basics for ess users
DESCRIPTION
Basics for ESS User, ITIL, IT Service Management, ServiceNow, user guideTRANSCRIPT
Basics for Employee
Self-Service Users
June 2011
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ServiceNow Basics for Self-Service Users © COPYRIGHT 2011 SERVICE-NOW.COM ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 12225 El Camino Real, San Diego, CA 92130, USA This document may not, in whole or in part, be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated, or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form without prior consent in writing from Service-now.com. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this document. However, Service-now.com makes no warranties with respect to this document and disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Service-now.com shall not be liable for any error or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this document or examples herein. The information in this document is subject to change without notice. TRADEMARKS ServiceNow, Service-now.com and the ServiceNow logo are trademarks of Service-now.com in the United States and certain other jurisdictions. Service-now.com also uses numerous other unregistered trademarks to identify its goods and services worldwide. All other marks used herein are the trademarks of their respective owners and no ownership in such marks is claimed by Service-now.com.
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CONTENTS
Chapter 1: ServiceNow Self-Service .................................................................................. 5 What is an ESS User? ..................................................................................................................... 5 What Can I Do in ServiceNow? ....................................................................................................... 6 Logging In ........................................................................................................................................ 7
Chapter 2: Employee Self-Service Portal .......................................................................... 8 Navigational Header ......................................................................................................................... 9 Home Page ...................................................................................................................................... 9 Order Things Page ......................................................................................................................... 10 Knowledge Page ............................................................................................................................ 11 Get Help Page ................................................................................................................................ 13 My Approvals Page ........................................................................................................................ 16
Chapter 3: Self-Service Application ................................................................................. 17 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 17 Understanding the User Interface .................................................................................................. 17
Banner Frame .......................................................................................................................... 18 Application Navigator ............................................................................................................... 18 Content Frame ......................................................................................................................... 19
Navigating Applications .................................................................................................................. 23 Using the Navigation Filter ...................................................................................................... 24
Common Icons ............................................................................................................................... 24 Searching ....................................................................................................................................... 24
Searching Attachments ........................................................................................................... 25 Wildcard Searches .................................................................................................................. 25 Fuzzy Searches ....................................................................................................................... 25 Proximity Searches .................................................................................................................. 26 Boolean Operators .................................................................................................................. 26 Grouping .................................................................................................................................. 27
Chapter 4: Lists ................................................................................................................. 28 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 28 Using the List Interface .................................................................................................................. 28
Title Bar ................................................................................................................................... 29 Column Headings .................................................................................................................... 29 Fields ....................................................................................................................................... 30 Action Check Boxes ................................................................................................................ 31
Navigating to a List ......................................................................................................................... 31 Finding Information in Lists ............................................................................................................ 31
Searching a List ....................................................................................................................... 31 Sorting a List ............................................................................................................................ 32 Grouping Items in a List ........................................................................................................... 32
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Editing Lists .................................................................................................................................... 33 Creating Personalized Lists ........................................................................................................... 33
Chapter 5: Forms .............................................................................................................. 35 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 35 Understanding Form Elements ...................................................................................................... 35
Title Bar ................................................................................................................................... 36 Form Context Menu ................................................................................................................. 36 Fields ....................................................................................................................................... 37 Field Status Indicator ............................................................................................................... 38
Working with Forms ....................................................................................................................... 38 Navigating to a Form ............................................................................................................... 38 Editing in Forms ....................................................................................................................... 39
Chapter 6: Knowledge Base ............................................................................................. 40 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 40
Knowledge Base Homepage ................................................................................................... 40 Knowledge Base Article ........................................................................................................... 42
Searching the Knowledge Base ..................................................................................................... 42 Searching in the Self-Service Application ............................................................................... 43
Appendix A: Glossary ....................................................................................................... 44
Appendix B: Article Sources ............................................................................................ 46
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Chapter 1: ServiceNow Self-Service
What is an ESS User?
ServiceNow offers IT service management that enables employees within an organization to submit a request such as for hardware and software, log an incident such as unresponsive software, search the knowledge base, and view articles. Individuals who use these features are called Employee Self-Service (ESS) users.
As an ESS user, you can interact with IT business services through one of two user-friendly websites from most common web browsers. The site you use determines the options available and how you navigate the site.
Employee Self-Service portal (ESS portal).
Employee Self-Service portal
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Employee Self-Service application in the ServiceNow interface.
ESS application
What Can I Do in ServiceNow?
