Input data types in Virtual Agent topics

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 1 minute to read

    • You can define inputs of commonly used Glide Virtual Agent (com.glide.cs.chatbot) data types in Assistant Designer without writing a script. Define the input data type on the Start node of a custom control or topic block.

    Data types in Assistant Designer

    The data type designation allows Virtual Agent to perform secondary validation on NLU predicted values. For example, if your choice list has red, white, and blue, but the NLU prediction service returns green, the input won't be slot-filled because that wasn't a valid choice.

    When you specify an input with a data type on a calling topic, you can use the data pill picker to specify information collected from the user or previously looked up in a custom control or topic block.

    Data type Description
    String Alphanumeric text. The value uses JavaScript data conventions.
    Boolean Boolean value of true or false (yes or no).
    Reference Table record by sys_id.

    Select a ServiceNow table in the Table field. You can define conditions for the returned record.
    Date/Time Date and time values.
    Array.String Sequence of alphanumeric text values.

    To limit the number of strings that authors can specify, use the Max Number of Rows field.
    Array.Datetime Sequence of date and time values.

    To limit the number of dates that authors can specify, use the Max Number of Rows field. Click + to specify more than one default value.
    Array.Reference Sequence of table records by sys_id.

    Select a ServiceNow table in the Table field. You can define conditions for the returned record.

    To limit the number of records that authors can specify, use the Max Number of Rows field.

    Note:
    The Array.Reference input data type in Virtual Agent Designer corresponds to the List.[Table] input data type in Workflow Studio. For more information, see Action input and output data types.
    Array.Choice Sequence of choice list values for a specific choice field.

    For example, printer, computer, and monitor.
    Note:
    Duplicate default values are not allowed with array data types.

    Example data type definition

    This User Name Array.Reference input variable limits the number of records to 5. It references the sys_user table with the condition that all names must start with a.

    Edit input window, showing data type definition inAssistant Designer.