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ServiceNow Update Activity

Introduction

A ServiceNow Update activity, using its ServiceNow connection, updates existing records at ServiceNow and is intended to be used as a target to consume data in an operation.

Note

Operations using a ServiceNow Update activity write all records to the operation logs regardless of whether values are accepted in ServiceNow, replacing unacceptable values with the default value of the field, which in some cases could be null values.

Note

When using Cloud Agents, operations using the ServiceNow connector may take upwards of one minute to run when they are executed the first time. Subsequent runs do not take as long, requiring only a few seconds. This is expected behavior.

The reason is that by default, the ServiceNow connector refreshes its cache hourly. When the cache gets refreshed, the next call to the connector creates a new cache again. This takes between one and two minutes after each hourly refresh.

This behavior does not occur when using Private Agents.

Known Issues

When configuring a ServiceNow Update activity, you should be aware of these current known issues:

  • DateTime fields use the wrong data type in the response schema generated by a ServiceNow Update activity

    • Summary: During configuration of a ServiceNow Update activity, in the schema generated in step 3, a DateTime field that is returning a value (either a DateTime or a null) instead uses a string 'dateTime'.

    • Workaround: In the transformation, mirror the schema, then edit it and change the data type of any 'dateTime' fields to string.

  • Operations with ServiceNow Update activities using incorrectly formatted DateTime data fail to write the record

    • Summary: Operations that use a ServiceNow Update activity to attempt to write incorrectly formatted DateTime data will report success with an error but fail to create or update the record.

    • Additional Information: The error message returned does not report the wrong date format as a cause.

  • Table names prefixed with sys_ are renamed to begin with system_ to avoid a ServiceNow reserved name

    • Summary: Any table names prefixed with sys_ are renamed to begin with system_ to avoid a ServiceNow reserved name.

    • Workaround: Be aware when specifying tables that these names have been exposed by the connector by these revised names.

Create a ServiceNow Update Activity

An instance of a ServiceNow Update activity is created from a ServiceNow connection using its Update activity type.

To create an instance of an activity, drag the activity type to the design canvas or copy the activity type and paste it on the design canvas. For details, see Create an Activity Instance in Component Reuse.

An existing ServiceNow Update activity can be edited from these locations:

Configure a ServiceNow Update Activity

Follow these steps to configure a ServiceNow Update activity:

Step 1: Enter a Name and Select an Object

In this step, provide a name for the activity and select an object. Each user interface element of this step is described below.

ServiceNow Update Activity Configuration Step 1

  • Name: Enter a name to identify the activity. The name must be unique for each ServiceNow Update activity and must not contain forward slashes / or colons :.

  • Select an Object: This section displays objects available in the ServiceNow endpoint.

    • Selected ServiceNow Object: After an object is selected, it is listed here.

    • Search: Enter any part of the object name into the search box to filter the list of objects. The search is not case-sensitive. If objects are already displayed within the table, the table results are filtered in real time with each keystroke. To reload objects from the endpoint when searching, enter search criteria and then refresh, as described below.

    • Refresh: Click the refresh icon Refresh icon or the word Refresh to reload objects from the ServiceNow endpoint. This may be useful if objects have been added to ServiceNow. This action refreshes all metadata used to build the table of objects displayed in the configuration.

    • Selecting an Object: Within the table, click anywhere on a row to select an object. Only one object can be selected. The information available for each object is fetched from the ServiceNow endpoint:

      • Name: The object name from ServiceNow.

      • Description: The object description from ServiceNow.

    Tip

    If the table does not populate with available objects, the ServiceNow connection may not be successful. Ensure you are connected by reopening the connection and retesting the credentials.

  • Continue on Error: Select to continue the activity execution if an error is encountered for a dataset in a batch request. If any errors are encountered, they are written to the operation log. By default, this setting is unselected.

  • Save & Exit: If enabled, click to save the configuration for this step and close the activity configuration.

  • Next: Click to temporarily store the configuration for this step and continue to the next step. The configuration will not be saved until you click the Finished button on the last step.

  • Discard Changes: After making changes, click to close the configuration without saving changes made to any step. A message asks you to confirm that you want to discard changes.

Step 2: Review the Data Schemas

Any request or response schemas are displayed. Each user interface element of this step is described below.

ServiceNow Update Activity Configuration Step 2

  • Data Schemas: These data schemas are inherited by adjacent transformations and are displayed again during transformation mapping.

    The ServiceNow connector uses the ServiceNow REST API. For more information on the schema fields, see Schemas and refer to the ServiceNow REST API at ServiceNow Developer documentation, adjusting the documentation URL by selecting your release version of ServiceNow.

    Note

    Data supplied in a transformation takes precedence over the activity configuration.

  • Refresh: Click the refresh icon Refresh icon or the word Refresh to regenerate schemas from the endpoint. This action also regenerates a schema in other locations throughout the project where the same schema is referenced, such as in an adjacent transformation.

  • Back: Click to temporarily store the configuration for this step and return to the previous step.

  • Finished: Click to save the configuration for all steps and close the activity configuration.

  • Discard Changes: After making changes, click to close the configuration without saving changes made to any step. A message asks you to confirm that you want to discard changes.

Next Steps

After configuring a ServiceNow Update activity, complete the configuration of the operation by adding and configuring other activities, transformations, or scripts as operation steps. You can also configure the operation settings, which include the ability to chain operations together that are in the same or different workflows.

Menu actions for an activity are accessible from the project pane and the design canvas. For details, see Activity Actions Menu in Connector Basics.

ServiceNow Update activities can be used as a target with these operation patterns:

To use the activity with scripting functions, write the data to a temporary location and then use that temporary location in the scripting function.

When ready, deploy and run the operation and validate behavior by checking the operation logs.