Virtual Agent for ServiceNow

Virtual Agent (VA) provides conversational AI capabilities for self-service through chat interfaces.

Virtual Agent Architecture

Topic Structure

Topic: Password Reset
├── NLU Model
│   ├── Utterances: "reset my password", "forgot password"
│   └── Entities: application_name
├── Topic Blocks (Flow)
│   ├── Greeting
│   ├── Ask for Application
│   ├── Verify User
│   ├── Process Reset
│   └── Confirmation
└── Variables
    ├── user_email
    └── application

Key Tables

Table	Purpose
sys_cs_topic	Topic definitions
sys_cs_topic_block	Conversation flow blocks
sys_cs_intent	NLU intents
sys_cs_utterance	Training phrases
sys_cs_entity	Custom entities

Topics

Creating a Topic (ES5)

// Create Password Reset topic
var topic = new GlideRecord("sys_cs_topic")
topic.initialize()
topic.setValue("name", "Password Reset")
topic.setValue("description", "Help users reset their passwords")
topic.setValue("active", true)

// NLU configuration
topic.setValue("goal", "I want to reset my password")
topic.setValue("nlu_enabled", true)

// Category
topic.setValue("category", "IT Support")

var topicSysId = topic.insert()

Topic Variables

// Add variable to topic
var variable = new GlideRecord("sys_cs_topic_variable")
variable.initialize()
variable.setValue("topic", topicSysId)
variable.setValue("name", "user_email")
variable.setValue("label", "Email Address")
variable.setValue("type", "string")
variable.setValue("mandatory", true)
variable.insert()

Topic Blocks

Block Types

Type	Purpose	Example
Text	Display message	"I can help with that!"
Prompt	Ask question	"What's your email?"
Script	Run server code	Lookup user, create ticket
Decision	Branching logic	If VIP then...
Link	External link	Open portal page
Handoff	Agent transfer	Connect to live agent

Text Block

// Greeting block
var block = new GlideRecord("sys_cs_topic_block")
block.initialize()
block.setValue("topic", topicSysId)
block.setValue("name", "greeting")
block.setValue("type", "text")
block.setValue("order", 100)
block.setValue("message", "Hello! I can help you reset your password. Let me gather some information.")
block.insert()

Prompt Block

// Ask for email
var promptBlock = new GlideRecord("sys_cs_topic_block")
promptBlock.initialize()
promptBlock.setValue("topic", topicSysId)
promptBlock.setValue("name", "ask_email")
promptBlock.setValue("type", "prompt")
promptBlock.setValue("order", 200)
promptBlock.setValue("message", "What is your email address?")
promptBlock.setValue("variable_name", "user_email")
promptBlock.setValue("validation_type", "email")
promptBlock.insert()

Script Block (ES5)

// Script block to verify user
var scriptBlock = new GlideRecord("sys_cs_topic_block")
scriptBlock.initialize()
scriptBlock.setValue("topic", topicSysId)
scriptBlock.setValue("name", "verify_user")
scriptBlock.setValue("type", "script")
scriptBlock.setValue("order", 300)

// Server-side script (ES5 only!)
scriptBlock.setValue(
  "script",
  "(function execute(inputs, outputs) {\n" +
    "    var email = inputs.user_email;\n" +
    '    var user = new GlideRecord("sys_user");\n' +
    '    user.addQuery("email", email);\n' +
    "    user.query();\n" +
    "    \n" +
    "    if (user.next()) {\n" +
    "        outputs.user_found = true;\n" +
    '        outputs.user_name = user.getValue("name");\n' +
    "        outputs.user_sys_id = user.getUniqueValue();\n" +
    "    } else {\n" +
    "        outputs.user_found = false;\n" +
    "    }\n" +
    "})(inputs, outputs);",
)
scriptBlock.insert()

Decision Block

// Decision based on user found
var decisionBlock = new GlideRecord("sys_cs_topic_block")
decisionBlock.initialize()
decisionBlock.setValue("topic", topicSysId)
decisionBlock.setValue("name", "check_user")
decisionBlock.setValue("type", "decision")
decisionBlock.setValue("order", 400)

// Decision branches configured separately
decisionBlock.insert()

// Add decision branches
var branch1 = new GlideRecord("sys_cs_topic_block_branch")
branch1.initialize()
branch1.setValue("block", decisionBlock.getUniqueValue())
branch1.setValue("condition", "user_found == true")
branch1.setValue("next_block", processResetBlockSysId)
branch1.insert()

var branch2 = new GlideRecord("sys_cs_topic_block_branch")
branch2.initialize()
branch2.setValue("block", decisionBlock.getUniqueValue())
branch2.setValue("condition", "user_found == false")
branch2.setValue("next_block", userNotFoundBlockSysId)
branch2.insert()

Handoff Block

// Transfer to live agent
var handoffBlock = new GlideRecord("sys_cs_topic_block")
handoffBlock.initialize()
handoffBlock.setValue("topic", topicSysId)
handoffBlock.setValue("name", "transfer_agent")
handoffBlock.setValue("type", "handoff")
handoffBlock.setValue("order", 900)
handoffBlock.setValue("message", "Let me connect you with a live agent who can help further.")
handoffBlock.setValue("queue", liveSupportQueueSysId)
handoffBlock.insert()

