Action utility

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated February 6, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Action utility

    The Action utility in Virtual Agent topics enables you to create flow action nodes that integrate with ServiceNow Workflow Studio. This integration allows you to define automated processes or reusable operations within Virtual Agent conversations, enhancing automation and workflow capabilities.

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    Key Features

    • Node Naming: Assign a specific name to the Action node for identification within the flow.
    • Invoke Workflow Studio Asset: Choose the Workflow Studio component type to invoke:
      • Action: A reusable operation.
      • Subflow: An automated sequence consisting of reusable actions, inputs, and outputs.
    • Spoke Selection: Specify the scoped application containing Workflow Studio content, tailored for particular applications or record types.
    • Action/Subflow Selection: Select the specific Workflow Studio action or subflow to execute, with dynamic input and output mappings based on this selection.
    • Wait for Response Toggle: Configure whether the Virtual Agent should pause and wait for the action’s response before continuing the conversation.
    • Input Mapping: Define variables to pass as inputs to the action. This includes various data types such as strings, referenced records, and scripts. For sensitive inputs like passwords, enable secure input masking using the password2 data type.
    • Output Mapping: Map the variables that the action will output, which can be used in subsequent conversation steps.
    • Run as Permissions: Specify the execution context for the action:
      • User who initiates session: Action runs with the current user's permissions.
      • System User: Action runs with elevated system privileges.
    • Conditional Node Visibility: Use no-code conditions or low-code scripts to control whether the node is shown in the conversation based on evaluated conditions.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    By using the Action utility, you can seamlessly incorporate Workflow Studio actions and subflows into Virtual Agent conversations, enabling complex automation and improving user interactions. This utility provides flexibility in input/output handling, security for sensitive data, and control over execution permissions and node visibility, allowing you to build sophisticated, context-aware Virtual Agent experiences that align with your organizational workflows.

    Use the Action utility in a Virtual Agent topic to select the flow action properties that the node should create. The Action utility integrates Virtual Agent with the ServiceNow Workflow Studio product.

    Action utility properties

    Specify the flow action properties for the node you want to create.

    Property Description
    Node name The name of this Action node.
    Invoke Workflow Studio asset
    Workflow Studio component type. Select one of the following:
    • Action: A reusable operation.
    • Subflow: An automated process that consists of a sequence of reusable actions, data inputs, and outputs.
    Spoke

    Name of the scoped application that contains Workflow Studio content that is dedicated to a particular application or record type.

    For a list of default spokes, see Spokes.
    Action/Subflow

    The Workflow Studio action or subflow to be performed in the instance. The Input mapping and Output mapping areas change depending on your selection.

    For details about the action, click the link beneath your selection to view it in Workflow Studio.
    Wait for response?

    Toggle switch that determines whether Virtual Agent waits for a response from the specified action before continuing.
    Input mapping The variables to be used as input to the selected action. The contents of this area change according to the action you selected. Options may include string input, referenced records, scripts, and so forth.

    For options that require a password, enable the Include a password input toggle switch to prompt the user for a password. Secure inputs must use the password2 data type. Input is securely masked and not viewable by others.

    Note:

    If a field is locked and you can’t enter a string, the pill picker value must match the field type. For example, if the field type is document_id, the referenced value type must also be document_id. If no matching field exists, reference a field created in another FDIH action output or use a script.
    Output mapping The variables to be output by the selected action. The contents of this area change according to the action you selected.
    Advanced
    Permissions
    Run as
    Permissions to use for the action. Select one of the following options:
    • User who initiates session: When selected, the action runs using the same permissions that the current user has.
    • System User: When selected, the action runs using system privileges, some of which may be unavailable to the current user.
    Hide this node
    Conditionally show this node if

    No-code condition statement or low-code script that specifies a condition for presenting this node in the conversation. The condition must evaluate to true.

    Example Action utility

    Action utility properties.