SN Fundamentals

List Wildcard syntax examples for finding information

*searchTerm - contains !*searchTerm - does not contain searchTerm% - starts with %searchTerm - ends with =searchTerm - equals !=searchTerm - does not equal searchTerm - greater than or equal to Wildcards: use a symbol to represent zero or more characters

What are the dropdown options for "When to send" in regards to creating notifications?

- Record inserted or updated - Event is fired - Triggered - Script (when in advanced view mode)

What visualizations may display on your landing page?

-New and critical tasks -Lists with task records assigned to you -Relevant Performance Analytics and Reporting (PAR) data -Approvals that are actionable -Open tasks by priority -Your favorite items -Your open requests

How do you create a new report from a list?

1. Define and run a filter, displaying only the data to report on 2. Open the Column Context Menu, then choose Bar Chart or Pie Chart

What are the 3 key attributes of Fields?

1. Field Label: the label is a user-friendly term which allows people to identify the field in the user interface 2. Field Value: The values are actual data entered into the field Field Name: The field name is a system-friendly unique term that the system uses to identify the field in sys_user table

What other SN operations can Access Control Rules restrict?

- execute: user cannot execute scripts on a record or UI page - Edit_ci_relations: user cannot define relationships between configuration item [cmbd_ci] tables - Save_as_template: controls the field that should be saved when a template is created - Report_on: user cannot create reports on the object - Personalize_choices: user cannot R-click a choice list field and select configure choices

Groups

A collection of users is a group. Users are typically assigned to one or more groups - Groups share a common purpose such as users approving change requests or users receiving email notifications - A group is represented by a record on the Group [sys_user_group] table - Add a group by navigating to All > User Administration > Groups and click new- add users to a group by clicking edit in the Group Members related list - Examples of Groups include Service Desk, Knowledge Base Authors, HR Administrators

List

A list displays a set of records from a table Lists can be filtered and customized to display the information you need

A row represents what in the ServiceNow database?

A record

Describe Visual Task Boards (VTBs)

Allows you to: - Manage your tasks through a visual drag and drop interface - Identify process bottlenecks at a glance in real time Track embedded activity screens to view updates all in one place Use to create a personal to-do list, collaborate in real-time. Displayed graphically as lanes and cards, provides a landing page to view & organize work in SN Navigate to All > Self-Service > Visual Task Boards

What does the Natural Language Query allow?

Allows you to filter the list data using natural language, instead of the condition builder. As you type, auto-suggestions for text will appear so you can click the suggestion before typing the complete filter. Select Ask and you will see the filter applied to the breadcrumb Icon (Chat icon with 3 dots inside)

<table name>.form

Displays a blank form for creating a new record in the table

<table name>.list

Displays a list of records in the table * .LIST - opens in new tab

<table name>.config

Displays configuration details for that table, including business rules, client scripts, ACLs, etc.

What should you not do when responding to an email from ServiceNow?

Do not change the Subject as it may not be saved to the correct record

Define the ServiceNow Infrastructure

Everything in SN is built on a relational database containing data which can be accessed through Now Platform Infrastructure includes tables, records, and fields. Tables contain records. Records correspond to rows in a table. A field is an individual piece of data in a record and corresponds to a column in the table

How can flows be used with tasks?

An admin can specify a specific process to apply to tasks that meet certain conditions. After a task is created that meets the conditions, the flow applies an automated process to the task. The process is defined in Flow Designer or the Workflow editor.

What is the difference between assignment lookup rules and assignment rules?

Assignment lookup rules is another type of assignment rule that only applies to incident records and have fewer options

How can assignments be used to drive tasks?

Assignment rules can automatically assign tasks to users or groups, ensuring tasks are handled by the most appropriate team members.

How are records identified?

By a 32 character globally unique ID called a sys_id Record numbers are automatically incremented and the number format per table in the system can be changed in All > System Definition > Number Maintenance

What does dot-walking achieve and how?

