ServiceNow Interview Questions and Answers

This section covers frequently asked ServiceNow interview questions.

1. What is ServiceNow?

ServiceNow is a cloud-based platform for IT service management (ITSM) and other business operations. It centralizes IT and business processes, providing a single source of truth for various services and resources.

2. Uses of ServiceNow.

ServiceNow is used to manage and automate various service requests, including incident management, change management, problem management, IT service delivery, HR services, customer service, and security operations.

3. Applications in ServiceNow.

Applications in ServiceNow represent packaged solutions. Each application offers functionalities related to a specific business process (e.g., Incident Management, Change Management, etc.).

4. CMDB (Configuration Management Database).

A CMDB is a repository for storing information about IT assets and their relationships. It's a central source of truth for IT infrastructure and configurations.

5. Record Matching and Data Lookup.

These features simplify data management in ServiceNow by automatically populating fields based on existing records without needing custom scripting. It compares incoming data with existing data and populates fields accordingly.

6. CMDB Baselines.

CMDB baselines create snapshots of configuration items (CIs) at a specific point in time, allowing you to track changes and manage configurations effectively.

7. LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol).

LDAP is a protocol for accessing and managing directory information. ServiceNow uses LDAP for user authentication and data integration, simplifying user management.

8. Business Rules in ServiceNow.

Business rules are server-side scripts that automate actions based on specific events (record creation, update, deletion, etc.). They execute server-side and can be triggered based on different events.

9. Enabling/Disabling Applications in ServiceNow.

1. Go to Application Menus.
2. Open the application.
3. Set the Active field to true (enable) or false (disable).

10. Calling a Business Rule from a Client Script.

Use GlideAjax to call a business rule from a client script.

11. Dictionary Overrides.

Dictionary overrides modify the behavior of a field in a specific table without altering the base definition of the field in its parent table.

12. Domain Separation in ServiceNow.

Domain separation isolates data and administration for different parts of an organization (e.g., different business units or departments).

13. ServiceNow Best Practices.

• Replace spreadsheets and emails with ServiceNow workspaces.
• Automate business processes.
• Create a modern, collaborative work environment.
• Streamline service delivery.

14. Coalesce in Transform Maps.

The coalesce setting in a transform map helps manage record updates and inserts based on matching fields during data import. If a match is found based on the coalesce field, then it updates an existing record; otherwise, it creates a new record.

15. Data Policies in ServiceNow.

Data policies enforce data validation and access rules server-side. They differ from UI policies (client-side) and are more powerful.

16. UI Policies in ServiceNow.

UI policies control the visibility, accessibility, and mandatory nature of fields in forms, making forms more dynamic and process-driven.

17. Search Options in ServiceNow.

• List searches
• Global text search
• Knowledge base search
• Navigation filter
• Custom search scenes

18. Client Scripts.

Client scripts run in the user's browser. Types include onLoad(), onSubmit(), onChange().

19. Canceling Form Submission with Client Scripts.

Return false from the onSubmit() function.

20. HTML Sanitizer.

The HTML sanitizer removes potentially harmful code from HTML fields to prevent cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks.

21. Record Producers.

Record producers allow end-users to create records through the Service Catalog, streamlining requests.

22. GlideRecord.

GlideRecord is a ServiceNow class used to interact with the database, providing an easier-to-use alternative to writing SQL queries.

23. Import Set Tool.

The import set tool imports data from external sources into ServiceNow.

24. Transform Maps.

Transform maps map fields from an import set to target tables, enabling data transformation and record updates/inserts during import.

25. Impersonating a User.

Impersonating a user allows administrators to temporarily log in as another user to test functionalities and access their permissions. ServiceNow tracks these impersonation sessions.

26. Search Technique in ServiceNow.

Zing is the underlying search technology in ServiceNow.

27. Parent Table for Change, Incident, and Problem.

The task table.

28. Foreign Record Insert.

Foreign Record Insert refers to the process of inserting a new record into a table while ensuring that the primary key of this new record is also populated in a related table through a foreign key relationship.

