Question 161:
Which table stores each catalog item requested by a user?
A) sc_task
B) sc_req_item
C) sc_request
D) task
Answer: B) sc_req_item
Explanation:
In ServiceNow, a widely used IT Service Management (ITSM) platform, understanding the core tables is crucial for managing workflows, requests, and tasks efficiently. The sc_task table represents the individual tasks associated with service catalog items or requests. Each record in this table corresponds to a specific action or step that needs to be completed as part of fulfilling a service request, such as approvals, fulfillment tasks, or automated processes. It acts as a bridge between the service catalog items and the actual work performed by technicians or automated systems, ensuring accountability and tracking within the workflow. The sc_req_item, or Service Catalog Request Item table, is used to store information about each item requested by a user from the service catalog. For instance, if an employee requests a laptop and a software license through the service catalog, each item requested would have a separate record in sc_req_item. This table links directly to the tasks in sc_task that are created to fulfill the requested items and helps track the status of individual items independently, even if they belong to the same overall request. The sc_request table, on the other hand, represents the high-level service catalog request itself.
It contains a record for each overall request submitted by a user, encompassing one or more sc_req_item records. Essentially, this table tracks the aggregate request, providing visibility into the requester, request date, approval status, and the overall progress of the request, making it the parent table for sc_req_item. Finally, the task table is a core, more generalized table in ServiceNow that serves as a parent table for all tasks across various modules, not just the service catalog. Many specialized tables, including sc_task and incident or change tasks, extend from the task table. This inheritance allows ServiceNow to standardize fields such as assignment group, state, priority, due date, and comments across different types of tasks, while enabling specific tables to add module-specific attributes.
In practice, the task table provides a unified framework to manage work items consistently, ensuring that all tasks, whether related to incidents, changes, or service catalog fulfillment, follow the same tracking and reporting mechanisms. By understanding the relationships between these tables—sc_request as the parent request, sc_req_item for individual items, sc_task for fulfillment actions, and task as the overarching task framework—ServiceNow administrators and developers can design workflows that are modular, traceable, and easy to manage. These tables collectively support end-to-end service request management, from initial submission through approvals and fulfillment, to completion, enabling efficient IT service delivery and improved user satisfaction.
Question 162:
Which role grants the authority to approve or reject Change Requests?
A) itil
B) change_manager
C) change_approver
D) knowledge_user
Answer: C) change_approver
Explanation:
In ServiceNow, roles define the permissions and responsibilities of users, controlling what they can see, access, and perform within the platform, and understanding these roles is essential for effective IT Service Management (ITSM). The ITIL role is one of the most fundamental roles in ServiceNow and serves as the backbone for standard ITIL-based operations. Users with the ITIL role have access to core ITSM functionalities such as incident, problem, change, and service request management. This role enables users to create, view, and update records in various ITSM modules, providing a balanced level of access suitable for general IT staff who manage and resolve day-to-day IT issues. It serves as a prerequisite for many other specialized roles, ensuring users have the foundational permissions needed to perform IT service tasks effectively. The change_manager role is more specialized and is typically assigned to individuals responsible for overseeing the change management process within an organization. Users with this role can assess, approve, and schedule changes, ensuring that changes to IT systems are implemented with minimal risk and disruption.
They have access to change requests, the ability to assign tasks, and often possess reporting and analytical privileges to monitor change activities and compliance with change policies. The change_approver role is focused on the approval workflow within change management. While a change manager oversees the overall process, change approvers are designated personnel, often subject-matter experts or departmental heads, who review and approve or reject individual change requests based on impact, risk, and organizational priorities. This role is crucial for enforcing governance, ensuring that only authorized changes proceed to implementation. Finally, the knowledge_user role is associated with the knowledge management module in ServiceNow.
Users with this role can create, read, update, and contribute knowledge articles, enabling the organization to maintain an accurate and accessible repository of IT solutions, best practices, and process documentation. Knowledge users play a key role in promoting self-service support, reducing incident resolution time, and improving overall IT service efficiency. Together, these roles demonstrate the principle of role-based access control in ServiceNow, where permissions are tailored to job responsibilities to maintain security, compliance, and workflow efficiency. The ITIL role provides a broad operational foundation, while the change manager and change approver roles ensure structured governance over system changes, mitigating risk and maintaining service stability. Meanwhile, the knowledge user role fosters organizational learning and self-service, enhancing both IT staff and end-user experience. By understanding the distinctions and hierarchies of these roles, ServiceNow administrators can assign responsibilities effectively, streamline workflows, and uphold IT service quality standards across the enterprise, ensuring that the right people have the right access at the right time.
