Example Asset Refresh Virtual Agent conversation with notifications

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Example Asset Refresh Virtual Agent conversation with notifications

    This Asset Refresh Virtual Agent example demonstrates how ServiceNow’s Virtual Agent can automate hardware upgrade workflows for employees. It leverages pre-built components and topic blocks from the ITSM Virtual Agent Conversations plugin to streamline the process of notifying users when their assets, such as computers or tablets, require replacement according to organizational policies.

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    Key Features

    • Pre-built Virtual Agent Components: Includes common greetings, natural language understanding (NLU) intents, reusable logic, and conversation templates to quickly build workflows.
    • Automated Asset Refresh Workflow: Automatically triggers when an asset reaches a predefined lifecycle state (e.g., two years old), moving the asset to an “In maintenance” state and sending notifications to asset owners.
    • Actionable Notifications: Notifications include links that start the Virtual Agent workflow, guiding users through the upgrade process.
    • Primary and Secondary Flows: Users can choose to upgrade immediately or get more information. The workflow verifies asset ownership, opens an incident if issues arise, and requests replacement catalog items when appropriate.
    • Knowledge Base Integration: Provides relevant KB articles for users who want more information before deciding to upgrade.

    Practical Application for ServiceNow Customers

    ServiceNow customers can utilize this example to:

    • Implement automated hardware upgrade processes aligned with their asset lifecycle policies.
    • Reduce manual effort by having Virtual Agent handle user interactions, asset verifications, incident creation, and catalog requests.
    • Improve user experience through guided conversations and immediate access to policy information.
    • Leverage actionable notifications to engage asset owners proactively when upgrades are due.

    Next Steps

    To build this workflow, customers should follow these sequential steps:

    • Create the Asset Refresh topic within Virtual Agent Designer.
    • Develop the Open Incident workflow within the Asset Refresh topic to handle exceptions.
    • Create the More Information workflow to provide policy details via KB articles.
    • Configure the notification that triggers the Asset Refresh topic.
    • Associate the appropriate content with the notification to ensure seamless user experience.

    Virtual Agent can automate many workflows, and a number of common solutions are available when you install Virtual Agent and related plugins, such as ITSM Virtual Agent Conversations.

    For an overview of the Asset Refresh workflow from the user perspective, watch this video.

    Pre-built components in Virtual Agent

    Virtual Agent comes with a basic configuration that includes common greetings, NLU intents, reusable logic, and pre-built conversations. Using these building blocks, you can quickly put together workflows to handle some of the most common organizational needs, including the following:

    To help you understand the possibilities, the Asset Refresh example uses pre-built topic blocks that are included in the ITSM Virtual Agent Conversations plugin. These topic blocks do most of the "heavy lifting" in the topic.

    Asset Refresh workflow

    The purpose of the Asset Refresh topic is to automate hardware upgrades for your employees. If your organization's policy is to replace computers or tablets every two years, then you can create a business rule that says when a user has had an asset for two years, the asset should move to the In maintenance state. You can create a notification that is triggered by this change of state in the Hardware table. In our example, the asset owner receives the notification and is instructed to upgrade their asset.

    The Asset Refresh Virtual Agent topic provides the action for the notification. When the user selects the link in the notification, they proceed to the workflow in Virtual Agent. This example topic contains the primary flow (helping the user upgrade their hardware) and two secondary flows that ensure that the user's needs are met.

    The conversation workflow includes the primary path for upgrading the asset, as well as workflows for creating an Incident or helping the customer to understand the organization's upgrade policy first.

    After a greeting message, Virtual Agent asks the user if they want to upgrade now or get more information. If they choose to upgrade now, they are directed through the primary flow. Virtual Agent uses the Lookup utility to find the expiring asset that is assigned to the user. Then Virtual Agent makes sure the user still has the asset. If they do not, Virtual Agent uses the Create Incident topic block to open an Incident to resolve the problem. If the user still has the asset, Virtual Agent uses the Search Catalog Item topic block to find a replacement. The Request Catalog Item topic block is used to request it. The request is sent to the user, and the workflow ends.

    If the user chooses to get more information, the AI Search topic block returns one or more specific KB articles that explain the organization's policy. Once the user has viewed these, they are given the option to upgrade now or later. If they choose to upgrade now, they are redirected through the primary workflow; otherwise, the conversation ends.

    Creating the Asset Refresh example workflow

    The following topics describe how to use Virtual Agent Designer and actionable notifications to create the Asset Refresh workflow. Follow these steps in order.

    1. Create the Asset Refresh topic in Virtual Agent Designer.
    2. Create the Open Incident workflow in the Asset Refresh topic.
    3. Create the More Information workflow in the Asset Refresh topic.
    4. Create the notification for the Asset Refresh topic.
    5. Associate content with the Asset Refresh notification.