Certification templates

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Certification Templates

    Certification templates in ServiceNow define the expected attributes, relationships, and reference field values for records, facilitating audits of ServiceNow records. The selected certification filter identifies the records to audit, while the template conditions outline their expected state. The audit type assigned to a template influences the available tables and conditions.

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    Key Features

    • Audit Types: The type of audit created determines the applicable tables and conditions. The following audit types are available:
      • Compliance: Allows audits on any ServiceNow records, providing conditions for attributes and related lists.
      • Architecture Compliance: Specific to records extending the Configuration Item [cmdbci] table, setting conditions for physical attributes and related lists.
      • Desired State: Also for records extending the Configuration Item [cmdbci] table, it includes conditions for attributes, CI relationships, user relations, and group relations.
    • Role-Based Access: Users with the certificationadmin role can create, update, and delete templates, while those with the certification role can view template versions.
    • Template Record List: The default Templates list shows only the active version of each template, but users can modify this to view all versions by adjusting the breadcrumbs.

    Key Outcomes

    By utilizing certification templates, ServiceNow customers can effectively manage and audit their records, ensuring compliance and maintaining the integrity of their data. The flexibility in defining conditions and relationships allows for tailored audits that meet specific organizational needs. Access control ensures that only authorized users can make changes, promoting data security and governance.

    Certification templates can define attributes, relationships, and reference field values that indicate what a record is expected to contain.

    These values are used to perform audits on ServiceNow records. The certification filter selected in the template identifies the table and records to audit, and the template conditions set the expected state for those records. The type of audit you create determines which tables and template conditions are available.

    Users with the certification_admin role can create, update, and delete templates. Users with the certification role can view template versions.

    Certification template audit types

    When you create a template, ServiceNow assigns an Audit type that determines which tables and conditions are available in the certification template. This value is based on the application from which the template is created. Each application lists only the templates with the associated type.

    Available Condition Builders

    The available condition builders for each audit type:
    • Compliance: Runs audits on any set of ServiceNow records, not only configuration items (CI). This audit type provides the following types of conditions for any ServiceNow table:
      • Attribute: Sets conditions for the attributes of the records.
      • Related List: Runs audits on records in tables that reference the table defined in the template.
    • Architecture Compliance: Defines the following types of conditions for tables that extend the Configuration Item [cmdb_ci] table.
      • Attribute: Sets conditions for physical attributes of CIs, such as memory or disk size.
      • Related List: Runs audits on records in tables that reference the table defined in the template.
    • Desired State: Defines the following types of conditions for tables that extend the Configuration Item [cmdb_ci] table.
      • Attribute: Sets conditions for physical attributes of CIs, such as memory or disk size.
      • CI relationship: Defines the relationships these CIs have with other CIs. An example of a relationship is a business service, such as Outlook Web Access, that depends on a server.
      • User relationship: Defines the user who reviewed the log records. The only operator available with this condition builder.
      • Group relationship: Defines user groups who backed up this CI. The only operator available with this condition builder.
      • Related List: Runs audits on records in tables that point toward the table defined in the template.

    Certification Template Record List

    The default Templates list displays only the active version of each template, but you can update the breadcrumbs to display all template versions.
    • Default Templates List: The default Templates list displays only the active version of each template, filtered by Audit type.
    • All Template Versions: To view all template versions for an audit type, click the arrow before Active=true to remove that condition from the breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs.