---
sourceDocument: Australia Service Management
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/service-management-for-the-enterprise

 Release :

    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia Service Management

ft:clusterId :

    - sm4e

bundleId :

    - sm4e

workflow :

    - Technology


---

# Agent assignment methods

# Agent assignment methods {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Australia  
Updated March 12, 2026  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read  
Depending on your settings in the SM application's configuration screen, you can assign
agents manually or using auto-assignment.
* **[Manually assign agents to active requests](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/5gt6XNu7Ij91srB3guYvWA)**   
  Use this procedure to assign agents to active requests in service management (SM) applications.
* **[Agent auto assignment](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/Si3MN6657b6ymRcLdrMt9g)**   
  When auto assignment is enabled and a task is qualified or marked as Ready for Work, an appropriate agent is automatically assigned to the task and it is moved to the Assigned state. If the task cannot be auto-assigned, a user with the dispatcher role must adjust the values in the request or task form and then save the record.