Choosing the Right Tool for the Job: A Guide to ServiceNow Work Intake

[Jeff Benedict]

As a ServiceNow consultant, one of the most common points of confusion I see with clients is in how they handle work intake. An idea is submitted, but what is it? Is it a simple request? Is it an enhancement to an existing service? Or is it a full-blown project? Choosing the wrong path can lead to a lack of visibility, poor resource management, and frustration for stakeholders.

The ServiceNow platform provides distinct record types to manage different kinds of work, such as: Incidents, Demands, Requests, Enhancements, Stories and Projects. Understanding the boundary between each is the first step toward streamlining your intake process and ensuring work is managed effectively from start to finish.

In this post, we'll demystify these record types and then explore a strategic argument for treating your larger, more complex enhancements as "mini-projects" to unlock the full power of the platform.

Defining the Boundaries: What Goes Where?

Let’s start by clarifying the purpose of some key record types. Think of your work intake as flowing through different channels, each designed for a specific purpose.

• Request: This is for routine, pre-defined, and repeatable actions. Think of the Service Catalog. Ordering a new monitor, requesting access to a software application, or onboarding a new employee are all perfect examples. Service Requests follow a standard, low-risk fulfillment process with predictable turnaround times.
• Incident: While not a "request" for new work, it's a critical intake channel. An Incident is an unplanned interruption to a service—simply put, something is broken and needs immediate attention. The goal is to restore service as quickly as possible.
• Enhancement: An enhancement is a strategic modification to an existing service or system. It’s not about fixing something broken or delivering a brand-new service; it's about making something better. This could involve adding a new feature to an application, optimizing a workflow, or improving a report. Enhancements improve productivity, safety, or overall processes.
• Project: A project is a temporary, one-time endeavor to create a new and unique product or service. Projects have a formal structure with a defined start and end date, a clear scope, dedicated resources, and a budget. Launching a new HR service delivery portal or implementing a new software module are classic examples of projects.
• Demand: This is the starting point—the funnel for all new ideas that aren't simple requests or incidents. A demand is a staging area where proposals for new projects or enhancements are captured, evaluated, and assessed for value, risk, cost, and strategic alignment. Once a demand is approved, it is converted into something such as a Project, Epic, Story or an Enhancement.

In short: ideas are born into Demands, which mature into Projects (the new) or Enhancements (the improved). Meanwhile, Requests handle the day-to-day, and Incidents manage the unexpected.

The Challenge with "Big" Enhancements

The standard enhancement process in ServiceNow is perfect for iterative, manageable improvements. However, what happens when an "enhancement" starts to look and feel like a project? It might involve multiple teams, span several weeks or months, and require detailed status tracking and resource planning.

This is where many organizations hit a wall. The out-of-the-box enhancement model lacks the robust tooling of the Project Management application. Key project management functions—like Gantt charts, detailed status reports, resource allocation, and RIDAC (Risk, Issue, Decision, Action, Change) logs—aren't readily available on the enhancement record. Most importantly, enhancements often can't be pulled into high-level roadmap visualizations, making them invisible to leadership.

The Solution: Treat Strategic Enhancements as Projects

To gain the visibility and control needed for these "mini-projects," consider a powerful strategic shift: manage your large, strategic enhancements as projects within ServiceNow.

This approach involves reconfiguring your demand workflow so that only smaller, operational improvements are managed as enhancements. Larger, more complex enhancements that meet certain criteria (e.g., exceed a certain budget, require more than 40 hours of work, or involve multiple teams) are channeled into the project pipeline.

Why Make the Switch? The Benefits Are Clear:

1. Full Project Management Capabilities: By converting these enhancements into projects, you instantly gain access to the entire suite of tools in the Project Management application. This includes project workbenches, status reporting, resource planning, cost tracking, and the ability to manage risks and issues in a structured way.
2. Enhanced Visibility and Roadmapping: Once an enhancement is a project, it can be easily added to program roadmaps and executive dashboards (Portfolio Planning Workspace for SPM Standard customers). This provides critical visibility to leadership and helps in strategic portfolio planning.
3. Improved Governance and Structure: Treating a complex enhancement as a project enforces a more rigorous governance model. It ensures proper initiation, planning, execution, and closing phases, which is essential for delivering value on time and on budget.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right record type isn't just an administrative task; it's a strategic decision that impacts visibility, governance, and your ability to execute effectively. By clearly defining the boundaries for your work intake and adopting a hybrid approach—using projects for strategic enhancements and the standard enhancement module for operational improvements—you can unlock greater control and deliver more value across your organization.

How does your organization draw the line between large enhancements and small projects? I'd love to hear your strategies and experiences in the comments below.