Employee Self-Service Experiences Quick Start Guides
Zurich Release
The Quick Start guides below help you learn how to set up Employee Self-Service applications and get started quickly.
Case and Knowledge Management Quick Start Guide
Employee Relations Quick Start Guide
HR Agent Workspace Quick Start Guide
HR Documents Quick Start Guide
Universal Request Quick Start Guide
Employee Journey Management Quick Start Guide
Case and Knowledge Management Quick Start Guide
Overview
Case and Knowledge Management (CKM) streamlines HR service delivery by automating employee interactions with HR teams, making it easier to manage inquiries and requests. Through a centralized HR Service Portal, employees can access a catalog of services and submit questions, while HR specialists, managers and administrators handle and track cases efficiently. With built-in automation, structured workflows, and reporting tools, CKM helps HR teams reduce manual effort, improve response times, and ensure compliance.
Step by Step Guide
1. Activate the HR Core plugin (foundation) - Begin by enabling the HR Core plugin (com.sn_hr_core) using the Admin role, which lays the foundation for managing HR cases and knowledge articles. This plugin brings in key functionality like case tables, roles, and scheduled jobs.
It also activates additional plugins - Human Resources Scoped App: Security and Human Resources Scoped App: Integrations. Once installed, you’ll be able to create and manage HR cases, publish helpful content, and streamline employee support. If you’ve opted to include demo data for testing, be sure to remove it before going live to keep your production environment clean and secure.
2. Create COEs (Centers of Excellence) and map topics - Next, organize your HR services using Centers of Excellence (COEs). These act as categories that mirror your HR department’s structure such as Payroll, Benefits, or Compensation. Within each COE, define topic categories and details to help employees navigate services more easily.
For example, under “Leave,” you might include specific topics like “Sick Leave Certificate.” This structure ensures that employee requests are routed to the right teams with minimal confusion.
3. Configure HR services - HR services are the options employees use to submit requests, so it’s important to set them up clearly and consistently. Each service should include a title, description, and be linked to the appropriate COE. You can also assign default handlers to streamline case routing. If your organization uses the Employee Center, consider creating catalog items or record producers that make it easy for employees to find and request services through a user-friendly interface.
4. Create HR case templates and routing rules - To save time and ensure consistency, create templates for common HR cases. These templates can include pre-filled fields, tasks, and SLAs that guide agents through resolution. You’ll also want to set up routing rules that automatically assign cases based on factors like topic, location, or required skills. This helps reduce manual work and ensures cases reach the right person quickly.
5. Configure knowledge bases - A well-structured knowledge base empowers employees to find answers on their own, reducing the number of cases submitted. Start by creating a dedicated HR knowledge base and assigning ownership to your content team. Link helpful articles to HR services so they appear as suggestions when employees submit requests and configure the system to surface relevant content based on keywords.
6. Publish Knowledge Articles - Once your knowledge base is ready, focus on creating high-quality articles that address common employee questions. These articles should be easy to understand and directly linked to services, so they show up as “Suggested Articles” during case submission.
7. Security, roles, and access checks - Make sure your HR data is secure by assigning the right roles and permissions. Case handlers should have access to manage cases, while managers can oversee escalations and broader visibility. For knowledge content, assign roles to authors and reviewers. Review access controls for each COE to ensure sensitive topics, like employee relations or investigations, are only visible to authorized users.
To learn more about configuring Case and Knowledge Management, refer to Product Documentation.
Using Guided Setup
Guided Setup to help in quickly configuring key components like HR case types, knowledge bases, and service categories, etc. without needing deep technical expertise. A structured task sequence is followed to ensure your Case and Knowledge Management application is set up according to best practices and ready to handle employee inquiries from day one. Guided Setup can be accessed directly from HR Administration > Guided Setup. Roles needed for Guided Setup are: sn_hr_core.ws_admin and sn_hr_core.admin.
For more details, read about Guided Setup here.
Employee Relations Quick Start Guide
Overview
Employee Relations (ER) helps HR manage sensitive cases like policy violations, grievances, and compliance investigations. It ensures confidentiality in HR Case Management.