With ServiceNow self-service options you can
Report a service interruption Order a computer Log an incident Make a request View the status of your requests Search the knowledge base View knowledge articles Access Service Desk support via instant messaging (if the Chat plugin has been activated)
This chapter describes how to access each of the programs. The remainder of the document introduces you to both programs, describing out-of-box behavior for each. Keep in mind that individual instances of ServiceNow may vary because administrators can configure the system in many different ways to address the organization's business needs. For example, an alternative user interface is available as an optional plugin.
This document contains cross references to other parts of the document, and also links to the ServiceNow Wiki, which provides thorough documentation that is regularly updated to reflect new releases.
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Logging In
Each ServiceNow instance has a unique, secure Web address which you can obtain from your system administrator. If your organization uses single sign-on, the homepage appears. Otherwise, the welcome page appears and you must log in. The welcome page varies depending on whether you access the Employee Self-Service Portal or the full ServiceNow platform.
ESS portal—the default URL is: https://instancename.service-now.com/ess
ESS portal welcome page
ServiceNow— the default URL is: https://instancename.service-now.com
ServiceNow welcome page
To access your organization’s ServiceNow instance, type the base URL in any Web browser. Then, use these guidelines to log in.
If your organization uses single sign-on, logging in to your computer automatically logs you into ServiceNow. You can begin using the application right away.
If the Welcome page appears. 1. Enter your user name and password. 2. (Optional) Select the Remember Me check box to remain logged in until you manually log
out. You must enable secure cookies in your browser to use this feature. When the Remember me checkbox is checked at login, a cookie is stored on the computer. This cookie automatically authenticates you upon subsequent visits. When you log out, the cookie is destroyed and you must log in for subsequent visits.
3. Press Enter or click Login.
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Chapter 2: Employee Self-Service Portal
As an ESS user, you can make requests, view articles, log incidents, and search the knowledge base through a user-friendly website called the Employee Self-Service portal (ESS portal).
Employee Self-Service portal
If the chat feature has been enabled, you can also access Service Desk support via instant messaging from the ESS portal. To learn more, see Using Help Desk Chat in the ServiceNow Wiki.
Contact your administrator to determine how to access self-service options at your site. To learn more, see Logging In.
If you see a page similar to the previous illustration, continue reading this chapter for information on using the ESS portal.
If the page is very different, you have accessed the Self-Service application in the ServiceNow instance. See Chapter 3: Self-Service Application for information on using that application.
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Navigational Header
Each page of the ESS portal includes this navigational header.
Employee Self-Service portal navigational header
The header provides these tools:
Logo—returns to the home page from any page. What’s New—displays a drop-down menu of pages in the website. Welcome—displays your login name. Click this name to access your user profile. Logout—log out when your work is complete. Increase ( ) and Decrease Font Size ( )—change the font size on all pages and menus. Search bar—searches catalog items and knowledge articles. Menu bar—provides access to main pages in the website.
Home Page
The ESS portal home page provides an overview of the entire site.
ESS portal home page
Click the links on this page to access the other pages in the site:
Order Things page Knowledge page Get Help Page My Approvals Page
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Order Things Page
You can request catalog items and services through the Order Things page, which displays the categories of things to order, along with quick-links to the top requests.
Order Things page
Selecting a category displays a list of items in the category.
List of items in a category
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Selecting an item brings up the catalog form for the item, with a shopping cart for making requests.
Catalog form for selected item
Knowledge Page
Knowledge articles can be found through the Knowledge page. The main page displays Highest Rated, Most Viewed, and Current News.
Knowledge page
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The search bar at the top searches the entire knowledge base. Results can be refined based on category.
Knowledge base search results
From the article, you can give feedback including comments and ratings.
Knowledge base feedback options
To learn more about the knowledge base, see Chapter 6: Knowledge Base.
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Get Help Page
The Get Help page can be used to ask questions, find answers, and monitor tickets.
Get Help page
Selecting Something Broken presents a form to submit an incident.
Something Broken form
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Selecting Ask a Question presents a form to submit a question to the service desk.
Ask a Question form
Find previously submitted questions and incidents by selecting Status.
Status page lists questions and incidents
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Click the desired incident number to see status information about the question or incident.
Status page
Status information
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My Approvals Page
The My Approvals page, available only to users who have approval rights, displays a list of items assigned to the user for approval. Different colors represent the approval status (green is approved, yellow is awaiting approval, and red is rejected).
My Approvals page
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Chapter 3: Self-Service Application
Introduction
Many organizations give their ESS users access to the Self-Service application within the main ServiceNow interface. This is a more powerful application with additional functionality but a bit more complex than the ESS Portal.