Question 163:
When do onLoad Client Scripts execute?
A) When a record is saved
B) When a form is opened
C) When SLA is breached
D) When a workflow completes
Answer: B) When a form is opened
Explanation:
In ServiceNow, various triggers determine when specific actions, scripts, or workflows execute, and understanding these options is crucial for automating processes efficiently. The first option, “When a record is saved”, refers to triggers that execute immediately after a record is inserted or updated in a table. This is commonly implemented using Business Rules with an “after” or “before” execution type, or via Script Actions, depending on the use case. Such triggers are essential for automating tasks like sending notifications, updating related records, enforcing data validation, or triggering workflows when certain conditions on a record are met. For instance, when a new incident is logged or an existing incident’s priority is updated, these triggers can automatically notify the assignment group or escalate the issue. The second option, “When a form is opened”, triggers scripts when a user opens a record form in the ServiceNow interface. This is often implemented using Client Scripts, particularly the “onLoad” type.
These triggers are important for enhancing the user experience by dynamically controlling form behavior, such as hiding or showing fields, populating default values, or validating conditions in real-time before the user begins interacting with the form. They ensure that forms are context-sensitive and that users enter accurate information based on the scenario. The third option, “When SLA is breached”, specifically relates to Service Level Agreements (SLAs) in ServiceNow. SLA triggers execute when a configured SLA target is missed, indicating that a record, such as an incident or service request, has exceeded its agreed-upon resolution or response time. This can automatically initiate escalations, send notifications to managers or assignment groups, and trigger additional workflows to address the overdue record. SLA-based triggers are crucial in ensuring compliance with service commitments, minimizing business impact, and maintaining transparency in IT service delivery. Finally, the fourth option, “When a workflow completes”, refers to triggers that occur after a workflow has finished executing all its activities.
In ServiceNow, workflows are sequences of automated or manual steps designed to achieve specific business objectives, such as fulfilling a service request or approving a change. Triggers on workflow completion are often used to perform post-processing tasks, like updating the parent request record, sending final notifications, closing related tasks, or triggering downstream workflows. This ensures that once a complex process is completed, all related actions and record updates happen automatically without manual intervention. Collectively, these four trigger types represent the core mechanisms in ServiceNow for automating actions, improving efficiency, and enforcing business rules. They operate at different points in the lifecycle of records and processes—some focusing on user interaction, some on system updates, some on SLA compliance, and others on process completion—allowing administrators and developers to design precise, context-aware automation that enhances IT service management and overall organizational productivity.
Question 164:
What is the primary purpose of Known Error Workarounds?
A) Assign incidents automatically
B) Provide temporary solutions until permanent fixes are implemented
C) Approve Changes
D) Update SLA definitions
Answer: B) Provide temporary solutions until permanent fixes are implemented
Explanation:
In ServiceNow, different functionalities are designed to streamline IT Service Management (ITSM) processes, ensuring efficiency, accountability, and faster resolution of issues. The first functionality, “Assign incidents automatically”, refers to the automated assignment of incidents to the appropriate support personnel or groups based on predefined rules, such as category, priority, location, or skills required. This capability is typically implemented using Assignment Rules or Business Rules, which analyze the details of an incident and determine the best assignee without manual intervention. Automatic assignment reduces response times, ensures incidents are routed to the right teams, minimizes human error, and improves service efficiency, particularly in large organizations with complex support hierarchies. The second functionality, “Provide temporary solutions until permanent fixes are implemented”, is often associated with workarounds or interim solutions in incident and problem management. When a recurring or complex issue arises, IT teams may implement a temporary resolution to minimize disruption while a permanent fix is being developed. For example, if a server outage affects users, a temporary workaround might involve redirecting traffic or enabling an alternative system, ensuring business continuity until the root cause is resolved.
