Top ITSM Interview Questions for ServiceNow Developers

[SD_Chandan]

1. What is ITSM in ServiceNow and which modules does it include?
   Expected topics: Incident, Problem, Change, Request, Knowledge, CMDB.
2. How does Incident Management work in ServiceNow?
   Follow-up: How would you customize the incident form or workflow?
3. What is the difference between Incident and Problem Management?
   Expected to explain root cause analysis and proactive vs reactive.
4. How do you implement Change Management in ServiceNow?
   Include CAB approvals, change types (Normal, Emergency, Standard), and workflows.
5. What is a Business Rule and how is it used in ITSM?
   Example: Auto-assigning incidents based on category or priority.
6. How do you use Flow Designer or Workflow Editor in ITSM processes?
   Expected to describe automating approvals, notifications, or task creation.
7. What is the role of CMDB in ITSM and how do you maintain it?
   Include Discovery, CI relationships, and impact analysis.
8. How do you configure SLAs for ITSM processes like Incident or Request?
   Expected to explain SLA definitions, conditions, and escalation.
9. What are Catalog Items and how do they relate to Request Fulfillment?
   Include Record Producers, Workflows, and Requested Items (RITMs).
10. How do you secure ITSM data using ACLs or roles?
    Example: Restricting access to incidents based on assignment group.

[SD_Chandan · Accepted solution]

🔷 1. What is ITSM in ServiceNow and which modules does it include?

Answer:
ITSM (IT Service Management) in ServiceNow refers to a suite of applications designed to manage IT services efficiently. Core modules include:

• Incident Management – for restoring services quickly.
• Problem Management – for identifying and eliminating root causes.
• Change Management – for managing changes with minimal risk.
• Request Management – for handling service requests.
• Knowledge Management – for sharing solutions and documentation.
• CMDB – for tracking Configuration Items and their relationships.

---

🔷 2. How does Incident Management work in ServiceNow?

Answer:
Incident Management helps restore normal service operations quickly. Users report issues via the portal or email, which creates an incident record. The system can auto-assign incidents based on category or location using Assignment Rules or Business Rules.
Customization: You can modify the incident form layout, add mandatory fields, or use Flow Designer to automate notifications and escalations.

---

🔷 3. What is the difference between Incident and Problem Management?

Answer:

• Incident Management is reactive — it focuses on resolving immediate issues.
• Problem Management is proactive — it investigates root causes to prevent recurrence. For example, multiple incidents about a server crash may lead to a problem record to analyze and fix the underlying issue.

---

🔷 4. How do you implement Change Management in ServiceNow?

Answer:
Change Management involves planning, approving, and implementing changes. You configure change types:

• Standard – pre-approved.
• Normal – requires CAB approval.
• Emergency – expedited process. Workflows manage approvals, risk assessments, and implementation tasks. CAB meetings can be scheduled using the CAB Workbench.

---

🔷 5. What is a Business Rule and how is it used in ITSM?

Answer:
A Business Rule is server-side logic that runs when records are inserted, updated, or deleted.
Example: A Business Rule can auto-assign incidents to a specific group based on category or urgency.

---

🔷 6. How do you use Flow Designer or Workflow Editor in ITSM processes?

Answer:
Flow Designer allows you to build automated flows using triggers and actions.
Use cases:

• Auto-approve low-risk changes.
• Send notifications when incidents are updated.
• Create tasks when a request is submitted.

---

🔷 7. What is the role of CMDB in ITSM and how do you maintain it?

Answer:
CMDB stores Configuration Items (CIs) and their relationships. It supports ITSM by enabling impact analysis, change planning, and root cause identification.
Maintenance: Use Discovery to auto-populate CIs, apply reconciliation rules, and monitor health via the CMDB Health Dashboard.

---

🔷 8. How do you configure SLAs for ITSM processes like Incident or Request?

Answer:
SLAs define response and resolution targets. You create SLA definitions with conditions (e.g., Priority = 1), associate them with workflows, and use timers to track progress. Escalations can be triggered if SLAs breach.

---

🔷 9. What are Catalog Items and how do they relate to Request Fulfillment?

Answer:
Catalog Items are predefined services users can request (e.g., laptop, software access).
Flow:

• User submits a Catalog Item → creates a Request → generates Requested Item (RITM) → triggers Tasks and workflows for fulfillment.

