Virtual agent flows

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Virtual agent flows

    The Virtual Agent flows enable suppliers to efficiently manage invoice and inquiry-related tasks through a chat interface in the supplier portal. Suppliers can check invoice and inquiry statuses, create inquiry cases, and access predefined chatbot topics. They can also seamlessly switch between interacting with the virtual agent and a live Accounts Payable Operations agent for additional support.

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    Key Features

    • Invoice Status Checking: Suppliers enter an invoice number to view its status via the virtual agent. The status link leads to detailed invoice case information.
    • Inquiry Status Checking: Suppliers can check inquiry statuses related to invoices and create new inquiry cases directly through the chatbot.
    • Create New Inquiry: Suppliers can initiate new inquiry cases related to invoices using the Create inquiry link, allowing them to specify the inquiry type and add comments.
    • Live Agent Support: Suppliers can opt to talk to a live Accounts Payable Operations agent at any time. Agents can create and associate interaction records with existing invoice cases. If no agent is available, an appropriate message is shown.
    • Natural Language Understanding (NLU): Integrated NLU assists suppliers in navigating conversations, understanding queries, and directing them to the correct virtual agent topics related to invoices and inquiries.
    • Pre-chat Survey: Available when the app-supplier-awa plugin is installed by the Accounts Payable admin, this survey helps route suppliers to the most appropriate support option based on their responses.
    • Chat Channel Configuration: The virtual agent chatbot can be activated in the supplier portal to facilitate Accounts Payable Operations self-service tasks.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Suppliers gain streamlined, self-service access to invoice and inquiry information without requiring manual support intervention.
    • Service teams reduce workload by automating routine supplier interactions and routing complex issues to live agents effectively.
    • Improved supplier satisfaction through quick responses, easy transitions between virtual and live agents, and personalized support guided by NLU and pre-chat surveys.
    • Enhanced case management via integration of interaction records linked with invoice cases, supporting efficient tracking and resolution of supplier inquiries.

    Suppliers can check the invoice and inquiry statuses, create inquiry cases in the supplier portal using the chat channel. Suppliers can also use the virtual agent to view predefined chatbot topics.

    Suppliers can switch between a virtual agent and a live agent to address their issues. The customer service virtual agent topics (chatbot conversations) help suppliers complete common self-service tasks. The supplier initiates a conversation topic that consists of dialogs with the virtual agent chatbot to accomplish a goal.

    Natural Language understanding (NLU) is integrated with the virtual agent chatbot to help suppliers with invoice and inquiry-related queries. NLU also helps suppliers to analyze, understand, and navigate to the right topic.

    For more information, see Connect and Virtual Agent.

    Accounts Payable Operations Virtual agent flows

    Supplier can choose to view the following Virtual agent flows.

    Check invoice status

    The supplier provides an invoice number and the virtual agent displays the status of the invoice. The invoice status is a clickable link, which navigates suppliers to view invoice case details. For more details about the invoice, see Invoice processing overview.

    The chatbot prompts the supplier to perform the following.
    1. Add new comment-comment on the inquiry or invoice case that the supplier requested for
    2. Talk to a live agent- Accounts Payable Operations agent interacts with a supplier for an invoice or inquiry-related query
    3. Search for something else- Redirects suppliers to point 1
    4. All good thanks- Ends the chat

    Live Agent support

    Suppliers are routed directly to a live Accounts Payable Operations to initiate conversations and skip the virtual agent conversation greeting. Live agents can also create Interaction records and associate with an existing invoice case. For more information on interaction records, see Interaction management in Accounts Payable Operations. If an agent isn't available, the message No agent available is displayed to the user.

    Check inquiry status

    The supplier provides an invoice number and the virtual agent displays the status of the inquiry. The Accounts Payable Operations agent can create a new inquiry on the invoice.

    Create new inquiry

    The supplier can choose to create an inquiry case related to the invoice using the Create inquiry link. The Create inquiry link enables suppliers to choose the type of inquiry case. Suppliers use Add new comment to add comments related to the inquiry.

    For more information on creating inquiry case, see Submit an Invoice Inquiry.

    Prechat Survey

    Pre-chat survey is available to supplier if the Accounts Payable admin installs the app-supplier-awaplugin into the system. Depending on the response received from the supplier, the chatbot directs the supplier to choose between Talk to Live Agent and Accounts Payable options. For more information on the options, see Configure the chat channel and Advanced Work Assignment in Accounts Payable Operations.

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