NLU Training

Adding Utterances

// Add training utterances for intent
function addUtterance(topicId, text) {
  var utt = new GlideRecord("sys_cs_utterance")
  utt.initialize()
  utt.setValue("topic", topicId)
  utt.setValue("utterance", text)
  utt.insert()
}

// Training phrases for password reset
addUtterance(topicSysId, "reset my password")
addUtterance(topicSysId, "I forgot my password")
addUtterance(topicSysId, "change my password")
addUtterance(topicSysId, "password not working")
addUtterance(topicSysId, "can't log in")
addUtterance(topicSysId, "locked out of my account")
addUtterance(topicSysId, "need to reset password for @application")

Custom Entities

// Create custom entity for applications
var entity = new GlideRecord("sys_cs_entity")
entity.initialize()
entity.setValue("name", "application_name")
entity.setValue("description", "Enterprise application names")
entity.setValue("type", "list")
entity.insert()

// Add entity values
var values = ["SAP", "Salesforce", "Workday", "ServiceNow", "Email"]
for (var i = 0; i < values.length; i++) {
  var val = new GlideRecord("sys_cs_entity_value")
  val.initialize()
  val.setValue("entity", entity.getUniqueValue())
  val.setValue("value", values[i])
  val.setValue("synonyms", "") // comma-separated synonyms
  val.insert()
}

Quick Replies

Configuring Quick Replies

// Add quick reply options to prompt
var promptWithReplies = new GlideRecord("sys_cs_topic_block")
promptWithReplies.initialize()
promptWithReplies.setValue("topic", topicSysId)
promptWithReplies.setValue("name", "select_application")
promptWithReplies.setValue("type", "prompt")
promptWithReplies.setValue("order", 150)
promptWithReplies.setValue("message", "Which application do you need to reset?")
promptWithReplies.setValue("variable_name", "application")
promptWithReplies.setValue(
  "quick_replies",
  JSON.stringify([
    { label: "Email", value: "email" },
    { label: "SAP", value: "sap" },
    { label: "ServiceNow", value: "servicenow" },
    { label: "Other", value: "other" },
  ]),
)
promptWithReplies.insert()

Integration Actions

Create Incident from VA (ES5)

// Script block to create incident
var createIncidentScript =
  "(function execute(inputs, outputs) {\n" +
  '    var inc = new GlideRecord("incident");\n' +
  "    inc.initialize();\n" +
  '    inc.setValue("caller_id", inputs.user_sys_id);\n' +
  '    inc.setValue("short_description", "Password Reset Request: " + inputs.application);\n' +
  '    inc.setValue("description", "User requested password reset via Virtual Agent.");\n' +
  '    inc.setValue("category", "software");\n' +
  '    inc.setValue("subcategory", "password reset");\n' +
  '    inc.setValue("priority", 3);\n' +
  "    \n" +
  "    var sysId = inc.insert();\n" +
  "    \n" +
  '    outputs.incident_number = inc.getValue("number");\n' +
  "    outputs.incident_sys_id = sysId;\n" +
  "})(inputs, outputs);"

Lookup Records (ES5)

// Script to lookup knowledge articles
var lookupKBScript =
  "(function execute(inputs, outputs) {\n" +
  "    var query = inputs.user_question;\n" +
  "    var articles = [];\n" +
  "    \n" +
  '    var kb = new GlideRecord("kb_knowledge");\n' +
  '    kb.addQuery("workflow_state", "published");\n' +
  '    kb.addQuery("short_description", "CONTAINS", query);\n' +
  "    kb.setLimit(3);\n" +
  "    kb.query();\n" +
  "    \n" +
  "    while (kb.next()) {\n" +
  "        articles.push({\n" +
  '            number: kb.getValue("number"),\n' +
  '            title: kb.getValue("short_description"),\n' +
  "            sys_id: kb.getUniqueValue()\n" +
  "        });\n" +
  "    }\n" +
  "    \n" +
  "    outputs.articles = JSON.stringify(articles);\n" +
  "    outputs.article_count = articles.length;\n" +
  "})(inputs, outputs);"

MCP Tool Integration

Available VA Tools

Tool	Purpose
snow_create_va_topic	Create topic
snow_create_va_topic_block	Add conversation block
snow_discover_va_topics	Find topics
snow_send_va_message	Test conversation
snow_get_va_conversation	Get conversation history
snow_handoff_to_agent	Transfer to agent

Example Workflow

// 1. Create topic
var topicId = await snow_create_va_topic({
  name: "IT Equipment Request",
  description: "Help users request new equipment",
  category: "IT Support",
})

// 2. Add greeting block
await snow_create_va_topic_block({
  topic: topicId,
  name: "greeting",
  type: "text",
  order: 100,
  message: "I can help you request new IT equipment!",
})

// 3. Add prompt block
await snow_create_va_topic_block({
  topic: topicId,
  name: "equipment_type",
  type: "prompt",
  order: 200,
  message: "What type of equipment do you need?",
  quick_replies: ["Laptop", "Monitor", "Keyboard", "Mouse"],
})

// 4. Test conversation
await snow_send_va_message({
  topic: topicId,
  message: "I need a new laptop",
})

Best Practices

1. Clear Intents - One purpose per topic
2. Rich Training - Many varied utterances
3. Graceful Fallback - Handle unknown inputs
4. Quick Replies - Reduce typing
5. Confirmation - Verify before actions
6. Handoff Path - Always allow agent transfer
7. Test Thoroughly - Many conversation paths
8. Persona - Consistent friendly tone