Configure Virtual Agent for Public Sector Digital Services

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Configure Virtual Agent for Public Sector Digital Services

    This guide explains how to set up ServiceNow® Virtual Agent specifically for public sector digital services. It enables conversation designers (topic authors) to create, customize, and deploy automated chatbot conversations tailored for government service portals. The Virtual Agent helps constituents perform common self-service tasks through predefined public sector topics and topic blocks, which streamline conversation design and maintenance.

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    Activating the Virtual Agent plugin (com.glide.cs.chatbot) is required before beginning configuration.

    Prerequisites and Setup

    • Activate the Glide Virtual Agent plugin to access platform topics and Virtual Agent Designer.
    • Activate the Customer Service Virtual Agent plugin (com.sncsm.virtualagent) for access to Customer Service Management conversations and topic blocks.
    • Install the Public Sector Digital Services Core application to access public sector-specific topic blocks.
    • Install the Service Request Playbook for Public Sector Digital Services for the prebuilt "Create a Service Request" topic.
    • Install the License and Permit Playbook for Public Sector Digital Services to access the "Start a License/Permit Application" topic.
    • Familiarize yourself with Virtual Agent Designer to create and modify conversation topics.

    Configuring Virtual Agent Conversations

    Admins and topic authors (with virtualagentadmin role) can use prebuilt conversation topics or create custom public sector conversations by duplicating and modifying existing topics and topic blocks.

    Topic blocks are reusable components that perform common conversation functions (e.g., adding or retrieving records), simplifying conversation creation and maintenance.

    To make Virtual Agent available on the Government Service Portal:

    • Navigate to All > Service Portal > Agent Chat.
    • Locate GSP Chat and activate it by selecting the checkbox.

    In Virtual Agent Designer, you can search and select relevant topic blocks such as:

    • Create a Service Request (from Service Request Playbook)
    • Start a License/Permit Application (from License and Permit Playbook)

    Publish topics to activate them and make them accessible to end users.

    Example Public Sector Virtual Agent Topics

    • Prompt Service for Constituent: Asks constituents to select a government service type (e.g., permits, licenses). Requires activation of the Customer Service Virtual Agent Conversations plugin.
    • Create Public Sector Additional Members: Allows constituents to add other authorized individuals (family, representatives) who can view a case or issue. Also requires the Customer Service Virtual Agent Conversations plugin.

    When using the "Create Public Sector Additional Members" topic block, you provide input parameters such as:

    • caseid: The Sysid of the related public sector case record.
    • casetype: The specific type of public sector service.

    Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Leverage prebuilt, government-focused Virtual Agent content to accelerate deployment of self-service bots on government portals.
    • Customize conversations easily by duplicating and modifying existing topics and topic blocks, tailoring chatbot interactions to specific public sector needs.
    • Simplify conversation maintenance with reusable topic blocks that handle common tasks.
    • Enhance constituent experience by enabling automated self-service for frequent government service requests and case management.

    Set up ServiceNow® Virtual Agent so that conversation designers (topic authors) can create and modify automated conversations for public sector use cases. Virtual Agent for Public Sector Digital Services also helps your constituents complete common self-service tasks on the Government Service Portal with predefined Government Service Virtual Agent topics (chatbot conversations).

    Note:
    The Virtual Agent plugin (com.glide.cs.chatbot) must be activated.

    What to do before building Virtual Agent topics for public sector use cases

    As admins or topic authors (users with the virtual_agent_admin role), you can do the following with Virtual Agent:
    • Use prebuilt conversations and topic blocks (components that run subflows or common functions in a conversation). Prebuilt conversations and topic blocks are available with the Virtual Agent platform, Customer Service Virtual Agent Conversations plugin (com.sn_csm.virtualagent), and Service Request Playbook application. Prebuilt Public Sector topic blocks are available with the Public Sector Digital Services Core application.
    • Build your own custom, public sector conversation topics. You can duplicate prebuilt topics and topic blocks and then customize them as needed.
    Before you or your topic authors (users with the virtual_agent_admin role) create or modify Virtual Agent conversations, meet the following prerequisites for working with prebuilt topics and topic blocks in Virtual Agent Designer:

    Configure Virtual Agent conversations for public sector users

    As admins or topic authors (users with the virtual_agent_admin role), you can deploy prebuilt conversation topics to your end users, such as the Create a Service Request topic provided with the Service Request Playbook application, as well as custom conversation topics that you create.

    These blocks are subflows that run conversational elements or common tasks in a conversation, such as adding or retrieving records. Topic blocks enable topic authors to add standard functions to Virtual Agent conversations, simplifying conversation design and maintenance.

    1. Configure Agent Chat in the Government Service Portal.
      1. Navigate to All >Service Portal >Agent Chat.
      2. Locate GSP Chat, and select the check box to set the record to Active.
    2. In Virtual Agent Designer, search for the corresponding topic block.
    3. Select Publish to set the topic block to Active and make it available to your end users. For more information on creating and publishing Virtual Agent topics, see Publish a Virtual Agent topic.

    For more information on working with topics in Virtual Agent Designer, see Getting Started with Virtual Agent Designer.

    Example Virtual Agent topics

    The Public Sector Digital Services Core application provides several base system topic blocks that you can use in public sector conversations:
    • Prompt Service for Constituent – Asks constituents to select a type of government service.
    • Create Public Sector Additional Members – Prompts constituents to add other persons who have an authorized interest in an issue or case.
    Prompt Service for Constituent topic block

    Use this topic block in a conversation to ask constituents to select a service from a list of available government services, for example permits or licenses. Activate the Customer Service Virtual Agent Conversations (com.sn_csm.virtualagent) plugin to use this topic block.

    Figure 1. Example of prompt for services
    Virtual agent conversation window showing the available prompts that can be used with the virtual agent Constituent topic block.
    Create Public Sector Additional Members topic block

    Use this topic block to let your constituents specify other people, such as family members or other authorized individuals, who can view a case or issue. Activate the Customer Service Virtual Agent Conversations (com.sn_csm.virtualagent) plugin to use this topic block.

    Figure 2. Example prompts for adding members to a government service case
    Now Support chat showing the workflow for adding members to a government service case using Virtual Agent chat prompts.
    When you use this topic block in a conversation, you specify the input parameters from the originating (calling) topic to the topic block.
    Table 1. Public Sector Additional Members input parameters
    Parameter Description

    case_id

    		 Sys_id of the public sector case record created.

    case_type

    		 Extension of the base public sector service.

    To learn more about topic blocks and how to use them in Virtual Agent conversations, see Maximizing code reuse with topic blocks