Incident changes form P1 to P3, what happens in SLA Tasks

[Anil9866]

If I log a P1 incident with a resolution time of 60 minutes, then change the priority to P3 (with a 180-minute resolution time) after 40 minutes, how will the SLA tasks behave? Will the P3 SLA start counting from the remaining 40 minutes, or will it start a new 180-minute countdown? Also, what happens to the P1 SLA task—what stage does it reach after 40 minutes have passed upon changing the priority to p3?

Reference: Ignore for accuracy

parameters in P1 SLA:

Start condition: active true, priority is p1

when to cancel: start conditions are not met

Retroactive check box: unchecked.

parameters in P3 SLA:

Start condition: active true, priority is p3

when to cancel: start conditions are not met

Retroactive check box: unchecked.

Now, here I need to understand does the time continues from where the p1 exhausts. 

Can anyone help me the way to utilize this model of continuing the time from where it was left from previous SLA task.

Thanks in advance

[AndersBGS · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anil9866 ,

if you have the retroactive unchecked, the 60 min SLA will cancel and a new timer will be started with 180 mins on the clock. If you instead check the retroactive start, then there would only be 140 mins left on the clock for P3.

[SohamTipnis]

When you change the priority from P1 to P3, the SLA tasks behave exactly as defined in your SLA conditions.

P1 SLA (60 minutes)

Start condition = Active = true AND Priority = P1

Cancel when = Start conditions are not met

Retroactive = unchecked

As soon as the priority changes from P1 → P3, the start condition for the P1 SLA is no longer true.
ServiceNow immediately cancels the P1 SLA, and it will show the elapsed time (around the 40 minutes that have passed).
It does not pause, and it does not carry over remaining time.

P3 SLA (180 minutes)

Start condition = Active = true AND Priority = P3

Retroactive = unchecked

When priority becomes P3, this SLA becomes eligible and starts a new full 180-minute countdown.
It does not reuse or continue the time from P1, because retroactive is disabled and SLAs are treated independently.

Does the time continue from where P1 left off?

No.
ServiceNow does not combine or continue timers between different SLA definitions.
Each SLA starts and ends based on its own conditions.

If you want the timing to continue or be shared, you would need a custom SLA script or a single dynamic SLA setup, because there is no OOTB feature that transfers remaining time across SLAs.

If you find my answer as useful, please mark it as a Correct😊.

[UmesH77]

hello @Anil9866 ,

what happens to the P1 SLA task after 40 minutes?

The moment you change the priority from P1 → P3:

The P1 SLA “start conditions no longer met” → CANCELS.

Its final state becomes

 P1 SLA → “Cancelled” stage

(Not breached, not achieved — just cancelled.)

It does not continue, and it does not complete even though 40 minutes were consumed.

As soon as the priority becomes P3, the P3 SLA conditions become true:

• active = true

• priority = P3

So

 P3 SLA starts fresh with a full 180-minute countdown.

There is no deduction for the 40 minutes already spent on P1.

P3 SLA gets a new 180-minute timer, starting at the moment priority is changed.