This approach is critical for maintaining operational stability, reducing downtime, and improving user satisfaction while longer-term solutions are designed and deployed. The third functionality, “Approve Changes”, is central to the change management process in ServiceNow. Changes to IT systems—whether updates, upgrades, or new deployments—can potentially disrupt services, so they require formal review and approval. Change approvers evaluate change requests based on risk, impact, and compliance requirements and decide whether to approve, reject, or request modifications. This ensures that only well-assessed changes are implemented, mitigating risk, avoiding service outages, and maintaining governance standards. Tools like Change Workflows and Approval Rules automate and streamline this approval process. The fourth functionality, “Update SLA definitions”, relates to the management of Service Level Agreements (SLAs), which define expected response and resolution times for incidents, requests, or other services. Updating SLA definitions may involve modifying target times, priority rules, or escalation paths to reflect changes in business priorities, contractual obligations, or operational realities.
This functionality ensures that SLAs remain aligned with organizational objectives and provides accurate tracking and reporting of compliance, helping IT teams maintain accountability, transparency, and service quality. Collectively, these functionalities highlight the diverse capabilities of ServiceNow in automating routine tasks, enforcing governance, maintaining operational continuity, and ensuring service-level compliance. Assigning incidents automatically reduces manual workload and speeds up response times, temporary solutions manage business continuity during ongoing issues, approving changes enforces structured governance to minimize risk, and updating SLA definitions keeps service commitments current and measurable. By understanding and leveraging these functionalities, organizations can optimize IT service delivery, enhance user satisfaction, and maintain control over complex IT environments, ensuring both efficiency and reliability in service operations.
Question 165:
Which table defines SLA rules and targets?
A) sla_definition
B) sla_instance
C) task_sla
D) task_cmdb_rel
Answer: A) sla_definition
Explanation:
In ServiceNow, understanding the tables related to Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and task relationships is crucial for managing service delivery and ensuring accountability in IT operations. The sla_definition table is the foundation for SLA management. It stores the definitions of all SLAs in the system, specifying the conditions under which an SLA applies, the target time for completion, and the priorities or categories that influence SLA calculations. For example, an SLA definition might specify that high-priority incidents must be resolved within four hours.
This table essentially acts as the blueprint for all SLA monitoring, determining when and how SLAs are applied to tasks or requests. The sla_instance table, on the other hand, represents each instance of an SLA applied to a specific record, such as an incident, service request, or change. Each time a task qualifies for an SLA based on the conditions in sla_definition, an SLA_instance record is created to track its progress, measure elapsed time, and record any breaches or pauses. This allows ServiceNow to track SLA compliance on a per-task basis, providing detailed visibility into whether service commitments are being met. The task_sla table serves as a bridge between tasks and SLA instances. Since multiple SLAs can apply to a single task, and a single SLA can relate to multiple tasks, task_sla is used to map these relationships. It ensures that each task is linked to its corresponding SLA instance(s), enabling automated calculation of elapsed time, notifications, and escalations based on SLA rules. This table plays a critical role in maintaining accurate SLA tracking and reporting across the ITSM environment. Finally, the task_cmdb_rel table manages relationships between tasks and Configuration Management Database (CMDB) items. It allows tasks, such as incidents, changes, or problems, to be associated with the specific configuration items (CIs) they affect.
By linking tasks to CIs, this table provides valuable context for SLA calculations, root cause analysis, impact assessment, and reporting. For example, if an incident affects a critical server, task_cmdb_rel ensures that the incident is tied to that server, helping prioritize resolution efforts and analyze SLA adherence for critical infrastructure. Collectively, these tables create a robust framework for SLA management and task tracking in ServiceNow. The sla_definition table establishes the rules, sla_instance tracks real-time SLA progress for individual records, task_sla maps SLAs to tasks, ensuring proper accountability, and task_cmdb_rel connects tasks to configuration items, providing context and enabling impact analysis. By understanding the relationships among these tables, administrators and developers can design efficient workflows, automate SLA monitoring, and ensure that service delivery is consistent, measurable, and aligned with organizational priorities. This integration of SLAs with task management and CMDB relationships helps organizations maintain high service quality, reduce downtime, and improve overall IT service management performance.
Question 166:
Why are structured Knowledge articles important?
