Description

ServiceNow Workflow Configurations

In ServiceNow, workflow configuration refers to designing and managing automated processes that control how records move through their lifecycle. Workflows ensure consistency, enforce business rules, and reduce manual effort across ITSM, HR, CSM, Security, and custom applications.

ServiceNow offers two main automation platforms:

1. Flow Designer (modern, recommended)
2. Workflow Editor (legacy, still used for older processes like Catalog Items)

1. Workflow Platforms

A. Flow Designer (Preferred Platform)

Flow Designer provides:

1. A no-code/low-code interface
2. Natural-language steps
3. Reusable subflows
4. Built-in integrations (IntegrationHub)
5. Better governance and debugging

Flows are composed of:

1. Triggers (record changes, scheduled, inbound action, etc.)
2. Actions (create records, update, approvals, notifications)
3. Subflows
4. Conditions
5. Loops and logic
6. IntegrationHub Spokes (Jira, Azure, AWS, Slack, Teams, etc.)

Common Use Cases

1. Automating ITSM processes
2. HR onboarding flows
3. Incident → Task automation
4. Auto-approvals based on risk
5. Data validation and record routing
6. Service Catalog fulfillment

B. Workflow Editor (Legacy)

Still used for:

1. Service Catalog Item workflows
2. Some older custom apps

Workflows contain:

1. Activities (task creation, approvals, timers, run scripts)
2. Transitions
3. Conditions
4. Subflows
5. Timers / Waits

Typical activities include:

1. Create Task
2. Approval – User/Group
3. Script
4. Wait for Condition
5. Notification
6. Rollback and Error Handling

2. Major Elements of Workflow Configuration

A. Workflow Triggers

Flow Designer Triggers

1. Record Trigger (create, update, delete)
2. Scheduled Trigger
3. Service Catalog Trigger
4. Inbound Email Trigger
5. Scripted Trigger

Workflow Editor Triggers

1. Usually triggered automatically when a record enters a specific state or when a Service Catalog request is submitted.

B. Inputs and Outputs

Flow Designer supports:

1. Inputs: passed in by caller (e.g., requesting user, CI, cost)
2. Variables: scoped within actions
3. Outputs: returned to calling flows

Workflow Editor supports:

1. Workflow scratchpad
2. Activity results
3. Data pills (legacy concept)

C. Conditions and Branching

Both platforms allow logic-based execution paths:

1. If / Else conditions
2. Switch cases
3. Looping over lists
4. Waits, timers, delays
5. Event-driven waits (“Wait until Change is Approved”)

D. Approvals

Workflows commonly include:

1. Create approval record
2. Await approval state
3. Escalations
4. Multi-level approvals
5. CAB approvals (for change management)

In Flow Designer, approvals are configured using:

1. Approval Actions
2. Approval Policies
3. Flows triggered by approval outcomes

E. Tasks and Notifications

Workflows automate:

1. Task creation (Incident, Problem, Change, HR Task, etc.)
2. Assignment rules
3. SLA triggers
4. Email, SMS, and mobile notifications

Flow Designer uses “Create Task” and integration actions.

Workflow Editor uses “Create Task” activities.

F. Error Handling & Reusability

Flow Designer

1. Error handler paths
2. Try/Catch logic
3. Subflows for reuse

Workflow Editor

1. Activity error transitions
2. Rollback activities
3. Shared subflows

3. Configuring Workflows

A. Flow Designer Configuration Steps

1. Create a Flow
2. Define Trigger
3. Add Actions and Logic
4. Add Approvals
5. Add Notifications
6. Integrate via IntegrationHub (optional)
7. Test with Execution Details
8. Publish for use

B. Workflow Editor Configuration Steps

1. Create a Workflow
2. Define the Start Activity
3. Add Activities (tasks, approvals, script blocks)
4. Connect Activities with Transitions
5. Set conditions
6. Publish the Workflow
7. Bind the Workflow (e.g., to a Catalog Item or table)

4. Special Workflow Areas in ServiceNow

A. Service Catalog Workflows

1. Handle request > approval > task > fulfillment
2. Often use legacy Workflow Editor
3. Can also use Flow Designer Catalog Builder (newer approach)

B. ITSM Workflows

1. Incident: Auto-routing, task creation
2. Change: Full approval + implementation workflow
3. Problem: Investigation tasks
4. Major Incident: Coordination flows

C. HR Service Delivery

1. Case management
2. Onboarding multi-step task chains
3. Integrations with identity and payroll systems

D. CSM Workflows

1. Case routing
2. Entitlement checks
3. Customer approvals

E. Custom App Workflows

1. Table-based flows triggered on record changes
2. Integrations for end-to-end automation

5. IntegrationHub Configurations

IntegrationHub expands Flow Designer with:

1. Spokes (pre-built connectors)
2. Custom REST/SOAP API calls
3. OAuth credential management
4. MID Server actions (on-prem execution)

Examples:

1. Create Jira issue
2. Azure AD user provisioning
3. AWS automation
4. Slack/Teams messaging

6. Governance & Best Practices

Workflow Best Practices:

1. Use Flow Designer for all new automation
2. Keep workflows modular (use subflows)
3. Avoid scripting when an action exists
4. Use clear naming conventions (“INC – Auto Assignment Flow”)
5. Document triggers and dependencies
6. Limit logic complexity within a single flow
7. Test using Execution Details or Workflow Context logs
8. Version and publish workflows carefully

Performance Tips:

1. Avoid excessive loops or record lookups
2. Use async flows for long-running actions
3. Leverage event-driven triggers instead of polling

Summary

ServiceNow workflow configuration involves using Flow Designer and Workflow Editor to automate business processes. Configurations include triggers, approvals, logic paths, tasks, notifications, error handling, and integrations. Modern implementations prefer Flow Designer with IntegrationHub for scalable, governed, low-code automation across ITSM, HR, CSM, and custom apps.