33 Service Catalog

I. Introduction to the 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 a user-friendly,an "Amazon-like" self-service portalexperience for users to request services and productsitems. fromIt's ana organization.self-service It simplifies and streamlines the request process.portal.
• Key Features:
  • Supports multipleMultiple Catalogs and Categories: Organizations can have different catalogs (e.g., IT,HR, HR)IT) andwith categories within catalogs.each catalog (e.g., Hardware, Software).
  • Provides requestRequest trackingTracking: forUsers userscan track the progress of their requests (similar to tracking a package).
  • Improves user experience for requesting services.

II. Service Catalog Structure and Components

• Tables: The Service Catalog application is builtpackage on several core ServiceNow tables:

  • SC Cat Item: Stores information about individual catalog items (e.g., "Laptop," "Software License")Amazon).
  • SC Cart: Stores information about user shopping carts (items selected but not yet ordered).
  • SC Request (REQ): Represents the overall order, containing one or more requested items.
  • SC Request Item (RITM): Represents a single item within a request (e.g., "Adobe Acrobat" within a software request).
  • SC Task: Represents individual tasks that need to be completed to fulfill a request item (e.g., "Install Software," "Configure Laptop").

• Request Hierarchy:

  • Request (REQ): The top-level container for an order. Think of it as the "order confirmation" in an online store.
  • Request Item (RITM): Individual items within the request. Each item ordered is a separate RITM.
  • Catalog Task (SC Task): Steps required to fulfill a specific request item. Not all request items require tasks.

  Example: A request for a "New Employee Setup" (REQ) might contain request items (RITM) for "Laptop," "Email Account," and "Building Access." The "Laptop" RITM might have tasks (SC Task) like "Image Laptop," "Install Software," and "Deliver to User."

III. Key Service Catalog Features

• Record Producers:

  Simplified,
  • Purpose: Simplifieduser-friendly forms for creating records in any ServiceNow table (not just catalog items). They providee.g., a user-friendlycleaner interfaceway forto taskscreate likeincidents creatingthan incidents,the problems,standard orIncident changes.form).
  • Benefit: Admins can create clean, focused forms with only the necessary fields, hiding the complexity of the underlying table.
  • Scripting: Record producers can use scripts to map user input to fields on the target record, even fields not directly visible on the form. This allows for automation and data validation.
  • example: create incident

• Order Guides:

  • Purpose: BundleGroup multiple related catalog items into a single, guidedsingle request process.(e.g., They are likea "wizards"New Hire" order guide that walk users throughincludes a series of steps.
  • Common Use Case: New employee onboarding (requesting laptop, software,email access,account, etc., all in one go)).
  • Dynamic Behavior: Order guides can use rules to dynamically show or hide catalog items based on user responses to initial questions (e.g., department, role).

• Variable Sets:

  • Purpose: Reusable groupssets of variables (form fields) that can be applied to multiple catalog items.items, This avoids duplication and simplifiessimplifying maintenance.
  • Example:Workflows: AEach "Standardcatalog Employeeitem Questions"can variablehave setan mightassociated include fields like "Requested For" and "Needed By," which are commonworkflow to manymanage requestthe types.fulfillment process.
  • Maintainability: Changes to a variable set are automatically reflected in all catalog items that use it.

• Workflows:

  • Purpose: Automate the fulfillment process for catalog items. Workflows define the steps, approvals, and tasks required to deliver a requested item.
  • Best Practice: Use generic workflows for groups of similar items, but individual workflows are possible for unique items.
  • Example: A workflow for a laptop request might include steps for approval, procurement, configuration, and delivery.

• User Criteria:

  • Purpose: Control access to catalog items and knowledge articles based on userroles, attributes.groups, users, company, department, location, or scripts. This allowsgreatly forsimplifies targetedaccess visibilitycontrol.
• 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.
  • Criteria:Request Item: CanA bespecific baseditem onwithin roles,a groups,request individual(e.g., users,a companies,laptop, departments,software locations, or custom scripts.license).
  • Benefit:SC Task: SimplifiesTasks managementthat ofmust be completed to fulfill a request item visibility(e.g., comparedinstalling tosoftware, manual scripting.
  • "Match All" Option: Requiresconfiguring a userlaptop). toA meetrequest allitem specifiedcan criteriahave tozero seeor themany item.tasks. Tasks can be sequential.