Understanding these foundational concepts helps you use the Self-Service application more effectively, as well as any other ServiceNow applications the administrator makes available to you:
User interface elements Navigation Common icons Search techniques Lists Forms
Understanding the User Interface
The primary user interface is divided into three areas:
Banner frame across the top provides global navigation controls. Application Navigator, or left navigation bar, provides links to all applications and modules. Content frame displays the information for each application and module.
Primary user interface
Banner Frame
Content Frame
Application Navigator
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Banner Frame The banner frame runs across the top of every page, and can be customized by the administrator.
Banner frame
The default banner frame contains a logo and the following information and controls:
Welcome message—shows the name of currently logged in user. Logout—returns to the Welcome page for subsequent login. Homepage ( )—returns to the homepage. Print ( )—opens a printable version of the current content frame. Help ( )—opens the ServiceNow Wiki in another window or tab. Header Expand/Collapse ( )—alters the amount of space the banner frame occupies.
Application Navigator The Application Navigator, or left-navigation bar, provides links to all applications that are available to you and the modules (pages) they contain. It appears at the left side of the screen and can be hidden (click the Hide button, , beside the Welcome message in the banner frame). To learn more, see Navigating Applications.
Application Navigator
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Content Frame The main area of the primary user interface is the content frame. The content frame displays the modules, or pages, to which you navigate.
Content Frame
Many types of content are displayed in the content frame, including:
Welcome page—appears when a user is not logged in.
Welcome page
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Homepage—provides easy access to commonly used functions or information. Administrators can customize the homepage, so it may look different from this example.
Homepage
Service Catalog—provides a portal for ordering goods and services. To learn more, see Using the Service Catalog or Service Catalog portal in the ServiceNow Wiki.
Service Catalog
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Knowledge base—enables storage and publication of any information, such as desktop support information, company/department processes or procedures, or documentation on internally developed applications. To learn more, see Chapter 6: Knowledge Base.
Knowledge Base
Lists—display information in a table. Users can search, sort, filter, and edit lists. To learn more, see Chapter 4: Lists.
Lists
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Forms—let you create or modify an individual record. To learn more, see Chapter 5: Forms.
Forms
Surveys—enable you to take surveys developed by an administrator.
Survey
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Navigating Applications
An application is a group of modules that provide related information and functionality. As an ESS user you may only have access to the Self-Service application.
The Application Navigator, or left-navigation bar, provides links to all available applications and the modules they contain enabling you to quickly find information and services. You can hide the Application Navigator by clicking the Hide button ( ) in the banner frame.
This image shows the out-of-box Application Navigator for ESS users. The navigator you use may vary because administrators can customize its appearance and the applications available.
Application Navigator
The Application Navigator contains a list of application labels and the Application Navigator header. As an ESS user you see only the Self-Service application.
The application label represents one or more modules. Click the label display or hide that application’s list of modules. Click a module name to display that module in the content frame.
The Application Navigator header appears above the list of applications.
Application Navigator header
The Application Navigator header provides the following tools:
Navigation Filter—filters the applications and modules that appear in the navigator based on the filter text. To learn more, see Using the Navigation Filter.
Increase ( ) and Decrease Font Size ( )—change the font size on all pages and menus. Refresh Navigator ( )—refreshes the list of applications and modules. Collapse All ( ) and Expand All Applications ( )—collapses all applications so that only
application labels appear, or expands all applications so that all available modules appear. Switch Perspective ( )—is not available for ESS users unless the administrator has
customized perspectives.
Modules
Application Label
Header
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If you cannot find an item in the Application Navigator, consider the following:
You may have applied a filter or switched perspectives. The application that contains the module may be collapsed. The application may be deactivated in your company's ServiceNow implementation. Contact
the System Administrator to activate it, if necessary.
Using the Navigation Filter The navigation filter helps you quickly access information and services by filtering the items in the Application Navigator.
To use the navigation filter:
1. Click Type filter text in the Application Navigator header, or press Access Key + F. A text entry field appears.
2. Begin typing the filter text (for example, type inc for Incidents). The list of items available in the Application Navigator is filtered as you type. ◊ If a module name contains the filter text, its application label expands to show only that
module. ◊ If an application name contains the filter text, the application label expands to show all
associated modules. 3. Click a module name to open that module.
Common Icons
Several icons appear throughout the system. Become familiar with them so that you can take advantage of quick access to additional information and functionality.
Reference icon ( )—appears in lists and forms. Hover over the icon to display a pop-up box showing detailed information about the associated record. Click the icon to open the associated record in form view.
Reference Lookup icon ( )—appears in forms beside reference fields (fields that contain data from a different table). Click the reference lookup icon to display a pop-up box listing records on the referenced table.
