Workforce Optimization for ITSM release notes

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Workforce Optimization for ITSM release notes

    The ServiceNow® Workforce Optimization for ITSM application centralizes workforce productivity management and maintenance. The Xanadu release enhances this capability by introducing new features, accessibility improvements, and integration options that streamline scheduling and improve user experience.

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    Key Features

    • Admin Console Experience: A dedicated admin console is now available to configure and manage the Workforce Optimization for ITSM application efficiently.
    • Microsoft Outlook Calendar Synchronization: Agents can synchronize their schedule calendars with Microsoft Outlook, allowing seamless visibility of shifts, schedules, and events directly in Outlook.
    • Recurring Team Calendar Events: Events created in the team calendar can be set as recurring, improving schedule management for repeated activities.
    • Configurable Workspace with Reflow Support: The workspace supports browser zoom up to 400% without losing content or functionality, meeting WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards. Page layouts automatically adapt for better readability on various devices and user needs.
    • Schedule Renaming: Published schedules can now be renamed, providing flexibility in schedule management.

    Activation and Accessibility

    • Activation: The Workforce Optimization for ITSM plugin (snwfocfgitsm) must be activated via the ServiceNow Store.
    • Accessibility Improvements: The configurable workspace supports WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance, including reflow functionality that enhances usability for users with low vision or other accessibility needs. Reflow can be disabled via a system property if required.

    Related ServiceNow Applications and Features

    Workforce Optimization for ITSM integrates with and complements several other ServiceNow capabilities to enhance workforce and service management:

    • Advanced Work Assignment: Automates work item assignments based on agent availability, capacity, and skills.
    • Coaching: Enables monitoring and improving employee performance with skill evaluations and training.
    • Learning Posts: Provides omni-channel learning experiences tailored to employee needs.
    • Performance Analytics: Facilitates KPI reporting and metric analysis.
    • Predictive Intelligence: Recommends agent skills based on completed work.
    • Process Mining: Analyzes and optimizes business processes.
    • Service Operations Workspace for ITSM: Enhances ITSM agent experience and integrates workforce optimization capabilities.
    • Skills Management: Assesses skill requirements and plans for hiring and training.
    • Surveys: Allows creation and management of surveys, including integration with the Service Portal.

    The ServiceNow® Workforce Optimization for ITSM application enables you to manage and maintain the productivity of your workforce from a single location. Workforce Optimization for ITSM was enhanced and updated in the Xanadu release.

    Workforce Optimization for ITSM highlights for the Xanadu release

    • Use the Workforce Optimization for ITSM Admin Console to configure your application.
    • Synchronize team calendars and events with Microsoft Outlook.
    • Benefit from accessibility improvements to create a configurable workspace that supports Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA conformance.

    See Workforce Optimization for ITSM for more information.

    Important:
    Workforce Optimization for ITSM is available in the ServiceNow Store. For details, see the "Activation information" section of these release notes.

    New in the Xanadu release

    Admin Console Experience
    Use the admin console to set up and configure the Workforce Optimization for ITSM application.
    Synchronize the schedule calendar with Microsoft Outlook
    When you synchronize the agent's calendar in the Schedule module with Microsoft Outlook, agents can view all your schedule, shifts, and events that display in the agent calendar also in your Microsoft Outlook calendar.
    Recurring events in the team calendar
    When you create an event, you can make it a recurring event.

    Changed in this release

    Reflow for configurable workspace
    Workforce Optimization for ITSM configurable workspace supports reflow, which enables pages and content to be zoomed up to 400% through your browser settings without loss of content or functionality. For information about how to upgrade, see the Accessibility information section that follows.
    Renaming a published schedule
    You can edit the name of a schedule after it is published.

    Activation information

    Activate the Workforce Optimization for ITSM plugin (sn_wfo_cfg_itsm) by requesting it from the ServiceNow Store. For details, see Activate Workforce Optimization for ITSM Visit the ServiceNow Store website to view all the available apps and for information about submitting requests to the store. For cumulative release notes information for all released apps, see the ServiceNow Store version history release notes.

    Accessibility information

    Accessibility improvements
    Accessibility improvements were completed to create a configurable workspace that supports WCAG 2.1 Level AA conformance.
    Reflow

    The Configurable Workspace supports reflow, which enables pages and content to be zoomed up to 400% through your browser settings without loss of content or functionality. Additionally, content can be enlarged without scrolling in two dimensions at a width equivalent to 320 CSS pixels or a height equivalent to 256 CSS pixels. Page layouts are transformed into a vertical, stacked view automatically when users increase browser zoom to 400%.

    This enhancement helps users with low vision or who have trouble seeing web content in a browser due to monitor size, device type, poor lighting, or other situations. Reflow can be turned off with a system property for instances, experiences, and pages. See Reflow for Configurable Workspace for details.

    Related ServiceNow applications and features

    Advanced Work Assignment
    Use ServiceNow® Advanced Work Assignment to assign work items automatically to your agents by their availability, capacity, and skills.
    Coaching
    Use ServiceNow® Coaching to monitor and improve the performance of your employees. You can evaluate their skills and get them the training that they need for skill growth.
    Learning Posts
    Create an omni-channel learning experience for your employees by empowering them with the right learning at the right time.
    Performance Analytics (Indicator data sources)
    Use ServiceNow® Performance Analytics to create reports on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to monitor and analyze metrics.
    Predictive Intelligence
    Use ServiceNow® Predictive Intelligence to recommend the skills for agents that are based on the work that they’ve completed.
    Process Mining
    Analyze business processes and optimize them quickly.
    Service Operations Workspace for ITSM
    Improve your ITSM agent experience and manage your IT fulfillment volume more efficiently by using Service Operations Workspace. Manage your schedule and complete training by using Workforce Optimization for ITSM in the Service Operations Workspace.
    Skills Management
    Assess the skills that your organization needs, identify gaps, and plan for the hiring and training of your teams.
    Surveys
    Create, send, and collect responses for basic surveys. If installed, you can also use the Survey widget to set up a survey within the ServiceNow® Service Portal.