Configure Virtual Agent for Public Sector Digital Services

Set up ServiceNow® Virtual Agent so that conversation designers (topic authors) can create and modify automated conversations for public sector use cases. Also enable your end users to run Virtual Agent in the Government Service Portal and get help with self-service tasks.

Before building Virtual Agent topics for public sector use cases

As admins or topic authors (users with the virtual_agent_admin role), you can do the following with Virtual Agent:

• Use pre-built conversations and topic blocks (components that run subflows or common functions in a conversation). Pre-built conversations and topic blocks are available with the Virtual Agent platform, Customer Service Virtual Agent Conversations plugin (com.sn_csm.virtualagent), and Service Request Playbook application. Pre-built Public Sector topic blocks are available with the Public Sector Digital Services Core application.
• Build your own custom, public sector conversation topics. You can duplicate pre-built topics and topic blocks and then customize them as needed.

Before you or your topic authors (users with the virtual_agent_admin role) create or modify Virtual Agent conversations, meet the following prerequisites for working with pre-built topics and topic blocks in Virtual Agent Designer:

• Activate the Glide Virtual Agent plugin (com.glide.cs.chatbot) to access platform topics and topic blocks and run Virtual Agent Designer.
• Activate the Customer Service Virtual Agent plugin (com.sn_csm.virtualagent) to access pre-built Customer Service Management conversations and topic blocks.
• Become familiar with Virtual Agent Designer to create and update conversation topics.
• Install Public Sector Digital Services Core application to access public sector topic blocks that can be used in public sector conversations.
• Install Service Request Playbook for Public Sector Digital Services to access the pre-built topic, Create a Service Request.
• Install License and Permit Playbook for Public Sector Digital Services to access the pre-built topic, Start a License/Permit Application.

Configure Virtual Agent conversations for public sector users

As admins or topic authors (users with the virtual_agent_admin role), you can deploy pre-built conversation topics to your end users, such as the Create a Service Request topic provided with the Service Request Playbook application, as well as custom conversation topics that you create.

These blocks are subflows that run conversational elements or common tasks in a conversation, such as adding or retrieving records. Topic blocks enable topic authors to quickly add standard functions to Virtual Agent conversations, simplifying conversation design and maintenance.

1. Configure Agent Chat in the Government Service Portal.
   1. Navigate to All >Service Portal >Agent Chat.
   2. Locate GSP Chat, and select the checkbox to set the record to Active.
2. In Virtual Agent Designer, search for the corresponding topic block.
   • For Service Request Playbook requests,search for and select Create a Service Request.
   • For License and Permit Playbook requests, search for and select Start a License/Permit Application.
3. Select Publish to set the topic block to Active and make it available to your end users. For more information on creating and publishing Virtual Agent topics, see Publish a Virtual Agent topic.

For more information on working with topics in Virtual Agent Designer, see Getting Started with Virtual Agent Designer.

Example Virtual Agent topics

The Public Sector Digital Services Core application provides several OOB topic blocks that you can use in public sector conversations:

• Prompt Service for Constituent – Asks constituents to select a type of government service.
• Create Public Sector Additional Members – Prompts constituents to add other persons who have an authorized interest in an issue or case.

Prompt Service for Constituent topic block

Use this topic block in a conversation to ask constituents to select a service from a list of available government services, for example permits or licenses. Activate the Customer Service Virtual Agent Conversations (com.sn_csm.virtualagent) plugin to use this topic block.

Figure 1. Example of prompt for services

Create Public Sector Additional Members topic block

Use this topic block to let your constituents specify other people, such as family members or other authorized individuals, who can view a case or issue. Activate the Customer Service Virtual Agent Conversations (com.sn_csm.virtualagent) plugin to use this topic block.

Figure 2. Example prompts for adding members to a government service case

When you use this topic block in a conversation, you specify the input parameters from the originating (calling) topic to the topic block.

Table 1. Public Sector Additional Members input parameters

Parameter	Description
case_id	sys_id of the public sector case record created.
case_type	Extension of the base public sector service.

To learn more about topic blocks and how to use them in Virtual Agent conversations, see Maximizing code reuse with topic blocks