Creating an import set web service

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Creating an import set web service

    This guide explains how ServiceNow customers can create an import set web service to stage and transform imported data efficiently. The process involves setting up a web service import set table, optionally creating a transform map, and customizing the web service response. This enables automated and structured data integration into ServiceNow tables through inbound web services.

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    Creating the Web Service Import Set

    • Navigate to All > System Web Services > Inbound > Create New in ServiceNow.
    • Specify the web service Name (used as the import set table name) and Label (displayed in the import sets table).
    • Optionally check Create transform map and select the target table to define how data should be transformed after import.
    • After creation, you are directed to the Transform Map form to further specify mappings or scripts.

    Web Service Fields

    • Fields defined for the web service are exposed in the WSDL with the specified Name and appear in the import set table with the chosen Label.
    • All fields default to xsd:string type.
    • You can add, modify, or delete fields before or after web service creation by editing the target table.

    Mapping and Transforming Data

    • Transform maps created during or after web service creation run synchronously by default when the service is invoked.
    • This allows transforming staged import data into the target table format.

    Customizing Web Service Response

    • Transform map scripts can modify the web service response dynamically using a response JavaScript object.
    • For example, adding custom fields like transactionid or messages to the SOAP response.
    • This customization helps provide meaningful feedback to the web service consumer about the import operation.

    Debugging Inbound SOAP Requests

    • To debug SOAP requests, create the system property glide.processor.debug.SOAPProcessor and set it to true.
    • This logs all incoming SOAP requests to the System Log for troubleshooting.
    • Remember to set the property back to false after debugging to manage log size.

    Create a web service import set table to define how to stage and transform imported data.

    Navigate to All > System Web Services > Inbound > Create New.

    Figure 1. Create Web Service

    The Name of the web service is the table name of the import set table whereas the Label field is the resulting table field.

    If you want to create a transform map after creating the web service, check the Create transform map checkbox and choose the target table you want the data to transform into. After the Create button is selected, the web service is created and you will be immediately put into the Table Transform Map form. You may then continue to specify the transform map or script.

    Web Service Fields

    The fields available for this web service. All fields by default are published as the XSD type of xsd:string. The Name is the field that is exposed for the web service and therefore appears as the name of the field in the WSDL. The Label is the label of the field as it appears for the import sets table.

    You can Add, mark for Delete or modify (double-click the field) an existing web service field in this list.
    Note:
    After adding web service fields, click Create to create the web service import set table.

    To add other fields after the Web Service is created, find the target table, and add the fields to that table.

    Mapping web service import sets

    During the creation of the web service import set, you may optionally create the transform map for it.

    All transform maps are executed for the service when it is invoked and the import set mode is set as "Synchronous" (the default).

    The following image is an example of the transform map associated with the Notification web service import set.
    Figure 2. Notification Transform Map

    Adding Web Service Response Values

    In the transform map script associated with a web service import set, some variable values can change the response values of the web service. In addition to the normal variables that are available in a transform map script, the table documents the variables that are available and their effects.
    Table 1. Adding Web Service Response Values
    Variable name Type Description
    response Output Object Javascript object that holds dynamically created response elements used to customize the output response of a web service import set insert.

    Example

    // create new elements called "transaction_id" 
// and "hello" in the web service response
response.transaction_id="abc123";
response.hello="world";
 
status_message="message 1";
// this is the normal status_message variable
    The code snippet example results in the following response being generated back to the web service consumer
    <soapenv:Envelopexmlns:imp="http://www.service-now.com/imp_notification"                  
xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/">
<soapenv:Header/><soapenv:Body>
<insertResponse xmlns="http://www.service-now.com/imp_notification">
  <sys_id>969d157c0a0a0baf008ba5770ffa798c</sys_id>
  <table>incident</table>
  <display_name>number</display_name>
  <display_value>INC0010091</display_value>
  <status>inserted</status>
  <status_message>message 1</status_message>
  <transaction_id>abc123</transaction_id>
  <hello>world</hello>
</insertResponse>
</soapenv:Body></soapenv:Envelope>

    Debugging web service import sets

    To debug a SOAP Request coming into the system, create the system property glide.processor.debug.SOAPProcessor.

    Once you have created it, set it to true to have all SOAP requests be logged in the System Log. Set it to false when you are done to keep the size of your System Log to a managed length.