Use Now Assist for Accounts Payable Operations (APO) in a Virtual Agent chat

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    Summarized using AI
    This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.

    Summary of Use Now Assist for Accounts Payable Operations (APO) in a Virtual Agent chat

    Now Assist for Accounts Payable Operations (APO) integrates generative AI capabilities into a Virtual Agent chat, enabling fulfillers to efficiently manage self-service tasks related to accounts payable. Through a conversational interface, users can submit invoice inquiries, track request statuses, or connect with live agents within the Supplier Collaboration Portal.

    Show full answer Show less

    Key Features

    • Conversational Interface: Users interact naturally with the Virtual Agent using predefined chatbot topics tailored for APO tasks.
    • Submit Requests: Fulfillers can initiate invoice inquiries by selecting options or typing commands, which creates an invoice case directly through chat.
    • Track Request Status: Users can check the status of invoice inquiries by entering invoice or case numbers in the chat or using the tracking topic.
    • Connect to Live Agents: When needed, fulfillers can escalate conversations to live agents, specifically the accounts payable team, via the Virtual Agent.
    • Generative AI Assistance: The AI-powered conversation offers a friendly, natural language experience that improves user comfort and efficiency.
    • Administrative Monitoring: Administrators can use the Now Assist in Virtual Agent Analytics dashboard to monitor self-service performance and conversation deflection rates.

    Practical Use for ServiceNow Customers

    ServiceNow customers can leverage Now Assist for APO to streamline accounts payable operations through intuitive chat interactions. This reduces manual effort, accelerates invoice inquiry handling, and improves user satisfaction by providing quick access to relevant information or live support when necessary. The tool also offers administrators insights to optimize the self-service experience and track effectiveness.

    Use the conversational interface of Now Assist for Accounts Payable Operations (APO) to request contextually relevant generative AI capabilities through a Virtual Agent chat.

    As a fulfiller, you can use the predefined topics (chatbot conversations) that are designed to help you complete self-service tasks. You can submit a request, track a request status, or connect to a live agent by using contextual generative AI capabilities.

    To start a conversation, navigate to All > Supplier Lifecycle Operations > Supplier Collaboration Portal and select the Virtual Agent chat icon (Chat icon.) as shown in the following example.

    Figure 1. Starting screen for the Now Assist for APO in a Virtual Agent chat
    Show all my options.

    Then, see all your available options by selecting Show all my options as shown in the following example.

    Figure 2. All topics in a Now Assist for APO in a Virtual Agent chat

    Using a predefined topic to submit a request

    As a fulfiller, you can submit an invoice inquiry by selecting Show all my options > Submit a request. You could also directly start entering the instructions.

    Then, enter Invoice inquiry in the chat, select an inquiry type, and create an invoice case by selecting Yes, submit as shown in the following example.

    Figure 3. Submit a request
    Summary of the new request created.

    Using a predefined topic to track a request status

    As a fulfiller, you can track an invoice inquiry status by selecting Show all my options > Track request status. You could also directly start entering the instructions.

    For example, enter Invoice case number or invoice number in the chat to view the status of the request as shown in the following example.

    Figure 4. Track a request status
    Summary of the invoice case.

    Using a predefined topic to connect to a live agent

    As a fulfiller, you can connect to a live agent by selecting Show all my options > Connect to a live agent.

    You can connect to a live agent by selecting Accounts payable team.

    Additional Information

    Now Assist in Virtual Agent provides your users with an interactive generative AI experience. A friendly, natural language conversation is easier to understand and makes fulfillers more comfortable with talking to a bot. To learn how a conversation that is powered by generative AI might look in Virtual Agent, see Using Now Assist in Virtual Agent.

    As an administrator, you can use the Now Assist in Virtual Agent Analytics dashboard to monitor the performance of Now Assist in Virtual Agent as a self-service deflection tool. To learn more, see . Now Assist in Virtual Agent Analytics calculates the conversation deflection rate based on the resolution status associated with Now Assist query responses. For more information, see .

    For detailed information on Now Assist in Virtual Agent in general, and Now Assist for APO in particular, see Exploring Now Assist for Accounts Payable Operations (APO).

    For information on configuring Now Assist for APO, see Configure Now Assist for Accounts Payable Operations (APO).