Virtual agent flows

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 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 chatbot integrated into the supplier portal. This solution supports self-service by allowing suppliers to check invoice and inquiry statuses, create inquiry cases, and navigate predefined chatbot topics. The virtual agent also supports seamless switching to live agent assistance when needed, enhancing supplier service experiences in Accounts Payable Operations.

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    Key Features

    • Invoice Status Check: Suppliers enter an invoice number to receive the current status, with clickable links to detailed invoice case information. The chatbot also offers options to add comments, connect with a live agent, search other topics, or end the chat.
    • Inquiry Status Check: Suppliers can view inquiry statuses by invoice number, and agents can create new inquiries related to invoices.
    • Create New Inquiry: Suppliers can initiate new inquiry cases related to invoices using the chatbot, selecting the inquiry type and adding comments.
    • Live Agent Support: Suppliers may be routed directly to live Accounts Payable agents who can create interaction records and associate them with invoice cases. If no agent is available, a notification is displayed.
    • Natural Language Understanding (NLU): Integrated with the virtual agent to interpret supplier inputs, facilitate navigation to the correct topics, and improve query handling for invoices and inquiries.
    • Pre-chat Survey: When the app-supplier-awa plugin is installed, suppliers receive a survey before chat initiation that directs them to either live agent support or self-service options based on their responses.
    • Chat Channel Configuration: Enables activation of the virtual agent chatbot within the supplier portal, allowing suppliers to complete Accounts Payable self-service tasks efficiently.

    Key Outcomes

    • Suppliers gain self-service capabilities for managing invoice and inquiry processes, reducing dependency on live support.
    • Improved supplier satisfaction through quick access to information and options to escalate to live agents as needed.
    • Streamlined Accounts Payable Operations with enhanced communication via chatbots and live agent integration.
    • Enhanced user experience via NLU, making interactions intuitive and efficient.

    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 Work with invoices.

    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 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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