Dot-Walking gathers information from a series of tables through reference fields. From the fields, select the reference field you want to dot-walk through. Click the expand item icon (+). Select the field which holds the value to be referenced. Click the Add item icon (>) After dot walking to a table, you can access all of the table's fields and their stored data

Field values vs. Field names

Field labels are user friendly. Examples include First Name, Last Name, Location Field names are system-friendly unique terms. Examples include first_name, last_name, and city Field names do not always match the field's label -Ex) the field name "city" in the sys_user table corresponds to the field label "Location"

What can be applied to a table list to isolate a subset of the data?

Filters

What are the 2 types of Visual Task Boards?

Freeform: personal organizer, creating individual tasks of any kind and freely adding, removing, and modifying cards and lanes Data Driven: Allows you to add tasks to a flexible or guided task board. Create filters to display specific records from a table

x_ vs. u_

If the table is being created in a scoped application, the name is prefixed with the namespace identifier "x_" Custom tables in the global application have "u_" as their prefix, and then the table name

How do inactivity monitors help with tasks?

Inactivity monitors ensure that tasks do not fall by the wayside by notifying users when tasks have been untouched for a predefined period of time.

Users

Individual that has been granted access to the SN instance - User IDs are unique identifiers - Users are represented by a record on the User [sys_user] table - Add users by navigating to All > User Administration > Users and click New

What is Report Designer and what are the four tabs that provide reporting configuration options?

Report Designer is an interface used for creating or modifying SN reports 1. Data: provide a name for the report and select the source where data comes from. Can choose a data source (predefined data set) or a SN table 2. Type: Select the visualization of your report by choosing report type 3. Configure: Do things like group the data by specific field(s) and run calculations against the data 4. Style: Adjust the look, from coloring to titles, and make adjustments to the report legend

Global Search

Search across your instance to return the results that are most relevant to you

What are Sections in Form Design?

Sections are used to break up the form and group like information together. They can be 1 or 2 columns, Added to a form (+), or Removed from a form (-) Sections can also be reordered by using the handle icon to the left of the label If the section is named, it becomes a tab on the form. If it does not have a name it will appear as part of the previous section.

Contextual app pill

See where you are in the instance and favorite current item if desired

What happens when you click Insert and Stay?

Select Form Context menu icon in header bar and select Insert and Stay. Insert and Stay will remain on the form. *Insert and Insert and Stay are disabled by default for task-based records (Incidents and Change requests)

What happens when you click Insert?

Select the Form Context menu icon in the header bar then select Insert. Insert will exit the form and return to the previously viewed page. * This closely emulates the functionality of "Save As"

What happens when you click Save?

Select the Form Context menu icon in the header bar, then select Save to save changes without exiting the form view.

How do Service Levels work with tasks?

Service level agreements can track the amount of time that a task has been open, to ensure tasks are completed within an allotted time.

My Work vs. My Groups Work

My work: all active tasks assigned to you, including change req, group approval, incident, kb submission, request, security case, visual task board task. My groups work: list of all active tasks assigned to your group(s) but not yet assigned to an individual

What needs to be considered when creating notifications?

When to send the notification Who receives the notifcation What content is in the notification What Digest will contain (If allow Digest checkbox is selected in form)

How do Boolean Operators help find information?

They refine searches with operators such as AND and OR

Describe Many-to-Many table relationship

Two or more tables can be related in a bi-directional relationship, so related records are visible from both tables in a related list Ex) a student can register for many classes and a class can include many students *sys_collections.list and sys_m2m.list useful

What is created by default when you create a new table?

- Application Menu w/ same name as the table label (Infinity) - Module with the plural of the table label (Infinities)

What is accessed by clicking on the globe icon?

- Application scope: view and select the application where changes in the instance will be applied. When a different scope is selected, a red circle will appear around the globe icon. - Update Set for the instance: an XML file that contains configuration changes that can be moved from one instance to another.

What are the 2 ways to add favorites to the Favorites Menu?

- Click the star icon beside an application, module, or contextual app pill - Select Create Favorite from a list or context menu * Favorites can be re-ordered, edited, or removed from the Favorites Menu by clicking on the edit (pencil) icon

What are some functionalities available in the Now Mobile App?

