Unable to Login Using External User Credentials – Need Help with Detailed Steps
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07-15-2025 04:25 AM
Hi Community,
I’m currently working on enabling external user access to a custom table (Lead table) in my ServiceNow developer instance.
I have created an external user with the role snc_external and followed all the necessary ACL steps:
Created UI Page and Record ACLs (Read and Create)
Enabled access to form and list views
Added snc_external role to the external user
Assigned the user to the correct user record with basic login credentials
However, when I try to log in with this external user, I’m unable to access the instance, and the credentials seem to fail or redirect to an error page. I'm unsure if the login issue is related to:
Role permissions
Missing configurations in the user profile
Portal settings (public access or external access config)
Or if developer instances block login for these kinds of external users by default
🔍 Request:
Could someone please help guide me through the exact steps to:
Successfully configure and log in as an external user
Ensure that snc_external role is sufficient
Verify if developer instances allow login for external users
Troubleshoot any common misconfigurations or security settings that could cause this issue
Your support with detailed steps or documentation links would be really helpful!
Thanks in advance,
Rohit
(Developer Instance User)
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07-17-2025 02:26 AM
Hi @RohitPapann
Just to clarify — when you say external user, are you referring to a newly created user with the snc_external role?
Here are a few steps to help narrow down the issue:
Login URL:
Try logging in via:
https://yourinstance.service-now.com/login.do (platform UI)
or
https://yourinstance.service-now.com/sp (Service Portal)This will help you determine whether the issue is with the user credentials or the UI Page access.
Impersonate the User:
If you can impersonate the user from an admin account and access the UI Page, the issue might be with the login credentials themselves (username/password mismatch or account issues).
User Account Check:
Is the user active?
Is the account locked out?
Are you using the correct login method (local login vs SSO)?
Review Logs:
Check System Logs and Security Logs for entries like "invalid login" or "unauthorized access".
Try temporarily assigning roles like itil or snc_internal to see if login works — this could indicate that your ACLs or page access aren't configured correctly for snc_external.
Use ACL Debugger:
Navigate to the ACL Debugger to analyse whether the user has access to the resources your UI Page or table relies on.