Exploring flows

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated April 21, 2025
  • 7 minutes to read
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    Summary of Exploring flows

    Flows in ServiceNow automate repeatable multi-step processes by running a sequence of reusable actions and flow logic when defined trigger conditions are met. This automation streamlines operations such as incident management and other workflows by executing tasks automatically based on configured criteria.

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    A flow consists of four key sections: the Trigger (defines when the flow runs), Actions (the steps the flow performs), Error Handler (manages flow errors), and Data Panel (stores variables used in the flow). Subflows are related automated sequences without triggers that run only when called from flows, subflows, or scripts.

    Key Features

    • Triggers: Define when a flow starts, supporting record-based, scheduled, and application-based triggers.
    • Actions: Reusable operations that automate platform features without coding, such as creating or updating records. Actions can be core, application-specific, or custom-developed.
    • Subflows: Modular sequences of actions called from flows or other subflows, enabling reusability and simplified management.
    • Flow Error Handler: Captures and manages errors during flow execution, allowing corrective actions like logging or notifications.
    • Data Panel: Displays variables generated during flow execution for easy configuration and data passing between actions.
    • Component Pickers: Facilitate finding and adding actions, flow logic, and subflows through search, recent, popular lists, and application spokes.
    • Spokes: Scoped applications containing pre-built actions and subflows for specific areas (e.g., ITSM), extendable via plugins or custom development.
    • Flow Execution Details: View runtime information, including current state, executed steps, outputs, and errors, directly within Workflow Studio.
    • Flow Debugger: Step through flows with breakpoints to diagnose and troubleshoot complex workflows.
    • Domain Separation Support: Enables segregation of data and flows across tenant domains for security and administration.
    • Saved Flow Triggers: Define and reuse trigger configurations across multiple flows, controlling visibility and modification rights.

    Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Increased Efficiency: Automates repetitive tasks to improve operational speed and user experience.
    • Enhanced Understandability: Uses natural language descriptions and visual diagrams to make flows accessible for non-technical users.
    • Single Interface for Development and Testing: Build, visualize, and validate workflows within Workflow Studio to ensure expected behavior.
    • Reusable Components: Share actions and subflows across teams, reducing development time and promoting standardization.
    • Reduced Costs: Upgrade-safe workflows minimize custom scripting and lower maintenance and development expenses.
    • Scalability: Supports integrations and robotic process automation (RPA) through separate subscriptions as needed.

    Getting Started and Practical Use

    ServiceNow customers can create flows by selecting triggers and adding actions via the intuitive Workflow Studio interface. Actions can be configured with inputs from triggers or other actions’ outputs, using data pills for easy data mapping. The flow structure supports sequential numbering for clarity.

    Customers can leverage existing spokes for common business areas or create custom spokes for application-specific needs. Workflow Studio provides tools for debugging, viewing execution details, and managing flow versions including read-only modes to prevent unintended changes.

    Overall, flows empower process owners, developers, and administrators to automate complex processes efficiently, with robust tools for creation, management, error handling, and reuse—all within the ServiceNow AI Platform.

    Flows automate a repeatable multi-step process. When the flow trigger conditions are met, the flow runs a sequence of reusable actions and flow logic to complete the process.

    Flows overview

    Parts of a flow including a trigger, flow steps, and a result

    A flow is an automated process consisting of a trigger, a sequence of reusable actions, and flow logic. The trigger specifies when to run the flow. The actions perform a sequence of operations on your data. For example, the VTB Sample Flow creates and assigns a VTB card whenever a priority 1 incident is created.

    Flows consist of the following components.

    Trigger
    A trigger specifies when to run the flow. When the trigger conditions are met, the system runs the flow using the data provided by the trigger. Workflow Studio supports a variety of trigger types such as record, Service Catalog requests, and scheduled triggers. For a description of available trigger types, see
    Flow execution details
    A flow execution details page allows a flow author to view run-time information about an action or flow directly from the design environment. You can view details such as the current state, actions or steps run, output values generated, and errors produced. See Flow execution details.
    Flow error handler
    A flow error handler enables a flow to catch and report errors from the flow execution details. Run a sequence of actions and subflows to identify and correct issues. For example, have flows log output values, send notifications, and run corrective subflows when they produce an error. See Flow error handler.
    Subflows
    A subflow is an automated process consisting of a sequence of reusable actions, data inputs, and outputs. In contrast to flows, subflows do not have a trigger but instead run when called from a flow, from another subflow, or from a script. Building and managing subflows requires that you have some familiarity with the ServiceNow AI Platform tables and fields that the application or process uses. Process analysts can create subflows using available actions or use an existing subflow as a template. See Building subflows.
    Actions
    An action is a reusable operation that enables process analysts to automate ServiceNow AI Platform features without having to write code. For example, the Create Record action allows process analysts to generate records in a particular table with particular values when certain conditions occur. ServiceNow core actions like Create Record require some familiarity with ServiceNow AI Platform tables and fields. Action designers can create application-specific actions to pre-set configuration details. For example, creating a Create Incident Task action ensures that the process analyst uses the correct table and field configuration each time the action is used. You can add application-specific actions by activating the associated spoke. See Workflow Studio actions.
    Spokes
    A spoke is a scoped application containing Workflow Studio actions and subflows for managing specific tables. For example, the ITSM Spoke contains actions for managing Incident and Problem records. You can activate additional spokes from the ServiceNow Store or activating the appropriate plugin. Building your own spoke requires familiarity with application development on the ServiceNow AI Platform. For a list of available spokes, see Spokes.