- Submit and view requests and issues - Submit approvals - View and complete tasks - Upload images and attachments - Sign documents - Request help from Agent Chat - Search for articles, people, and services

What criteria must be met for an assignment rule to run?

- The task record has been created or updated- does not apply to unsaved changes - The task record must be unassigned. Records cannot have existing value. in assigned_to or assignment_group fields. Cannot overwrite existing assignments (set by default or from prev assignment rules) - The assignment rule is the first rule that matches the table and conditions. If more than one rule matches, only the one with the lowest order will run

What are the levels of security before end user can perform CRUD operations on a table?

- User Authentication/Login: Users, Groups, Roles - Application and Modules Access: Controlled by roles configured at the Application and Module level - Database Access: Access to tables and their records and fields are controlled via globally defined system properties (deny access = default) as well as table and field level access controls

What options are available from the Sharing menu of reports?

-Share: specifies who can see it (me, everyone, specific groups and/or users) - Schedule: creates a scheduled email of the report as an attachement - Add to dashboard: adds directly to a dashboard you chose. Can select a specific tab if multiple tabs. Export to PDF: converts report to a PDF which can be generated immediately or sent as email Publish: creates a URL for report which can be used by internal and external audiences. May need to login to SN to see all data. Can be unpublished and no longer accessible

What is the proper order for Task Assignment?

1. Add Users to Groups 2. Apply Roles to Groups 3. Assign Tasks to Groups 4. Assign Tasks to Users

What are the Header Icons?

1. Form Context Menu (Additional Options): Viewing and filtering form data 2. Add or remove files with Manage Attachments (Paperclip) 3. Show the Activity Stream for a real-time sequential display of record activities 4. Personalize a form to show or hide fields for selected view. * Mandatory fields cannot be hidden 5. Open the more Options menu for additional form tools like templates and tags 6. Form UI actions (Retire, Update, Delete, Save) 7. Cycle through records Using Next Record and Previous Record (up and down arrows)

What components are contained in the banner frame (8)?

1. Logo image- return to homepage 2. All Menus- All, Favorites, History, Workspaces 3. Contextual app pill- Context for where you are in an instance 4. Global Search icon- Finds records from multiple tables (quickest way to locate an individual record) 5. Application and Update Set picker- Which application and which update set you want instance to run on 6. Embedded Help icon- embedded help, feedback, related articles 7. Notifications icon- view and personalize the notifications applicable to you across your instance at a central location 8. User menu- options to access your profile. Admins can impersonate users and elevate security role. Can also personalize your instance, set display, accessibility, notifications, and Workspace preferences

What are the 3 components of Form Designer?

1. Page Header: select the table and view from this. Other actions, Undo and Save, appear after changes have been made. 2. Field Navigator: Fields tab- existing fields for the table which can be added to the form, Field types tab- field types which can be added to the form. Adding a field this way adds a field to the selected table, Filter- allows you to search fields or field types. 3. Form Layout: graphic representation of the fields, sections, and other elements on the form.

Define the 3 One-To-Many relationship fields

1. Reference fields: Allows a user to select a record on a table defined by the reference field (caller field on the incident table allows a user to select any record on the user table) 2. Glide list: Allows a user to select multiple records on a table defined by the glide list (the watchlist field on the incident table allows user to select any record(s) on the user table) 3. Document ID fields: Allows a user to select a record on any table in the instance (Document field on the Translated Text table)

What are the 5 common field types?

1. Reference: Query that displays records from another table 2. Date/Time: Populated with the day and time of day of selected date 3. String: Freely populated using letters, numbers, and special characters 4. Choice: Drop-down menu with multiple values 5. True/False: Boolean field that appears as a checkbox

What are 4 main Base System Roles?

1. System Administrator (admin): Provides almost all roles and access to all Now Platform features, functions, and data (with some exceptions such as HR and Security). Users with admin role can create and modify user roles as well as impersonate other users. 2. Specialized Administrator (example: catalog_admin): Provides users with specialized administrator roles to manage specific functions or applications, such as knowledge base, human resources, reports, and web services 3. Approvers (approver_user): Allows users to view or modify approval records directed to them. 4. ITIL (itil): Can perform standard actions for an ITIL helpdesk technician. Can open, update, close incidents, problems, changes, configuration management items. By default, only users with itil role can have tasks assigned to them.