A) They approve Change Requests
B) They assign tasks automatically
C) They guide support staff, reduce errors, and maintain traceability
D) They track SLA breaches
Answer: C) They guide support staff, reduce errors, and maintain traceability
Explanation:
In ServiceNow, various functionalities are designed to streamline IT Service Management (ITSM) processes, ensuring efficiency, accountability, and high-quality service delivery. The first functionality, “They approve Change Requests”, refers to the role of change approvers and the system mechanisms that ensure governance over IT changes. Change requests represent modifications to IT systems or services, and approving these requests is critical to minimizing risk, avoiding unplanned downtime, and ensuring compliance with organizational policies. In ServiceNow, this approval process is typically managed through workflows, where designated approvers review requests for impact, priority, and risk before authorizing implementation. This functionality ensures that changes are controlled, documented, and only executed when properly assessed, reducing potential disruptions to business operations. The second functionality, “They assign tasks automatically”, relates to the automation of task routing in ServiceNow using assignment rules, business rules, or workflow logic.
When incidents, problems, service requests, or change tasks are created, the system can automatically determine the appropriate assignment group or individual based on criteria such as category, location, skills, or workload. Automatic task assignment reduces human error, accelerates response times, and ensures that work items reach the right personnel without delay, improving efficiency and accountability across IT support operations. The third functionality, “They guide support staff, reduce errors, and maintain traceability”, refers to ServiceNow’s broader role in standardizing IT processes and providing structured guidance. Through predefined workflows, templates, and task checklists, the platform helps support staff follow best practices, document actions, and maintain consistent procedures. This reduces errors, ensures compliance with internal policies, and provides an auditable trail of actions taken for every incident, request, or change. Traceability is essential for reporting, root cause analysis, and demonstrating regulatory compliance, as it allows managers and auditors to track each step of an IT process from initiation to resolution. The fourth functionality, “They track SLA breaches”, is related to Service Level Agreement (SLA) management.
ServiceNow monitors response and resolution times for incidents, requests, and other service tasks according to SLA definitions. When a task approaches or exceeds its SLA target, the system can trigger notifications, escalate tasks, or update reports automatically. Tracking SLA breaches ensures that IT teams remain accountable for service delivery commitments, highlights areas for process improvement, and helps organizations maintain high service quality. Collectively, these functionalities demonstrate how ServiceNow combines automation, governance, guidance, and monitoring to optimize ITSM. Approving change requests ensures controlled modifications, automatic task assignment streamlines operations, guiding support staff reduces errors and maintains traceability, and SLA tracking enforces service commitments. Together, these features enhance operational efficiency, improve accountability, minimize risk, and ensure that IT services are delivered consistently and reliably in alignment with organizational objectives. By leveraging these functionalities, IT organizations can maintain high-quality service delivery, meet business expectations, and foster continuous improvement in service management processes.
Question 167:
What type of relationships does the task_relations table maintain?
A) Parent-child or related task associations
B) CI dependencies
C) SLA assignments
D) Knowledge usage metrics
Answer: A) Parent-child or related task associations
Explanation:
In ServiceNow, understanding the different relationships and metrics between tasks, configuration items (CIs), SLAs, and knowledge management is essential for effective IT Service Management (ITSM) and operational efficiency. The first concept, “Parent-child or related task associations,” refers to the way tasks can be organized hierarchically or linked to one another to manage complex workflows. A parent task may represent an overarching issue or project, while child tasks break the work into smaller, manageable pieces assigned to different teams or individuals. This relationship allows IT teams to track progress at both granular and aggregate levels, ensuring that dependencies are respected, updates propagate appropriately, and nothing falls through the cracks.
Related task associations can also capture dependencies between tasks that are not strictly hierarchical, providing visibility into tasks that may affect or rely on each other. The second concept, “CI dependencies,” is closely tied to the Configuration Management Database (CMDB). CIs represent assets or components of the IT environment, such as servers, applications, or network devices, and CI dependencies map how these components are interconnected. Understanding CI dependencies is critical for incident, change, and problem management because an issue with one CI can impact other dependent systems. By tracking these relationships, ServiceNow enables impact analysis, risk assessment, and faster root cause identification, ensuring that support teams prioritize tasks effectively and reduce downtime.
The third concept, “SLA assignments,” involves linking Service Level Agreements to specific tasks, incidents, or requests. SLA assignments ensure that tasks are completed within predefined timeframes based on priority, category, or contractual obligations. Each assignment triggers monitoring mechanisms that track elapsed time, generate notifications, and escalate tasks if targets are not met. This functionality is essential for maintaining accountability, reporting compliance, and ensuring that service delivery aligns with organizational standards and customer expectations. The fourth concept, “Knowledge usage metrics,” is tied to the knowledge management module in ServiceNow. These metrics track how knowledge articles are utilized by support staff and end users, including views, helpfulness ratings, and adoption rates. Knowledge usage metrics help organizations identify gaps in documentation, measure the effectiveness of self-service initiatives, and improve knowledge base content over time. By analyzing these metrics, organizations can reduce repeated incidents, empower users to resolve common issues independently, and improve overall operational efficiency.