Step by Step Guide
1. Install the Employee Relations Plugin - To begin, activate the Employee Relations plugin (com.sn_hr_employee_relations) from your ServiceNow instance. This unlocks specialized case types and investigation workflows tailored for sensitive HR matters. Once installed, you’ll gain access to ER-specific case tables, sample services, and dedicated pages in both the Agent Workspace and Core UI. Make sure you have admin privileges before installing and verify that all components are correctly added to your environment.
2. Review the Default Case Form and Fields - After installation, take a moment to explore the default ER case form. It includes fields like Summary, Allegations, Involved Parties, and Evidence, along with support for contractor-related cases. Review these fields to decide which ones are relevant for your organization, which should be mandatory, and whether any custom fields are needed.
3. Apply Security and Access Controls - Employee Relations cases often involve highly sensitive information, so it’s critical to lock down access. Assign ER cases to a dedicated COE (Center of Excellence) and configure ACLs (Access Control Lists) to restrict visibility. Only users with specific roles, like ER managers, viewers, or admins should be able to access these records.
4. Configure Matching and Assignment Rules - Unlike general HR cases, ER cases may not always have a clear subject person. To ensure proper routing, set up matching rules that assign cases based on agent skills, location, and ER-specific privileges. For example, you can match cases by country to a local agent pool or by skill to ER-trained investigators.
5. Customize Forms, Workflows, and Evidence Handling - Tailor the ER case form to include sections for evidence attachments, chain-of-custody notes, and audit fields for investigators. Then, build a dedicated ER workflow using Flow Designer that guides cases through key stages like Intake, Triage, Investigation, Outcome, and Closure. Make sure each step is auditable and clearly logged to maintain transparency and compliance.
6. Setting up Interview Templates - The Interview Management feature helps HR teams streamline employee relations interviews by using customizable templates. These templates allow agents to consistently capture questions, answers, and notes, making interviews more efficient and organized. To get started, activate the Interview Templates plugin (com.sn_interview_templates) and create question templates with tags that help filter by topic or interviewee type such as complainant, witness, or subject of allegation.
7. Set Up Dashboards and Reporting - Create dashboards that give ER leadership visibility into case trends, such as counts by allegation type, open investigations, and case age. These dashboards should be restricted to authorized users to prevent exposure of sensitive data. Use them to monitor performance, identify bottlenecks, and improve response times.
8. Integration with Other HR Modules - Employee Relations can be integrated with other HR Service Delivery modules, such as HR Case Management and Employee Center. This integration streamlines case handoffs, enables cross-module reporting, and provides a unified experience for HR teams and employees. To set this up, link Employee Relations workflows with related HR processes and ensure data sharing permissions are configured appropriately.
9. Configuring Anonymous Reporting Center - To set up the Anonymous Reporting Center, first ensure the ARC plugin (com.sn_anonymous_report_center) is activated. Then, configure the ARC portal within the Employee Center by enabling the Human Resources tab and linking it to the ARC page. Employees can access the portal anonymously to submit sensitive reports or follow up using a unique report key and number. You can customize the portal’s appearance, messaging, and routing rules to align with your organization’s policies.
For further details, refer to Product Documentation.
HR Agent Workspace Quick Start Guide
Overview
HR Agent Workspace is a unified interface that helps HR teams manage employee cases faster and more efficiently. It brings together case details, communication tools, and smart recommendations in one place. With built-in features like Universal Request, Agent Assist, and customizable layouts, it works well for all support teams, making it an ideal solution for organizations seeking efficient HR Service Delivery.
Step by Step Guide
1. Setting up Agent Workspace - To set up Agent Workspace for HR Case Management, administrators need to install the HR Service Delivery Configurable Workspace [sn_hr_agent_ws] plugin from the ServiceNow Store. This workspace allows HR agents to manage employee cases, answer questions, and resolve issues efficiently. After installation, admins configure communication channels, routing, forms, and workspace settings. Key roles include HR Workspace Admin [sn_hr_agent_ws.admin], HR Manager [sn_hr_core.manager], HR Case Writer [sn_hr_core.case_writer], and HR Agent [sn_hr_core.basic].