What is the maximum number of activities that can be displayed in the History Menu and how can this be changed?

30 activities can be displayed in the history tab of the application navigator Admins can configure this setting in the system properties table (sys_properties.list) by modifying the value in the glide.ui.nav.hisory_length property

Base Tables vs. Core Tables

A Core Table is one that exists in the SN base system. The tables that come with the system. A core table can also be a parent table, a child table, or a base table A Base Table serves as the "base" from which other tables may extend. Base table is NOT an extension of another table (it has no parent). Can also be a parent and/or core table depending on circumstances

Describe Database Views

A database view defines table joins for reporting purposes Ex) database can join the incident table to the metric definition and metric instance tables. This view can be used to report on incident metrics and may include fields from any of these 3 tables. Data is read-only. Navigate to System Definition > Database Views

What is a list filter and what 3 components make up a filter condition?

A filter is a set of conditions applied to a table list to isolate a subset of the data. Field, Operator, Value Click the show/hide filter icon (funnel) to add, remove, or edit filter conditions and apply them

What do forms display?

A form displayed fields from ONE record in a table. Users can view and edit the record data. Forms can also contain sections and Related Lists *Related Lists show records in tables that have a relationship to the current record. *Related Lists do NOT appear on a form until a record has been saved to the database.

What is a formatter?

A formatter is an element used to display information that is not a field in the record. *One example is the Activity Stream, which displays a list of activities. Other examples include, process flow formatter, parent breadcrumbs formatter, Approval summarizer formatter, and CI relations formatter

What are notifications and how can they be viewed in your instance?

A notification is a tool for alerting users when events that concern them have occurred through the following methods: Email, SMS, Meeting Invitation. Can be triggered by events in the platform and require no scripting knowledge. Received by configured uses and voluntary recipients and can notify of specific activities in the platform, such as updates to incidents or change requests. All > System Mailboxes > Outbound > Outbox

How do reference fields work?

A reference field stores a unique system identifier (sys_id) of a record on another table which is what establishes the reference relationship. For example, the Caller field on the Incident Table is a reference to a record on the User (sys_user) table When you define a reference field, the system creates a relationship between the two tables. Adding a reference field to a form makes the other fields in the referenced table available to the form. *Wildcard searches can be used in reference fields

Roles

A role is a collection of permissions used to: Grant access to applications and other parts of the platform, Assign security rights - A role can be assigned to a group or a single user and contain other roles - A user can have more than one role - In the Now Platform, a role defines your capabilities in the application Roles are represented by a record on the Role [sys_user_role] table - Best Practices: Rather than assigning roles to individuals, add the user to a group and assign the role to the group

What is an Access Control?

A security rule defined to restrict the permissions of a user from viewing and interacting with data. Executed when attempting to access any SN table and may be set at the row-level and/or column level Restrict CRUD operations and others

Describe Extensions in terms of table relationships

A table that extends another table. The extended table includes unique fields plus all of the fields and their properties from the parent table

What is a ServiceNow task?

A task is any record that can be assigned or completed by a user in ServiceNow A task record is created from a table that extends the Task [task] table Work is performed on a task and it is eventually moved to a closed state

What are views?

A view is a version of a customized list or form which defines which fields appear and in what order. Enable users to quickly display the same list or form in multiple ways. Different views can be created and used for different roles. To switch between different views of columns on a list, open the List Control Menu, then select View, and choose the name of the desired view. When switching views you will be prompted to save or discard all changes made to the record before the form reloads and displays selected view.

What is contained in the All Menu?

Access to all applications and the modules they contain. An application is a group of modules, or pages, that provide related information and functionality in an instance. Clicking the All menu will open up the application navigator

Where can users define notification channels and manage subscriptions?

All > System Settings > Notifications

All Menus contains what available menus?

All menu, Favorites menu, History menu, Workspaces menu

How can approvals be used to drive tasks?

