Configure Virtual Agent for Public Sector Digital Services

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Configure Virtual Agent for Public Sector Digital Services

    ServiceNow Virtual Agent for Public Sector Digital Services enables conversation designers to create and modify automated chatbot conversations tailored for public sector use cases. It supports constituents in completing common self-service tasks via the Government Service Portal using predefined government service topics. Activation of the Virtual Agent plugin (com.glide.cs.chatbot) is required to get started.

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    Prerequisites and Setup

    • Activate core plugins: Glide Virtual Agent (com.glide.cs.chatbot) and Customer Service Virtual Agent (com.sncsm.virtualagent).
    • Install Public Sector Digital Services Core application to access public sector-specific topic blocks.
    • Install Service Request Playbook and License and Permit Playbook applications for prebuilt conversation topics like creating service requests and starting license/permit applications.
    • Gain familiarity with Virtual Agent Designer to build and customize conversation topics.

    Configuring Virtual Agent Conversations

    Admins and topic authors with the virtualagentadmin role can deploy both prebuilt and custom conversation topics. Key points include:

    • Prebuilt topic blocks are reusable subflows that perform common conversational functions, such as record creation or retrieval, simplifying topic design and maintenance.
    • Activate Agent Chat in the Government Service Portal by enabling the GSP Chat record in Service Portal > Agent Chat.
    • In Virtual Agent Designer, select and publish topics like Create a Service Request or Start a License/Permit Application to make them available to end users.

    Example Public Sector Topic Blocks

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

    These topic blocks take input parameters such as caseid and casetype to link conversations with specific public sector case records.

    Key Outcomes

    • Enable efficient creation and management of tailored chatbot conversations for public sector digital services.
    • Leverage prebuilt conversation components to accelerate deployment and ensure consistency.
    • Provide constituents with intuitive self-service options through the Government Service Portal, improving user experience and reducing manual service requests.

    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.

    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.

    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