Understanding Foreign Key Relationships

In relational databases, a foreign key is a field in a table that links to the primary key of another table. This relationship ensures data integrity by enforcing that only valid values are inserted, preventing orphaned records in related tables.

Example Scenario

Imagine two tables in a database: Orders and Customers. The Orders table has a foreign key referencing the Customers table's primary key, which links each order to a customer.

SQL Query for Foreign Record Insert

To insert a record in the Orders table and ensure that the corresponding customer ID from the Customers table is included, the query would look like this:

INSERT INTO Orders (OrderID, OrderDate, CustomerID)
VALUES (101, '2025-01-06', 1);

Output

The new order with OrderID 101 is inserted into the Orders table, and the CustomerID 1 is referenced from the Customers table.

Key Points to Note

• The CustomerID in the Orders table must already exist in the Customers table for the foreign key constraint to be satisfied.
• If the foreign key relationship is violated (e.g., inserting an order for a non-existent customer), the database will return an error.
• This ensures that every order is associated with a valid customer, maintaining data integrity across tables.

29. Inactivity Monitor in ServiceNow.

The inactivity monitor tracks records that haven't been updated for a specified period. It triggers events or workflows after a defined inactivity period.

30. ServiceNow Data Dictionary.

The ServiceNow data dictionary defines all tables and fields, including data types, default values, relationships, and other attributes.

31. Homepage Changes in ServiceNow.

Changes made to a homepage are saved as a personalized view (e.g., "My Records") for that user. They don't affect the default homepage.

32. Client Transaction Timings Plugin.

The Client Transaction Timings plugin enhances logging by recording the time taken for client-server transactions. This is helpful for performance analysis and troubleshooting.

33. Checking the ServiceNow Instance Node.

1. Go to System Diagnostics -> Stats.
2. The "Stats" page shows details about the current instance node.

34. Domain Separation (Repeated from earlier).

Domain separation isolates data and configuration for different parts of an organization.

35. Enabling/Disabling Pie Chart Labels.

Set the glide.ui.chart.pie.labels property to true (enable) or false (disable).

36. Installation Exits.

Installation exits are used to run custom scripts at specific points during the installation process (like login, logout, password validation).

37. Removing the "Remember Me" Checkbox.

Set the glide.ui.forgetme property to true.

38. Gauges in ServiceNow.

Gauges display real-time data on dashboards, providing quick visual summaries of key metrics.

39. Setting a Field as Unique.

In the field's dictionary entry, check the "Unique" box.

40. Metrics in ServiceNow.

Metrics track and measure the performance of various aspects of IT and business processes in ServiceNow.

41. BSM (Business Service Management) Map.

A BSM map visually represents business services and their underlying configuration items (CIs).

42. Foreign Record Insert (Repeated from earlier).

A foreign record insert happens during an import when a reference field on a table is updated, resulting in a record being inserted into a related table.

43. Schema Map.

A schema map provides a visual representation of database tables and their relationships.

44. Scorecards.

Scorecards graphically represent progress against targets. They can show KPIs and trends over time.

45. ACL (Access Control List).

ACLs control user access to data in ServiceNow.

46. Dashboards.

Dashboards display key performance indicators (KPIs) and other data visualizations.

47. sys_id.

sys_id is a unique identifier for each record in ServiceNow.

48. Creating a New Role.

Navigate to User Administration -> Roles -> New.

49. Adding Homepages and Content Pages to Update Sets.

Homepages and content pages must be manually added to update sets; they're not included automatically.

50. Multiple Functions Listening to the Same Event.

Multiple functions can listen to the same event, but execution order is not guaranteed.

51. Getting Active/Inactive Records.

• addActiveQuery(): Retrieves active records.
• addInactiveQuery(): Retrieves inactive records.

52. Updating Records Without Refreshing System Fields.

Set autoSysFields(false) in a server-side script before updating the record.

53. setForceUpdate() Function.

setForceUpdate() forces a record update even if there are no changes. To avoid updating system fields (sys_updated_by, sys_updated_on), use autoSysFields(false).

54. setLimit(n) Function.

setLimit(n) limits the number of records retrieved in a query to n.