How to Implement Global Error Handling in ServiceNow for Architects and Developers

[BillMartin]

As ServiceNow developers and architects, we often focus on writing business logic and integrations—but what happens when something goes wrong?

In many implementations, error handling is either inconsistent or missing altogether. This not only makes debugging harder, but it can also lead to unclear logs, broken integrations, and frustrated users.

Let’s talk about how you can implement global error handling across your ServiceNow applications—the right way.

Why Global Error Handling in ServiceNow Matters

A proper global error handling strategy ensures that all exceptions are managed in a consistent, reusable, and traceable way across your entire codebase.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• You get clean and informative error logs with context like class names and methods.

• Your functions return structured responses instead of cryptic error messages.

• Your integrations handle failures gracefully, improving the stability of your workflows.

• You avoid duplicating try/catch logic in every Script Include or Flow Action.

It’s a scalable approach designed for real-world applications—not just simple demos.

What We’re Using

In the YouTube demo, I showcase a clean architecture using:

• A BaseLogger utility to handle logging across your app

• A standardized ResponseObject to handle results and errors

• A wrapper approach to catch errors at the service layer and propagate meaningful messages

This helps you trace, debug, and recover from errors while keeping your code clean and maintainable.

Who Should Use This?

This strategy is ideal for:

• Developers building reusable Script Includes

• Architects designing scalable ServiceNow frameworks

• Integration teams managing external APIs

• Anyone tired of inconsistent error messages in the logs

Watch It in Action

I’ve recorded a full demo showing how to set this up in your environment. You’ll see how to apply global error handling in a service class, integrate it with logging, and return meaningful responses—whether for internal logic or external consumers.

Global error handling in ServiceNow isn’t just a technical improvement—it’s an investment in your app’s stability, maintainability, and developer experience.