Case line item states

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    Summarized using AI
    This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.

    Summary of Case line item states

    Case line items in ServiceNow represent individual issues within a broader case and can exist in various states as agents work to resolve them. These states reflect the progression and current status of each line item, enabling clear tracking and management of different issues within a single case.

    Show full answer Show less

    Case Line Item States

    • Draft: Initial state when a case and its line items are created but not yet submitted.
    • New: State after case submission; all draft line items move to this state.
    • Work in Progress: Indicates an agent is actively working on the line item.
    • Awaiting Info: Agent has requested more information and is awaiting a response.
    • Resolved - Accepted: The change or resolution for the line item has been accepted.
    • Resolved - Denied: The proposed resolution has been denied.
    • Canceled: The line item has been canceled; applicable only when the case is in Draft.

    Synchronization of Case and Case Line Item States

    The Case lines and workflows application ensures the states of case line items are synchronized with the parent case state, providing consistency in status updates across all related items.

    • Draft: Both case and line items start in Draft upon creation.
    • New: When a case is submitted, all Draft line items move to New.
    • Work in Progress: Selecting "Assign to me" moves the case and all New line items to Work in Progress. If any line item is Work in Progress, the case reflects this state.
    • Resolved: When a case is marked Resolved, all associated line items are set to Resolved. The case is considered Resolved only if all line items are resolved.
    • Closed: A case can be closed only if all line items are in terminal states such as Resolved - Accepted, Resolved - Denied, or Canceled.
    • Canceled: Cases and their line items can be canceled only when in the Draft state.

    Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers

    This structured state management enables agents to track progress at both the case and individual line item levels, providing granular visibility into issue resolution. Synchronization between case and line item states ensures consistency, reducing manual updates and potential errors. Customers can rely on these states to automate workflows, trigger notifications, and maintain clear communication throughout the case lifecycle.

    A case line item can be in one of several different states as agents work to resolve a case and the associated case line items. The case line items in a case can be in different states as the agent works to resolve each issue.

    Table 1. Case line item states
    State Description
    Draft The case line item is in the Draft state.

    When a case is created and is in the Draft state, the associated case line items are also created in the Draft state.
    New The case line item is in the New state.

    When a case is submitted and moved to the New state, the associated case line items that are currently in the Draft state are also moved to the New state.
    Work in Progress The assigned agent is working on the case line item.
    Awaiting Info The assigned agent has requested additional information about the case line item and is waiting for a response.
    Resolved - Accepted The change to the case line item has been accepted.
    Resolved - Denied The change to the case line item has been denied.
    Canceled The case line item has been canceled.

    Syncing the state of a case with the case line items

    The Case lines and workflows application syncs the state of the case line items with the parent case.
    Table 2. Case and case line item states
    State Description
    Draft When a case is created for an item with multiple lines, such as an order, new case line items are also created. The case and case line items are created in the Draft state.
    New When a case is submitted, the state is updated from Draft to New. The states of the associated case line items that are currently in the Draft state are also set to New.
    Work in Progress When an agent selects Assign to me on a case in the New state, the state is updated from New to Work in Progress. The states of the associated order case line items that are currently in the New state are also set to Work in Progress.

    If any of the associated case line items are set to Work in Progress, the case is set to Work in Progress.
    Resolved When a case is set to Resolved, the status of each associated case line item is also set to Resolved.

    If all of the case line items are Resolved, the case is set to Resolved.
    Closed
    If all of the case line items are in a terminal state, the case can be set to Closed. Terminal states include:
    • Resolved - Accepted
    • Resolved - Denied
    • Canceled
    Canceled When a case in the Draft state is set to canceled, the status of each associated case line item is also set to canceled.
    Note:
    Agents can only cancel cases in the Draft state.