Collectively, these four concepts—task associations, CI dependencies, SLA assignments, and knowledge usage metrics—highlight the interconnected nature of ServiceNow’s ITSM ecosystem. Parent-child and related task associations provide structure and visibility into work processes, CI dependencies ensure that IT teams understand and mitigate systemic risks, SLA assignments enforce performance accountability, and knowledge usage metrics support continuous improvement and user empowerment. Together, they enable organizations to manage complex IT environments effectively, streamline workflows, reduce errors, maintain compliance, and deliver high-quality services consistently. Understanding and leveraging these features allows IT teams to prioritize work intelligently, maintain operational stability, and enhance overall service delivery in a measurable, traceable, and efficient manner.
Question 168:
Which Change type is pre-approved and low-risk?
A) Normal
B) Emergency
C) Standard
D) Expedited
Answer: C) Standard
Explanation: In ServiceNow, changes to IT systems and services are classified into different types to ensure that they are managed appropriately according to their risk, urgency, and impact. The first type, “Normal,” refers to standard change requests that follow the full change management process, including risk assessment, approvals, and scheduled implementation. Normal changes are typically planned and require thorough evaluation because they may affect critical systems or business processes. They are often used for updates, upgrades, or modifications that carry moderate risk and need proper documentation and governance. By following the normal change process, organizations ensure that changes are implemented in a controlled and auditable manner, minimizing the likelihood of service disruption. The second type, “Emergency,” is used for high-priority changes that must be implemented immediately due to urgent issues, such as critical system outages or security vulnerabilities. Emergency changes bypass some standard approval processes to accelerate implementation, but they still require post-implementation review to ensure compliance and proper documentation.
This change type balances the need for speed with the requirement to maintain control and accountability, allowing IT teams to respond quickly to incidents while reducing potential risks associated with rushed changes. The third type, “Standard,” refers to pre-approved, low-risk changes that are routine and repetitive in nature. Standard changes are often defined in advance with clear implementation steps, pre-authorized approvals, and minimal review requirements. Examples include password resets, software installations, or server restarts that follow a well-defined, repeatable procedure. Using standard changes allows IT teams to implement predictable tasks efficiently without overloading the change management process, ensuring consistency and reducing administrative overhead. The fourth type, “Expedited,” is a variation that indicates changes requiring faster implementation than normal changes but not necessarily due to emergencies. Expedited changes are typically pre-planned but prioritized to be completed sooner, often to meet business deadlines or critical project requirements.
They may still require approvals and documentation, but the workflow is streamlined to accelerate delivery while maintaining oversight. Collectively, these four change types—normal, emergency, standard, and expedited—illustrate the structured approach ServiceNow provides for managing modifications in IT environments. By categorizing changes according to risk, urgency, and repeatability, organizations can apply the appropriate level of control, documentation, and approval for each change. Normal and emergency changes focus on governance and risk mitigation, standard changes streamline routine operations, and expedited changes allow flexibility for timely implementation. This classification ensures that IT teams balance speed, efficiency, and control, minimizing service disruptions, enhancing compliance, and supporting business objectives. Understanding these change types enables organizations to optimize change management, allocate resources effectively, and maintain the stability and reliability of IT services while responding to both routine and critical operational needs.
Question 169:
What is the primary purpose of Service Mapping?
A) Assign tasks automatically
B) Document relationships between business services and supporting CIs
C) Track SLA compliance
D) Log Knowledge article usage
Answer: B) Document relationships between business services and supporting CIs
Explanation:
In ServiceNow, the platform provides a variety of functionalities designed to streamline IT Service Management (ITSM), ensure accountability, and optimize operational efficiency. The first functionality, “Assign tasks automatically,” refers to the capability of automatically routing tasks such as incidents, service requests, or change requests to the appropriate personnel or groups based on predefined criteria. This is typically achieved through assignment rules, business rules, or workflow logic that consider factors like category, priority, location, skills, or workload. Automating task assignment reduces human error, accelerates response times, ensures that work items reach the correct team, and improves overall operational efficiency by minimizing delays in service delivery. The second functionality, “Document relationships between business services and supporting CIs,” is primarily handled through the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) and its relationship tables. By linking business services to the underlying configuration items (CIs) that support them, ServiceNow enables IT teams to understand dependencies and assess the potential impact of incidents, changes, or outages.
