--- sourceDocument: Yokohama Conversational Interfaces sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/yokohama/conversational-interfaces Release : - yokohama ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Yokohama Conversational Interfaces ft:clusterId : - convint bundleId : - convint workflow : - Platform --- # Supported Virtual Agent and Agent Chat features for custom chat integrations # Supported Virtual Agent and Agent Chat features for custom chat integrations {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Yokohama Updated January 30, 2025 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 4 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Supported Virtual Agent and Agent Chat features for custom chat integrations The Custom Chat Integration Framework in ServiceNow Yokohama release supports extensive Virtual Agent and Agent Chat features, enabling robust and secure conversational experiences. It facilitates seamless user authentication, secure data handling, and rich, customizable chat interactions for both automated agents and live agents. Show full answer Show less ## Supported Virtual Agent Features * **User Authentication and Account Linking:** Synchronous provider authentication ensures immediate validation of messages. Account auto-linking connects third-party accounts to ServiceNow profiles automatically, avoiding guest mode conversations. * **Secure Communication:** Sensitive data is masked during transfer, and trusted media domains verify attachment URLs to ensure secure file uploads. * **Rich Conversational Controls:** Supports all standard Virtual Agent controls and enables custom input/output transformations for unique chat experiences. * **Conversation Management:** Processes one user request at a time by default, ignores duplicate requests unless connected to a live agent, and supports topic discovery via keywords or Natural Language Understanding (NLU). * **Customizable System Messages and Notifications:** System messages like greetings or agent transfers can be customized by admins. The framework also supports sending actionable notifications. * **Conversation Timeout and Reporting:** Idle conversation timeouts can be adjusted via system properties. Interaction records and channel/provider details are available for reporting and analytics. * **API Handling:** Supports API rate limiting, versioning, and configuration of outbound REST endpoints with authentication for Virtual Agent responses. * **Dynamic Translation:** Enables display of translation status messages when dynamic translation is active. * **Custom Chat Experience and Branding:** Allows defining context-specific chat experiences and passing custom branding to the chat client. * **Advanced Controls and Multi-Step Responses:** Supports multi-response controls, skip options for questions, and sending previous controls back to clients. * **Typing Indicators and Contextual Actions:** Shows typing indicators for both bots and live agents and maps user inputs to contextual commands for appropriate responses. ## Supported Agent Chat Features * **Live Agent Integration:** Enables transfer from Virtual Agent to live agents or direct live agent chats, with persistent messages and interaction history. * **Agent Availability and Status:** Displays live agent availability, wait times, agent names, and avatars when enabled. * **Conversation Routing:** Channels can be configured to bypass Virtual Agent and connect directly to live agents with a fallback message if no agent is available. * **Surveys and Feedback:** Supports automatic post-chat surveys when agents end chats, provided the Virtual Agent Feedback setup and Advanced Work Assignment configuration are in place. * **Message Delivery Control:** Maintains message order and tracks message status through provider-specific settings and message tables. ## Practical Application for ServiceNow Customers Customers using ServiceNow's Custom Chat Integration Framework can leverage these features to build secure, efficient, and highly customizable chat solutions that integrate Virtual Agent automation with live agent support. This enables better user engagement through personalized conversations, real-time agent assistance, and robust security measures. Administrators can tailor system messages, control conversation flow, monitor interactions, and ensure compliance with data security standards, enhancing overall service delivery and user satisfaction. The chat integrations framework supports a multitude of Virtual Agent and Agent Chat features to provide a robust conversational experience. ## User authentication, authorization, and secure connection setup {#va-features-custom-chat-integrations__section_lql_hq5_f4b} Synchronous authentication of messages : Provider authentication is synchronous. They will get an immediate response with the request successful or failure code. Note: As of the Paris release, asynchronous authentication is no longer supported. Account auto-linking : Allow a user's third-party account to be auto-linked to their ServiceNow® profile. This feature bypasses the prompt for the user to link their accounts manually. Without account linking, conversations will take place in Guest mode. For configuration information, see [Account linking in pre-built messaging integrations](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/DNnsst4G2MdzUpWBVyiBqQ "In Virtual Agent, account linking maps the users of a supported chat or messaging application to their ServiceNow user profile. Account auto-linking authenticates your messaging users, which enables users to automatically access Virtual Agent topics that involve ServiceNow records. If needed, users can also manually unlink from or link to their ServiceNow accounts."). [Configure the output response REST endpoint and outbound authentication for the Virtual Agent API](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/wQ5xr3VMBS8HLsd4Gzv1RA "Specify the outbound endpoint URL to which the Virtual Agent responses are posted. Configure outbound authentication.") : Specify the outbound endpoint URL to which the Virtual Agent responses are posted and configure outbound authentication. Secure data transfer : Sensitive data such as passwords can be masked and transferred via the integration framework securely. Trusted media domains : Use trusted media domains to check the URLs of