Loading and Transforming Data
- Q: What happens when you upload a CSV file into ServiceNow?
A: ServiceNow creates an Import Set table (a temporary staging table) to hold that raw data. From there, you use a Transform Map to move and map that data into the actual target tables. - Q: Why do we use Transform Maps?
A: Because the fields in your import data might not match the target table fields exactly. Transform Maps act like a translator, telling ServiceNow which source field goes where. - Q: Can you load data into ServiceNow from an API?
A: Yes, you can pull data using REST or SOAP APIs into import sets or directly into tables using scripted integrations. - Q: What’s an Import Set table and why do you care?
A: It’s a temporary table ServiceNow uses to hold raw imported data so you can clean, transform, or validate it before pushing it to your main tables. - Q: How would you export data from ServiceNow?
A: You can export list data manually as CSV, Excel, or PDF. You can also schedule exports to happen regularly, pushing data to external systems or for archiving.
Login and Redirection
- Q: What’s the difference between authentication and authorization?
A: Authentication means proving who you are (logging in), and authorization means what you’re allowed to do after you’re logged in (permissions). - Q: Can you explain what Single Sign-On (SSO) is?
A: SSO lets you use one set of credentials (like your company login) to access multiple applications, including ServiceNow, without logging in separately each time. - Q: What’s Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and why is it important?
A: MFA adds an extra security step—like a code sent to your phone—so even if someone steals your password, they can’t log in without that second factor. - Q: How would you redirect users to different pages based on their role?
A: You can write a login script or use a Script Include that checks their roles and redirects them accordingly—for example, send IT folks to the admin UI and regular users to the Service Portal. - Q: What happens if a user tries to log in but fails authentication?
A: They get an error message and can’t access the system. The system may lock them out after multiple failed attempts, depending on the security setup.
Service Request Management
- Q: What’s the difference between a Catalog Item and a Record Producer?
A: Catalog Items are pre-built service requests (like ordering a laptop), while Record Producers let users create records in any table via a form (like filing an incident). - Q: How do you make fields in the service catalog mandatory only in certain cases?
A: Use UI Policies or Client Scripts to dynamically make fields mandatory based on user selections. - Q: What’s a Variable Set?
A: A group of catalog variables you can reuse across multiple catalog items to avoid recreating the same fields. - Q: Can you explain what a Flow Designer is in the context of service requests?
A: Flow Designer lets you automate processes, like approvals or task creation, when someone submits a service request, without writing code. - Q: How do you publish a catalog item to the Service Portal?
A: By making sure it’s marked “Available for Service Portal” and ensuring the portal has access to the item.
Reporting and Analytics
- Q: What kinds of reports can you make in ServiceNow?
A: Bar charts, pie charts, time series, lists, pivot tables — whatever you need to visualize or analyze your data. - Q: How do dashboards help managers?
A: Dashboards group multiple reports and widgets into one view, making it easy to monitor KPIs and team performance at a glance. - Q: Can you schedule a report to send automatically?
A: Yes, you can schedule reports to email out daily, weekly, or monthly to specific users or groups. - Q: What’s the difference between a list report and a chart report?
A: List reports show rows of data like a spreadsheet, while chart reports visualize that data in graphs. - Q: How would you share a dashboard with your team?
A: You set sharing permissions on the dashboard so the team or roles can view or edit it.
Inbound and Outbound Integrations
- Q: What’s the difference between SOAP and REST integrations?
A: SOAP is older, uses XML, and follows strict standards. REST is newer, simpler, uses JSON, and is generally easier to work with. - Q: Why would you need a MID Server?
A: To securely connect ServiceNow to resources inside your company’s network behind firewalls. - Q: How do two ServiceNow instances talk to each other?
A: Usually through REST APIs, where one instance sends requests and the other responds. - Q: What is a REST Message in ServiceNow?
A: It’s a reusable configuration for sending REST API calls to external systems. - Q: Can you explain what an Inbound REST API is?
A: It lets external systems call ServiceNow endpoints to create, read, update, or delete data.
Developing a Custom ITSM App
- Q: What is App Engine Studio?
A: A low-code tool in ServiceNow that helps you build apps visually, with minimal coding. - Q: What’s the difference between scoped and global apps?
A: Scoped apps are isolated so they don’t interfere with other apps, while global apps have full access but higher risk of conflicts. - Q: Why is it important to scope your app?
A: To keep your code and data separate and safe from other apps, making maintenance easier. - Q: How do you let one app access another’s tables?
A: By setting cross-scope access permissions, allowing specific read/write or script calls. - Q: What’s UI Builder used for?
A: To visually design user interfaces for portals or workspaces without heavy coding.
Best Practices
- Q: Why should you use naming conventions?
A: So it’s clear what something does, avoiding confusion and collisions with other objects. - Q: What’s a simple tip to optimize scripts?