Previous ( ) and Next ( ) icons—appear on forms. Use these icons to move up (previous) or down (next) through the list one record at a time.
Searching
The ServiceNow platform offers several search methods:
Application Navigator filter text Record list search Knowledge base search
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Searches are not case sensitive. In some cases, a search of multiple terms will search for all of the terms, regardless of the presence of the word AND. To search for any one of the terms, insert OR between the terms.
A variety of options make searching very flexible:
Attachment searches Wildcard searches Fuzzy searches Proximity searches Boolean operators Grouping
Searching Attachments Knowledge base searches find the search term in attachments as well as in the text of knowledge articles. Administrators can enable or disable attachment searching for other tables.
Wildcard Searches Both knowledge base searches and record list searches support single and multiple character wildcard searches.
To perform a single character wildcard search, use the question mark (?) symbol. The single character wildcard search looks for matching terms that contain any one character in the location of the question mark. For example, to search for either text or test, enter:
te?t
To perform a multiple character wildcard search, use the asterisk (*) symbol. Multiple character wildcard searches looks for 0 or more characters to replace the asterisk. For example, to search for test, tests, or tester, enter:
test*
You can also use a multiple character wildcard (*) search in the middle of a term. For example, to search for planned or placed, enter:
pl*d
NOTE You cannot use an asterisk (*) or question mark (?) symbol as the first character of a search term.
Fuzzy Searches Text search supports fuzzy searches based on the Levenshtein Distance, or Edit Distance algorithm. To do a fuzzy search, use the tilde (~) symbol at the end of a single word search term. For example, to search for a term similar in spelling to roam, enter:
roam~
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This search finds terms like foam and roams. An optional parameter lets you specify the required similarity. The value is between 0 and 1, with a value closer to 1 indicating that only terms with a higher similarity are matched. For example:
roam~0.8
If the parameter is not entered, the default 0.5 is used.
Proximity Searches Text search supports finding words within a specific distance from each other. To do a proximity search, enclose the words in quotation marks and place a tilde symbol (~) and number after the closing quotation mark. For example to search for password and forgot within 10 words of each other in a document, enter:
"forgot password"~10
Boolean Operators Boolean operators allow terms to be combined through logic operators. Text search supports the following Boolean operators. (Boolean operators must be ALL CAPS.)
OR The OR operator is the default conjunction operator. This means that if there is no Boolean operator between two terms, the OR operator is used. The OR operator links two terms and finds a matching document if either of the terms exist in the document. To search for documents that contain either “email password” or just “email”, enter:
"email password" email
or "email password" OR email
AND The AND operator matches documents where both terms exist anywhere in the text of a single document. To search for documents that contain “CPU load” and “10 minutes”, enter:
"CPU load" AND "10 minutes"
+ The +, or required, operator requires that the term after the + symbol exist somewhere in a field of a single document. To search for documents that must contain the word “email” and may contain the word “password”, enter:
+email password
NOT The NOT operator excludes documents that contain the term after NOT. To search for documents that contain the term “CPU load” but not the term “10 minutes”, enter:
"CPU load" NOT "10 minutes"
NOTE: The NOT operator cannot be used with just one term. For example, the following search will return no results:
NOT "10 minutes"
- The -, or prohibit, operator excludes documents that contain the term after the - symbol. To search for documents that contain the term “CPU load” but not the term “over 10”, enter:
"CPU load" -"over 10"
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Grouping Text search supports using parentheses to group clauses to form subqueries. This can be very useful if you want to control the Boolean logic for a query.
To search for either the term “CPU” or “diskdrive” and the term “failure”, enter: (CPU OR diskdrive) AND failure
This eliminates any confusion and makes sure that the term failure is present, along with either term CPU or diskdrive.
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Chapter 4: Lists
Introduction
ServiceNow stores data in records. Records that contain the same type of data are organized into tables. For example, an employee record might contain the employee’s name, address, job title, department, start date, and more. All employee records would be stored in an employee table.
The Self-Service application in the main ServiceNow interface uses lists to display selected information from the records in a table. Using the same example, a list might show each employee’s first and last name, job title, and department. (Forms display all information for a single record. For information on forms, see Chapter 5: Forms.)
To manage record lists efficiently, become familiar with these concepts and activities:
Using the list interface Navigating to a list Finding information in lists Editing lists Creating personal lists
Using the List Interface
The list interface contains these main elements:
Title bar Column headings Fields
Additionally, a response time indicator ( ) may appear at the bottom right of some lists to indicate the processing time required to display the list.
