Introduction: Flow designer is a feature for automating processes in the instance. It can be considered as an alternative to ServiceNow's Workflow which has been for years..
I have just started this blog/article explaining how flow designer can be leveraged for catalog submission, approval and catalog task creation. For my use case after submission of the catalog item approval would be triggered to group. When anyone from the group approves the request the flow would proceed and create a catalog task. You can enhance it as per your requirement. This is just a starting guide.
Approach: Out of the box when catalog item is submitted the workflow on Request table triggers i.e. "Service Catalog Request". This workflow auto-approves the request when price is less than $1000. Once the request is approved the workflow on Request Item triggers. Now using flow designer we can create flow and associate it to the Catalog Item similar to workflow, send approval, create catalog task etc.
Steps:
1) From left navigation type Flow Designer and click Flow Designer
2) Click the + New icon and select Flow
3) Give the Flow name, description
4) Next we need to Add a Trigger; so we select Service Catalog as we want to ensure this Flow runs when catalog item is submitted. Once you select click Done
5) Now we need to provide an action i.e. Approval so click on Action button; it shows all available actions present OOB. We need to select "Ask For Approval" action from the ServiceNow Core section.
6) Now once the Action is selected we need to ensure the Approval is triggered for RITM Record so from the right hand side from data pills. So drag and drop the Requested Item Record data pills to the Record field. Table gets auto populated with Requested Item [sc_req_item], Approval Field is set to Approval
7) Now we need to set Approval Rules; For our example we are selecting Approve when Anyone approves and will be selecting Group. You can give the group by clicking the Add Group icon
😎 Click Done once configuration for this Action is completed
9) Now once approval is completed we would like to generate Catalog Task; for this you can again click on Action and select the action name Create Catalog Task
10) Once the Action is selected; we need to give for which Request Item Record this catalog task has to be created; you can again select the Requested Item Record from the data pills from right hand side and drag and drop. Once you click the checkbox of Wait the flow will wait catalog task is completed. Select the Assignment Group as Hardware so that members of this group can work upon this task.
11) You can set different fields on Catalog Task such as Short Description; etc. Once configured click Done
12) Save your flow by using the Save button on the right hand side.
13) Activate your flow so that it can be selected and configured for the catalog item you wish it to run for.
14) Link the flow to your catalog item; Under Process Engine; Go to the flow field and select the Flow you just now created
Execution:
1) Submit catalog request for your catalog item.
2) The flow should trigger and you can see the executions by visiting the flow.
3) I just submitted the catalog item and it has created Group Approval for Capacity Mgmt group.
4) Now once user from that group approves the flow continues and triggers Catalog Task creation.
5) You can view the flow Executions by clicking the button of Executions on the right hand side
6) Once you see the list click on the Created field link; it would show you the execution.
7) Once catalog task is completed the flow will end
Screenshots:
1) Flow Designer starting page
2) New Flow to be created:
3) Flow Properties:
4) Flow Trigger:
5) Ask For Approval Action:
6) Add the Record to Approval Action:
7) Set Group for Approval: I have selected Capacity Mgmt
😎 Catalog Task Action:
9) Catalog Task Action Configure: Group Selected; Wait checkbox as True; Short Description Set
10) Save and Activate Flow:
11) Link Flow to Catalog Item:
12) Group Approval Triggered once catalog item is submitted:
13) Flow Executions showing that it is waiting for Approval:
14) Catalog Task created once user from Group has approved:
15) Just refresh the flow execution: you will see the refresh icon; highlighted in red box
It shows Approval Action completed and Waiting for catalog task closure.
16) Once you close the Task; the flow execution completes
Thanks for reading the blog and do provide your inputs/suggestions if any.
Hope you find this article helpful. Don’t forget to Mark it Helpful, Bookmark.
Thanks,
Ankur Bawiskar
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