Playbook contextual side panel component

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Playbook Contextual Side Panel Component

    The playbook contextual side panel component is designed to enhance agent efficiency by providing quick access to essential tools and information related to case records. This component consolidates various functionalities into a single interface within the ServiceNow Customer Service Management environment, enabling agents to manage cases more effectively.

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    Key Features

    • Activity Stream: Displays a chronological list of activities on a case record, allowing agents to track case progress and interactions easily.
    • Agent Assist: Offers a curated list of potential solutions based on the case’s short description, helping agents resolve issues faster.
    • Search: Integrates AI-powered search to find relevant resources like knowledge articles. Agents can filter, sort, and open search results in detail, attach articles to cases, and track actions taken. Note that using Recommended Actions requires the Recommended Actions application included with the CSM Configurable Workspace.
    • Related Items: Provides access to case-related lists in an accordion layout with card views and indicators showing the number of available records. This supports quick navigation of related case data.
    • Attachments: Allows agents to view and download attachments linked to the case, facilitating easier information sharing.
    • Response Templates: Offers reusable message templates for consistent and rapid customer communication.
    • Email Templates: Provides pre-configured email templates including recipients, subject, and message body defaults, streamlining email correspondence.
    • Templates: Enables the use of form templates to auto-populate fields when creating new records such as incidents or changes, saving time and maintaining data consistency.
    • Record Information: Displays key case details through cards including:
      • Overview: Case summary including account, contact, priority, and state.
      • Contact: Customer contact details such as name, title, phone, and email.
      • Timeline: Chronological summary of case activities and interactions.
      • Active SLA: Shows active service level agreements with time remaining, status, and breaches.

    Key Outcomes

    By leveraging the playbook contextual side panel component, ServiceNow customers can expect improved agent productivity through streamlined access to case information, knowledge resources, and communication tools. This integration supports faster case resolution, consistent customer messaging, and enhanced visibility into case activity and SLAs, ultimately contributing to better customer service outcomes.

    The playbook contextual side panel component provides agents with access to tools and information such as the activity stream, templates, and attachments.

    The contextual side panel component provides agents with the following functionality.

    Table 1. Tabs in the contextual side panel
    Tab Description
    Activity Stream The activity stream displays a list of activities occurring on a case record. For more information, see Playbook activity stream component.
    Agent Assist Agent assist provides agents with a list of resources that show possible solutions for the current record. This list is based on the record short description.
    Search The Search tab includes AI search functionality. Agents can use AI search to find relevant resources or resolutions for customer issues.

    The search feature displays an initial set of search results based on the text in the case short description. This initial set of results includes knowledge articles. Agents can also enter different search keywords and repeat the search.

    From the list of search results, agents can do the following:
    • Select a source to see search results of that type.
    • Filter the list of search results.
    • Sort the list of search results.
    • Open the search results in full view in a record sub-tab.
    • Take the following actions:
      • View and attach article
      • Perform other actions such as reading articles in full view, flagging articles, or marking articles as helpful or unhelpful.
    • View successful actions by selecting the Actions history icon.
    For more information, see Use AI search in Recommended Actions to resolve cases.
    Note:
    Using Recommended Actions in the contextual side panel requires the Recommended Actions application (sn_cs_nb_action) which is included with the CSM Configurable Workspace application.
    Related Items The Related Items tab provides access the case related lists.

    The Case playbook: horizontal stages page incorporates related list functionality into the contextual side panel. These lists appear in an accordion format that agents can expand and collapse as needed.

    An indicator displays the number of records available in a related list. When expanded, the records in a related list are displayed in card format.

    For more information, see Playbook related items component.
    Attachments The Attachments tab provides access to case-related attachments. From this tab, agents can view and download attachments.
    Response Templates The Response Templates tab provides access to available response templates. These templates contain reusable messages that agents can copy to provide quick and consistent messages to customers.
    Email Templates The Email Templates tab provides access to available email templates. These templates contain default values for fields that agents can add to email messages. These default values can include the recipients (email addresses in the To, Cc, and Bcc fields), the sender, the subject of the email, and text to include in the message body.

    For more information, see Email Templates.
    Templates The Templates tab provides access to available form templates which enable agents to automatically populate fields on new records. Agents can manually apply a template when creating a new record such as an incident or change.
    Record Information The Record Information tab includes the following cards:
    • Overview: Displays relevant information about the case including the account and contact, the case priority, and the state.
    • Contact: Displays customer information including the name, title, phone numbers, and email address.
    • Timeline: Displays a chronological summary of case activities, including case state changes and interactions between the agent and the requester.
    • Active SLA: Displays active SLAs for the case, including time remaining, the SLA state, and any breaches.