Module 1: User Interface and Navigation

Now Platform(R) User Interface - Areas

1. Banner Frame (top): Logo, User Menu, Global Search, Connect Chat, Help, Settings, 2. Application Navigator (left): list of available applications + their corresponding modules (Filter Navigator/search, All Applications, Star/Favorites, History), 3. Content Frame (right): displays information, ex. lists/forms/dashboards, knowledge bases/service catalogs.

Form Header Icons

1. Form Context Menu, 2. Manage Attachments, 3. Activity Stream (real-time, sequential display of record activities), 4. Personalize Form (show/hid fields on the form), 5. More Options, 6. Form UI Actions (retire, update, delate), 7. Next+Previous.

Types of Interfaces

1. Now Platform(R) User Interface, 2. Now Mobile App, 3. Service Portal

Form Field Types

1. String (freely populated), 2. Choice (drop-down menu), 3. True/False (Boolean field = checkbox), 4. Date/Time (populates), 5. Reference (query that displays records from another table).

Add or Update Records (3)

1. Submit: record on a new form + return to previously viewed page, 2. Update: save changes to existing record + return to previously viewed page, 3. Save: save changes without exiting the form view (updates and saves).

List Anatomy

1. Title Bar (top), 2. List Filters+Breadcrumbs (top left, Field+Operator+Value), 3. Column Headings (table field names), 4. Column Header Search (magnifying glass), 5. Field Values.

Instance

A single implementation of the SN platform = single-tenant architecture (data isn't mingled with other customer's), specific URL, independent/changeable/configurable, has applications, upgrades on individual instances, minimum 2 environments - production (runs all the time) and sub-production /development (same copy, do testing here to keep from impact).

Wildcard

A way (syntax) to find information quickly in SN. Use a symbol to represent zero or more numbers. *searchType where it means "contains". Used to refine the search in lists/global text search/Knowledge Base. Not case sensitive.

Templates

Allow fields to be populated automatically (not always applicable to all applications).

List Editor

Allows field value to be edited in a list without open the record (double-click an empty area).

Role

Collection of permissions/what a user can access in SN - grant access to applications + parts of the platform, assign security rights. Admins provide the access to group or user. User can have more than one role (view Cascade effect). Represented by a record on the Role [sys_user_role] table.

Groups

Collection of users. Share a common purpose, like approving a change request or users receiving an email notification. (Ex. Service Desk, Knowledge Base Authors, HR Administrators.) Represented by a record on the Group [sys_user_group] table.

List Layout

Configure > List Layout --> slushbucket (2 sections). Show/Hide fields from a view and change the list column order.

Context Menu

Different levels of controls for a given list view. 1. List Context Menu (top left, viewing/filtering), 2. Column Context Menu (within the column names, create reports/configuring/exporting data), 3. Record Context Menu (right click on a cell, filtering options/assigning tags). *May also right click on a list header.

Form

Displays fields from one record (users can view/edit the record data). Info depends on type of record displayed. Administrators can configure what appears on forms.

Docs and Community

Docs: official documentation resource for SN. Community: similar to Docs, but also includes collaboration.

Formatter

Element that is used to display information that is not a field in the record. Easy way to track items not saved with a field in the record, like comments and work notes. (Ex. Activity, Process, Parent breadcrumbs, Approval summarizer, CI relations).

Users

Employees within an organization/anyone that will use services. Update records/import data/request items/implement flows/approve knowledge content/run reports/develop applications. Represented by record on the User [sys_user] table.

Form Design

Form Context Menu > Configure > Form Design, new tab => Create new or change existing form layouts. ability to modify forms, quickly create/change existing form layouts. 1. Page Header (top), 2. Field Navigator (left), 3. Form Layout, *default = first section on the form is read-only.

Persona Types in the Platform

Help understand who will do the actual work/how to group people (not actually in SN). 1. System Administrator, 2. Specialized Administrator, 3. Fulfiller, 4. Approver, 5. Requester.

List/Table

List = Table, displays a set of records within the context frame of SN. Row (horizontal) = record and column (vertical) = field.

Impersonator Role

Only accessible by users with the Administrator role or Impersonator role (assigned to any user to allow impersonation of other users, except for admins = allows for testing/visibility purposes).

ServiceNow

PaaS, cloud-based computing model that provides the infrastructure needed to develop/run/manage applications. Allows people to automate workflow in a business, request and fulfill management system, tools to build completely custom apps.

Now Mobile App

Provides user with real-time updates/info, access the Service Catalog, use Connect Chat to collaborate with others PLUS users may submit incidents/requests, manage tasks, access company resources (+ upload images/attachments, sign documents, take surveys). [Before Madrid: ServiceNow Classic Mobile App.]

List Filter

Set of conditions applied to a table list to isolate a subset of the data. 1. Field, 2. Operator, 3. Value.

Instance Personalization

Settings icon from the banner frame to personalize instance. Only affect your user account + retained each time you log in.

Related Lists

Show records in tables that have a relationship to the current record. Presented as tabs at the bottom of the form view (found under Related Links, tabs).

Instance Branding

System Properties > Basic Configuration UI16, configuring system branding = admin can do to change look/feel of an instance for any user who logs in.

Now Platform(R) User Interface

Used by the fulfiller + System Administrator (access to modify and configure), primary way to interact with the SN instance, access via browser.

Tags

Used to categorize, flag, and locate records (in-line editing/List Editor). Made visible to Me, Groups and Users, and Any User (everyone).

Service Portal

User-friendly/self-service (access via browser = web page) - designed for end-users: search for articles/catalog items/records, submit requests, browse the corporate news feed and more.

Views

Version of a customized list/form which defines which fields appear + in what order. Can create different views for different roles. Click on List Context Menu.

System Administrator

[Persona] (admin) Access to all platform features, applications, data - can make changes, configure, ect. Impersonate users. Has ALMOST ALL roles (ex. HR and Security Operations constraints) + needs to be elevated to security_admin role user.

Approver

[Persona] (approver_user) Perform all requestor actions + allows user to view/modify approval records directed to them.

Fulfiller/Process Users

[Persona] (itil - narrow) Completes activities associated with clearly defined paths and workflows. Have one or more roles (including itil and approver_user roles). Each product has its own set of fulfiller roles.

Requester

[Persona] Aka Employee Self Service (ESS): Don't have roles but use the the Service Catalog and Self Service applications (and access public pages) - make requests on their own behalf.

Specialized Administrator

[Persona] Manage specific functions or applications, dedicated to work on a portion of the platform. (Ex. Assignment Rules, Knowledge Base, HR, Reports, Web Services.)