attachment files before uploading them. For configuration information, see [Set up trusted media domains for secure file upload](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/ubdQrCa5TrUTxILvSTnfNA "Virtual Agent uses trusted media domains to check the URLs of attachment files before uploading them. If a URL is not from a trusted domain, Virtual Agent will not upload the attachment."). ## Rich control transformation {#va-features-custom-chat-integrations__section_yc5_3mw_f4b} Design a rich and unique conversational experience for a channel through rich control transformation via inbound and outbound transformation scripts. All standard rich controls are supported. For detailed information about Virtual Agent controls, see the following sections: * [Virtual Agent Designer user input controls](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/eQGVrD~7FoujIzQs94XCiQ "Use the collection of input controls provided by Virtual Agent Designer to prompt and capture information from the user in a conversation.") * [Virtual Agent Designer bot responses](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/rvsgkzQtJHiMZPq2DNYVZw "Virtual Agent Designer offers various controls for displaying bot responses in a conversation. Because the bot responses occur in third-party platforms, the format for each output may vary.") * [Virtual Agent Designer utilities](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/XlcbYdmDY_STaUQ8Uuwnlw "You can control interactions within a topic by using utilities in Virtual Agent Designer. These utilities perform various actions such as adding topic blocks (reusable components), running a script, or adding different conversation paths (branches) in a topic. Utilities are represented as nodes in a conversation flow but do not display anything to the user.") {#va-features-custom-chat-integrations__ul_k3c_sqh_cxb} ## Supported Virtual Agent chat features {#va-features-custom-chat-integrations__section_hqj_tx5_f4b} No configuration or scripting required to implement these features in Custom Chat Integration Framework. Support for all standard Virtual Agent controls : * Pass context variables, system parameters, or a user's time-zone along with user input. * By default the Virtual Agent processes only one user request at a time. If a user sends a second request before the first request is finished, the second request is ignored. This does not apply when the user is connected to a live agent. * Ignore duplicate requests from client. {#va-features-custom-chat-integrations__ul_zc5_3mw_f4b} Topic discovery using keywords or Natural Language Understanding : Custom chat integrations can avail topic discovery via keywords or NLU depending on how Virtual Agent is set up on your instance. Standard chat and long-running conversations : Channels can be set up as either chat or messaging. For more information on long-running conversations, see [Using Asynchronous Chat in messaging channels](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/KmShVJIGVkrakqlpSq_dhA "Enable your organization or brand to maintain constant engagement with end users. With Asynchronous Chat, your agents and end users can participate in long-running conversations without being online concurrently. Agents can also proactively contact users whenever there is useful information to share, such as important alerts or updates."). [Custom Virtual Agent chat experiences](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/NDTOfgMUjEJWd0bJ0P3yZg "Change the preconfigured Virtual Agent default chat experience or create a custom chat experience for your users. You can configure setup topics, specify promoted topics, and if needed, change the search profile.") : Define a custom chat experience for a specific context in which your users run Virtual Agent. Dynamic translation : Display a message in chat client that messages are being translated if dynamic translation is enabled. [Customize Virtual Agent and Agent Chat system messages](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/H2HvzmD1SfEms8EMW9UFFw "Customize the default system messages displayed during Virtual Agent conversations and Agent Chat.") : System messages are a set of pre-built messages that can be served as bot response in common conversation scenarios such as greeting a user or transferring to a live agent. Admins can override the message text to suit their business needs. [Notifications](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/G0QPUogxMveNLyzIjncUzA "Send ServiceNow notifications directly to users via the Virtual Agent chatbot on supported messaging channels. Notifications can be simple informational messages for review, or actionable messages with buttons that users can select to perform certain actions.") : Deliver both simple and actionable notifications via the integration framework. Standard timeouts for idle agent conversations : You can change the default timeout period for closing Virtual Agent and live agent conversations by adding the system property com.glide.cs.conversation_idle_timeout. [Virtual Agent interaction records](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/ZuuRpg0W0qr6qLZSr9CEqA "Each time a Virtual Agent conversation occurs, an interaction record captures the entire conversation in the Interactions [interaction] table. The record includes all topic elements used in the conversation, as well as live agent transfers.") : The channel (sys_cs_channel.Name), channel type (sys_cs_channel.Type), provider (sys_cs_provider.Name), provider identifier name (sys_cs_provider_application.Name) and provider channel id (sys_cs_provider_application.InboundID) fields are available for reporting. API rate limiting : Ability to control the rate at which API calls are made via the platform rate limiting feature. API versioning : Specify the version of the provider. The framework is able to send the expected inputs to actions and subflows and handle the expected outputs. See [Configure a provider for your custom chat integration](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/FlQhwjd595KoOKMYnLZuTw "Create a new provider for your custom chat integration. Providers are defined in the Connections [sys_cs_provider] table.") for more information. Specify the default portal for URL navigation at the Provider Channel Identities level : For a provider channel, specify the portal in which chat