ServiceNow Scripting Basics: Create Custom Business Workflows Easily

ServiceNow has become a go-to platform for organizations looking to streamline their business processes through automation. One of its standout features is its ability to create custom workflows that are tailored to meet specific business needs. ServiceNow scripting, using JavaScript, plays a key role in creating these workflows and automating tasks within the platform. In this article, we’ll dive into the basics of ServiceNow scripting and show you how to create custom business workflows with ease.

What is ServiceNow Scripting?

ServiceNow scripting is all about using JavaScript to automate, customize, and configure processes and tasks within the ServiceNow platform. It allows users to extend the functionality of ServiceNow by writing custom scripts that interact with ServiceNow’s tables, forms, and workflows.

There are two primary types of scripts used within ServiceNow:

• Server-side scripts: These scripts run on the ServiceNow server and interact with the platform’s data and business logic. They include Business Rules, Script Includes, Scheduled Jobs, and Service Catalog Scripts.
• Client-side scripts: These scripts run on the user's browser and interact with the form interface. They include Client Scripts, UI Policies, and UI Actions.

Understanding these two types of scripts and when to use each is crucial for creating efficient and effective workflows.

ServiceNow Scripting Fundamentals

Before diving into creating custom workflows, it’s important to familiarize yourself with some essential scripting basics in ServiceNow.

Understanding GlideRecord

At the core of most ServiceNow scripts is GlideRecord, a powerful API used to interact with ServiceNow tables. GlideRecord allows you to query, insert, update, and delete records in any table within ServiceNow. It’s like the Swiss army knife for ServiceNow developers.

Here’s an example of using GlideRecord to retrieve records from the incident table:

var gr = new GlideRecord('incident');
gr.addQuery('active', true); // Only get active incidents
gr.query();  // Run the query
while (gr.next()) {
    gs.info(gr.number);  // Output the incident number
}

In this script, we’re querying the incident table to find all active incidents and printing their incident numbers. GlideRecord is essential for working with data in ServiceNow and is used in many different types of scripts.

Understanding Business Rules

Business Rules are server-side scripts that run when a record is inserted, updated, or deleted in a table. They are used to enforce business logic and automate actions such as notifications, data validation, and workflow creation.

For example, you can create a Business Rule to automatically assign an incident to a specific team when the priority is set to "High." Here’s a basic script for a Business Rule:

if (current.priority == 1) {
    current.assignment_group = 'Incident Response Team';
}

In this case, when the priority of an incident is set to "High" (priority = 1), the incident is automatically assigned to the "Incident Response Team."

Using Script Includes for Reusable Logic

Script Includes are server-side scripts that contain reusable functions. They allow you to define logic once and call it from other scripts. This is a great way to keep your code DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself).

Here’s an example of a simple Script Include:

var IncidentUtils = Class.create();
IncidentUtils.prototype = {
    initialize: function() {},
    
    assignToTeam: function(incidentRecord) {
        if (incidentRecord.priority == 1) {
            incidentRecord.assignment_group = 'Incident Response Team';
        }
    }
};

In this case, the assignToTeam method checks if an incident has a high priority and assigns it to a specific team. You can now call this function from other scripts, such as Business Rules or workflows, to keep your logic consistent across the platform.

Creating Custom Business Workflows in ServiceNow

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s explore how to create custom business workflows with ServiceNow scripting.

Define the Business Requirement

The first step in building a custom workflow is understanding the business process you need to automate. For example, let’s say your company wants to automate the process of assigning a Service Catalog request to the correct team based on the user’s department. The workflow should:

• Identify the user’s department.
• Assign the request to the relevant team (e.g., IT Support, HR, Facilities).
• Notify the appropriate team when the request is assigned.

Design the Workflow in ServiceNow

ServiceNow provides a visual workflow designer where you can create automated workflows without writing code. However, for more customized needs, you will need to use scripting.

Let’s break down the components:

• Trigger the workflow: In this case, the trigger will be a Service Catalog request being submitted. You can use a Business Rule to trigger the workflow when a request is created.
• Assign logic: This is where scripting comes into play. You can write a script to check the user's department and assign the request to the correct group.
• Notification: You can use a Notification script to alert the team once the request is assigned to them.

Example of the assignment script:

var gr = new GlideRecord('sc_request');
if (gr.get(current.sys_id)) {
    var department = gr.requested_for.department;
    if (department == 'IT') {
        current.assignment_group = 'IT Support Team';
    } else if (department == 'HR') {
        current.assignment_group = 'HR Team';
    }
}

Testing the Workflow

Once your workflow is designed and scripted, you need to test it thoroughly. ServiceNow provides a Debugging tool, which allows you to step through your scripts and check for any issues.

• Run the workflow in a Test Environment to ensure that the logic works as expected.
• Use System Logs (gs.info) to check the output of your scripts and verify that records are being updated as intended.

Deploying the Workflow

Once your workflow has been tested and is working properly, it’s time to deploy it to production. ServiceNow’s Change Management capabilities allow you to manage changes and ensure that everything is deployed smoothly. Make sure that your scripts are documented and that there are rollback plans in case something goes wrong.

Best Practices for ServiceNow Scripting

1. Keep it Simple: Avoid writing overly complex scripts. Break down your workflows into smaller, manageable scripts for easier maintenance.
2. Reuse Logic: Use Script Includes to centralize reusable logic. This reduces redundancy and makes your code cleaner.
3. Test Thoroughly: Always test scripts in a safe, non-production environment before deploying them.
4. Document Your Work: Make sure to document your scripts and workflows, so others can easily understand and maintain your work.
5. Optimize Performance: Use GlideRecord queries efficiently to avoid performance bottlenecks. Ensure that scripts don’t put unnecessary load on the ServiceNow server.

Conclusion

ServiceNow scripting is an essential skill for anyone looking to customize the platform and create robust business workflows. By using tools like GlideRecord, Business Rules, and Script Includes, you can automate tasks, enforce business logic, and integrate various parts of your workflow seamlessly. Whether you’re automating incident management or designing complex Service Catalog workflows, the possibilities with ServiceNow scripting are endless.

By following the steps outlined in this guide and adopting best practices, you’ll be able to create custom workflows that drive efficiency, improve user experience, and ensure consistency across your organization. With a bit of creativity and some scripting know-how, you can transform the way your business handles workflows in ServiceNow—making it faster, smarter, and more efficient.

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