What is the difference between Issues and Tasks?

Filip Laznicka · ‎07-31-2017

Hello,

I'm using the VRM application and I was wondering what is the difference between issues and tasks?

They both have a workflow and are related to Vendor Risk Assessment.

I can tell there is a 1-to-many relationship but that's about it.

Could someone point me to the right direction as ServiceNow Product Documentation talks briefly only about issues.

Thanks a lot,

Filip

Chuck Tomasi · ‎07-31-2017

Hi Filip,

I'm not the strongest in Vendor Management, but from what little I know, an issue is like an incident. Something has happened with the vendor relationship that you want to track. It indicates an event that requires action.

The task records related to the issue can be used to assign different parts of work related to that specific issue. You may need one team/person to review the vendor's contract. You may need another to check supply stock or receiving records, etc. You COULD do this by passing the issue around for person to person, but that also means that only one team/person can work on it at a time. Having related tasks allows for parallel processing.

The same concept is available in many ITSM applications like incident, problem, change.

I hope that helps.

View solution in original post

Chuck Tomasi · ‎07-31-2017

Hi Filip,

I'm not the strongest in Vendor Management, but from what little I know, an issue is like an incident. Something has happened with the vendor relationship that you want to track. It indicates an event that requires action.

The task records related to the issue can be used to assign different parts of work related to that specific issue. You may need one team/person to review the vendor's contract. You may need another to check supply stock or receiving records, etc. You COULD do this by passing the issue around for person to person, but that also means that only one team/person can work on it at a time. Having related tasks allows for parallel processing.

The same concept is available in many ITSM applications like incident, problem, change.

I hope that helps.

Filip Laznicka · ‎07-31-2017

Oh I finally see it now. So issue is like a problem or a change request and it has different tasks related to it.

Thank you Chuck.

SeanBarrett · ‎07-31-2017

Just to add a bit more color....

An issue is like a "case" around a vendor who's response to an assessment may cause an internal control to be non-compliant. This can be automated even, where a specific question to an assessment maps to a control, and flags the control non-compliant based on how it's responded to. Either way, when non-compliance is flagged against a control, an issue is automatically created.

When it comes down to it, and issue is a way for an analyst/assessor/vendor manager who perceives a gap can communicate and work through that "gap" with the vendor via an issue.

Sean

Laela · ‎08-20-2018

Can you tell me how to automate this?