links, including links in output cards and cards for Virtual Agent notifications and AI Search results, are opened. For details on setting the default portal in the Provider Channel Identities \[sys_cs_provider_application\] table, see [Create a channel identifier for your custom chat integration](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/UW5~bEH0YnrAuTo91~yRBw "Create a channel identifier for your custom chat integration in the Provider Channel Identities [sys_cs_provider_application] table."). To learn more about URL navigation, see [Configure URL navigation for chat links](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/PaNeGHctHU8V_5JepZPuJw "Configure the portals in which links to ServiceNow records in Live Agent and Virtual Agent conversations are opened, including links in output cards and cards for Virtual Agent notifications and AI Search results."). ## Supported Agent Chat features {#va-features-custom-chat-integrations__section_dgw_jh4_cqb} Support for all standard live agent controls : * Transfer to live agent from Virtual Agent or directly by user * Persistent messages after live agent is initiated * Interaction history (chat transcripts) for live agents * Channel-level flag to initiate conversations with live agents, bypassing Virtual Agent {#va-features-custom-chat-integrations__ul_a23_ckv_f4b} Live agent status for end users : * Agent availability * Wait time for next agent * Display agent name and avatar, if enabled in [Agent Chat settings](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/yaHMbaI7SnY7h~7cFk3YTw "Configure Agent Chat to enable live agents to chat with customers and manage various conversation features for agents and end users. Through Agent Chat, agents interact with end users, create incident or case records, or transfer chats to another agent or queue."). {#va-features-custom-chat-integrations__ul_acw_4kv_f4b} Channel-level flag to initiate conversations with live agents, bypassing Virtual Agent : Enable the Live Agent Only option in the Messaging Channels \[sys_cs_channel\] table to route conversations directly to a live agent and skip the Virtual Agent conversation greeting. If an agent isn't available, the message No agent available is displayed to the user. For channel configuration information, see [Create a new channel for your custom chat integration](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Gkpkkp7Sarb_wcVdZg3rjg "Create a new channel or update an existing channel for your custom chat integration. Channels are defined in the Messaging Channels [sys_cs_channel] table."). Pass the agent avatar and name if enabled in Agent Chat settings : When the Agent Names and Avatars field is enabled in Agent Chat settings, the Custom Chat Integration Framework supports the display of the agent name and avatar in the chat. For more information, see [Setting up Agent Chat](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/yaHMbaI7SnY7h~7cFk3YTw "Configure Agent Chat to enable live agents to chat with customers and manage various conversation features for agents and end users. Through Agent Chat, agents interact with end users, create incident or case records, or transfer chats to another agent or queue."). Pre-chat and post-chat surveys : After an agent ends a chat, the post-chat survey runs automatically when the following criteria are met: * The Virtual Agent Feedback setup topic is enabled. * The chat service channel and the queues that your live agents support are configured in Advanced Work Assignment. {#va-features-custom-chat-integrations__ul_dv2_4m3_cxb} * **[Message delivery order](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/bf3Q2Du1hGSNT5S8qkPwPw)** Control message delivery order by enabling the Maintain message ordering option in the Provider Channel \[sys_cs_provider\] table. You can view the message order and status in the Custom Adapter Message \[sys_cs_ca_message\] table. * **[Virtual Agent action scripts](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/1wfQmZMXJaKyNlWP5GgZYA)** You need to write a set of mandatory Workflow Studio action and subflow scripts to pass the user data to VACS, apply transformations and send the response back to your chat interface endpoint. * **[Set up trusted media domains for secure file upload](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/ubdQrCa5TrUTxILvSTnfNA)** Virtual Agent uses trusted media domains to check the URLs of attachment files before uploading them. If a URL is not from a trusted domain, Virtual Agent will not upload the attachment. * **[Create bot messages](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/12zrkzHaYeV4ygDWZ9zlVQ#create-bot-messages)** Create channel-specific bot messages. * **[Integrate custom controls](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/ovEBD3Kn5K2TK~YbQE4i9g)** Implement and leverage custom controls built using the custom control framework in your integration. * **[Multi-step responses](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/FHO_LMAMSv4OOGshDQl52w)** An example of multi-step response is a set of images in a carousel or a date control. * **[Multi-response output controls](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/wKuLifKbGxHmrTaocsGVPg)** Implement controls that involve multiple steps to get user input. * **[Send previous control to client](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/mi80AyP8Weguy_LTJ9QDfA)** Provide the ability to send previous control to client. * **[Implement a skip option](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/LRHyNXzEaKxDl5FZBd4twg)** Use a rich control to provide the option for users to skip a question. * **[Pass branding to a chat client](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/9HrHRKw0cn2YX7JliK_QKA)** Pass custom branding to your custom chat integration. * **[Contextual actions for custom chat integrations](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/EJ0JryB~h~R8EKLQ11qd0g#contextual-actions)** Commands with a pre-defined behavior can be mapped to certain user-friendly keywords and passed as user input. This input is mapped to supported contextual actions for the most appropriate response in the chat. * **[Typing indicators](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/olMnJw95e9J1XIenRHOhvA)** Display a typing indicator when a bot or live agent is preparing a response to a requester.