---
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


---

# Programs enhanced experience

# Programs enhanced experience with portfolio plan view {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Australia  
Updated September 1, 2026  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 3 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 Programs Enhanced Experience with Portfolio Plan View

The Programs enhanced experience in ServiceNow offers dedicated and focused planning interfaces for managing individual programs within your portfolio.
It eliminates setup complexity by automatically creating program-specific plans that provide instant access to multiple planning views.
This enhancement streamlines program management by isolating program-scoped data and offering a direct navigation menu, enabling program managers and team members to work efficiently without navigating broader portfolio interfaces.
Show full answer Show less  

## Key Features

* **Dedicated Program Plans:** Each program automatically receives its own plan with no manual setup required, including backfill for existing programs.
* **Multiple Planning Views:** Programs include Prioritization, Roadmap, Kanban, Hierarchy, Capacity, and Financials views to support various management workflows such as prioritizing initiatives, visualizing timelines, managing work status, and tracking financial metrics.
* **Program-Scoped Data:** Planning data is filtered to display only items, goals, risks, financials, and team members associated with the specific program, reducing noise from portfolio-wide data.
* **Fiscal Calendar Support:** Financial data aligns with your organization's fiscal calendar by default, with a fallback to the Gregorian calendar if needed, ensuring accurate financial tracking.
* **Programs Menu:** A new menu in the workspace allows single-click navigation to any program's enhanced planning view, improving accessibility and reducing navigation overhead.
* **Role-Based Access Control:** Access and permissions to program plans are governed by roles (Read, Manage, Program Manager), ensuring appropriate security and management capabilities.

## Key Outcomes

* **Streamlined Program Management:** Users can focus on program-level planning without distraction from portfolio-wide data or complex configuration.
* **Immediate Productivity:** Automatic plan creation provides instant access to comprehensive planning tools upon program creation.
* **Flexible Visualization:** Multiple views support diverse program management needs, enabling better prioritization, scheduling, resource allocation, and financial oversight.
* **Improved Financial Accuracy:** Alignment with fiscal calendars facilitates precise budget tracking and forecasting at the program level.
* **Enhanced User Experience:** Direct navigation and role-based security simplify access and maintain control over program planning activities.  
Programs enhanced experience provides dedicated program planning views with zero setup. Access program-scoped planning data including Prioritization, Roadmap, Kanban, and Financials views for focused program management without
navigating portfolio-wide interfaces.

## What is program enhanced experience? {#program-portfolio-plan-spw__section_h34_tt1_lkc}

Program enhanced experience provides dedicated, focused planning interfaces for managing individual programs. Each program receives its own plan with instant access to planning views without requiring setup or configuration. Navigate
to the new Programs menu and select any program to open its dedicated plan with program-scoped planning data and multiple visualization options.

Programs enhanced experience includes:

* **Dedicated program plans:** Each program gets an automatic plan with zero setup
* **Multiple planning views:** Prioritization, Roadmap, Kanban, and Financials views
* **Program-scoped data:** View only that program's planning items and data
* **Fiscal calendar support:** Financials tab defaults to your fiscal calendar
* **Automatic plan creation:** New programs receive plans instantly; existing programs are backfilled automatically

{#program-portfolio-plan-spw__ul_i34_tt1_lkc}

## Program planning views {#program-portfolio-plan-spw__section_j34_tt1_lkc}

Each program plan includes four dedicated planning views:
{#program-portfolio-plan-spw__table_jby_1fk_lkc__entry__3}

| View | Purpose | Use Case |
|-|-|-|
| Prioritization | Organize and prioritize planning items within the program | Rank initiatives, determine delivery order, manage dependencies |
| Roadmap | Visualize program timeline and schedule across planning items | Track delivery milestones, align timelines, communicate program direction |
| Kanban | Manage program work across status columns in a visual board | Monitor work flow, identify blockers, manage work-in-progress |
| Hierarchy | View hierarchical structure and relationships of planning items | Understand parent-child relationships, drill down into planning items, analyze program structure |
| Capacity | Track team resource capacity and allocation | Monitor resource utilization, manage workload, identify constraints, plan allocation |
| Financials | Track program budget, costs, and financial metrics | Monitor spend, forecast costs, manage program financial health |
[ ]

{#program-portfolio-plan-spw__table_jby_1fk_lkc}

## Program-scoped data {#program-portfolio-plan-spw__section_l34_tt1_lkc}

Program plans display only that program's planning items in a focused, streamlined interface. This scope isolation ensures you see relevant data without portfolio-wide noise. Program-scoped planning data includes:

* Planning items (demands, projects, epics, capabilities, features) assigned to the program
* Goals and initiatives linked to the program
* Risks, issues, decisions, actions, and changes associated with program items
* Financial data specific to the program
* Program team members and stakeholders

{#program-portfolio-plan-spw__ul_m34_tt1_lkc}

Portfolio-level features such as making plans public and scenario planning are hidden at the program level to maintain focus on program-specific planning.

## Fiscal calendar support {#program-portfolio-plan-spw__section_n34_tt1_lkc}

The Financials tab in program plans defaults to your fiscal calendar, displaying program financial data aligned to your organization's fiscal periods. If your fiscal calendar does not span the program's date range, the system
gracefully falls back to Gregorian calendar with an explanatory message. This flexibility ensures accurate financial tracking regardless of your calendar configuration.

## Programs menu {#program-portfolio-plan-spw__section_o34_tt1_lkc}

A new Programs menu has been added to the workspace as an L2 menu, positioned below Portfolio Plan. The Programs menu lists every program in your portfolio and provides single-click navigation to each program's enhanced planning view.
This direct access streamlines program navigation and reduces menu navigation overhead.

## Role-based access for program planning {#program-portfolio-plan-spw__section_p34_tt1_lkc}

{#program-portfolio-plan-spw__simpletable_q34_tt1_lkc__stentry__3}

| Role | Access level | Permissions |
|-|-|-|
| sn_align_core.ap_read_only | Read | Can view program plans and planning data (where they already have program-level read access) |
| sn_align_core.apw_user | Manage | Can create, update, and manage planning items within program plans |
| Program Manager | Full Access | Automatic plan owner; can manage all aspects of the program plan |

{#program-portfolio-plan-spw__simpletable_q34_tt1_lkc}

## Automatic plan creation and backfill {#program-portfolio-plan-spw__section_r34_tt1_lkc}

Program plans are created automatically with zero setup required:

* **New programs:** Receive dedicated plans instantly upon creation
* **Existing programs:** Automatically backfilled with plans in batches of 500 at a time, newest programs first

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No manual configuration, template selection, or setup steps are needed. Programs receive full planning functionality immediately.

## Benefits of program enhanced experience {#program-portfolio-plan-spw__section_t34_tt1_lkc}

* **Zero setup:** Program plans are created automatically without configuration
* **Focused planning:** View only program-scoped data without portfolio-wide distractions
* **Multiple visualizations:** Choose the planning view that fits your workflow
* **Fiscal calendar alignment:** Financial data aligns to your organization's fiscal periods
* **Direct navigation:** Programs menu provides single-click access to each program plan
* **Role-based security:** Access controlled by established roles for program planning
* **Automatic plan ownership:** Program managers are automatically assigned as plan owners
{#program-portfolio-plan-spw__ul_u34_tt1_lkc}