ServiceNow REST Integration Development & Configurations

Categories: ServiceNow Integrations
$1,200.00

Description

ServiceNow REST Integration

Let’s go through ServiceNow REST Integration Development & Configurations step by step. I’ll cover the concepts, development steps, configurations, and best practices for both Inbound and Outbound REST integrations.

1. Overview of REST Integrations in ServiceNow

REST (Representational State Transfer) is a popular protocol for integrating systems over HTTP. In ServiceNow, you can:

  1. Consume external APIs (Outbound REST)
  2. Expose ServiceNow data/services (Inbound REST)

Key Concepts:

  1. REST Message: Defines the endpoint, HTTP method (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE), and authentication.
  2. REST API Explorer: Tool for testing REST endpoints.
  3. Authentication: Basic Auth, OAuth 2.0, or API Key.
  4. Request/Response: JSON is the most common format.
  5. Transform Maps: Map inbound data to ServiceNow tables.

2. Outbound REST Integration (Calling External APIs)

Step 1: Create a REST Message

  1. Navigate to: System Web Services > Outbound > REST Message
  2. Click New.
  3. Fill in:
  4. Name: Descriptive name for the integration.
  5. Endpoint: URL of the external API.
  6. Authentication type: Basic Auth, OAuth 2.0, etc.

Step 2: Add REST Methods

  1. Define the HTTP methods needed (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE).
  2. Set request headers if required (e.g., Content-Type: application/json, Authorization).
  3. Add query parameters if needed.

Step 3: Test the REST Message

  1. Use the Test button in the REST Message form.
  2. Check the response payload and HTTP status codes.
  3. Make adjustments (headers, request body) if needed.

Step 4: Automate via Script or Flow

  1. Business Rules / Scripted REST Calls: Use RESTMessageV2() in server-side scripts.
var rm = new sn_ws.RESTMessageV2('My REST Message', 'POST');
rm.setStringParameterNoEscape('param1', 'value1');
var response = rm.execute();
var responseBody = response.getBody();
  1. IntegrationHub: Use Flow Designer REST actions for low-code automation.

3. Inbound REST Integration (Exposing ServiceNow APIs)

Option 1: Table API (Out-of-the-box)

  1. ServiceNow automatically exposes CRUD APIs for tables:
  2. GET /now/table/{tableName}
  3. POST /now/table/{tableName}
  4. PUT /now/table/{tableName}
  5. DELETE /now/table/{tableName}

Option 2: Scripted REST API

  1. Navigate to: System Web Services > Scripted REST APIs > New
  2. Define:
  3. Name: e.g., “Create Incident API”
  4. API ID: Unique identifier in the URL
  5. Add Resources:
  6. HTTP methods (GET/POST/PUT/DELETE)
  7. Script to handle request
(function process(/*RESTAPIRequest*/ request, /*RESTAPIResponse*/ response) {
var data = request.body.data;
var gr = new GlideRecord('incident');
gr.initialize();
gr.short_description = data.short_description;
gr.insert();
response.setStatus(201);
response.setBody({result: 'Incident Created'});
})(request, response);

Step 3: Authentication

  1. Options:
  2. Basic Auth
  3. OAuth 2.0
  4. Mutual TLS (for secure communication)
  5. Define roles to control API access.

4. Best Practices

  1. Use JSON consistently for request/response.
  2. Error Handling: Return HTTP status codes (200, 201, 400, 401, 500).
  3. Version your APIs (e.g., v1, v2) to avoid breaking changes.
  4. Use IntegrationHub where possible for low-code, maintainable solutions.
  5. Test APIs thoroughly in Postman or REST API Explorer before deployment.
  6. Secure sensitive data using encryption, scoped applications, and role-based access.

5. Optional Advanced Configurations

  1. Dynamic Endpoints: Use setEndpoint() in scripts for multi-environment integrations.
  2. REST Response Parsing: Use JSON.parse() in scripts.
  3. Scheduled Integrations: Use Scheduled Jobs to poll external REST APIs periodically.
  4. Transform Maps: Map external API data to ServiceNow tables automatically.

If you want, I can create a diagram showing both Inbound and Outbound REST flows in ServiceNow with key components and steps. That usually makes it much easier to visualize.

Do you want me to make that diagram?

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