Customizing Virtual Agent with custom controls

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Customizing Virtual Agent with custom controls

    ServiceNow developers can enhance Virtual Agent conversations by creatingcustom controls, which are interface components such as sliders or video players. These custom controls complement the default controls available in Virtual Agent Designer, allowing developers to tailor user inputs and bot responses for specific use cases. Custom controls enable richer and more interactive conversations within Virtual Agent topics or topic blocks.

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    Important limitations: Custom controls do not function on Internet Explorer 11 and are not supported on Microsoft Teams.

    Prerequisites for Building Custom Controls

    • Basic understanding of the ServiceNow AI Platform and application table structures.
    • General knowledge of web component development, design, and JavaScript for defining component behavior.
    • Familiarity with the design process for creating custom components compatible with Virtual Agent Designer.

    Custom controls are built using the Next Experience Design System and customizable Next Experience Components.

    How Custom Controls Work

    To integrate a custom control into Virtual Agent, developers:

    • Create a custom control definition: Map an input or response control to your custom component.
    • Build the custom control in Virtual Agent Designer: Select the control definition, define input parameters (for user input), and specify output parameters. Input controls handle user callbacks, while response controls primarily display information without callbacks.
    • Add the custom control to topics or topic blocks: Virtual Agent admins, topic authors, or admins can insert these controls into conversation flows.

    Secure Inputs

    Since the San Diego release, custom input controls can be configured to accept secure inputs like passwords. This feature enables passing sensitive data securely to Integration Hub actions or subflows by toggling the Make inputs secure option when creating the control.

    Custom controls are components that ServiceNow® developers can create for use in Virtual Agent topics or topic blocks. Such controls include sliders or video players. Custom controls complement the controls provided in Virtual Agent Designer.

    Virtual Agent Designer provides a default set of controls that represent user inputs, bot responses, and utilities for building a Virtual Agent conversation. As a developer, you can use Virtual Agent Designer to create additional controls (interface components) for specific inputs or output responses. For example, a slider is an example of a custom input control that enables end users to select a quantity.

    Note:
    Custom controls do not work on Internet Explorer version 11. Custom controls are also not supported for Microsoft Teams.

    Before building a custom control

    Custom controls are based on customizable Next Experience Components that you can create by using the Next Experience Design System.

    Before building a custom component, you must have the following:
    • Basic knowledge of the ServiceNow AI Platform® and application table structures.
    • General knowledge of web component concepts, development, and design.
    • JavaScript knowledge to define component behavior and that of the custom control.
    • Knowledge of the design process for creating custom components for use in Virtual Agent Designer.

    To learn more about developing custom components for Virtual Agent, see Develop a component for Virtual Agent.

    How custom controls work

    To add your custom control to Virtual Agent, follow these main steps:

    1. Create a custom control definition.

      After building the custom component to be used for the control, create a custom control definition that maps an input or response control to the custom component.

    2. Create a custom control using Virtual Agent Designer.
      A custom control is an input or response control. Developers build a custom control in Virtual Agent Designer by doing the following:
      • Selecting a custom control definition.
      • Defining the input parameters for using the control.
      • Specifying the output parameters returned by the control.

      An input control has callbacks that use input from the end user. A response control typically presents information to the end user and doesn't have callbacks.

    3. Add a custom control to a topic or topic block.

      Topic authors, virtual agent admins, or admins can add a custom control utility to a topic or topic block.

    Secure inputs

    Beginning with the San Diego release, you can create custom input controls that can accept secure inputs, such as passwords, to pass through to Integration Hub actions or subflows. To enable this, slide the Make inputs secure toggle switch when you create your custom input control. For more information, see Create a Virtual Agent custom control.