Approvals can be generated to a list of Approvers, either manually or automatically, according to Approval Rules. Can be incorporated into flows (or workflows) or stand alone.

What do assignment rules do?

Can automatically set a value in the assigned_to and assignment_group fields of a task record Conditions defined in the assignment rule determine when the rule will trigger and what values it will set Create an assignment rule by navigating to All > System Policy > Rules > Assignment

What happens when you click Submit?

Click Submit to insert a record on a new form and return to the previously viewed page.

What happens when you click Update?

Click update to save changes on an existing record and return to the previously viewed page.

How to use List Layout and what roles required?

Configure List Layout to show or hide fields from a view and change the list column order. Click any column options menu icon and select Configure > List Layout List collector opens to allow you to add, remove, and reorder fields, Can also create a new list view by selecting New from the View Name choice list or create new fields on bottom right.

What are the 3 Context Menus available?

Context menus (aka additional actions) provide different levels of controls for a given list view. 1. List Control Menu: Click the list control icon (3 lines) next to the title of the list to access options related to viewing and filtering the entire article list. 2. Column Options Menu: Hover over column name. An icon with 3 dots will appear to the right of the column. Click the icon in the desired column header to display actions related to that column, such as creating quick reports, configuring the list, and exporting data. 3. Record Context Menu: Right-click in a row's cell to see a menu with actions related to the values in that cell, such as filtering options, assigning tags, and more.

Core Tables vs. Custom Tables

Core Tables: Tables that exist in the base system Custom Tables: Tables created by admins or developers

What are CRUD operations?

Create, Read, Update(write), Delete

What is the purpose of the Activity section and where can it be found?

Details who made an update, what update was, and when it was made. Entire history of a task record is automatically tracked and recorded in the read-only Activity section. The Activity section is located in the Notes tab

What is Real-Time editing?

Edit records in real-time and see edits saved by other users, improving collaborative efforts Extension of User Presence. Allows you to work with others on same record, indicating their state as well as their edits (shown through blue pulse icons) Reduces record resolution from days to minutes

What does Elevate Roles grant access to?

Elevated roles grant modification access, allowing users to modify the Access Control List (ACLs restrict access to data by requiring users to pass a set of requirements before they can interact with the list). Base system admin can elevate to a privileged role to access features of High Security Settings. Ex) security_admin role * When activated, the lock icon near the user name will become unlocked.

What are the different interfaces for accessing a ServiceNow instance?

Next Experience Unified Navigation Service Portal Now Mobile App

Define Performance Analytics

Provides information about performance iteratively, over time. Can create management dashboards, report on KPIs and metrics, and increase quality and reduce costs of service delivery

What is ServiceNow Reporting?

Reports, prepared on an ad-hoc basis, show results by allowing users to view and analyze SN data Visually represented in many ways, including bar charts, pie charts, dials, lists, pivot tables, donuts. Run predefined reports or create new custom reports with the Report Designer Predefined reports incldue Incident Management and Service catalog requests, including Key Performance Indicator (KPI) reports Create own report by navigating to All > Reports > View/Run module * can also edit existing reports

Describe the Requester base system role.

Requester is also known as the Employee Self Service (ESS) user. These users do not have roles but can submit and manage their own requests, access public pages, etc.

What tables are restricted from the reporting module?

System tables are, by default, restricted from the reporting module. syslog, syslog_transaction, sys_attachment, sys_email

Describe extended tables and define the parent class and child class

Tables can extend other tables, creating parent and child tables - Child class: a table that extends (is an extension of) another table. Inherits the fields of its parent and allows creation of fields unique to the child class - Parent class: The table from which it extends

What tools can admins use to view and modify the database structure?

Tables module: provides a list of all tables in the database Tables & Columns module: provides a list of all existing tables, with columns, column attributes, and indexes Schema map: provides a graphical representation of the relationships between tables Data dictionary tables: Contains additional information that defines database elements

What are tags?

Tags provide an easy way to categorize, flag, and locate records. They can be created against any record from a list or form view. - From a list view, r-click the Record Context Menu - From a form view, click More Options at top of form Viewable by field controls how it is shared: - visible only to the owner (me), visible to the owner and specific groups or users (groups and users), or visible to everyone (Everyone) ** must have admin role or tags_admin Admin can configure and manage all tags, even ones created by other users.