2. Guided Setup for Quick Configuration - To configure Agent Workspace for HR Case Management, administrators can use the Guided Setup tool, which helps set up everything agents need to manage HR cases, tasks, and communications in one place. You’ll need the HR Service Delivery Configurable Workspace [sn_hr_agent_ws] plugin and the admin role to access this setup. The Guided Setup organizes configuration steps into easy-to-follow categories, each with planning tips, links to relevant pages, and helpful resources. To get started, go to HR Case Management > Agent Workspace for HR Case Management Guided Setup and click Get Started.
3. Customizing Form Fields - To customize form fields in Agent Workspace for HR Case Management, administrators with the admin role can use the Form Builder tool. Navigate to All > HR Case Management > All HR Cases, open a case, and go to Configure > Form Builder. From there, select Workspace UIB from Form View and then you can add existing fields, create new ones, rearrange them, or remove fields to match your team's needs.
4. Configure the Workspace Using UI Builder - This allows you to design and modify layouts, lists, and components using UI Builder. You can create custom pages, optimize task views, and define agent roles.
5. Using Agent Workspace - HR agents use the Agent Workspace for HR Case Management to manage employee interactions, resolve issues, and track cases efficiently. Depending on their role, agents can access the workspace via the landing page, inbox, chat, or phone. The case form helps agents view case details, update status using UI actions, and access related records or knowledge articles.
For further information, please refer to Product Documentation.
HR Documents Quick Start Guide
Overview
HR Documents refer to the Document Templates and Employee Documents applications collectively, to streamline how HR teams create, manage, and secure employee-related documentation.
From generating offer letters and verification forms to storing signed agreements and applying retention policies, HR Documents enables end-to-end document lifecycle support with configurable templates, automated workflows, and secure access controls. This empowers HR agents and employees alike with faster document handling, improved compliance, and seamless integration across HR services.
Step by Step Guide
Document Templates - Document Templates empower HR teams to automate the generation, filling, signing and reviewing of employee documents such as offer letters, onboarding forms, and policy acknowledgments.
These templates support both HTML and PDF formats, enabling dynamic field mapping, participant workflows, and e-signature integration. By associating templates with HR services and cases, organizations can streamline document tasks, ensure compliance, and deliver a personalized employee experience across channels like Employee Center and Agent Workspace.
1. Install the Application - You can activate the Document Templates application (sn_doc) from ServiceNow Store.
2. Choose a Template type and create a Document Template - Navigate to Document Templates > Create New. Choose the format: HTML for dynamic content or PDF for structured forms. Define the template name, category, description and other fields.
3. Define Participants and Tasks - Specify who will interact with the document (e.g., employee, Manager, HR agent). Assign tasks such as filling, reviewing, or signing the document.
4. Define Signature Type - Document Templates support 3 signature types – ServiceNow Signature, DocuSign and Adobe Sign. Integrate with DocuSign or Adobe Sign if needed.
5. Map Fields and Signature Blocks - Use field mapping to auto-populate data from HR cases or user profiles. Configure signature blocks and workflows, including submit-reject-resubmit cycles for corrections.
6. Associate with HR Services - Link the template to an HR Template and HR Service to trigger document tasks automatically from cases.
7. Test and Validate - Preview the document flow using test cases. Validate field mappings, participant actions, and signature routing.
Employee Documents - Employee Document Management centralizes and streamlines the handling of employee-related documents, ensuring integrity, accuracy, and secure access. Documents can be automatically or manually moved from HR cases to employee files, tagged with metadata for easy search, and previewed at any stage. Legal holds can be placed on individual HR profiles or document types to prevent purging, while retention policies define how long documents are stored and when they can be deleted. Approval workflows and role-based access controls can be set to ensure compliance and security.
Documents are accessible via HR cases, the Service Portal, or the Employee Center profile page, providing a seamless and secure experience across the organization.
1. Activate the Plugin - Begin by activating the Employee Document Management plugin (com.sn_employee_document_management) using an admin role. This plugin includes demo data and automatically activates related plugins if not already enabled.
