domain vs scope

[ggg]

I just came across another paradigm in servicenow, domain, that I am not familiar with.

I have created scoped applications and understand the concept.

I do not have a clear understanding of how domain is different from scope or where I would want to use it.

tia

[AbhishekGardade]

Domain Separation is about data level segregation

So if I have 4 domains in a peer relationship the fulfillers in each domain would only be able to see the records created in their own domain and the global one. They can't work on other domains tickets, they can't even see them etc.

This means that 4 entities can use the same table, incident, and all the same business logic but not see each others data.

Now that is flat structure

Now if you have a domain that is parent to the previous 4 then anyone in the parent domain can see the records of all the 4 child domains.

Complex domain structures can be a pain to manage.

But key to this is everyone is getting the same system but they don't see the same data.

You can create customisations for each domain such as custom views and view rules etc However the process flows, states etc are all shared.

If one domain wants to change a state transition then it can't just be done for them. 

So Domain is about data separation.

Application Scope is about creating functionality that is discrete and contained. You can access some capabilities in the Global scope but not everything and you can control access to your scoped applications components from outside it's scope.

So in theory if in the domain example domain 1 simply could not function managing incidents the way the other 3 do then you could create them a scoped app for incident and re-arrange the tool to allow them this different experience.

I wouldn't recommend it. It is possible though.

So Scoped Applications is about functionality.

Domain separation

Pro's - great if you manage more than one entity or company on the same platform and don't want them seeing each others data

Con's - Can be a real pain in complex environments and when teams provide services to more than one entity the visibility needed renders the separation of limited value 

Scoped Apps

Pro's - great to manage via the repository, easy to keep updated without the need for update sets etc. Offer discrete functionality. If you use Git or some other CVS a nice interface

Con's - Not all of the API is available. You simply can't do things in a scoped app that you can in Global. Managing permissions etc needs some thought. In the london release there is a nice template offering that lets you generate a studio based app but in the global scope. A cool new feature. Not explored it yet but it looks promising

check out this:

https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/london-platform-administration/page/administer/company-and-domain...

Please mark as Correct Answer/Helpful, if applicable.
Thanks!
Abhishek Gardade

[Community Alums]

Hi Abhishek,

So domain separation is all about data segregation rite? I can segregate data's by configuring views or acl's etc. Then why we need domain separation?

Regards,

Sirraj

[Anupam Gupta2]

Hi Abhishek ,

 I am new to Service now and above description is too technical for me . Can you please explain it in lawman's language so that i can understand it . More specifically I have difficulty understanding Application Scope . So your help in this is highly appreciated .

[1__vipind]

Hi Anupam,

Domain Separation example - Let's say there are 4 projects A, B, C, and D in Naruto's company(made up company name) and they've asked if they want an ITSM module. Still, they do not want to pay a hefty price, since the single instance cost is higher than the manage service instance. A single instance means the entire instance is for either of the above-listed projects A, B, C OR D and no other company can use it. Now due to budget constraints Naruto's company has offered A, B,C, and D  projects shared instances and set up a Domain separation environment which segregate the data, it means projects A,B, C & D cannot see each other's data, now you have ask can't we simply write ACL's and the answer is yes you can write but imagine how tedious it would be to create multiple ACL's, thus Domain separation comes into picture, how to set up or in-depth knowledge you can refer to below link,

https://www.servicenow.com/docs/bundle/xanadu-platform-security/page/administer/company-and-domain-s....  

Application Scope - 

Imagine ServiceNow as an apartment building, where each application is a different apartment. Application Scope is like the locks on the doors:

If an apartment (application) is Private (Scoped), only the people inside (the app itself) can enter and make changes.
If an apartment is Shared (Global Scope), anyone in the building (other applications) can enter and modify things.
So, Scoped Applications in ServiceNow keep things secure and isolated, preventing unintended changes from other applications.

😊.

Scenario: IT and HR Departments
Imagine a company using ServiceNow has two departments using different applications:

IT Service Management (ITSM) – Handles incidents, tickets, and system issues.
HR Management – Manages employee data, leave requests, payroll, etc.
Now, here’s where Application Scope comes in:

The HR Application is Scoped, meaning only HR-related users and applications can access employee records. The IT team cannot see or change HR data.
The ITSM Application may be Global, allowing integrations with other applications (e.g., Chatbots, Monitoring tools) so different teams can work together.
Why is this important?
Security: Prevents IT from accidentally modifying HR records.
Data Protection: HR data remains confidential.
Controlled Customization: Developers cannot make unintended changes to another app.
So, in simple terms, Application Scope in ServiceNow ensures that each application has the right level of privacy and access control to prevent conflicts and maintain security. 😊

Please mark Correct if this solves your issue, and also mark Helpful if you find my response worthy based on its impact.