Integrating ServiceNow with Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Integrating ServiceNow with Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365

    This guide explains how to configure your ServiceNow instance to integrate with Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365 applications, enabling streamlined collaboration and enhanced employee experience. The integration supports both new Microsoft 365 applications and legacy Microsoft Teams setups, with a focus on seamless authorization and connectivity between ServiceNow and Microsoft Office 365 tenants.

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    Note the upgrade path: from IT Service Management and HR Service Delivery for Microsoft 365 versions, ServiceNow for Microsoft Teams has transitioned to ServiceNow for Microsoft 365.

    Key Features

    • Role Requirements: To connect ServiceNow with Microsoft Office 365 and authorize applications, you must have both the externalappinstalladmin role in ServiceNow and the application administrator role in Microsoft Office 365.
    • Azure AD Tenant Model: Azure Active Directory organizes users and apps into tenants. Applications can be configured as either self-configured (single-tenant) or pre-published (multi-tenant), affecting how they connect to ServiceNow instances.
    • App Configuration Choices:
      • Pre-published App: Provided by ServiceNow, no need to create your own Azure app, moderate Azure expertise required, automatic updates by ServiceNow after admin consent. Recommended for single Microsoft tenant to single ServiceNow instance integration.
      • Self-configured App: You create and own the Azure app in your Azure portal, requiring higher Azure proficiency. Necessary for single Microsoft tenant connecting to multiple ServiceNow instances or for single ServiceNow instance connecting to multiple Microsoft tenants.
    • Admin Consent: When consenting to app permissions, a Service Principal is created representing the Azure app, which is crucial for authorization and connectivity.

    Key Outcomes

    • Enable efficient integration of ServiceNow with Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365 apps tailored to your organizational structure and tenant setup.
    • Ensure proper role assignments and app configuration choices to maintain control, security, and smooth operation of the integration.
    • Benefit from either managed ServiceNow-provided apps or custom Azure apps depending on your environment’s complexity and multi-instance needs.
    • Prepare your ServiceNow instance accordingly, understanding the differences between pre-published and self-configured app models to meet your integration goals.

    Set up your ServiceNow instance to integrate Microsoft Teams or Microsoft 365 applications.

    Important:

    For upgrading existing Microsoft Teams capabilities to Microsoft 365 applications, see Integrating ServiceNow with Microsoft 365 applications for Employee Experience.

    To connect your ServiceNow instance to your Microsoft Office 365 tenant and to authorize applications, you must have both the external_app_install_admin role and the application administrator role in Microsoft Office 365. For more information on Microsoft roles, see the Microsoft documentation on Azure AD built-in roles.

    Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) organizes objects like users and apps into groups called tenants.

    Self-configured apps (previously referred to as single-tenant) are available only in the tenant they were registered in, also known as their home tenant. Here, a single Microsoft Teams tenant is connected to multiple ServiceNow instances.

    Pre-published apps (previously referred to as multi-tenant) are available to users in both their home tenants and other tenants. Here, a single Microsoft Teams tenant is connected to a single ServiceNow instance.

    Table 1. Choose between a self-configured app and a pre-published app configuration
    Pre-published app Self-configured app

    • The relevant Microsoft Azure app is provided by ServiceNow so you don’t need to create your own.

      No need to create an app in the Microsoft Azure portal. Moderate Microsoft Azure expertise is required.

    • Once the administrator consents, ServiceNow automatically updates the Microsoft Azure app.
    • You must create your own app in the Microsoft Azure portal.

      Requires proficiency in Microsoft Azure portal.

    • Own and control the Microsoft Azure app.

    When you consent to the app to use the required permissions, a Service Principal (SP) is created representing the Microsoft Azure app. For more information about the admin consent, see Understand user and admin consent.

    In a self-configured app configuration, you must create an app in Microsoft Azure portal and use the app ID and the client ID values to connect to your ServiceNow instance.

    When to use Pre-published app or Self-configured app configuration

    Use the self-configured app or pre-published app configuration based on the following conditions:
    • In case of a single Microsoft tenant to multiple ServiceNow® instances integration, use the self-configured configuration setup.
    • In case of a single Microsoft tenant to single ServiceNow® instance integration, it is recommend to use the pre-published configuration setup. However, you can still use the self-configured configuration setup.
    • In case of a single ServiceNow® instance to multiple Microsoft tenant integration, use the Self-configured configuration setup.