Synchronization between incident and problem records

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Synchronization between incident and problem records

    This feature enables synchronization between Problem and Incident records within ServiceNow, specifically when using the Problem Management Best Practice — Madrid plugins. Changes made to Problem records can automatically impact related Incident records, ensuring consistent communication and updates across both types of records. Notifications are sent to relevant users when these updates occur.

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    Key Features

    • Problem Management Best Practice — Madrid plugin: When a workaround or fix is communicated from a Problem record, the information is copied to the associated Incident’s work notes or additional comments, and notifications are sent to assigned users and watchers. This only affects Incident records not in resolved, closed, or canceled states.
    • Workaround Communication: Clicking the "Communicate workaround" link copies the workaround to Incident’s Work notes and Additional Comments fields and notifies users if the Incident state is New, On Hold, or In Progress. If the Incident’s resolution code is "Known error," additional notifications are sent to the caller and watchers.
    • Fix Communication: Clicking the "Communicate Fix" link copies the fix to the Incident’s Work Notes and notifies assigned users and those listed in the Work notes field.
    • Problem Management Best Practice — Madrid — State Model plugin: When a Problem is closed or resolved with a resolution code of Fix Applied or Risk Accepted, and the related Incident is On Hold awaiting the Problem, the Incident’s state and resolution codes are updated accordingly. Notifications are sent to the Incident’s caller and assigned users.
    • Resolution Updates: For a closed Problem with Fix Applied, the Incident’s resolution notes indicate the related Problem closure and the Incident is set to Resolved with a specific resolution code. For Risk Accepted, risk acceptance details are copied to the Incident’s work notes.

    Key Outcomes

    • Ensures consistency between Problem and related Incident records by automatically propagating key updates such as workarounds, fixes, and resolution statuses.
    • Keeps Incident stakeholders informed through automatic notifications tied to the status and updates of associated Problems.
    • Improves communication efficiency and helps Incident responders understand the context and resolution progress related to underlying Problems.
    • Supports better incident resolution workflows by linking Problem resolution states directly to Incident state management.

    Change in a Problem record impacts related Incident records. Notification is sent to the user for each such update.

    When you activate the Problem Management Best Practice — Madrid (com.snc.best_practice.problem.madrid) and the Problem Management Best Practice — Madrid — State Model (com.snc.best_practice.problem.madrid.state_model) plugin, the changes in a Problem record impact incidents that are associated to that Problem.

    Table 1. Impact on incident records
    Plugin Incident state Problem state Action on Problem Action on Incident
    Problem Management Best Practice — Madrid plugin 
    com.snc.best_practice.problem.madrid
    		 Any incident state other than resolved, closed, or canceled. Any Click the Communicate workaround related link
    • The workaround is copied to the Work notes field. A notification is sent to the users listed in the Assigned to and Work notes list fields. The notification is sent only when the incident state is New, On Hold, or In Progress.
    • The workaround is copied to the Additional Comments field. If Known error is selected from the Resolution code field of the incident, then a notification is sent to the caller and to the users listed in the Assigned to and Watch list fields.
    Problem Management Best Practice — Madrid plugin 
    com.snc.best_practice.problem.madrid
    		 Any incident state other than resolved, closed, or canceled. Any Click the Communicate Fix related link
    • The fix is copied to the Work Notes field of the incident record.
    • A notification is sent to the users listed in the Assigned to and Work notes list fields of the incident record.
    Problem Management Best Practice — Madrid — State Model plugin 
    com.snc.best_practice.problem.madrid.state_model
    		 On Hold and On hold reason is Awaiting Problem Problem state is Closed or Resolved and the problem Resolution code is Fix Applied NA
    • The Resolution notes on the incident form displays the message Related problem INCxxxx closed. Please see additional comments for fix notes , where INCxxxx is the incident number from which the problem was created.
    • The incident state is changed to Resolved.
    • The Resolution code is changed to Resolved by problem.
    • An email notification is sent to the caller and the user who is assigned to the Incident.
    Problem Management Best Practice — Madrid — State Model plugin 
    com.snc.best_practice.problem.madrid.state_model
    		 On Hold and On hold reason is Awaiting Problem Problem state is Closed or Resolved and the problem Resolution code is Risk Accepted NA
    • The information from the Risk accepted reason field on the Problem form is copied to the Work notes field on the Incident form.
    • An email notification is sent to the user who is assigned to the Incident.