, it closes any bot-to-bot conversations that have been idle longer than the specified time.
    1. Navigate to All, and then enter sys_properties.list in the navigation filter.
    2. Click New.
    3. On the form, fill in the fields.
      Field Value
      Name Enter the system property name:com.glide.cs.b2b_conversation_idle_timeout
      Description Enter an explanation for this property: Idle timeout period (in seconds) for all bot-to-bot conversations
      Type Select integer.
      Value Enter the number of seconds that the abandoned bot-to-bot conversations remain open, after the requester's last response.

      For example, a value of 1800 seconds (30 minutes) means that an abandoned bot-to-bot conversation remains open for 1800 seconds (30 minutes). When the Time Out Abandoned B2B Conversations job runs, it closes any conversations that have been idle longer than 1800 seconds.
    4. Click Submit.

    Change the Time Out Abandoned B2B Conversations scheduled job

    To change the time that this hourly scheduled job runs or to make other adjustments to the scheduled job:
    1. Navigate to All > System Definition > Scheduled Jobs and open the Time Out Abandoned B2B Conversations record.
    2. In the Scheduled Script Execution form, change the Time at which the scheduled job runs. Or, depending on how you want to adjust the timing, change other fields in the form as needed.

      For example, to change the interval at which the job runs, in the Run field, select Periodically. You then specify the Repeat Interval (Days and Hours) that the job runs and the Starting date for the interval. For a description of the other fields that you can change in this form, see Automatically run a script of your choosing.

    3. Click Update.

      The job runs at the specified time and frequency.