Lists
Column headings
Fields
Title bar
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Title Bar The title bar displays the title of the table whose records appear in the list and provides several controls.
Title bar
Title menu—appears when you click the arrow beside the list title. It provides the following list controls: ◊ Refresh List—refreshes the list to show changes immediately. ◊ Group By—aggregates records by a field. ◊ Show—changes the maximum number of records per page.
New—opens a blank form that allows you to create a new record in the list.
If your administrator has enabled them, the title bar also contains search fields and breadcrumbs showing the path to the current page. Review the discussion of Searching in this document. Information specific to searching in lists and using breadcrumbs can be found in the ServiceNow Wiki. See Introduction to Searching or Using Filters and Breadcrumbs.
Column Headings Column headings display column names and provide a variety of controls.
Column headings
New button
Title menu
Column headings
Personalize List Right-click menu
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Sorting—click the column name to sort the list in ascending order. Click again to sort in reverse order.
Right-click menu, also called context menu—offers these controls: ◊ Sort (a to z) and (z to a)—sort in ascending and descending order. ◊ Group By—aggregate records by the current field. To learn more, see Grouping Items in a
List. ◊ Ungroup—remove grouping from the list. ◊ Bar Chart and Pie Chart—create quick bar and pie chart reports based on the information
in the list. Click the expand button ( ) above the report to save the report for future use. To learn more, see Creating Reports in the ServiceNow Wiki.
◊ Export—export data to Excel, CSV, or PDF. To learn more, see Exporting Data in the ServiceNow Wiki.
Personalize List ( )—customize the list layout to your preferences. To learn more, see Creating Personal Lists.
Fields Fields display data and provide a variety of controls.
Fields
Links—click the reference icon or first column field to open the record in form view. Editing—changes the information in one or more records. To learn more, see Editing Lists.
Reference Icon ( )—provides detailed information about the record. Point to the reference icon to open a pop-up window, or click it to open the record in form view. To learn more, see Reference Icon in the ServiceNow Wiki.
Right-click menu, also called context menu—offers the following options: ◊ Copy URL to Clipboard—copies to the clipboard the URL for the form view of the
record. Follow browser instructions if browser security measures restrict this function. ◊ Assign Label—adds a link to the record under a custom application label (new or
existing). Labels provide quick access to frequently referenced or urgent information. To learn more, see Creating and Using Labels in the ServiceNow Wiki.
Editing Links
Reference icons
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Action Check Boxes Action check boxes let you select items in a list and assign them to a custom application label. Labels appear in the Application Navigator, and the items assigned to the label appear as its modules (pages). You can create new labels or assign items to an existing label with the action check boxes.
Action check boxes
To use action check boxes:
1. Select the check boxes beside the records you wish to affect. To select all records on the page, go to the bottom of the list and select the check box beside the Action choice list.
2. Open the Action choice list and select a previously defined label under Assign Label, or select New to create a new label and assign the selected items to it. To learn more, see Creating and Using Labels in the ServiceNow Wiki.
Navigating to a List
To open a list using the Application Navigator, click the list name or go to the Application Navigator filter and type the table name followed by .list. To learn more, see Navigating Applications.
Finding Information in Lists
You can quickly find information in a list by searching, sorting, and grouping the list.
Searching a List Commonly, Employee Self-Service users do not have large numbers of items to search in a list, and search options are not available out-of-box. If your administrator has enabled list search features, you can search specific fields or all fields in the record at once. To learn more, see Finding Information in Lists on the ServiceNow Wiki.
Action check boxes
Action choice list
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Sorting a List To sort a list, use one of these methods:
Click a column heading to sort the list in ascending order. Click again to sort in reverse order. Right-click a column heading and select Sort (a to z) or Sort (z to a) to sort in ascending or
descending order, respectively.
The current sort order is indicated by an arrow next to the column name ( , up for ascending and down for descending). Only the primary sort order is indicated.
Grouping Items in a List Grouping aggregates a list by a selected field and displays the record count per group. Grouping can help you find data quickly by organizing the records in the list. For example, this illustration shows active incidents grouped by category.
Group By Category
To group items in a list, use one of these methods:
On the title bar, click the title menu and select Group By. Select the field by which to group the list. To remove a grouping, select -- None --.
Right-click the appropriate column name and select Group By. To remove grouping, select Ungroup.
To use a grouped list:
Group names are the values of the field selected for grouping. Record count per group appears next to the group name. To expand or collapse a group, click the arrow ( ) beside the group name. To expand or collapse all groups, click the arrow above the list. To open the full list for a group, click the group name. The maximum number of records shown per group is the number of records per page in a list.
