The different between two ways of creating the External User

[WH Tong]

I am new to the ServiceNow , after researching on the external user, I found there are two ways to creating it.
1. Create a user with "snc_external" role
2. Enable self-register , then create external user from the self-register page

I would like to know beside the way of creating the user, is there any other between these two way ? (I have heard there is free for creating external user, would it be free by both of these ways.)

[Sean Walters]

Hi Marcus, 

For your first question, the way to identify if a user is an External User you would have to provide the role. 

Both of the ways to create the user would eventually mean providing the role to the user hence making it a license cost. 

To then go in to your second point - would always advise to speak to your ServiceNow account manager but yes this role when provided would mean a cost implication. 

Depending on your contract it may be that you have a certain amount of licenses available - but technically it would still mean theres a license cost. So do not believe there is a free way to provide the role.

I would suggest trying to see if you can have some sort of rule internally agreed that you could then look to remove roles from users that no longer require snc_external or make inactive therefore freeing up some of the licenses. 

Hope that helps. 

Please mark my answer correct and helpful if this resolves your issue.