Description

ServiceNow SLA & OLA

1. SLA (Service Level Agreement) in ServiceNow

Definition:

An SLA in ServiceNow defines the level of service a customer can expect from a service provider. It sets the target time for resolving incidents, fulfilling requests, or completing tasks.

Key Components:

1. SLA Definition – Specifies the type of agreement (response, resolution, etc.), the conditions under which it applies, and its duration.
2. SLA Conditions:
3. Start Condition: When the SLA timer starts (e.g., when an incident is created).
4. Pause Condition: Conditions under which SLA calculation pauses (e.g., waiting for customer response).
5. Stop Condition: When SLA ends (e.g., incident is resolved or closed).
6. SLA Duration: Defines how much time is allotted to meet the SLA target.
7. SLA Workflow: Tracks SLA status with stages:
8. In Progress
9. Breached (if SLA target time is missed)
10. Completed (if SLA target is met)

Configuration Steps in ServiceNow:

1. Navigate to Service Level Management > SLA Definitions.
2. Click New to create an SLA.
3. Fill in:
4. Name
5. Table (e.g., Incident, Request)
6. Type (Response, Resolution)
7. Duration
8. Set Start, Stop, and Pause conditions using conditions builder.
9. Save and activate SLA.
10. Test by creating a record and ensuring SLA timer behaves as expected.

2. OLA (Operational Level Agreement) in ServiceNow

Definition:

An OLA is an internal agreement between support teams or departments that ensures the SLA commitments to customers are met. It defines responsibilities for backend support, often without customer visibility.

Key Components:

1. OLA Definition – Similar to SLA but applies to internal operations.
2. Dependencies: OLAs can support SLAs. For example, an SLA for incident resolution might rely on an OLA between the network team and server team.
3. Target Time: Duration for internal teams to complete their task.
4. Tracking: OLA monitors whether internal support teams meet their targets, ensuring SLA fulfillment.

Configuration in ServiceNow:

1. Navigate to Service Level Management > Operational Level Agreements.
2. Click New to create an OLA.
3. Specify:
4. Name
5. Supporting SLA (if applicable)
6. Table (e.g., Incident)
7. Duration and conditions
8. Define Start, Stop, and Pause conditions for internal tasks.
9. Save and activate OLA.

Key Differences Between SLA & OLA

Example Scenario

1. SLA: Resolve incident within 4 hours.
2. OLA: Network team must respond within 1 hour, server team must respond within 2 hours.
3. If either OLA is breached, it may cause the SLA to be breached.

ServiceNow also allows Reporting on SLA/OLA, Notifications for Breaches, and Integration with Workflows to automate escalation.

If you want, I can draw a diagram showing SLA-OLA relationships and timing—it makes understanding these dependencies much easier.

Do you want me to do that?