---

🔷 10. How do you secure ITSM data using ACLs or roles?

Answer:
Access Control Lists (ACLs) restrict access to records and fields based on roles, conditions, or scripts.
Example: Only users in the “Network Support” group can view or edit incidents assigned to their group. Scoped apps and roles further enhance security.

[SD_Chandan · Accepted solution]

🔷 1. What is ITSM in ServiceNow and which modules does it include?

Answer:
ITSM (IT Service Management) in ServiceNow refers to a suite of applications designed to manage IT services efficiently. Core modules include:

• Incident Management – for restoring services quickly.
• Problem Management – for identifying and eliminating root causes.
• Change Management – for managing changes with minimal risk.
• Request Management – for handling service requests.
• Knowledge Management – for sharing solutions and documentation.
• CMDB – for tracking Configuration Items and their relationships.

---

🔷 2. How does Incident Management work in ServiceNow?

Answer:
Incident Management helps restore normal service operations quickly. Users report issues via the portal or email, which creates an incident record. The system can auto-assign incidents based on category or location using Assignment Rules or Business Rules.
Customization: You can modify the incident form layout, add mandatory fields, or use Flow Designer to automate notifications and escalations.

---

🔷 3. What is the difference between Incident and Problem Management?

Answer:

• Incident Management is reactive — it focuses on resolving immediate issues.
• Problem Management is proactive — it investigates root causes to prevent recurrence. For example, multiple incidents about a server crash may lead to a problem record to analyze and fix the underlying issue.

---

🔷 4. How do you implement Change Management in ServiceNow?

Answer:
Change Management involves planning, approving, and implementing changes. You configure change types:

• Standard – pre-approved.
• Normal – requires CAB approval.
• Emergency – expedited process. Workflows manage approvals, risk assessments, and implementation tasks. CAB meetings can be scheduled using the CAB Workbench.

---

🔷 5. What is a Business Rule and how is it used in ITSM?

Answer:
A Business Rule is server-side logic that runs when records are inserted, updated, or deleted.
Example: A Business Rule can auto-assign incidents to a specific group based on category or urgency.

---

🔷 6. How do you use Flow Designer or Workflow Editor in ITSM processes?

Answer:
Flow Designer allows you to build automated flows using triggers and actions.
Use cases:

• Auto-approve low-risk changes.
• Send notifications when incidents are updated.
• Create tasks when a request is submitted.

---

🔷 7. What is the role of CMDB in ITSM and how do you maintain it?

Answer:
CMDB stores Configuration Items (CIs) and their relationships. It supports ITSM by enabling impact analysis, change planning, and root cause identification.
Maintenance: Use Discovery to auto-populate CIs, apply reconciliation rules, and monitor health via the CMDB Health Dashboard.

---

🔷 8. How do you configure SLAs for ITSM processes like Incident or Request?

Answer:
SLAs define response and resolution targets. You create SLA definitions with conditions (e.g., Priority = 1), associate them with workflows, and use timers to track progress. Escalations can be triggered if SLAs breach.

---

🔷 9. What are Catalog Items and how do they relate to Request Fulfillment?

Answer:
Catalog Items are predefined services users can request (e.g., laptop, software access).
Flow:

• User submits a Catalog Item → creates a Request → generates Requested Item (RITM) → triggers Tasks and workflows for fulfillment.

---

🔷 10. How do you secure ITSM data using ACLs or roles?

Answer:
Access Control Lists (ACLs) restrict access to records and fields based on roles, conditions, or scripts.
Example: Only users in the “Network Support” group can view or edit incidents assigned to their group. Scoped apps and roles further enhance security.

[Dev_Snow_ITSM]

lit helpful.....

[GlideFather · Accepted solution]

@SD_Chandan 

Very simplified example of ITSM: "Every day at 7 AM there is server outage" > many incidents are created, for that a single problem record was created to associate all the incidents in one place and managing one problem record is also updating the associated incidents (adding one comment will be copied to all the incidents), once the root cause is know - it was a cleaning company that unplugs the socket for their vacuum cleaners and during that the service was unavailable. You have the problem and you know the root cause, so you raise a request to modify it, once the request is approved, then you can create a change (either lock the sockets, add some more), then change is scheduled at specific time, when everything is done, you can write a knowledge article about it to inform the employees and the cleaners not to unplug this.

[SD_Chandan]

Hi @GlideFather ,

Well explained Example