IV.II. Navigating and Managing theDemo: Service Catalog (Demonstration)in ServiceNow

• Accessing the Service Catalog:

  Self-Service > Service Catalog (loads the default catalog in a UI page).
• Catalog Structure (User View):
  • Type "Catalogs: (e.g., Service Catalog"Catalog, inTechnical the filter navigator.Catalog)
  • Use theCategories: Self-Service(e.g., applicationServices, ->Hardware, ServiceSoftware)
  • Catalog moduleItems: (fore.g., theAdobe userAcrobat, view)Microsoft Access)
• Ordering an Item (Adobe Acrobat Example):
  • Clicking an item displays its details (price, quantity).
  • Use Order Now creates a request and a request item.
  • Order Status Page: Shows the Servicerequest Catalognumber, applicationrequest item, and stage (forApproved, theFulfillment, administrativeAwaiting view)Delivery, etc.).

• UIRequest Page:Record (sc_request):

  • Number: REQ...
  • Requested For: The defaultuser Servicewho Catalogplaced viewthe order.
  • Approval: Can be automatically approved (e.g., if the price is displayedbelow 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 UIrequest page,are showingclosed, categoriesthe andrequest items.
    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: ManageLists all service catalogs. Clicking a catalog record shows its properties (title,Title, description,Manager, 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: ManageLists categoriesall withincategories. catalogsClicking a category record shows its properties (title,Title, parentCatalog, catalog,Location, description)Description, Parent, etc.) and related lists (Catalog Items, Related Categories).
    • Maintain Items: ManageLists individualall catalog itemsitems. Clicking an item record shows its properties (name,Name, catalog,Catalogs, category,Category, workflow,Workflow, price,Vendor, description,Price, variables,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 in a catalog that canlink referenceto other things. For example, a user may click a content item(Knowledge andArticles, beModules, redirectedExternal Content) instead of being directly orderable. This allows you to ainclude knowledgeinformational baseditems article.in the catalog.
  • "TryOrder It" UI Action:Guides: PreviewGroup 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 item'sitems form(Laptop, asEmail, aVPN, useretc.) wouldbased seeon it.the answers. Uses Rule Base to determine which items to show.

  • CatalogRecord ItemProducers: Variables:

    Create records in any table using a simplified, user-friendly form.
    • VariableCreate Types:Incident Record Producer (Example): DifferentProvides typesa ofsimple form (Urgency, Description) to create an incident. Uses a script to map the form fields (e.g., checkbox, single-line text, multiple-choice, reference).
    • Question and Name: The "question" is the label displayed to the user;incident therecord "name" is used in scripts.
    • Order Field: Determines the order in which variables appear on the form.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 (DemoiPhone Steps)X Example):
  • Go to "Maintain Items" and click "New."
  • ProvideCreate a name,new catalog,catalog category, and short description.
  • Optionally, select a workflow.
  • Save theitem record.
  • Specify Name, Catalogs, Category, Workflow, Short Description.
  • Create variablea setsVariable Set (ife.g., needed)"Mobile andPhone") addwith variables to(e.g., the"Insurance" set.(checkbox), "Carrier" (text)).
  • Add variables directly to the catalog item (ife.g., needed)"Storage" (multiple choice)).
  • Set the order of variables and variable sets.
  • Use the "Try It" button to previewtest the item.

• Order guide demo

  • Who the hiringitem managerto is
  see
  • whatthe grouprequest, thisrequest new hire is joining
  • when choose options is selected, it takes these values into accountitem, and dynamically changes what catalog items areworkflow in the view
  • Because of the answers to those questions, user has the ability to choose a standard laptop, external monitor, email account, vpn, and desk set up
  • These can change based on the questions.

• Record producer demo

  • Create an incident
  • Simplified form
  • User selects the urgency
  • User provides a description

• Variable Set Demo

  • Standard employee question variable set
  • Requested for field and needed by field.

• Creating new item

  • Add a catalog item called IPhone X

• Demo wrap-up

  • Click order now, automatically approved (under $1,000).
  • Walkthrough workflow.action.

ThisKey detailedTakeaways:

breakdown

should
• provideThe comprehensiveService notesCatalog is a powerful tool for understandingself-service and automation. It provides a user-friendly interface for requesting services and items.
• Understanding the ServiceNowrelationships 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.
Remember
• Workflows are essential for managing the fulfillment process.
• The service catalog provides a structured approach for an organization to supplementoffer theseits notesresources
with

your own observations and any specific examples from your course materials. Good luck!