Text user input control

---
title: Text user input control
description: The Text user input control in a Virtual Agent topic prompts the user for a text string.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/conversational-interfaces/virtual-agent/va-text-input.html
release: brazil
product: Virtual Agent
classification: virtual-agent
topic_type: reference
last_updated: "2026-09-10"
reading_time_minutes: 3
keywords: [Virtual Agent, Designer, Text, user input, control, node, string]
breadcrumb: [Assistant Designer user input controls, Assistant Designer interface reference, Reference, Virtual Agent, Conversational Interfaces]
---

# Text user input control

The Text user input control in a Virtual Agent topic prompts the user for a text string.

## Text user input control properties

<table id="table_of1_vt5_g1c"><thead><tr><th>

Property

</th><th>

Description

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

Node name

</td><td>

Name that identifies this node in the topic flow.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Variable name

</td><td>

Name of the variable that stores the user response to this prompt. The variable name is automatically created from the **Node name** property.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Allow automatic slot-filling

</td><td>

Toggle to allow this node’s value to be automatically set by other nodes, as well as during topic discovery. When this toggle is activated, the Detail description field changes from dynamic Data Pill Picker and script options to a static text field.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Detail description

</td><td>

Description of the information that you need from users. If the **Allow automatic slot filling** toggle is deactivated, you can create a dynamic detail description by selecting the Data Pill Picker icon \[Omitted image "variable-reference-picker.png"\] Alt text: to define conditions, or select the Open Editor icon \[Omitted image "icon-script.png"\] Alt text: to enter a script. If the **Allow automatic slot filling** toggle is activated, you can only enter a static description.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Input format

</td><td>

Text format that is validated when a user enters certain text items. If the user doesn't enter the expected format, an error message indicates that the format is not valid and asks the user to reenter the text. Choose the format of the text item to be validated:

-   Text: Any text string \(no validation\).
-   Email: Format that consists of an email prefix \(user name\), the @ symbol, and domain.
-   IP address \(IPV4, IPV6\): Data communication delivery format for Internet Protocol version 4 or version 6.
-   Phone number \(E.164\): Internationally recognized standard phone number format.
-   URL: Web address format.
-   Custom: A script that provides a validation rule for a custom text format. The script should include related error messages that are displayed when the expected format is not entered.

For phone and IP address format examples, see [E.164 phone formats](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/platform-administration/r_ConfigureE.164PhoneNumberFields.md) and [IP address field types](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/platform-administration/r-IPAddressFieldType.md).

</td></tr><tr><td class="sub-head" colspan="2">

Advanced

</td></tr><tr><td>

Enforce user prompt

</td><td>

Toggle to open a field for a custom message shown to the user instead of the message generated by the large language model \(LLM\). You can create custom messages in plain language, input a script, or define conditions with the data pill picker.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Validation

</td><td>

Add a script to validate the user input. For example, check if the user entered a valid email address.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Additional instructions for LLM

</td><td>

Further instructions to the LLM, such as adding data formats, restrictions, or default values for user responses. You can create additional instructions in plain language, input a script, or define conditions with the data pill picker.

</td></tr><tr><td class="sub-head" colspan="2">

Hide or skip this node

</td></tr><tr><td>

Conditionally use this node if

</td><td>

No-code condition statement or low-code script that specifies a condition for presenting this node in the conversation. The condition must evaluate to true.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Allow user to skip this node if

</td><td>

No-code condition statement or low-code script that specifies a condition for letting users skip this node in the conversation. The condition must evaluate to true. You can set this field using either the condition builder or a script.

</td></tr></tbody>
</table>## Example Text user input control

<table id="table_ar2_jn5_g1c"><thead><tr><th>

Input properties

</th><th>

Input prompt

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

\[Omitted image "va-text-input-llm-3.png"\] Alt text: All basic Text user input fields are openly available. Select any of the advanced options to toggle them open individually.

</td><td>

\[Omitted image "va-text-input-web-llm.png"\] Alt text: Web client showing input prompt. The text reads, "Could you please provide your first service catalog item?"

</td></tr></tbody>
</table>## Channel support

**Note:** Asset library controls may display and function differently in other channels.

|Channel|Support|Constraints|
|-------|-------|-----------|
|Microsoft Teams|Supported|None.|
|Slack|Not supported|Slack users can edit text previously entered in a conversation. However, Virtual Agent processes messages as they are first entered. If aSlack user edits text input, such as a comment to update a case, then Virtual Agent does not evaluate the edited update.|
|SMS Twilio|Not supported|None.|
|WhatsApp|Not supported|The maximum limit is 4,096 characters.|
|Google Chat|Supported|None|

**Parent Topic:**[Assistant Designer user input controls](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/conversational-interfaces/virtual-agent/va-user-inputs.md)