2. Define Document Types - Document types are central to the application. They categorize documents and associate them with Centers of Excellence (COEs), topic categories, and topic details. Out-of-the-box (OOB) document types are available to expedite setup, but you can create additional types to suit your organization’s needs. Each document type can be configured to:
- Assign security policies (who can view, create, move, or purge documents)
- Apply retention policies (how long documents are kept)
- Enable legal holds (prevent purging or changes)
- Allow employee access
- Automatically move documents to the repository when an HR case is closed
3. Configure Retention Periods and Policies - Retention periods define how long documents should be stored. These are combined with HR criteria to form retention policies, which ensure documents are retained in accordance with regulations or company policy. Default retention policies are used when none are explicitly assigned.
4. Set Up Security Policies - Security policies control access to documents and purge authorization. You can associate multiple policies with a document type, define evaluation order, and enable or disable policies as needed. Default security policies are provided for common use cases.
5. Manage Legal Holds - Legal holds can be placed on individual HR profiles or document types to prevent purging. This is essential for compliance and legal investigations. Holds include timestamps and reasons and can be managed centrally.
6. Configure Expiration Policies - Expiration policies allow administrators to filter documents nearing expiration and notify relevant stakeholders. These policies can be based on HR criteria or document fields and support email notifications to document owners, managers, or HR reps.
7. Assign Roles and Access - Administrators configure the application and assign roles. Agents upload documents on behalf of employees or as part of HR cases. Employees can view and upload their own documents when permitted. Access is governed by security policies and role assignments.
For further details, refer to Product Documentation.
HR Multi-Instance Integration Quick Start Guide
Overview
ServiceNow HR Multi Instance Integration (HR MII) makes it easy for large organizations to deliver HR services across multiple ServiceNow instances. With HR MII, employees can request HR help from anywhere, and HR teams can manage and fulfill those requests, even if they’re on different systems. This creates a unified experience for both employees and HR agents, helping organizations centralize HR processes, improve service delivery, and support a global workforce.
Step by Step Guide
1. Planning Pre-requisites - To install plugins for HR Multi Instance Integration (HR MII), both HR Provider and HR Consumer instances must be on the Zurich release, have HRSD licenses, and Service Bridge enabled. HR admins or system administrators should install the following plugins:
- HR Multi Instance Integration for Provider v2.0 (sn_hr_mii_provider)
- HR Multi Instance Integration for Consumer v2.0 (sn_hr_mii_consumer)
- Service Bridge for Provider
- Service Bridge for Consumer
- HRSD Core (Human Resources Scoped App: Core)
- Universal Task
2. Import Users - Admin must ensure that the ServiceNow integrations are properly set up on the provider instance. Using supported methods, users are then imported from the consumer system of records into the provider instance. After import, it's important to associate each user with the correct consumer company to ensure accurate case routing and service delivery across instances.
3. Install Provider & Consumer Plugins - On your Provider instance, install the “HR MII – Provider” plugin. On each Consumer instance, install the “HR MII – Consumer” plugin. Double-check that Service Bridge is active on both sides to enable secure communication.
4. Establish the Secure Connection - Set up a secure handshake between your Provider and Consumer instances. The Provider creates a Consumer account with connection details, while the Consumer sets up a Provider connection using that information. Once the Provider approves, you’ll see the connection status as active. You can verify this by checking Service Bridge logs for successful messages.
5. Publish Services from the Provider - On the Provider instance, simply choose which HR services you want to make available to other teams. For each service, create a Remote Catalog Item (using the Remote Record Producer style) and fill in key details like the title, a short description, who should be able to see it (user criteria), and which consumer instances can access it (consumer domains). Once you activate or publish the service, it will appear in the Consumer’s catalog, making it easy for employees to find and request what they need.
6. Accept and Activate Services on the Consumer - On the Consumer instance, you’ll see a list of HR services shared by the Provider. Simply review and accept the services you want to offer to your employees. You can also add your own approval steps or custom fields if needed. Once activated, these services will appear in your employees’ service catalog, making it easy for them to submit requests.
7. Service Request and Fulfillment - To submit a remote HR service request from the Employee Center, employees must have the sn_sb.requestor role and can only submit requests for themselves. When filling out the request, employees should select their own name in the "subject person" and "opened for" fields and can attach any supporting documents as needed. Once submitted, the provider HR agent will work on the case.
The status of the case is kept in sync between both systems, and provider agents can easily identify remote cases by a special “Remote case” field. Each stage of the case is mapped between the provider and consumer, ensuring a smooth and transparent process for everyone involved.