◊ To see all records for a given group, open the full list by clicking the group name. ◊ To change the number of records per page, click the title menu and select Show.
The maximum number of groups shown is 100 by default, but may be configured by an administrator.
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Editing Lists
The list editor allows you to edit field values directly from a list without navigating to a form. Depending on your setup, the list editor may be available for certain fields and tables.
You can personalize any list to enable or disable the list editor, and to select either single or double click to open the list editor. To learn more, see Creating Personal Lists.
List editor
To use the list editor:
1. Double-click (or click, depending on setup) in an empty area of the field. The appropriate editor for the field type opens. Before the list editor opens, access rights to edit the field are verified. A loading indicator appears if this process takes longer than expected. ◊ If the field has a dependency relationship (for example, Category and Subcategory), then a
composite editor opens to allow editing of all dependent fields. Note that you must have rights to edit all dependent fields to use the list editor.
◊ If the field cannot be edited (due to security constraints), a message appears.
2. Enter the appropriate values and click Save ( ).
Creating Personalized Lists
Personalized lists modify a specific list view according to individual preferences. ESS users may have these list layout options, depending on administrator setup:
Column selection and order Row spacing Text wrapping List editing
List Editor
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Personalize List Columns dialog box
To personalize a list:
1. Open the list.
2. Click Personalize List ( ) in the upper left corner. 3. Use the slushbucket to select the columns and the order in which you wish them to appear.
The first non-reference field automatically links to the form view of the record. For this reason, consider using the record number as the first column in your personal list layout.
4. Select display options. ◊ To display long text on more than one line, select the Wrap column text check box. Clear
the check box to display text on one line. ◊ To condense the vertical space between rows, select the Compact rows check box. Clear
the check box to use standard row spacing. 5. Select list editing options. (Administrators may customize access to these options.)
◊ To allow the list editor to open for the list, select the Enable list edit check box. Clear the check box to prevent the list editor from opening for the list.
◊ To open the list editor with a double click, select the Double click to edit check box. Clear the check box to open the list editor with a single click.
NOTE To reset a list to the default layout, click Personalize List ( ) and select the Reset to column defaults check box (available only after the list has been personalized).
If a list is personalized, an indicator ( ) appears in the upper left corner.
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Chapter 5: Forms
Introduction
While lists allow you to view and edit selected information from a group of records in a table, forms allow you to view and edit information about a specific record.
Learning these concepts will help you manage individual records in forms:
Understanding form elements Working with forms
Understanding Form Elements
A form displays information for one record. The specific information shown depends on the type of record displayed. This illustration uses an Incident record to show basic form elements.
Forms
Title bar
Fields
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The form interface contains these elements:
Title bar—appears at the top of the form and provides navigational and functional controls. Fields—display individual data items for the record. Response time indicator ( )—appears at the bottom right of some forms to indicate the
processing time required to display the form.
Title Bar The title bar displays the title of the table whose record appears in the form and provides these controls:
Back ( )—navigates to the previously viewed page without saving changes. Form context menu—appears when you point to the arrow ( ) beside the form title or
right-click the title bar.
Form title bar
Submit or Update—saves changes and returns to the previously viewed page. Related actions—provides standard actions, such as Close Incident in an incident form, on
some forms.
Attachments ( )—lets you view and add attachments to the record. To learn more, see Uploading Attachments in the ServiceNow Wiki.
Previous ( ) and Next ( )—open the previous and next record in the list from which the record was accessed. These controls save changes to the record.
Form Context Menu The form context menu provides controls based on the table and your access rights.
Form Context Menu
Form context menu
Related actions Attachments,
Previous, Next
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Available options include:
Save—saves changes without leaving form view. Export—exports data to PDF, in either portrait or landscape mode. To learn more, see
Exporting Data in the ServiceNow Wiki. Assign Label—adds a link to the record under a custom application label (new or existing).
Labels provide quick access to frequently referenced or urgent information. To learn more, see Creating and Using Labels in the ServiceNow Wiki.
Copy URL—copies to the clipboard the URL for the form view of the record. Follow browser instructions if browser security measures restrict this function.
Reload Form—reloads information from the database to refresh the form view.
Fields A field represents an individual item of data on a record. You can view and modify selected field data on a form. Fields may be configured as:
Mandatory—requires a value before you can save the record. Read-only—prevents you from editing the field on the form. Standard data entry—accepts values such as numbers, text, choice lists, dates and times, and
check boxes. Specialized data entry—accepts one or more of the following:
◊ Journal—enter any text. When the record is saved, journal field entries are listed under the input field, marked with the user name and timestamp (for example, Additional Comments on an incident).