Explain how to use Templates.

Templates allow fields to be populated automatically, simplifying the process of generating new records. Click the More options icon from form header, then Toggle Template Bar to manually apply, create, or edit templates. To use a template, populate the most-used fields for a specific table, save it as a template, and them make it accessible to others. Users can manually apply a template when creating records or admins can define scripts to apply automatically. Fields updated by application of a template will have a checkmark icon next to field label.

Work Notes vs. Additional Comments

The Work Notes field allows a way to document all the technical and behind-the-scenes work on a task. Upon saving, they are stored in the record Activity section. Only visible to process users and not available to external users or customers. Critical for continuity in task mgmt. The Additional comments (customer visible) field is used to communicate back and forth with the requester and other stakeholders directly in ServiceNow. Upon saving, the additional comments are emailed directly to the requester. They can respond directly to the email and their feedback will be documented in the Activity log.

What is List Editing?

The List Editor allows a field value to be edited in a list without opening the record. Locate a record with the field value to change: 1. double-click in an empty area of he field for in-line editing 2. Enter the appropriate value(s) 3. Save the record by clicking the save icon (green check mark) Quick edit functions include: Assign to me, Approve, Reject, Assign tag

What is a Schema Map?

The Schema Map provides a graphical representation of other tables related to a specific table Relationships can be filtered by extension (blue bars) or reference classes (red bars) by checking the appropriate boxes at the top of the map To view schema map for a table, navigate to All > System Definition > Tables, scroll down to Related Links section, and select Show Schema Map

What is the System Dictionary?

The System Dictionary contains the definition for each and every table and field in the database. Navigate to All > System Definition > Dictionary to access the system dictionary to modify table and field attributes

Define how the activity stream inline editor works and the steps involved

The activity stream inline editor enables users to contribute to actual work within a record without opening the form interface. Navigate to a list of active task records, then: 1. Click show activity stream in a flyout window from list header 2. With window open, scroll down to browse records recently updated and hover over an update you wish to comment and click Comment 3. Enter you comment into the text field (select the checkbox for Additional comments (Customer visible) if applicable) then click the Post button *Allows you to update multiple records without opening any. A convenient way to monitor for incoming comments from the caller

What is the purpose of impersonation?

The impersonator role can be assigned to a user to allow impersonation of other users (excluding admins) for testing and visibility purposes. Impersonators can access exactly what that impersonablted user can access (applications, modules, data) and test what different users can do in SN. *Impersonations are logged in the System Log. The sys_property glide.sys.log_impersonation needs to be added and set to true in order to see events in the System log and enable impersonations.

What should you consider when exporting a report to PDF and sharing the exported file?

The information may be obsolete Access control is not enforced on exported data

How is the dictionary overrides feature used?

This provides the ability to define a field on an extended table differently from the field on the parent table - ex) overriding the default values, field dependencies, or read-only status of a field

Define User Presence

User Presence feature facilitates synchronous collaboration within one record. See who is online, view current status, and what they are viewing or editing in real-time. Especially helpful in critical issues in P1 records *Click Show Activity Stream icon to jump to the record Activity section, including record history and updates by you and other viewers

What can self-service users do?

Users without any assigned role permissions can still login to ServiceNow and access common actions, such as viewing a homepage, accessing the Service Catalog, viewing knowledge articles, and taking surveys. Self-Service is accessed by ALL users

How does predictive intelligence work? What roles are required to set up?

Uses machine-learning algorithms to set field values during record creation. Will automatically assign correct category, priority, and assignment group based on the short description. Also gets right attention and SLA. roles: admin or ml_admin

What defines what fields appear in a list and the order of said fields?

View

What 4 things are included in the Performance Analytics Architecture?

Widget- Save view of indicator or breakdown Tables- Indicator Source: calculates scores Data Collector- Recurring jobs taking data snapshots Dashboard- Custom arrangement of widgets

Where can you locate product documentation?

docs.servicenow.com