Agent initiated SMS conversation

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Agent Initiated SMS Conversation

    Customer Service Management now supports SMS as an additional messaging channel, enabling agents to track interactions with customers efficiently. This feature allows for initiating SMS conversations directly within the agent interaction screen.

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    Requirements

    • A provider configuration for the messaging type channel must be set up to access the Compose SMS option.
    • Phone number validation is conducted using the REST endpoint /api/now/initiatemessage/validatephonenumber to ensure compliance with the E.164 format.
    • Customer profile validation is managed through the endpoint /api/now/initiatemessage/validateprofile, verifying the channel user profile when sending SMS replies.

    Key Features

    • Agents can initiate SMS conversations by selecting or manually entering a provider number.
    • If there is an ongoing SMS conversation, it will automatically display for the agent.
    • The system handles various scenarios based on existing interactions, such as creating new SMS interactions, injecting messages into current conversations, or managing user profiles accordingly.
    • Customization options are available through the AgentInitiatedConversationUtil extension point to modify the behavior of "Send from" and "Send to" fields.

    Key Outcomes

    By utilizing the SMS conversation feature, ServiceNow customers can enhance communication with requesters, streamline interaction management, and ensure that customer profiles are accurately validated. This leads to improved customer service efficiency and a more organized approach to messaging through SMS.

    Customer Service Management supports additional messaging channel such as SMS which tracks interactions between the agent and customer.

    Requirements

    At least one provider configuration for messaging type channel must be available to view the Compose SMS option in the agent interaction screen. For more information about provider sys_cs_provider_application.list, see Create a channel identifier.

    Phone number validation

    REST endpoint /api/now/initiate_message/validate_phone_number is used to validate if the phone number is in the E.164 format. If the number of a known consumer is not in the E.164 format, the system converts it to the E.164 format based on for example, the location of the consumer. If the location is not found, it will by default convert the number to an E.164 format. For more information about E.164 formats and validation, see Phone number field type.

    Customer profile validation

    REST endpoint /api/now/initiate_message/validate_profile is used to validate the channel user profile. When you send an SMS in reply to an interaction of type phone, the message is sent to a consumer originally associated with the interaction. If the same phone number is associated to a different consumer, and you send an SMS, you will get a message that the phone number is currently associated to another consumer and sending the new message will associate the phone number to the current user.

    A phone number is associated to consumer A and an interaction has occurred after which the phone number was disconnected for consumer A. There is a new interaction with consumer B and you select the same phone number that was associated with consumer A. A message appears that the phone number is currently associated to consumer A, and sending a new message will associate consumer A's phone number to consumer B who is the current user.

    Agent initiated SMS conversations

    To initiate an SMS conversation with a requester, agents can select a provider number for an outbound service or manually enter a provider number. If there is a current ongoing SMS conversation, it automatically appears. When an agent initiates an SMS conversation:

    If Then
    There is no active SMS interaction​
    • Create a new SMS interaction​
    • Assign interaction to agent​
    There is an active interaction involving an agent​
    • Inject the message into existing conversation​
    • Add agent to live group profile​
    • No reassignment​
    There is an active interaction involving VA​
    • Close existing interaction​
    • Create a new interaction and assign to agent​
    There is an active interaction involving a different contact/consumer/user​
    • Close existing interaction​
    • Create a new channel user profile and deactivate the existing channel user profile​
    • Create a new interaction and assign to agent​

    Customize the behaviour of send from and to numbers

    The AgentInitiatedConversationUtil extension point is added to implement a customers' logic to change the default behaviour of the Send from and Send to fields. For more information, see Associating user profiles on messaging interactions. For this store application, AgentInitiatedMessagingUtilExtPointImpl extension point is configured for fetching the from and to numbers.