◊ Suggestion—include predefined text in a text or journal field. ◊ Reference—select a record in another table (example, in an incident, the Caller field
references the User table). Reference fields define a relationship between two tables. ◊ HTML—use HTML to define how field content renders (example, knowledge base article
text). HTML fields can include media elements, including images, Web links, and videos. ◊ Wiki (requires Wiki Plugin)— use Wiki markup to define how field content renders. ◊ Image—upload an image file (type of .gif, .jpg/jpeg, or .png only) to the record. ◊ Video—upload a video file to the record. ◊ Normalized—alters raw input as needed to match standardized values for improved
searching and reporting. ◊ Currency or Price—enter monetary information. ◊ Translated HTML or Translated Text—similar to standard HTML or text fields and can
be translated with the Internationalization plugin. ◊ Duration—enter a length of time. The field automatically converts hours to days for
values greater than 24 hours. For example, 30 hours is converted to 1 day and 6 hours. ◊ URL—enter a URL (Web address) and creates an active hyperlink.
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Field Status Indicator A field status indicator is a colored bar that may appear to the left of form elements. Administrators can customize the colors of field status indicators.
Field Status Indicators
Mandatory—required field that is empty. You must enter a value to save the form. Default color is red.
Populated Mandatory—required field for which a value has already been saved in the database. Default color is light red. Default light red (pink). If you enter a new value, the field status indicator changes to Modified.
Modified—data has been entered by not saved. Default color is green. Read-only—no data entry permitted in the field. Default color is orange.
Working with Forms
Working with forms involves these activities:
Navigating to a form Editing a form
Navigating to a Form You can navigate to a blank form to create a new record or to the form for an existing record.
To open a blank form for a new record, open a list (example, Incident for a new incident), and click New.
To open an existing record in form view, locate the record in a list and click the record number or the reference icon. To learn more, see Navigating Applications or Using Record Lists in the ServiceNow Wiki.
You can also open the form for a new or existing record by appending appropriate parameters to the URL. To learn more, see Navigating by URL in the ServiceNow Wiki.
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Editing in Forms To edit a record in form view:
1. Navigate to the form. 2. Enter appropriate data. 3. Save the record with one of these methods:
◊ Click Submit or Update to save changes and return to the previously viewed page. ◊ Right-click the title bar and select Save to save changes without leaving form view.
NOTE Depending on setup, the data you enter in a form may affect other options on the form or change its appearance. For example, if you close an incident, a Close Notes field may appear and may be required to save the record.
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Chapter 6: Knowledge Base
Introduction
The knowledge base is a tool that allows the storage and publishing of any information, such as desktop support information, company/department processes or procedures, or documentation on internally developed applications. Knowledge articles are added by administrators and those who have specific permission.
As an ESS user, you can view articles in the Knowledge Base.
Knowledge Base Homepage In the ESS portal, the knowledge base homepage shows a list of articles organized into Today’s News, Most Read, and Highest Rated categories.
Knowledge base homepage, ESS portal
Use the Search field at the top to quickly find a specific article. Click an article title to display that article.
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In the Self-Service application, knowledge articles are organized by topic and category. The most recent knowledge base articles of a given category appear in the category's gauge with a date-stamp on the right.
Knowledge base homepage, Self-Service application
Click View All to display a complete list of that category's articles. Click an article title to display that article. Use the Search field at the top-left to quickly find an article or click Advanced Search to
search by topic or category. To learn more, see Searching the Knowledge Base.
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Knowledge Base Article Clicking an article title displays the article, followed by feedback options and any comments from other users.
Knowledge base article
Provide feedback in one of these ways:
Expand Feedback or click Add your own comment to submit a comment. Click Yes or No to indicate whether the article was helpful. Click the appropriate star to rate the article on a scale of 1 to 5.
Searching the Knowledge Base
Knowledge base searches find articles that contain the search term or similar words in:
Article text Attachments Metadata (keywords, synonyms, and related terms added to the article record in the database to
aid searches)
Knowledge base searching supports a variety of options, such as wildcard searches, fuzzy searches, and Boolean operators. To learn more, see Searching.
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Searching in the Self-Service Application Use these options to search the knowledge base from the Self-Service application of the main ServiceNow interface.
In the Self-Service application, some forms include a knowledge icon, , beside some fields. Click the icon to search the knowledge base for the contents of that field. The search results appear in a pop-up window where you can view the desired article and perform additional searches without navigating away from the form you are viewing.
