Configuring Virtual Agent
Summarize
Summary of Configuring Virtual Agent
Configuring Virtual Agent enables ServiceNow customers to deploy and customize conversational AI to support employees, IT teams, and customers effectively. The Conversational Interfaces Console is the central location for activating and managing Virtual Agent features, components, and integrations. This configuration enhances user engagement by enabling chat in various channels, routing conversations, and integrating with other ServiceNow applications.
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General Chat and Virtual Agent Settings
Customers can tailor the chat experience by branding the chat client, previewing messages, and configuring conversation routing, including running Virtual Agent in third-party messaging apps. Pre-chat surveys and context variables can be set up to gather user information and personalize interactions. Callback options and system actions such as modifying system messages and URL navigation can also be configured.
Virtual Agent supports sending email summaries of unread messages to inactive users and allows performance tracking of topics to optimize support effectiveness. Customers can use Natural Language Understanding (NLU) to discover topics, build custom greetings, and design chat experiences that route issues efficiently. AI Search integration improves fallback responses, while language detection and dynamic translation enhance multilingual support.
Security and Platform Hardening
ServiceNow recommends following platform hardening best practices to secure Virtual Agent instances. Deprecated features like the Sensitive Data Handler are being replaced by the Data Privacy application, ensuring compliance and data protection.
Customization and Deployment Options
Virtual Agent offers flexible customization to create multiple chat experiences based on user context. The portable chat widget enables embedding Virtual Agent on third-party web pages and portals, while optimized templates support mobile applications. Virtual Agent supports multiple simultaneous conversations distinguished by context, enhancing user interaction efficiency.
Advanced Features and Integrations
ServiceNow customers can integrate catalogs for service and product requests within NLU or keyword chat widgets. Notifications can be sent directly through Virtual Agent as informational or actionable messages. Cross-scope access privileges enable developers to share topic blocks and custom controls across applications, and custom categories help organize Virtual Agent assets for easier management and user navigation.
Configure the Virtual Agent features, components, and integrations that you need to provide support to your employees, IT teams, and customers.
Use the Conversational Interfaces Console to activate and configure Virtual Agent. Some of the general settings in the console are shared with other applications, such as Agent Chat.
| I want to... | See these topics |
|---|---|
| Chat Client Display Options | |
| Brand my bot | Branding your chat client |
| Preview new or unread messages in a minimized chat window | Enable message preview on the chat widget |
| Conversation Routing | |
| Configure my bot to run in third-party messaging apps | Integrating Virtual Agent with messaging apps. |
| Create pre-chat surveys | Define pre-chat survey configurations |
| Create and use context variables to store chat-related information | Configure context variables for storing chat-related information |
| Display or announce callback options to users through other ServiceNow apps | Omnichannel Callback |
| Configure topic context intents | Define topic context intent configurations |
| System Actions | |
| Modify system chat messages | Change Virtual Agent and Agent Chat system messages |
| Specify how links open from the chat window | URL navigation in Conversational Interfaces |
| Configure my bot to detect sensitive data | Configuring Sensitive Data Handler Note: This feature is being prepared for future deprecation. It will be hidden and no longer available for installation but will continue to be supported. For details, see the Deprecation Process [KB0867184] article in the Now Support knowledge base. Install the Data Privacy application as a replacement. For more information, see Data Privacy. |
| Send email summaries of unread messages to users when they are inactive | Sending missed chat activity emails |
| I want to... | See these topics |
|---|---|
| Get recommendations for Virtual Agent topics based on my data | Quick start for Topic Recommendations |
| Configure performance tracking for Virtual Agent topics | Create deflection configurations and patterns |
| Use Natural Language Understanding (NLU) for topic discovery | Configure Natural Language Understanding in Virtual Agent Creating models (using NLU Workbench) |
| Create custom greetings and setup topics | Configure a Virtual Agent chat experience |
| Determine which issues are routed to Virtual Agent first | Configure and run an Issue Auto Resolution simulation |
| Send notifications to users in Virtual Agent | |
| Use AI Search to return fallback results for Virtual Agent | Improving the user experience with AI Search |
| Detect and dynamically translate Virtual Agent topics into a different language | Language detection and dynamic translation in Virtual Agent enhanced chat |
Virtual Agent security
Platform hardening for your instance is leveraged by Virtual Agent, so you should follow the overall platform hardening recommendations. For details, see Secure your instance.