For further details, refer to Product Documentation.
Universal Request Quick Start Guide
Overview
Universal Request simplifies how employees get help by providing a single, unified entry point for all types of support, whether it’s HR, IT, Facilities, or another department. Instead of guessing where to go, employees submit one request, and the platform intelligently routes it to the right team, enabling seamless collaboration across departments. Universal Request maintains a consistent experience by linking related tickets, preserving context, and ensuring updates are visible in one place. It supports secure handoffs, scoped transfers, and AI-powered routing, helping organizations reduce confusion, improve resolution times, and deliver a more connected service experience across the enterprise.
Step by Step Guide
1. Activate the Universal Request Plugin - Start by enabling the Universal Request plugin (com.snc.universal_request). This unlocks the core functionality that allows requests to be created, routed, and fulfilled across multiple departments. Once activated, you’ll gain access to configuration properties that let you fine-tune behaviors like timeouts, auto-mapping, and notifications. The Universal Request plugin activates related plugins such as com.snc.universal_request.reporting, com.agent_workspace, com.snc.universal_request_core and more, if not activated already.
2. Design the Intake Experience - Decide how employees will submit their requests. The recommended approach is to use Employee Center and Virtual Agent for a modern, conversational experience. You can create a simple intake form that captures key details such as the request description, urgency, and location. This unified ticket experience ensures that all employee requests are captured and routed efficiently, no matter how they are submitted.
3. Configure Request Types and Routing - Define the types of requests your organization supports such as HR, Payroll, IT, or Facilities Move. These categories help route the request to the correct fulfillment team without requiring the employee to know which department handles what.
4. Configure UR Roles - To manage Universal Requests effectively, assign roles such as UR admin, requester, and fulfiller to your team members. The UR admin can configure and maintain the system, while requesters submit help requests and fulfillers resolve them.
5. Configure Transfers - Universal Request supports seamless transfers between departments or teams. You can set up transfer rules so that requests are automatically routed to the right group based on category, location, or other criteria.
6. Enable Smart Classification (Optional) - If you want to go a step further, enable Predictive Intelligence and Virtual Agent classification. This allows the system to interpret short descriptions and description entries and automatically classify assignment groups using trained machine learning models.
7. Tune Universal Request Properties
Visit the Universal Request properties page to configure system behavior. Here, you can set defaults like whether to auto-create fulfillment cases, how notifications are handled, and limits on attachments. These settings help tailor the experience to your organization’s policies and SLAs.
Using Guided Setup
Furthermore, you could use the Guided Setup for Universal Request (Navigate to Universal Request > Administration > Guided Setup for UR) to configure the application effectively.
For further details, refer to Product Documentation.
Employee Journey Management Quick Start Guide
Overview
Employee Journey Management (EJM) is designed to help HR teams deliver personalized, consistent, and automated experiences across key employee lifecycle moments such as onboarding, promotions, relocations, and leaves of absence. By combining tools, automated triggers, and reusable templates, EJM empowers HR managers and operations teams to orchestrate journeys that are timely, cross-functional, and impactful, resulting in a more engaging employee experience.
Journey Designer, Journey Accelerator, and Lifecycle Events must be installed and activated. These components work together to trigger, design, and accelerate employee journeys.
Step by Step Guide
Journey Designer - This is the visual workspace for building and managing employee journeys. It allows you to define milestones, assign tasks, and track progress in a centralized view.
1. Install Journey Designer - To start creating and managing employee journeys for personal and professional events, install the Journey Designer [sn_jny] application from the ServiceNow Store. Before installing, make sure your instance is upgraded to Vancouver and that required plugins like HR Core, Lifecycle Events for Enterprise, Employee Center Pro, and Journey Accelerator are already in place.
You’ll need the admin role to complete the installation. Once you find the app in the Store, select the version you want, review the installation details (including dependencies), and choose whether to load demo data for testing. The Journey Designer app also installs Journey Accelerator plugin, helping you deliver guided, personalized experiences for employees across key milestones.
