--- sourceDocument: Yokohama Finance and Supply Chain sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/yokohama/source-to-pay-operations Release : - yokohama ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Yokohama Finance and Supply Chain ft:clusterId : - stpop bundleId : - stpop workflow : - Employee --- # Virtual agent flows # Virtual agent flows {#ariaid-title1} * Release version: Yokohama * * Updated January 30, 2025 * * ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 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 Virtual Agent Flows The Virtual Agent Flows in Accounts Payable Operations empower suppliers to efficiently manage invoice and inquiry-related tasks via the supplier portal's chat channel. Suppliers can check invoice and inquiry statuses, create inquiry cases, and navigate predefined chatbot topics. The solution integrates Natural Language Understanding (NLU) to interpret supplier queries and guide them to the appropriate conversation topics, enhancing the self-service experience. Show full answer Show less Suppliers can seamlessly switch between interacting with the virtual agent and live agents for additional support, ensuring flexibility in handling their issues. ## Key Features * **Check Invoice Status:** Suppliers enter an invoice number to receive the current status. Invoice statuses are clickable links leading to detailed case views. The chatbot also offers options to add comments, escalate to a live agent, search other topics, or end the chat. * **Check Inquiry Status:** Suppliers provide an invoice number to view inquiry statuses. Accounts Payable agents can create inquiries related to the invoice. * **Create New Inquiry:** Suppliers can initiate new inquiry cases via a dedicated link, selecting the inquiry type and adding comments as needed. * **Live Agent Support:** Suppliers may bypass the virtual agent greeting to connect directly with live Accounts Payable agents. Live agents can create and associate interaction records with invoice cases. If no agent is available, the system informs the supplier accordingly. * **Pre-chat Survey:** When the app-supplier-awa plugin is installed, suppliers complete a pre-chat survey that helps route conversations between live agents and Accounts Payable self-service options. * **Chat Channel Configuration:** Administrators can activate the virtual agent chatbot within the supplier portal to enable these self-service capabilities. ## Key Outcomes * Improved supplier experience through easy access to invoice and inquiry information via conversational UI. * Reduced workload on live agents by enabling suppliers to resolve common tasks independently. * Enhanced support flexibility by allowing seamless transitions between virtual and live agents. * Better case tracking and interaction management through integration with interaction records and inquiry cases. * Streamlined supplier communication through NLU-enhanced chatbot topic guidance and pre-chat surveys. Suppliers can check the invoice and inquiry statuses, create inquiry cases in the supplier portal using the chat channel. Suppliers can also use the virtual agent to view predefined chatbot topics. Suppliers can switch between a virtual agent and a live agent to address their issues. The customer service virtual agent topics (chatbot conversations) help suppliers complete common self-service tasks. The supplier initiates a conversation topic that consists of dialogs with the virtual agent chatbot to accomplish a goal. Natural Language understanding (NLU) is integrated with the virtual agent chatbot to help suppliers with invoice and inquiry-related queries. NLU also helps suppliers to analyze, understand, and navigate to the right topic. For more information, see [Connect](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=c_Connect&version=yokohama&pubname=yokohama-servicenow-platform&ft:locale=en-US) and [Virtual Agent](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=virtual-agent-landing-page&version=yokohama&pubname=yokohama-conversational-interfaces&ft:locale=en-US). ## Accounts Payable Operations Virtual agent flows {#virtual-agent-flows__section_cf3_sgx_ryb} Supplier can choose to view the following Virtual agent flows. ## Check invoice status {#virtual-agent-flows__section_gyb_thx_ryb} The supplier provides an invoice number and the virtual agent displays the status of the invoice. The invoice status is a clickable link, which navigates suppliers to view invoice case details. For more details about the invoice, see [Work with invoices](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/vpZfIG38U8aiGCaQHyyuDQ "Invoices are generated for a payment against a purchase order. The Accounts Payable Specialist [sn_ap_apm.accounts_payable_specialist] can access all the invoices and take required actions to process the invoices in Source-to-Pay Workspace."). The chatbot prompts the supplier to perform the following. 1. Add new comment-comment on the inquiry or invoice case that the supplier requested for 2. Talk to a live agent- Accounts Payable Operations agent interacts with a supplier for an invoice or inquiry-related query 3. Search for something else- Redirects suppliers to point 1 4. All good thanks- Ends the chat {#virtual-agent-flows__ol_v4d_yrr_bzb} ## Live Agent support {#virtual-agent-flows__section_stq_pkx_ryb} Suppliers are routed directly to a live Accounts Payable Operations to initiate conversations and skip the virtual agent conversation greeting. Live agents can also create Interaction records and associate with an existing invoice case. For more information on interaction records, see [Interaction management in Accounts Payable Operations](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/bH~NSUo9inlbOJRl2VcxkA "Any request for assistance made to an Accounts Payable specialist via email, chat, phone is logged in an auto-generated interaction record. Agents can choose to create a case from the interaction record, create a request, and associate an interaction record with an existing invoice case record."). If an agent isn't available, the message No agent available is displayed to the user. ## Check inquiry status {#virtual-agent-flows__section_ucm_2kx_ryb} The supplier provides an invoice number and the virtual agent displays the status of the inquiry. The Accounts Payable Operations agent can create a new inquiry on the invoice. ## Create new inquiry {#virtual-agent-flows__section_qfn_glx_ryb} The supplier can choose to create an inquiry case related to the invoice using the Create inquiry link. The Create inquiry link enables suppliers to choose the type of inquiry case. Suppliers use Add new comment to add comments related to the inquiry. For more information on creating inquiry case, see [Submit Invoice Inquiry](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/PakyEztv7_~~MChrwJCgOA "Supplier uses the Supplier Collaboration Portal to create an inquiry related to an invoice and submits it to the Accounts Payable Operations team to evaluate and resolve the inquiry."). ## Prechat Survey {#virtual-agent-flows__section_jcn_twr_bzb} Pre-chat survey is available to supplier if the Accounts Payable admin installs the `app-supplier-awa`plugin into the system. Depending on the response received from the supplier, the chatbot directs the supplier to choose between Talk to Live Agent and Accounts Payable options. For more information on the options, see [Configure the chat channel](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/eg12GTgfZJKr5dYKd~BQ4A "Activate the virtual agent chatbot (chat channel) in the supplier portal for suppliers to complete Accounts Payable Operations related self-service tasks.") and [Advanced Work Assignment in Accounts Payable Operations](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/lhR8yPdETF~ii3Ov_vkGDQ "Advanced Work Assignment (AWA) automatically assigns work items to Accounts Payable Operations agents based on their availability, capacity and skills. AWA pushes work to qualified agents using work item queues, routing conditions, and assignment criteria that you define. The work items are available in Agent workspace inbox."). . * **[Configure the chat channel](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/eg12GTgfZJKr5dYKd~BQ4A)** Activate the virtual agent chatbot (chat channel) in the supplier portal for suppliers to complete Accounts Payable Operations related self-service tasks.