Self service

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Self service

    ServiceNow applications often require end users to access and interact with data models through self-service options. The primary tool to enable this is the Service Portal, which offers a user-friendly web experience tailored for Requestor or Self-Service users. This approach enhances usability by allowing users to create application records easily via record producers, which provide a more intuitive interface than standard forms.

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    Key Features

    • Service Portal: Use the existing Service Portal to facilitate self-service access or create a new, customized Service Portal when your application requires distinct branding, navigation, enhanced functionality, or greater control over user experience than the default portals offer.
    • Record Producers: Create record producers to simplify the process for self-service users to generate application records. Coordinate with your ServiceNow Administrator to ensure appropriate catalog placement and categorization for easy access through the Service Portal.
    • Widgets: Widgets define the content and functionality of the Service Portal pages. You can use baseline system widgets or develop custom widgets tailored to your business needs. Custom widgets should be developed by starting from existing widgets to avoid modifying read-only baseline components.
    • Widget Development Best Practices:
      • Test widgets using the preview pane and on actual portal pages before production deployment.
      • Employ third-party debugging tools like the ng-inspector Chrome extension for AngularJS applications.
      • Use $rootScope.$emit() instead of $rootScope.$broadcast() for event handling.
      • Leverage widget options and, if necessary, extension tables to handle custom option schemas for reusability.
      • Implement Angular Providers to manage persistent data and logic efficiently across multiple widgets, enhancing portal performance and load times.

    Practical Guidance for ServiceNow Customers

    To provide an effective self-service experience, assess whether your application’s needs justify creating a new Service Portal or can be met by customizing existing portals and widgets. Collaborate with your ServiceNow Administrator to properly configure record producers within service catalogs for easy user access. When developing custom widgets, follow best practices to ensure maintainability, performance, and a consistent user experience. Utilizing Angular Providers and widget options will help create reusable, high-performing components that enhance the overall portal usability.

    Your application may need a way for end users to be able to access your data model, so there are self-service options available.

    Service Portal

    If the application has Requestor or Self-Service users, use Service Portal to provide a friendly web experience.

    To give self-service users the ability to easily create application records from the Service Portal, create a record producer. A record producer can provide a better end-user experience than a regular form. Talk to your ServiceNow Administrator about the appropriate catalog and categorization to make the record producer accessible through the Service Portal.

    Alternatively, create a Service Portal for your app if the following is true:

    The application needs different branding, navigation, or user experience than an organization’s current Service Portal.

    OR

    The organization does not have an existing Service Portal.

    AND

    The application needs more functionality than the default portals provide.

    AND

    The application requires a more customized user experience than the default forms and lists can provide.

    OR

    The application needs more control over branding and themes than the default interface provides.
    Tip:
    Do not try to reuse any existing service portal pages in an application. Create new pages and then reuse components in your pages, such as widgets and headers.

    Widgets

    Widgets are what define the portal content. The base system widgets provided with Service Portal can be used, or developers can build custom widgets to fit business needs.

    Considerations for creating custom Service Portal widgets for an application:

    • Start from an existing widget instead of creating a widget from scratch. To protect existing widgets from accidental modifications, all baseline widgets are read-only.
    • When developing a widget, use the preview pane to quickly test the widget's behavior. Always test the widget on a portal page before releasing a widget to production.
    • Use third-party debugging tools when debugging browser-based applications. For example, the ng-inspector Chrome extension for Angular JS.
    • Avoid the use of $rootScope.$broadcast(). Instead, use $rootScope.$emit() to publish an event to the rootscope.
    • Use widget options to make widgets more easily reusable. The widget option schema defines the user-configurable fields.
    • For field types not supported in the option schema, create an extension table to store a custom widget option schema.
    • Make use of Angular Providers, which are reusable components that can be injected into multiple widgets. To ensure quick loading widgets and a high performing portal, create Angular Providers instead of overloading your client controllers with persistent data and additional logic. With Angular Providers, you can maintain data for the lifetime of your Service Portal and reuse components and data objects across multiple widgets.

    For more information, see Service Portal training.