This relationship documentation is critical for impact analysis, risk assessment, root cause identification, and prioritization of tasks, as it provides visibility into how issues in one CI may affect other dependent services. The third functionality, “Track SLA compliance,” is tied to Service Level Agreement management, ensuring that IT teams meet their agreed-upon response and resolution times. ServiceNow monitors SLA progress for tasks, incidents, or requests, generating alerts, escalations, or reports when deadlines are approaching or breached. Tracking SLA compliance is essential for maintaining accountability, measuring service quality, identifying bottlenecks, and ensuring that IT services meet organizational and customer expectations. It also provides critical insights for performance reporting and continuous improvement initiatives.
The fourth functionality, “Log Knowledge article usage,” relates to the knowledge management module, where ServiceNow tracks how knowledge base articles are utilized by support staff and end users. Metrics such as article views, helpfulness ratings, and adoption rates help organizations understand which content is effective, which areas require improvement, and how self-service resources are contributing to incident reduction. Logging knowledge usage supports the continuous enhancement of the knowledge base, empowers users to resolve issues independently, and reduces repetitive work for IT support teams. Collectively, these functionalities—automatic task assignment, documentation of CI relationships, SLA compliance tracking, and knowledge usage logging—demonstrate ServiceNow’s integrated approach to ITSM. Automating task assignments increases efficiency, documenting CI dependencies provides context and risk awareness, tracking SLA compliance ensures accountability and service quality, and logging knowledge usage fosters learning, self-service, and operational improvement. By leveraging these capabilities, organizations can optimize workflows, maintain high service standards, minimize downtime, and ensure that IT services are both proactive and responsive. This holistic approach enables IT teams to manage complex environments effectively, supporting both business continuity and strategic objectives while providing measurable improvements in efficiency, accuracy, and user satisfaction.
Question 170:
What is the purpose of Work Notes?
A) Approve Changes
B) Capture internal updates and technical steps without exposing them to end users
C) Assign tasks automatically
D) Update SLA definitions
Answer: B) Capture internal updates and technical steps without exposing them to end users
Explanation:
In ServiceNow, a range of functionalities exists to streamline IT Service Management (ITSM) processes, improve efficiency, and ensure accountability in managing incidents, changes, tasks, and service levels. The first functionality, “Approve Changes,” is central to the change management process. Change requests represent modifications to IT systems, applications, or infrastructure, which may introduce risk if not carefully managed. Approving changes involves evaluating the potential impact, risk, and priority of each request, typically performed by designated change approvers or managers. This approval ensures that only well-assessed and authorized changes are implemented, reducing the likelihood of service disruptions, maintaining compliance with internal policies, and providing an auditable trail for governance purposes. The second functionality, “Capture internal updates and technical steps without exposing them to end users,” relates to maintaining detailed records of work performed behind the scenes. ServiceNow allows technicians and IT staff to document internal notes, technical procedures, troubleshooting steps, or progress updates in tasks such as incidents or problems.
These internal comments are not visible to end users, ensuring that sensitive or technical information is kept within the IT team while still providing traceability and accountability. This functionality reduces errors, enables knowledge sharing among support staff, and allows managers to monitor actions without overwhelming end users with unnecessary technical details. The third functionality, “Assign tasks automatically,” focuses on workflow automation. Using assignment rules, business rules, or workflow logic, ServiceNow can automatically route incidents, change tasks, or service requests to the correct team or individual based on predefined criteria such as category, priority, location, or skills. Automated assignment accelerates response times, reduces human error, and ensures that tasks reach the most qualified personnel, improving efficiency and consistency in IT operations. Finally, the fourth functionality, “Update SLA definitions,” pertains to Service Level Agreement management. SLAs define the expected response and resolution times for tasks, incidents, or service requests, and updating SLA definitions ensures that these targets remain aligned with business priorities, contractual obligations, or operational realities.
