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Creating a Virtual Agent topic › Getting started with the Asset library in Assistant Designer › Build and deploy › Virtual Agent › Conversational Interfaces
Release: Australia · Updated: 2026-03-12 · Official documentation · View source

Use system-derived entities in an NLU topic

Associate system-derived entities such as such as date, time, duration, or location with a node in a topic.

Before you begin

Create the Booking Reservations NLU model and system entities (FromLocation and ToLocation) as described in Create a system-derived entity. In this example procedure, you will create a topic that can slot fill locations that are used in an utterance.

Role required: virtual_agent_admin or admin

Procedure

  1. Create a new topic called Booking Reservations.

    When completing the Properties tab, make sure that you choose the Booking Reservations NLU model that you created in an earlier exercise.

  2. Drag a Text bot response component onto the canvas, and then select it.

    In the properties sheet, fill in the fields.

    FieldDescription
    Node nameType Intro.
    Response MessageType Let's get you booked on a flight.
Image omitted: sys-entities-example-1.png
In the Text response properties, the Node name is "Intro," and the Response Message is, "Let's get you booked on a flight."

  1. Drag a Text user input component onto the canvas.

    In the properties sheet, fill in the fields.

FieldDescription
Node nameType `Fromwhere`.
PromptType `Where are you departing from?`
Input formatSelect Text. This doesn't restrict the input format.
NLU entitySelect `FromLocation`.This list only shows existing entities, such as system entities or entities that you created for the model.
Do not ask users to confirm recognized entitySelect this option to avoid having Virtual Agent ask the user to confirm the location.
Advanced \(optional\)
Topic switching
Enable NLU to switch topicsSlide this toggle switch to enable topic switching.
Image omitted: sys-entities-example-2.png
In the Fromwhere Text user input node, the prompt reads, "Where are you departing from?" The NLU entity used is FromLocation. Topic switching is enabled.

  1. Drag another Text user input component onto the canvas.

    In the properties sheet, fill in the fields.

FieldDescription
Node nameType `Towhere`.
PromptType `Where are you heading?`
Input formatSelect Text. This doesn't restrict the input format.
NLU EntitySelect `ToLocation`.This list only shows existing entities, such as system entities or entities that you created for the model.
Do not ask users to confirm recognized entitySelect this option to avoid having Virtual Agent ask the user to confirm the location.
Advanced \(optional\)
Topic switching
Enable NLU to switch topicsSlide this toggle switch to enable topic switching.
Image omitted: sys-entities-example-3.png
In the Towhere Text user input node, the prompt reads, "Where are you heading?" The NLU entity used is ToLocation. Topic switching is enabled.

  1. Drag another Text bot response component onto the canvas, and then select it.

    In the properties sheet, fill in the fields.

    FieldDescription
    Node nameType Confirmation.
    Response MessageType Great! I have you booked on a flight from [Fromwhere] to [Towhere]. Bon voyage! Use dot-walking to replace [Fromwhere] and [Towhere] with the input variables you created in the previous nodes.
Image omitted: sys-entities-example-4.png
The Confirmation node displays the message, "Great! I have you booked on a flight from blank to blank," which will be slot-filled from the Fromwhere and Towhere input variables.
  1. Click Save.

What to do next

Use additional system-derived entities for your Booking a Reservation topic. For example, you can use system-derived entities to capture the dates that the user wants to travel.

For more information about default system entities, see NLU system entities.

Parent Topic:Creating a Virtual Agent topic