Customizing Virtual Agent with custom controls

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 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 like sliders or video players. These controls extend the default set provided in Virtual Agent Designer, allowing more tailored user inputs and bot responses. Custom controls improve interaction flexibility and user experience within Virtual Agent topics or topic blocks.

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    Note that custom controls are not supported on Internet Explorer 11 or Microsoft Teams.

    Prerequisites for Building Custom Controls

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

    Custom controls are built using the Next Experience Design System as customizable Next Experience Components. For detailed guidance, developers should refer to the component development documentation for Virtual Agent.

    How Custom Controls Work

    To integrate a custom control into Virtual Agent, developers follow these key steps:

    • Create a custom control definition: Map an input or response control to the custom component you developed.
    • Build the custom control in Virtual Agent Designer: Select the control definition, configure input parameters (for receiving user input), and define output parameters (for the control’s response).
    • Add the custom control to topics or topic blocks: Virtual Agent admins or topic authors can insert the control into conversational flows.

    Input controls involve callbacks to handle user inputs, while response controls display information without callbacks.

    Secure Inputs Support

    Starting with the San Diego release, custom input controls can handle secure inputs such as passwords. When creating a custom input control, enabling the Make inputs secure toggle allows these inputs to be safely passed to Integration Hub actions or subflows, enhancing security and integration capabilities.

    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.