Configure Virtual Agent for Public Sector Digital Services

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 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 and customize automated conversations tailored to public sector use cases. End users can then interact with Virtual Agent through the Government Service Portal to access self-service assistance for their tasks.

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    Prerequisites for Configuration

    • Activate the Glide Virtual Agent plugin for platform topics and access to Virtual Agent Designer.
    • Activate the Customer Service Virtual Agent plugin for pre-built customer service conversations and topic blocks.
    • Install the Public Sector Digital Services Core application for public sector-specific topic blocks.
    • Install the Service Request Playbook for Public Sector Digital Services for the "Create a Service Request" topic.
    • Install the License and Permit Playbook for Public Sector Digital Services for the "Start a License/Permit Application" topic.
    • Familiarize yourself with Virtual Agent Designer to create, customize, and manage conversation topics.

    Configuring Virtual Agent Conversations

    Admins or topic authors with the virtualagentadmin role can deploy both pre-built and custom conversation topics to end users. Pre-built topic blocks act as reusable subflows that simplify conversation design by handling common conversational tasks, such as record creation or data retrieval.

    • Enable Agent Chat in the Government Service Portal by navigating to All > Service Portal > Agent Chat and activating the GSP Chat record.
    • In Virtual Agent Designer, locate and activate relevant topic blocks:
      • "Create a Service Request" for Service Request Playbook scenarios
      • "Start a License/Permit Application" for License and Permit Playbook scenarios
    • Publish selected topics to make them available to end users.

    Example Public Sector Topic Blocks

    The Public Sector Digital Services Core application provides out-of-the-box (OOB) topic blocks designed for government service interactions:

    • Prompt Service for Constituent: Asks users to choose a government service type (e.g., permits, licenses).
    • Create Public Sector Additional Members: Allows users to add other authorized individuals (such as family members) who can view a case or issue.

    These topic blocks require the Customer Service Virtual Agent Conversations plugin for activation.

    Using and Customizing Topic Blocks

    Topic blocks can be duplicated and customized to fit specific public sector needs. When integrating the Create Public Sector Additional Members block, input parameters such as caseid (the system identifier of the case) and casetype (the specific type of public sector service) must be provided from the calling topic.

    Leveraging these reusable components accelerates conversation design and maintenance, ensuring consistent and efficient automated support for public sector constituents.

    Set up ServiceNow® Virtual Agent so that conversation designers (topic authors) can create and modify automated conversations for public sector use cases. Also enable your end users to run Virtual Agent in the Government Service Portal and get help with self-service tasks.

    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 pre-built conversations and topic blocks (components that run subflows or common functions in a conversation). Pre-built 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. Pre-built 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 pre-built 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 pre-built 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 pre-built 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 quickly 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 checkbox to set the record to Active.
    2. In Virtual Agent Designer, search for the corresponding topic block.
      • For Service Request Playbook requests,search for and select Create a Service Request.
      • For License and Permit Playbook requests, search for and select Start a License/Permit Application.
    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 OOB 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