2. Configuring Journey Designer - To configure Journey Designer for your organization, administrators use the Journey Designer admin console. Before getting started, make sure the following plugins are installed: Journey Designer [sn_jny], Journey Accelerator [sn_ja], Lifecycle Events for Enterprise [com.sn_hr_lifecycle_ent], and HR Core [com.sn_hr_core]. You’ll need the admin role to access configuration features. From the console, admins can create journey types, assign user roles, manage stages and tasks, and customize headers and permissions.
3. Creating a journey - Managers with the Modifier [sn_jny.writer] permission can use Journey Designer to create personalized journeys for employees and assign mentors to support them. To begin, go to the Employee Center, select Journeys, and click Create a new journey. You can choose a preconfigured journey template or start from scratch. Fill in details like the employee’s name, journey title, description, and select up to five mentors with view or edit access. Once created, journey owners and mentors can update tasks, add stages, publish the journey, and include helpful resources like recommended learning and quick links.
4. Publishing a journey - Once the journeys have been designed and tested, they are ready to be published. The sn_journey_admin role should be assigned to users responsible for managing and deploying journeys across the organization.
The sn_journey_creator role is to be granted to designers so that templates can continue to be refined. Upon publishing, the journey is made available for triggering through Lifecycle Events, ensuring that the appropriate support is provided to employees at the right time.
5. Configuring Pre-Hire Experience - To set up the Pre-hire experience using Journey Designer, admins must first upgrade their instance to the Zurich release and update Journey Designer to version 7.0. You’ll also need to install and activate the Explicit Roles [com.glide.explicit_roles] plugin. With the admin role, you can then configure key components and widgets to create a welcoming and informative experience for new hires. Make sure to deactivate the old Account setup and notification activity and activate the new Account/role setup and notification and Transition pre-hire to employee activities to support the pre-boarding process effectively.
Journey Accelerator - Admins can use Journey Accelerator to create templates for common journeys like onboarding or offboarding, helping Managers to publish consistent but customized plans easily for key employee transitions.
1. Installing Journey Accelerator - Before you begin, make sure the Employee Center is installed and activated, as Journey Accelerator plans are accessed through it. You’ll need the admin role to install the Journey Accelerator [sn_ja] application. Simply go to All > System Applications > All Available Applications > All, search for Journey Accelerator, and select the version you want. Review the installation details, including any dependencies, and choose to load demo data if needed for testing.
2. Creating Templates in Journey Accelerator - Administrators can use Journey Accelerator [sn_ja] to create templates for employee transition plans tailored to different roles and audiences. These templates include stages and to-do tasks that guide managers, mentors, and employees through key milestones. To get started, admins define plan types, create stages, and build task templates that appear in the Employee Center. You’ll need the admin role and ensure the Employee Center plugin is active.
Lifecycle Events - These are the triggers that automatically launch journeys based on employee changes such as a new hire, promotion, or location change, ensuring the right experience starts at the right time.
1. Installing Lifecycle Events - Install the Human Resources Scoped App: Lifecycle Events for Enterprise [com.sn_hr_lifecycle_ent] plugin. You’ll need the admin role to activate it. This plugin also installs related plugins such as HR Core, Employee Center, Lifecycle Events, and Document Templates if they aren’t already active. To install, go to All > System Applications > All Available Applications > All, search for the plugin, and select Install.
Demo data is included to help you explore features in a test or development environment, making it easier to get started with lifecycle automation.
2. Configuring a lifecycle event - You can configure employee lifecycle events like onboarding or role changes using the Lifecycle Event builder. To get started, go to Lifecycle Events > Administration > Manage Lifecycle Events. You’ll need the sn_hr_le.admin or sn_hr_le.activity_set_manager role to access and manage these settings. From there, you can create a new event or update an existing one by adding a title, description, and display options.
Each event includes activity sets that represent different stages, with tasks, approvals, or notifications to guide employees through the process. Once set up, the event helps deliver a smooth and trackable experience for employees.
Using Guided Setup
Guided Setup is provided to simplify the configuration of Employee Journey Management. Each step, such as activating plugins, assigning roles, and setting up templates, is walked through using a structured interface. Navigate to All > Journey Designer > Administration > Journeys Guided Setup as an admin to get started.
To learn more, refer to Product Documentation.
