When Orlando release is around the corner, it’s time for us to learn together about the new features, enhancements, and APIs that will help those of you who would like to develop an application to list on the store or OEM. I'm very excited and want to share with you about the followings.
Last week we opened up Early Access for Technology Partners to get their hands on Orlando, running it through its paces and preparing to submit their apps for certification
In this post, we'll provide an overview of all the significant features and improvements that Technology Partners will want to be aware of, whether you are building apps for the ServiceNow Store or OEM. The TPP technical team is also working on doing deep dives into many of these areas, so stay tuned.
New Features and Major Enhancements
Common Service Data Model
Common Service Data Model (CSDM) is a new framework available in the Orlando release. The CSDM is a standard set of terms and definitions that span and can be used across all ServiceNow products. These definitions form the basis for the CSDM framework that ServiceNow products will be using in future releases.
ServiceNow Mobile
Too many to name them all, but Mobile branding, Global search Dashboard for Mobile, Mobile photo search and Mobile analytics are a few of the new features in addition to enhancements like improved list navigation options, client UI improvements and much more. If you have an existing mobile capability or think your app will benefit from one then you should look at how ServiceNow Mobile could accelerate your rollout.
Agent Workspace
The Agent Workspace received a lot of attention in the Orlando release with enhancements like Build a custom landing page, Change the colors of Agent Workspace, New Agent Assist, New form and list, other features.
Virtual Agent
Added support for Multiple chat branding configurations in a single instance, Context topic intent, Reusable topic blocks, Integration with Microsoft LUIS (Language Understanding), IBM Watson Assistant Chat integration for Assistant V2 API and Notifications in Virtual Agent (Send notifications directly to users in Slack and Microsoft Teams via the Virtual Agent chatbot).
Flow Designer / Integration Hub
Flow Designer continues to grow in capability and Orlando sees many new capabilities including:
- Cancel a flow, subflow, or action from a script
- Create a flow with an SLA Task trigger
- Manage natural language titles
- Manage files and directories with an SFTP step
- Manage SLA Percentage Timer actions
- Run a flow or subflow dynamically
- Design an action with dynamic outputs
- Test a flow by changing field values
- Transform data pill values with transform functions
IntegrationHub too has added capabilities with the addition of:
- Client Software Distribution using IntegrationHub
- Data Stream action support in FlowAPI
- Data Stream action pagination templates
- Test a Data Stream action
- Dynamic outputs
- REST support in import sets
- Transform functions
- MID Server support for Data Stream actions
- IntegrationHub usage and subscription
- Password reset Usage Overview dashboard
Automated Testing Framework
The ATF received a lot of attention in the Orlando release with enhancements like
- Custom UI test steps
- Open a Record in List
- List and Related List
- Validate Related List Visibility
- Generate Inbound Email
- Validate Outbound Email
- .... and much more!
If you haven't yet included ATF tests in your application you should strongly consider it as it will assist your customers in testing your app through their upgrade cycles. It should also form a part of your internal app testing.
Authentication
With respect to authentication, Custom authentication algorithm for outbound signing requests, Password policy control for local accounts and Remember browser for Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) has been added in the Orlando release.
Service Portal
Widget diagnostics and Dynamic Translation in Service Portal forms has been added in the Orlando release.
Guided Tour Designer
Skippable check box to lets users skip the step in case the tour fails at that step. Users can continue the tour after skipping the step.
Scripting and App Dev Enhancements
New Scoped APIs - GlideImportSetTable, GlideImportSetTransformMap,CI/CD are a few of the new scoped APIs and methods included in the platform.
Studio- Few of the new features included in the Studio are MID Server support for source control, Move application files linked to source control to any folder of the repository, Select files to commit to source control window and Edit source control integration files outside of Studio
ServiceNow Store App Ecosystem - Consists of the ServiceNow Store for customers to find and procure apps, App Repo to manage app distribution, and App Client where customers can go to install in house and Store apps. With Orlando, the App Repo has an interface for the customer to manage app distribution, their scopes, and keys. The App Client also gets updated with additional filters to help them find apps they are looking for, notifications to alert customers of apps that require their attention, and Store app visibility so they can browse Store offered apps
Advanced Work Assignment - AWA now supports Agent Affinity (Agent Affinity assigns work items that are based on an agent's history with a customer), monitor chat conversations, Work item sizing, Advanced Work Assignment dashboard for operations and Work item context handling
Reporting - You can integrate bar, donut, pie, time series, and single score visualizations in user Agent workspaces to tell your actionable data story. For more information, see Performance Analytics and Reporting visualizations available in ServiceNow workspaces.
Cloning - Supports preserve update sets option during the cloning process eliminates the need to export in-progress, global update sets before you initiate a clone.
Other
Release Notes by Product
I've covered Platform and Application Development release notes in this article, but if your app has a dependency or adjacency to a ServiceNow product, you should read through that product's Orlando release notes. I've listed those here by product:
- IT Business Management release notes
- Customer Service Management release notes
- Governance, Risk, and Compliance release notes
- HR Service Delivery release notes
- IT Operations Management release notes
- IT Service Management release notes
- Performance Analytics and Reporting release notes
- Security Operations release notes
- Software Asset Management release notes
Feel free to bookmark this post, and if you think I've missed something, please let me know so I can get it added.
Good luck and happy developing!
5 Comments