By maintaining accurate SLA definitions, organizations can monitor compliance, escalate overdue tasks, and produce accurate performance reports, helping IT teams remain accountable and ensuring that service delivery meets agreed-upon standards. Collectively, these functionalities—approving changes, capturing internal updates, automating task assignments, and updating SLA definitions—demonstrate how ServiceNow integrates governance, accountability, automation, and monitoring into ITSM processes. Approving changes mitigates risk and maintains control, internal updates provide traceability and knowledge sharing without confusing end users, automated task assignment streamlines operations and reduces errors, and updating SLA definitions ensures performance measurement and compliance. Together, these capabilities enhance operational efficiency, improve service quality, and enable IT teams to manage complex environments effectively, balancing speed, control, and accountability while maintaining high levels of user satisfaction and service reliability.
Question 171:
What capability does the knowledge_user role provide?
A) Create Knowledge articles
B) Edit Knowledge articles
C) View Knowledge articles without editing or publishing
D) Manage Knowledge base permissions
Answer: C) View Knowledge articles without editing or publishing
Explanation:
In ServiceNow, knowledge management is a key component of IT Service Management (ITSM) that enables organizations to capture, share, and utilize information effectively across IT teams and end users. The first role, “Create Knowledge articles,” allows users to author new articles within the knowledge base. This functionality is essential for documenting solutions to recurring incidents, troubleshooting steps, standard operating procedures, or best practices. By creating knowledge articles, IT staff ensure that valuable information is formally recorded and accessible to others, reducing the need for repeated problem-solving and enabling faster resolution of future issues. The second role, “Edit Knowledge articles,” enables users to modify existing articles in the knowledge base. This includes updating content to reflect new processes, correcting inaccuracies, or improving clarity and formatting.
Editing ensures that knowledge remains current and reliable, preventing outdated information from causing confusion or errors in problem resolution. It is critical for maintaining a dynamic and accurate repository of organizational knowledge, which supports both IT staff and end users in resolving issues efficiently. The third role, “View Knowledge articles without editing or publishing,” allows users to access the knowledge base to read articles but prevents them from making changes or publishing content. This role is particularly important for end users or staff who need guidance to resolve incidents or requests independently. By viewing articles, users can leverage existing solutions and follow documented procedures, improving self-service efficiency while protecting the integrity of the knowledge base. This role ensures that knowledge is widely accessible without risking unverified modifications. The fourth role, “Manage Knowledge base permissions,” pertains to controlling access rights and visibility within the knowledge management system. Users with this role can define who can create, edit, view, or publish articles in specific knowledge bases, set workflow approvals, and manage categories or sections.
Properly managing permissions ensures that sensitive or specialized knowledge is accessible only to authorized personnel, maintaining security and compliance while promoting effective knowledge sharing across the organization. Collectively, these four roles—creating, editing, viewing, and managing knowledge permissions—form the backbone of ServiceNow’s knowledge management capabilities. Creating and editing articles ensures that content is accurate, complete, and up-to-date, while viewing articles enables self-service and efficient problem resolution. Managing permissions ensures proper governance, access control, and the protection of sensitive information. Together, these roles support continuous learning, reduce repetitive work, enhance IT service delivery, and improve organizational efficiency. By leveraging these capabilities, organizations can maintain a robust and reliable knowledge base, empower both IT staff and end users, and ensure that information is consistently accurate, accessible, and secure, which ultimately enhances overall service quality and user satisfaction.
Question 172:
How does the Assignment Group field improve incident resolution?
A) Assigns SLA targets
B) Routes incidents to the correct team
C) Documents Known Error workarounds
D) Links Knowledge articles
Answer: B) Routes incidents to the correct team
Explanation:
In ServiceNow, various functionalities are designed to optimize IT Service Management (ITSM) processes, streamline workflows, and enhance service delivery efficiency. The first functionality, “Assigns SLA targets,” refers to the system’s capability to define and monitor Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for tasks such as incidents, service requests, or problems. SLA targets establish expected response and resolution times based on priority, category, or contractual obligations, ensuring that IT teams meet service commitments. When a task is created, SLA definitions are applied to automatically assign targets and track compliance. This functionality helps organizations maintain accountability, measure performance, identify bottlenecks, and generate reports on SLA adherence, which is critical for both operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. The second functionality, “Routes incidents to the correct team,” is related to incident management and the automation of task assignment. Using assignment rules, business rules, or workflow logic, ServiceNow automatically directs incidents to the appropriate support group or individual based on criteria such as incident category, location, urgency, or skills required. This ensures that incidents are handled efficiently by the most qualified personnel, reduces resolution times, minimizes errors, and prevents tasks from being delayed due to manual routing.
