33 Service Catalog

I. Service Catalog

• Definition (from ServiceNow Docs): "With the ServiceNow Service Catalog application, create Service Catalogs that provide your customers with self-service opportunities."
• Purpose: The Service Catalog provides an "Amazon-like" experience for users to request services and items. It's a self-service portal.
• Key Features:
  • Multiple Catalogs and Categories: Organizations can have different catalogs (e.g., HR, IT) with categories within each catalog (e.g., Hardware, Software).
  • Request Tracking: Users can track the progress of their requests (similar to tracking a package on Amazon).
  • Record Producers: Simplified, user-friendly forms for creating records (e.g., a cleaner way to create incidents than the standard Incident form).
  • Order Guides: Group multiple related catalog items into a single request (e.g., a "New Hire" order guide that includes a laptop, email account, etc.).
  • Variable Sets: Reusable sets of variables that can be applied to multiple catalog items, simplifying maintenance.
  • Workflows: Each catalog item can have an associated workflow to manage the fulfillment process.
  • User Criteria: Control access to catalog items and knowledge articles based on roles, groups, users, company, department, location, or scripts. This greatly simplifies access control.
• Key Tables:
  • sc_cat_item: Stores the catalog items themselves.
  • sc_cart: Stores user shopping cart information.
  • sc_request: Stores the overall request (which can contain multiple items).
  • sc_req_item: Stores individual requested items (linked to a request).
  • sc_task: Stores tasks that need to be completed as part of fulfilling a request item.
• Request, Request Item, and Task Relationship:
  • Request: The top-level order (like an order number on Amazon). It groups together one or more requested items.
  • Request Item: A specific item within a request (e.g., a laptop, software license).
  • SC Task: Tasks that must be completed to fulfill a request item (e.g., installing software, configuring a laptop). A request item can have zero or many tasks. Tasks can be sequential.

II. Demo: Service Catalog in ServiceNow

• Accessing the Service Catalog: Self-Service > Service Catalog (loads the default catalog in a UI page).
• Catalog Structure (User View):
  • Catalogs: (e.g., Service Catalog, Technical Catalog)
  • Categories: (e.g., Services, Hardware, Software)
  • Catalog Items: (e.g., Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Access)
• Ordering an Item (Adobe Acrobat Example):
  • Clicking an item displays its details (price, quantity).
  • Order Now creates a request and a request item.
  • Order Status Page: Shows the request number, request item, and stage (Approved, Fulfillment, Awaiting Delivery, etc.).
• Request Record (sc_request):
  • Number: REQ...
  • Requested For: The user who placed the order.
  • Approval: Can be automatically approved (e.g., if the price is below a threshold).
  • Show Workflow: Displays the workflow for the request (often simple, e.g., auto-approval).
  • Requested Items (related list): Shows the items included in the request.
• Requested Item Record (sc_req_item):
  • Number: RITM...
  • Catalog Item: The specific item requested.
  • Request: The parent request.
  • Requested For: The user.
  • Due Date, State, Stage: Track the progress of the item.
  • Show Workflow: Displays the workflow for the item (often more complex than the request workflow, with tasks).
• Catalog Task Record (sc_task):
  • Number: SCTASK...
  • Tasks that need to be completed for the request item.
  • Close Task: Marks a task as complete. Completing a task can trigger the creation of the next task (if tasks are sequential).
  • Closing all tasks for a request item typically closes the request item. If all request items in a request are closed, the request itself is closed.
• Service Catalog Application Modules (Admin View):
  • Catalogs: Shows all active catalogs.
  • Open Records: List views of requests, request items, and tasks.
  • Catalog Definitions: Where catalogs, categories, and items are managed.
    • Maintain Catalogs: Lists all service catalogs. Clicking a catalog record shows its properties (Title, Manager, Description, etc.) and related lists (Catalog Items, Categories, Portal Pages, Sites). This is the admin view of the catalog, not the user view.
    • Maintain Categories: Lists all categories. Clicking a category record shows its properties (Title, Catalog, Location, Description, Parent, etc.) and related lists (Catalog Items, Related Categories).
    • Maintain Items: Lists all catalog items. Clicking an item record shows its properties (Name, Catalogs, Category, Workflow, Vendor, Price, Description, Images, etc.) and related lists (Includes, Variables, Variable Sets, etc.).
      • Variables (on Catalog Item): Define the questions/fields presented to the user when ordering the item (e.g., checkboxes, text fields, choice lists). Each variable has a Type, Order, Question, Name, etc.
      • Try It (UI Action): Displays the catalog item as it would appear to a user, allowing you to test the form and variables.
  • Content Items: Items that link to other content (Knowledge Articles, Modules, External Content) instead of being directly orderable. This allows you to include informational items in the catalog.
  • Order Guides: Group multiple catalog items into a guided process.
    • New Hire Order Guide (Example): Asks initial questions (Hiring Manager, Group, etc.) and then dynamically displays relevant catalog items (Laptop, Email, VPN, etc.) based on the answers. Uses Rule Base to determine which items to show.
  • Record Producers: Create records in any table using a simplified, user-friendly form.
    • Create Incident Record Producer (Example): Provides a simple form (Urgency, Description) to create an incident. Uses a script to map the form fields to the incident record fields.
  • User Criteria: Define access rules for catalog items and knowledge articles.
    • Users with Knowledge Role (Example): Shows how to define user criteria based on Users, Groups, Roles, Companies, Locations, Departments, or a script. The Match All checkbox determines if all criteria must be met.
  • Variable Sets: Reusable sets of variables.
    • Standard Employee Questions (Example): Contains "Requested For" and "Needed By" variables. This variable set can be added to multiple catalog items, avoiding duplication.
• Creating a New Catalog Item (iPhone X Example):
  • Create a new catalog item record.
  • Specify Name, Catalogs, Category, Workflow, Short Description.
  • Create a Variable Set (e.g., "Mobile Phone") with variables (e.g., "Insurance" (checkbox), "Carrier" (text)).
  • Add variables directly to the catalog item (e.g., "Storage" (multiple choice)).
  • Set the order of variables and variable sets.
  • Use the "Try It" button to test the item.
  • Order the item to see the request, request item, and workflow in action.

Key Takeaways:

• The Service Catalog is a powerful tool for self-service and automation. It provides a user-friendly interface for requesting services and items.
• Understanding the relationships between requests, request items, and tasks is crucial.
• Record Producers, Order Guides, Variable Sets, and User Criteria are key features that enhance the functionality and maintainability of the Service Catalog.
• Workflows are essential for managing the fulfillment process.
• The service catalog provides a structured approach for an organization to offer its resources