A: Avoid unnecessary database queries and use caching if you need to reuse data. - Q: When would you use Script Includes?
A: To keep reusable server-side code in one place and avoid copying scripts everywhere. - Q: Why is documenting your code important?
A: So others (and your future self) understand what the code does and why. - Q: How do you manage changes in ServiceNow?
A: Use Update Sets to capture and move customizations between instances.
Extras: Career Path and Support
- Q: What’s the first ServiceNow certification you should aim for?
A: The Certified System Administrator (CSA) is the entry-level cert. - Q: How can you practice ServiceNow skills for free?
A: Use the Personal Developer Instance (PDI) and Now Learning courses. - Q: What’s Now Learning?
A: ServiceNow’s official learning platform with free and paid courses. - Q: How important is community support?
A: Very! The community is full of experienced folks who help troubleshoot and share tips. - Q: Can you explain a typical career path in ServiceNow?
A: Start as an admin, then move into developer or consultant roles, and eventually specialize or become an architect.
Bonus: More Real-World Questions with Answers
Loading and Transforming Data
- Q: What do you do if your import data has extra spaces or wrong formatting?
A: Use Transform Map scripts to clean or format data during import. - Q: How do you handle duplicate records when importing?
A: Define coalesce fields in your Transform Map to match existing records and update them instead of creating new ones.
Login and Redirection
- Q: What happens if your SSO integration fails?
A: Users won’t be able to log in via SSO and may have to use fallback authentication or contact support. - Q: How can you test login redirection without affecting real users?
A: Test in a development instance or with a test user having specific roles.
Service Request Management
- Q: How can you limit who can see a catalog item?
A: Use Catalog Item Availability settings to restrict by roles, user criteria, or groups. - Q: How do you notify someone when a catalog request is approved?
A: Set up notification emails triggered on the approval state change.
Reporting and Analytics
- Q: What’s the difference between real-time and scheduled reports?
A: Real-time reports run when you view them, while scheduled reports run at set times and are sent automatically. - Q: How can you make a report visible only to managers?
A: Set sharing permissions on the report to specific roles or groups.
Inbound and Outbound Integrations
- Q: Can you send data out of ServiceNow without MID Server?
A: Yes, if the target is accessible over the internet, MID Server isn’t required. - Q: What security measures do you use when integrating?
A: Use HTTPS, authentication tokens, OAuth, and MID Server to secure data.
Developing a Custom ITSM App
- Q: How would you test your app before going live?
A: Use the PDI for testing, peer reviews, and scripted automated tests. - Q: Can you make your app multi-language?
A: Yes, by using ServiceNow’s localization features.
Best Practices
- Q: What’s a common mistake new developers make?
A: Hardcoding values instead of using system properties or configuration records. - Q: Why avoid global scope unless necessary?
A: Because it can cause security risks and conflicts with other apps.
Career Path and Support
- Q: How can you keep up with new ServiceNow features?
A: Follow the release notes, attend webinars, and participate in community events. - Q: What’s the benefit of certifications?
A: They validate your skills and can open up better job opportunities.
57. How do you create a new table in ServiceNow?
Just go to System Definition > Tables, click “New,” give your table a name (with a prefix if scoped), define columns, and save. You can customize the form layout later.
58. What are Access Control Lists (ACLs)?
ACLs control who can read, write, or delete data on tables, records, or fields. Think of them as the security guards for your data—only those with permission get in.
59. How do you debug Client Scripts?
Use your browser’s Developer Tools console, add console.log() statements in the script, and watch the output. Also, ServiceNow’s “Script Debugger” tool helps trace script execution.
60. What’s a Business Rule?
Server-side scripts that run when records are inserted, updated, deleted, or queried. They’re great for automating backend tasks like updating fields or enforcing rules.
61. How does a UI Policy differ from a Client Script?
UI Policies are easier, no-code ways to show/hide or make fields mandatory dynamically. Client Scripts are full JavaScript and offer more control but need coding.
62. What is a Script Include?
Reusable server-side script libraries. Instead of repeating code, you write a function once in a Script Include and call it whenever needed.
63. How do you schedule a job in ServiceNow?
Go to System Scheduler > Scheduled Jobs, create a new job, pick the script or action, set the timing (daily, hourly, etc.), and activate it.
64. What’s the difference between Background Script and Fix Script?
Background Script lets you run ad hoc server-side scripts in your instance. Fix Scripts are special scripts that run once during system upgrades to fix or migrate data.
65. How do you use Flow Designer to automate approvals?
In Flow Designer, add an “Approval” action, specify approvers (users, groups, or roles), and define what happens when approved or rejected (like triggering tasks or notifications).
66. What’s the Data Dictionary in ServiceNow?
It defines fields, their data types, max lengths, default values, and other properties on tables—basically the schema for your data.
