Language detection

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Language detection

    The language detection feature in ServiceNow uses a pre-trained model to automatically identify the language in which customer service cases are created. It simplifies case handling by eliminating the need for agents to manually specify case language. The detected language can be added to the case record and used as a skill to facilitate effective case routing.

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    Key Features

    • Automatic Language Identification: Detects language from case fields such as Short Description or Description at case creation using a flow called Task Intelligence Case Language Detected.
    • Integration with Case Records: Adds detected language to the Language field on the case and/or stores it as a language skill in the Task Skills table.
    • Routing Support: Enables automated routing of cases to assignment groups or agents based on language skills using Advanced Work Assignment (AWA) or the assignment workbench.
    • Prediction Confidence and Validation: Only assigns language if confidence exceeds a configurable threshold and the language exists in the system’s Languages table.
    • Support for 20 Languages: Supports detection of 20 different languages to cover diverse customer needs.
    • Prediction Results Storage: Stores detailed prediction outcomes and feedback in the Predictor Results for Task table, accessible to users with the mladmin role.

    Practical Application for ServiceNow Customers

    By enabling language detection, customers can streamline case intake and routing processes, improve assignment accuracy, and reduce manual effort for agents. Configuring this feature allows automatic identification and tagging of case language, which supports precise routing based on language skills, enhancing service efficiency especially in multilingual environments.

    Note that routing based on detected language requires separate configuration beyond enabling language detection.

    The language detection feature uses a pre-trained model to detect the language used to create customer service cases. You can configure the model to add the language to the Language field on the case record and/or add the language as a skill for the case.

    Case list view with short description field text in different languages and the detected language listed in the Name column.

    Agents can save time by not having to manually select the language for each case or rely on a manual process for case routing. You can use the language skill stored in the Task Skills table to route cases to the assignment groups and agents with the necessary language skills.

    Note:
    Routing based on detected language must be configured separately.

    The language detection feature supports 20 different languages. For details, see Languages supported by Task Intelligence.

    Language detection flow

    Detecting the language used to create a case is based on a flow, Task Intelligence Case Language Detected, which is available with the Task Intelligence for Customer Service application. This flow is triggered at case creation with the condition that at least one of these case fields is not empty:
    • Short description
    • Description

    When a case is created, the system calls the Detect Language action in the Dynamic Translation spoke which evaluates the text and returns the detected language.

    If the returned language confidence is above the defined confidence threshold, the system performs a check to see if the language exists in the Languages [sys_language] table. It performs this check by matching the language code to the value in the ID field.

    If the language exists in the Languages table, the system does the following, depending on the language detection model configuration:
    • Adds the language to the Language field in the Case table.
    • Stores the prediction results in the Predictor Results for Task table [ml_predictor_results_task].
    • Stores the language skill in the Task Skills table [task_m2m_skill].
    For more information, see Create a model to detect case language.

    Prediction results

    The system stores feedback on prediction results in the Predictor Result [ml_predictor_results] table. Users with the ml_admin role can access the table and view the results.

    For language detection, the Predictor Result table stores the prediction results from the Language Detection Service spoke. The Detected Language field stores the language returned by the Language Detection Services spoke.

    The Predictor Result table also stores information about skipped and failed predictions. For more information about this table, see Components installed with Task Intelligence for Customer Service.