The third functionality, “Documents Known Error workarounds,” is part of problem management. When recurring incidents are investigated, the root cause may be identified, and temporary workarounds—called Known Errors—can be documented in ServiceNow. These Known Error records allow support teams to quickly apply interim solutions while a permanent fix is being developed. Documenting Known Error workarounds reduces downtime, improves service continuity, and ensures that all team members have access to verified solutions, which enhances overall incident resolution efficiency. The fourth functionality, “Links Knowledge articles,” integrates knowledge management into incident and problem workflows. ServiceNow allows technicians and users to associate relevant knowledge base articles with incidents, requests, or problems. Linking articles provides immediate guidance, facilitates faster resolution, and enables self-service by directing users to existing solutions without the need to recreate troubleshooting steps.
This functionality enhances knowledge sharing, reduces repeated work, and improves both IT staff productivity and end-user satisfaction. Collectively, these four functionalities—assigning SLA targets, routing incidents to the correct team, documenting Known Error workarounds, and linking knowledge articles—demonstrate ServiceNow’s integrated approach to ITSM. SLA assignments ensure accountability and service quality, automated incident routing improves efficiency, Known Error documentation provides reliable interim solutions, and linking knowledge articles promotes knowledge reuse and faster problem resolution. By leveraging these capabilities, organizations can streamline operations, maintain high standards of service delivery, reduce downtime, and empower both IT staff and end users with the tools and information they need to resolve issues effectively. Together, these features enhance operational performance, minimize risk, and support continuous improvement in IT service management practices.
Question 173:
Which table links tasks to CIs for impact and traceability?
A) cmdb_rel_ci
B) task_cmdb_rel
C) task_relations
D) sc_task
Answer: B) task_cmdb_rel
Explanation:
task_cmdb_rel associates tasks like Incidents and Problems with affected CIs, enabling impact analysis.
Question 174:
What is the purpose of Assignment Rules?
A) Update Knowledge articles
B) Automatically route tasks based on conditions
C) Create SLA definitions
D) Track Work Notes
Answer: B) Automatically route tasks based on conditions
Explanation:
Assignment Rules evaluate criteria such as CI, category, or priority to ensure timely and proper task distribution.
Question 175:
Linking Knowledge articles to Problems helps:
A) Automatically close incidents
B) Provide workarounds for recurring issues
C) Assign approvals
D) Generate SLA metrics
Answer: B) Provide workarounds for recurring issues
Explanation: Linking articles ensures support teams can quickly reference guidance and reduce repeated incidents.
Question 176:
After the Implementing stage, a Change enters:
A) New
B) Scheduled
C) Review
D) Closed
Answer: C) Review
Explanation:
The Review stage validates success, captures lessons learned, and ensures proper closure.
Question 177:
What is stored in the sc_task table?
A) Knowledge articles
B) Child tasks for approvals, fulfillment, and work assignments linked to catalog items
C) SLA definitions
D) Change approval logs
Answer: B) Child tasks for approvals, fulfillment, and work assignments linked to catalog items
Explanation:
sc_task tracks each step needed to fulfill a catalog item, supporting workflow and accountability.
Question 178:
The change_manager role allows users to:
A) Approve individual Changes
B) Configure workflows, approvals, and policies for Change Requests
C) View Knowledge articles
D) Assign incidents automatically
Answer: B) Configure workflows, approvals, and policies for Change Requests
Explanation:
The change_manager role ensures governance and proper process control over Change Requests.
Question 179:
Known Error Workarounds improve service continuity by:
A) Closing incidents automatically
B) Providing temporary guidance until permanent solutions are implemented
C) Assigning tasks to groups
D) Updating SLA definitions
Answer: B) Providing temporary guidance until permanent solutions are implemented
Explanation:
Workarounds reduce downtime and allow support teams to manage recurring incidents effectively.
Question 180:
The sla_definition table enables:
A) Task-to-CI linkage
B) Automatic SLA assignment to tasks based on rules and targets
C) Knowledge article tracking
D) Work Notes documentation
Answer: B) Automatic SLA assignment to tasks based on rules and targets
Explanation:
The sla_definition table defines SLA rules, conditions, and targets to ensure compliance and consistent service quality.