67. How do you create roles and assign them?
Go to User Administration > Roles, create new roles, then assign them to users or groups via the User form or Group Membership.
68. What are Groups used for?
Groups let you organize users logically (e.g., “IT Support”) so you can assign tasks, approvals, or access based on group membership.
69. How do you impersonate a user?
Click your avatar > Impersonate User, then pick a user. It helps you see exactly what that user sees, great for troubleshooting permissions.
70. What’s the difference between a View and a Form Layout?
A View is a named collection of form layouts. Form Layout defines the order and placement of fields for a form in a specific view.
71. How do you customize the Service Portal?
Use Service Portal Designer to drag and drop widgets, change themes, or edit pages. For advanced stuff, build custom widgets with AngularJS.
72. What’s the function of Email Scripts?
They let you customize email content dynamically using server-side JavaScript, often used in notifications to pull in specific info.
73. How do inbound email actions work?
They process incoming emails and can create or update records automatically—like turning an email into an incident.
74. What are UI Actions?
Buttons, links, or context menu items on forms or lists that perform actions—like “Close Incident” or “Assign to Me.”
75. What is a Data Policy?
Rules that enforce data integrity on the server, regardless of where data is entered (forms, APIs). They make sure required fields are filled or data is valid.
76. How does ServiceNow handle notifications?
Notifications are triggered by events (like record updates) and can send emails, SMS, or push messages based on conditions you set.
77. How do you write a client-side script that runs on form load?
Create an “onLoad” Client Script on the desired table. This script runs every time the form opens, perfect for setting default values or hiding fields.
78. What is the Event Queue?
It’s where ServiceNow holds events that trigger business logic like notifications or workflows, processing them asynchronously.
79. What’s a MID Server and why is it important?
A lightweight Java agent installed inside your network that securely communicates between ServiceNow and your internal systems behind firewalls.
80. How can you secure integrations?
Use HTTPS, OAuth tokens, API keys, IP restrictions, and MID Servers. Also, limit permissions on integration users.
81. How do you schedule exports?
Create a scheduled data export by defining the data, format, and schedule under System Export Sets > Scheduled Data Export.
82. What is Scoped App cross-access?
It’s configuring permissions so one scoped app can access another app’s tables, scripts, or APIs safely.
83. What’s the difference between synchronous and asynchronous business rules?
Synchronous rules run immediately before/after the database operation, holding up the transaction. Asynchronous rules run in the background, after the transaction completes.
84. How do you create a Scripted REST API?
Go to System Web Services > Scripted REST APIs, create a new API, define resources and methods, and write server-side scripts to handle requests.
85. How do you handle errors in scripts?
Use try-catch blocks, log errors with gs.error(), and validate inputs to avoid runtime errors.
86. What’s the difference between a Flow, Action, and Subflow?
A Flow is a full automation process, Actions are reusable steps inside flows, and Subflows are smaller flows you can call from main flows.
87. How do you log info for debugging?
Use gs.info(), gs.debug(), or gs.error() on the server side and console.log() on the client side.
88. What’s the importance of system properties?
They let you configure settings without changing code—like toggling features on or off or setting timeouts.
89. How do you manage multiple environments?
Use separate instances for Dev, Test, and Prod, moving changes via Update Sets and testing thoroughly before deployment.
90. How do you move customizations from dev to test to prod?
Use Update Sets to capture customizations, export/import them between instances, then commit changes carefully with testing.
91. How do you control access to forms?
Use ACLs and UI Policies to restrict who can view or edit forms and specific fields.
92. What’s the difference between a catalog item and a variable set?
A catalog item is a service request, while a variable set is a reusable group of questions (variables) used inside multiple catalog items.
93. How do you use ServiceNow APIs?
You call ServiceNow’s REST or SOAP endpoints from external systems, or use server-side Glide APIs inside ServiceNow scripts.
94. How do you customize list layouts?
Go to the list view, right-click the header, select “Configure > List Layout,” and add/remove fields.
95. What is an update set?
A container that tracks configuration changes (like scripts, forms, workflows) so you can move them between instances.
96. How do you merge update sets?
Manually import the second update set, then reapply or recreate the changes in the first one, as ServiceNow doesn’t support direct merges.
97. How do you troubleshoot performance issues?
Check slow queries, use Performance Analytics, review scripts, reduce client-side processing, and optimize workflows.
98. What is a UI Macro?
Reusable snippets of HTML and Jelly scripting used to build UI components or customize form appearance.
99. How do you create custom widgets?
In Service Portal, go to Widget Editor, create a new widget with HTML, CSS, and AngularJS code.
100. What’s your favorite ServiceNow feature and why?
This is personal, but many love Flow Designer for its no-code automation power, or Scoped Apps for safe custom app building.
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