---
sourceDocument: Australia Conversational Interfaces
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/conversational-interfaces

 Release :

    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia Conversational Interfaces

ft:clusterId :

    - convint

bundleId :

    - convint

workflow :

    - Platform


---

# Work item queues

# Work item queues {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Australia
* 
* Updated March 12, 2026
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 3 minutes to read

Summarize  
![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) 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 Work Item Queues

Work item queues in Advanced Work Assignment (AWA) facilitate the management of specific work items associated with service channels.
AWA administrators can create and modify these queues based on the requirements of their customers, defining essential parameters such as the service channel, agent groups, availability schedules, and time limits for accepting work items.
Show full answer Show less  

## Key Features

* **Queue Configuration:** Administrators can set up queues with specified service channels and assigned agent groups. AWA allows the creation of custom chat messages for the Chat service channel.
* **Routing Conditions:** Work items can be routed to queues based on either simple conditions using a condition builder or advanced conditions via JavaScript. Queues can exist without automatic routing, allowing for manual assignment of work items.
* **Chat Context Variables:** These variables allow for nuanced routing of chat work items based on user responses collected from pre-chat surveys, enhancing the targeting of live chats.
* **Agent Group Assignment:** Administrators can assign one or more agent groups to a queue, determining eligibility based on assignment rules and time constraints, ensuring efficient workload management.
* **Work Item Sort Order:** Sort conditions can be created to prioritize the order of work items in a queue, based on fields from the service channel table and specified sorting directions.

## Key Outcomes

By effectively utilizing work item queues, ServiceNow customers can enhance their service delivery through structured management of work items, ensuring timely responses and efficient agent allocation. The ability to define routing conditions and eligibility criteria supports optimized workflow and prioritization, ultimately improving customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.  
In Advanced Work Assignment, queues store a specific type of work item for
a service channel.
AWA administrators can create or modify queues based on
customer need. As part of creating or modifying a queue, the awa_admin identifies some
information about the queue, including the service channel to which the queue belongs and
which agent groups handle the incoming work items.

The awa_admin can select a schedule that defines when the queue is available and identify a
time limit within which an agent should accept a work item in the queue. If the selected
service channel is Chat, the awa_admin creates the chat messages that
are displayed to users.  
Routing conditions identify the work items that are routed to a queue. Create routing conditions in one of two ways:

* Simple: use a condition builder to select routing conditions. The fields available for selection are based on the selected service channel.
* Advanced: use a JavaScript script to identify routing conditions.
{#awa-queues__ul_d44_cyx_gfb}

The awa_admin can also create a queue without routing conditions so that work items are not routed to that queue automatically. Customers can manually assign work items to the queue or assign work items using assignment tools
such as matching rules or Workflow Studio.

When a case in a queue is assigned manually, the case is removed from the queue. The state
of the work item is set to Canceled and the cancellation reason is
set to Manually assigned.  
Note:  
New work items may not be assigned if they are routed to queues containing more than 10,000 work items in the queued state.

## Configure routing rules that use chat context variables {#awa-queues__section_iym_lpj_sjb}

You can specify queue routing rules that use chat context variables in the condition
builder. For details on creating chat context variables, see [Configure context variables for storing chat-related information](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/kGrAEmnoX4R6E0RV3rTFKw "Specify chat context variables, also called Live Agent chat variables, for storing chat-related information, such as pre-chat survey responses. These variables contain contextual information that can be used to determine topic intent or control how chats are routed to live agents. You can also define variables to capture contextual information passed in Virtual Agent topic scripts to share with live agents."). These
variables can store contextual information that can be used in routing conditions to control
where chat work items are routed.

For example, you can define chat context variables to store user responses from [pre-chat
surveys](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/JkJy~zx_MKY18dA53N1h8Q "Use Survey Designer to build conversational questionnaires for gathering pre-chat information and post-chat feedback from end users. These questionnaires run in the chat client for Virtual Agent and Agent Chat.") that you create. If you store these responses in chat context variables,
such as a user's department or a product name, you can specify the context variables in
queue routing conditions to direct where the live chat is routed. When you specify a routing
condition using the condition builder, you can dot walk to the Context fields. In the fields
menu, select Show Related Fields and open the fields menu again to
select Context → Interaction Context fields.

You can then select from the available chat context variables in the condition
builder. For example, choosing csp_category becomes
Context.csp_category.

## Assign pools of agents eligible to work on a queue {#awa-queues__section_k1g_grd_hfb}

Assign one or more agent groups to a queue using the Eligibility Assignment related list. These groups are eligible to receive work items from
the queue, which allows work to get prioritized to eligible agents.

Select an agent assignment rule and any eligibility time constraints for each group. The
eligibility time constraints are used to determine when the next pool of agents is eligible
for assignment. For example, you can assign one group to handle work items immediately and a
second group to handle the overflow from the first group after work items sit in the queue
for a specified amount of time.  
Note:  
If no groups are assigned to a queue, work items can be routed to the queue but Advanced Work Assignment does not assign them.

## Create a sort order for a queue {#awa-queues__section_bpc_hrd_hfb}

Use the Work Item Sort Order related list to create one or more sort conditions for work
items in a queue. For each sort condition, specify a field from the selected service channel
table and the direction to sort, either ascending or descending. Items in the queue are
sorted and assigned to agents based on these conditions.