--- sourceDocument: Australia Strategic Portfolio Management sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/it-business-management Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia Strategic Portfolio Management ft:clusterId : - itbm bundleId : - itbm workflow : - Technology --- # SAFe entities # SAFe entities {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated March 12, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of SAFe entities This content explains key SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) entities essential for planning, tracking, and delivering software products efficiently in a scaled agile environment. It defines the hierarchy and relationships between work items from large initiatives down to individual team efforts, enabling ServiceNow customers to structure and manage their agile delivery processes effectively. Show full answer Show less ## Key Entities and Their Roles * **Epic:** The largest unit of work representing significant business initiatives or hypotheses. Epics span multiple program increments and are prioritized using WSJF (Weighted Shortest Job First) for maximum business value. Epics are decomposed into features for delivery by Agile Release Trains (ARTs). * **Feature:** A smaller, deliverable component within an epic that fits within a single program increment. Features are prioritized in the ART backlog and further broken down into user stories for implementation by SAFe teams. * **Story:** The smallest unit of work describing specific product requirements or business value in user-centric language. Stories are sized using story points to estimate effort and are designed to be completed within a single sprint. * **Agile Release Train (ART):** A collection of agile teams collaborating to deliver a common solution. * **Program Increment (PI):** A timeboxed period (usually 8--12 weeks) during which ART teams plan, develop, and deliver incremental value typically consisting of multiple sprints and an innovation and planning sprint. * **SAFe Team:** A cross-functional, autonomous team responsible for delivering user stories and features. Teams are assigned to ARTs and can be managed by users with specific roles (safescrummaster or safeartuser). System administrators or designated roles control team member assignments with configurable permissions. * **Sprint:** Subdivisions of a program increment, usually measured in weeks, where teams execute their planned work. ## Practical Application in ServiceNow * Create and manage epics as your largest business goals, then break them down into features and stories for manageable delivery cycles within program increments. * Define ARTs to organize multiple agile teams working toward a unified solution and associate SAFe teams to ARTs in ServiceNow. * Plan work in program increments and sprints to align team efforts with business priorities and delivery timelines. * Utilize role-based permissions for managing teams and members, ensuring proper governance and control over agile delivery structures. ## Expected Outcomes By applying these SAFe entities within ServiceNow, customers can expect improved visibility and control over large-scale agile initiatives, optimized prioritization using WSJF, structured team collaboration via ARTs, and efficient delivery of incremental business value through program increments and sprints. Learn about the various SAFe entities that are used to successfully plan, track, and deliver your software products. Epic : Epic in SAFe is the largest unit of work, which can be continuously worked through multiple program increments. Epic captures business hypotheses. It is prioritized and assessed using the WSJF (Weighted Shortest Job First) score, which prioritizes and sequences jobs to produce optimum business value. An epic is further decomposed into features for implementation and delivery by SAFe ARTs. Feature : A SAFe feature is equivalent to an epic in Agile Development. It must be small enough for completion within a program increment cycle. It is prioritized and sequenced in an ART backlog based on its global ranking. A feature is further decomposed into user stories for implementation and delivery by SAFe teams. Story : A SAFe story is a brief statement encapsulating a product requirement or business case written in user-centric language. A story must be small enough for completion in one sprint. The estimated effort required to complete a story is measured in story points. More points are assigned to a story requiring more effort. Story points are arbitrary measurements of the effort (not necessarily the time) required to complete a story, based on the estimates from the SAFe team members. Agile Release Train : Agile Release Train (ART) comprises a set of teams working towards a single solution. Program Increment : A program increment is set period during which teams in an ART collaborate and produce to achieve agreed-upon goals. A program increment in SAFe is similar to a sprint in Agile Development, typically spanning 8--12 weeks. The most common form of program increment comprises four development sprints followed by one innovation and planning sprint. SAFe team : SAFe team is an autonomous, cross-functional team containing members possessing different skill-sets who work in collaboration to achieve a common goal. A user with the safe_scrum_master or safe_art_user role can create a SAFe team. You can assign these teams to SAFe work items such as stories, epics, and features. Once a SAFe team is created, you can add members to it. * New customers: System administrator can add members to the team. * Existing customers: A user with the safe_scrum_master or safe_art_user role can add members to your SAFe team. Note: You can restrict this function just to the system administrator by creating the safe.disallow_scrum_add_group_member property and setting it to true. For information on how to create a property, see [Add a system property](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=t_AddAPropertyUsingSysPropsList&version=australia&pubname=australia-platform-administration&ft:locale=en-US). {#key-entities-SAFe__ul_n1q_jmp_xqb} Sprint : Program Increments in SAFe are further segmented into sprints for teams involved in it, and are measured in terms of weeks. * **[Define an epic in SAFe](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/EjjVktj1hC5e7u6k6k4gJw)** Create an epic within SAFe. An epic is the largest unit of work that has one common objective such customer request, or business requirement. An epic is further decomposed into features for implementation and delivery by SAFe agile release trains (ARTs). * **[Define a feature in SAFe](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/2qRTwLFGc27LImxl~62kXg)** Create a feature in SAFe and break it down into smaller user stories for implementation and delivery by SAFe teams. * **[Define a story in SAFe](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/bVZ8UyeLSA7tFciEMxbLlA)** Create high-level definitions of your requirements in the form of stories in SAFe. * **[Define an Agile Release Train](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/irp7xRfdGKUTLsjDqHtUvQ)** From SAFe, define an Agile Release Train (ART) which is a group of agile teams working towards a single solution. * **[Define a program increment in SAFe](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Upfn0IrU9A_qh_TcHId5sw)** With SAFe, define a program increment (PI). A program increment is typically 8--12 weeks long, during which an ART delivers incremental value in the form of working, tested software and systems. * **[Define a SAFe team](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/swC0UKF5f~pxpDnFMziktw)** From SAFe, create an agile team and associate it to an ART. **Related concepts** * [SAFe PI objectives](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/IfleGRzOAoYIM2nOICWs7g "Use SAFe program increment (PI) objectives to highlight the overall goals for a team or for an agile release train (ART) in a PI.") * [SAFe Board --- ART level](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/DLIepO4o9kHvD1Eqs5BZrA "As a product manager, you can plan and monitor activities across teams within your agile release train (ART) by accessing the ART level on the SAFe Board.") * [SAFe Board --- Team level](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/ivjrEfslvBhQhKUFtOd7GQ "As a team member, you can plan and monitor activities within your team by accessing the Team level on the SAFe Board.") **Related reference** * [Components installed with Essential SAFe](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/mzvFjSrYqBZKzRhLhmsZ5g "Several types of components are installed with activation of the Agile - Scaled Agile Framework - Essential SAFe plugin (com.snc.sdlc.safe), including tables and user roles.") * [Quick start tests for Essential SAFe](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Ai4AQ6PwBEonfKHaa_GK6A "Validate that Essential SAFe still works after you make any configuration change such as apply an upgrade or develop an application. Copy and customize these quick start tests to pass when using your instance-specific data.")