    This topic describes the basic tasks involved in creating a flow using Workflow Studio. For detailed instructions for creating a flow, see Create a flow in Workflow Studio.

    Sections of a flow

    Four sections of a flow: trigger, actions, error handler, and data panel.

    A flow consists of four sections.

    1. Trigger section
    The Trigger section is where you select and define when the flow runs. Each trigger type defines when a flow starts and the starting data available to it. There are triggers for record operations, dates, and application operations.​

    Flows support record-based, schedule-based, and application-based trigger types. For more information about available trigger types, see Workflow Studio flow trigger types.

    2. Action section
    The Actions section is where you select and configure the steps that make up your flow. You can add actions, flow logic, and subflows to a flow by opening the associated picker.

    Sequential numbers appear next to each item in the design canvas. Action numbers start with 1 and then increment by 1 as you add more items to the flow.

    3. Error handler section
    The Error handler section of the flows is where you can enable the flow to catch and correct errors. For more information about using the error handler section, see Flow error handler.
    4. Data panel
    The Data panel stores any data gathered or generated by the flow as variables. Each data variable has its own pill that Flow designers can use to drag the variable value to an action input or output. Flows generate the pill name based on the contents and its data type. The system specifies the variable data type next to the pill.
    Figure 1. Example flow data in the data panel
    Example flow data in the data panel.

    Action configuration

    Add an action to a flow by opening the action picker. Configure an action by specifying its input values, which may be data from the flow trigger or the output of other actions. Enter values for inputs directly, or use data from the Data panel to configure an action's inputs. At the start of a flow, the data may be limited to the flow trigger or subflow inputs. As you add actions to a flow, the output values of each action appear as data pills in the Data panel.

    Component pickers

    In the Actions section of a flow, you can select the Action, Flow logic, or Subflow options to open a picker for that component type. You can either enter text in the search window to search for a component, or browse the categories to find a component that you want to add to your flow.

    Figure 2. Action picker menu
    Use the action picker to find actions that you can add to your flow.

    The Action picker consists of several features to make finding actions easier.

    Search actions
    The Action picker filters the list of actions it displays as you type. The picker only displays actions that match your search query.
    Most recent
    The Action picker displays a list of the most recent actions that you have selected during this session.
    Popular
    The Action picker displays a list of actions that other users have frequently used.
    Installed Spokes
    Some applications include spokes which add application-specific actions. Spoke actions are typically read-only but can be copied and customized. The Action picker groups actions by the application scope that they belong to. Select a spoke to see its list of actions.
    ServiceNow Core actions
    Your instance comes with a collection of core actions, or frequently used ServiceNow AI Platform operations, that can be added to any flow.
    Global spoke actions
    Developers may create custom actions in the Global application scope to make them available to all applications. ServiceNow provides some actions in the Global scope for use in any flow.
    Custom actions
    Developers may also create custom actions in an application scope that they own. Custom actions appear in the action picker under the application scope of the spoke.

    Descriptions of flow data

    See a natural language description of the data each component of a flow uses. Understand what data flow triggers, actions, and flow logic blocks use without having to open their configuration details.

    Figure 3. Example flow with descriptions of data
    Example flow with detailed descriptions of data
    For example, this flow uses these descriptions.
    Trigger description

    The create record trigger describes the conditions that must be met to start the flow.

    Incident Created where (Short description starts with [demo], and Assigned to is not empty )

    Action description

    The Look Up Records action describes the filter conditions it uses to find records.

    Look Up Incident Records where (Caller is [Trigger - Record Created > ... > Caller], and Active is true)

    Flow logic description

    The If flow logic describes the conditions which must be met to run the actions it contains.

    If [1 - Look Up Records > Count] is greater than 1

    Flows benefits

    Flows provide process owners and developers these benefits:
    • Automates repetitive work to improve efficiency and experience.
    • Describes a workflow in natural language to help non-technical users understand what it does.
    • Displays a workflow as a diagram to help builders see available paths and connections.
    • Enables creating and testing a workflow from a single interface to ensure it works as expected.
    • Promotes process automation by enabling subject matter experts to develop and share reusable actions with flow authors.
    • Reduces upgrade costs, with upgrade-safe ServiceNow AI Platform logic replacing complex custom script.
    • Reduces development costs by providing a library of reusable actions.
    • Scales with separate subscriptions for integration and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) functionality.
    Benefit Feature Users
    Build an automated workflow from an existing library of automated operations. Flow Application developer, process owner, or administrator
    Run an automated workflow when a set of trigger conditions are met. Flow Application developer, process owner, or administrator
    Use a set of trigger conditions as input data to run an automated workflow. Flow Application developer, process owner, or administrator