Building internal workflows shouldn’t require weeks and months of development or dedicated technical staff. With Creator Studio, business users can create simple, effective apps that streamline everyday processes—with no code required.
This blog will introduce you to a guided tutorial that walks you through creating a Gift Card Request app. The app helps managers recognize team achievements while avoiding delays caused by manual approvals and disconnected tools.
Follow along here:
Build a Gift Card Request App in Creator Studio
Why Start Here?
The tutorial uses a practical scenario—rewarding high-performing employees—to show how Creator Studio empowers line-of-business users to digitize requests, add logic and automation, and publish usable apps quickly.
You’ll step through the process as both the requestor and the approver, giving you a full understanding of how apps move from draft to deployment.
Getting Started
To build the app yourself, you’ll need access to Creator Studio on a ServiceNow instance. The easiest way to do this is by requesting a Personal Developer Instance (PDI) through the ServiceNow Developer Program.
PDIs are free, full-featured environments designed for learning and experimentation. With your own PDI, you’ll get admin-level access to the Now Platform—including Creator Studio and App Engine tools—so you can complete the tutorial end-to-end without impacting any production system.
Learn more:
Once your instance is set up, make sure your user is part of the Creator Studio Users group. That’s all you need to begin building.
Key Tutorial Highlights
Creating Your First App
Start from the Creator Studio home page by creating a new app. You’ll define its name and purpose—just like you would with any new process or form. The tutorial then guides you through selecting an app type and setting up the initial structure.
Adding and Customizing a Form
Next, you’ll build a form that captures all required fields—gift card type, amount, recipient, and justification. This part of the tutorial introduces question types, required fields, and form logic.
You can add visual branding to make your form recognizable and user-friendly.
Automating Approvals
One of Creator Studio’s most powerful features is automation. The tutorial helps you add a simple approval workflow with playbook logic—first the requestor’s manager, then a finance group.
This easy approval automation helps demonstrates how Creator Studio reduces friction in routine processes.
Preparing for Deployment
After building the form and playbook, you’ll preview and test your app to make sure it works as expected. Once it’s ready, you submit it for review using built-in platform tools.
Admins can approve and deploy the app using App Engine Management Center.
End-User Experience
The final step is using the app in the Employee Center. Submit a request and verify how it appears in the Request App Workspace. This closes the loop—helping you understand both the builder and fulfiller perspectives.
Who This Is For
This tutorial is designed for users in the Creator Studio Users group who want to build apps for their teams without writing code. It’s also useful for admins who want to understand the user flow and streamline their review processes.
If you’re looking for a hands-on introduction to what Creator Studio can do, this is a great starting point.
Build Your First Workflow
The Gift Card Request app is just one example of the kinds of workflows Creator Studio can help digitize. From HR intake to operations requests, the same tools and logic can be applied across your organization.
Start here:
This tutorial is a great way to understand how Creator Studio supports distributed development while still aligning to your governance, automation, and user experience goals.