By default, knowledge base searches in the Self-Service application return results in order by view count—the most frequently viewed articles at the top, and the least viewed articles at the bottom. You can configure the knowledge base search engine to display results in order by relevancy or modification date, instead of view count. To switch between different search orders, use the Sort by options above the search results:
Sort by options for search results
If your organization provides articles in multiple languages, you can search the knowledge base in the desired language, and switch between languages when viewing the article. (Requires the Internationalization Plugin.)
Sort by options
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Appendix A: Glossary
Below is a list of terms and definitions as they apply to the ServiceNow platform.
admin: The admin (administrator) role in the platform, which has permission to perform administrative functions. The term admin usually includes both the global admin who can perform all functions, and the admin for a given application. For example, both the admin and catalog_admin roles have rights to administer the Service Catalog. application: An application is a grouping of modules as they appear in the Application Navigator. Application Navigator: The Application Navigator is a navigation bar on the left side of the page that displays a list of applications and modules. banner frame: The banner frame is the portion across the top of every page that contains the logo and global navigation choices. catalog item: A catalog item is any unique item or service in the Service Catalog that can be ordered by the end user. content frame: The content frame is the main area of the primary user interface. The content frame displays pages to which a user navigates. field: A field contains an individual item of data on a record in a table. field status indicator: A field status indicator is a colored bar that may appear to the left of form elements. These indicators convey field status, such as mandatory, read-only, and modified. filter: A filter is a set of conditions applied to a table in order to find and work with a subset of the data in that table. form: A form is a page that allows users to view and enter data on a record in a table. gauge: A gauge is an item that can be added to a homepage or content page. Gauges display data in a variety of forms, such as charts and lists. homepage: A homepage is a dashboard that consists of navigational elements, functional controls, and system information (gauges). When a user first logs in to ServiceNow, the system homepage appears. Administrators can create other global homepages to provide an overview of frequently used information by application. Users can customize homepages for their personal use. left navigation bar: See Application Navigator. module: A module is a link in the Application Navigator that opens a page in the content frame or in a separate tab or window. navigation menu: See Application Navigator. platform: The platform is the complete set of the ServiceNow software services. plugin: A plugin is an extension to the existing platform that an administrator installs to add functionality to the platform.
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pop-up: A pop-up is a customizable information box about any field in a Service-now record that is displayed from a reference icon. Administrators can define the fields to display in pop-ups and set the wait delay for the mouseover action. record: A record is an entry in a database table. reference field: A reference field draws data from a different database table. reference icon: A reference icon displays customizable information about fields in Service-now forms when you hover your mouse over the icon. Reference icons appear on some forms and in all list views, enabling you to view abbreviated versions of records. role: A role is a category assigned to a user or group of users that defines access privileges to Service-now functionality. All groups or users assigned to a role are granted the same system access. Roles can also contain other roles; the combined role is granted all the access rights from all the contained roles. To learn more, see Creating Roles on the ServiceNow Wiki. search page: A search page is a content page used to display search results. Service Catalog: The Service Catalog is the central repository of goods and services that your IT help desk provides for its users. Users can directly request these services and items from the Service Catalog. slushbucket: A slushbucket is a double column interface for choosing multiple selections from an available pool of items. table: A table is a collection of records in a database. view: A view is a saved version of a form or list. Views enable users to quickly display the same form or list in multiple ways. Administrators can create custom views. welcome page: A welcome page is displayed to visitors before they log in to the site.
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Appendix B: Article Sources
Creating Personal Lists Source: http://wiki.service-now.com/index.php?oldid=72394
Editing Lists Source: http://wiki.service-now.com/index.php?oldid=72398
Employee Self-Service Portal Source: http://wiki.service-now.com/index.php?oldid=76044
Finding Information in Lists Source: http://wiki.service-now.com/index.php?oldid=72357
Glossary Source: http://wiki.service-now.com/index.php?oldid=71450
Introduction to Knowledge Base Source: http://wiki.service-now.com/index.php?oldid=75073
Introduction to Searching Source: http://wiki.service-now.com/index.php?oldid=72325
Logging In Source: http://wiki.service-now.com/index.php?oldid=74947
Navigation and the User Interface Source: http://wiki.service-now.com/index.php?oldid=72321
Navigating Applications Source: http://wiki.service-now.com/index.php?oldid=72324
Removing the 'Remember Me' Checkbox and Cookie Source: http://wiki.service-now.com/index.php?oldid=74529
Using Forms Source: http://wiki.service-now.com/index.php?oldid=72401
Using Lists Source: http://wiki.service-now.com/index.php?oldid=72334