Plugins are software components that provide specific features and functionalities within a ServiceNow instance.
All the necessary basic plugins are always activated in instance even in our Personal Developer Instance. if you find any additional plugin which is not installed in your instance, you can install it manually by going to plugin module. We will see step by step guide on that in below.
New Vancouver Plugin New App Manager :
We have New UI for Plugin Module in Vancouver Release :
Note : steps below your PDI/Instance must be in Vancouver Release.
You can check by doing stats.do in App Navigator for Release Details
Once Plugin Module is Open we can have New UI by default Now
Some of the New Features that we have in this New Plugin Manager are Highlighted in above image as :
Activiti Log to Find out details of plugin on current
Switch to Classic App Manager : we can switch older Plugin App Manager UI which we are using from long ago
Request Plugin : Request a Plugin on ServcieNow Store
Open Store : Navigate us to ServcieNow App Store with Auto Redirect facility
Search : Global Search option in which we can search our plugin by its Label by clicking on Magnifier
as shown in Above Image we can see New Feature of Details about Plugin in Our Instance :
Available for You : we can figure out the availability of Plugins for our Instance
Updates : Provides the Details of any Updated Version Available for our Plugin as Patch or Fix
Installed : Separate Installed Plugin which have any Updates available
Activity Log :
Sync Apps : Provides Timely Syncs
Search : Now we have an facility to Search Plugin like Native Global Search. all is we need to provide Appropriate Key Words to Search the Plugin.
Plugin Classic App :
as I have already mentioned we can switch to Older Classic Plugin App Manager by UI Action at the Top. Above image is Classic View.
in Personal Developer Instance we usually log in as System Administrator (developer.servicenow.com) and do open the user profile window.
There also we have a facility to install the plugin as follows
Go to developer.servicenow.com >add your credentials > click on user profile in the right corner
In the Instance Action we have option to install plugin. Click on it
Here we have to provide the name of the plugin as keyword for search
These were the steps to install plugin in our instance
When domain separation and delegated admin are enabled in an instance, the administrative user must be in the global domain. Otherwise, the following error appears:
Application installation is unavailable because another operation is running: Plugin Activation for <plugin name>.
Now there are many things come in to the picture as:
if plugin is not available in the list?
are the plugins being free or paid?
was the plugin installed successfully or not?
Let’s get the answer on all such things.
If a plugin is not available in list, we cannot activate it. We have to made a Request activation of the plugin by ServiceNow personnel.
Follow the KB https://support.servicenow.com/kb?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0751715
Are the plugins being free?
The plugins which are installed in non-production instance and personal developer instance are free. Only the plugins in the Production Instance are need to be paid for subscription.
Whenever we install any plugin in Personal Developer Instance, always good to install Demo Data. Once you click on install plugin, a Pop will arise where you need to add demo data.
Did my Plugin Installed Successfully?
We have to check, whether the plugin was installed successfully or not? there are few tables where we can figure out whether the plugin was installed successfully or not? Before that we will see what are the different tables that are related to plugins. For this we simply need to go the table definition.
Navigate > sys_db_object.LIST > in the Label/name column filter with== *plugin
Now we will see the tables one by one
This list includes all plugins that are active on the instance, whether they were activated by default when the instance was new or upgraded, through self-service, or by ServiceNow personnel at your request.
Label | Name |
Guided Setup Entitlement Plugin Mapping | gs_entitlement_plugin_mapping |
App Dependency Client App Plugin Mapping | sn_dependentclient_app_plugin_map |
App Dependency Client Plugin Details | sn_dependentclient_plugin |
Plugin Installation Schedule | sys_installation_schedule |
Plugin Installation Schedule Item | sys_installation_schedule_item |
Sys Plugins | sys_plugins |
Plugin Activation Log | sys_plugin_log |
Unsubscribed Plugins | unlicensed_plugin |
System Plugin | v_plugin |
Progress Workers | sys_progress_worker |
1) Sys Plugins ( sys_plugins) : This Table includes all plugins that are active on the instance, whether they were activated by default when the instance was new or upgraded, through self-service, or by ServiceNow personnel at your request. This Table extends the Package (sys_package) Table which itself extends Configuration Item (cmdb_ci) table.
2) System Plugin (v_plugin) : This Table includes plugins are active on your instance. That module lists only plugins available through self-service.
3) Progress Worker (sys_progress_worker): Search for the name of the plugin in the name field in the form. If the plugin activation was successful it should show as SUCCESS and in case the plugin was not activated properly this would show ERROR.
4) Plugin Activation Log (sys_plugin_log) : Search for the name of the plugin in the name field in the form. Along with the name of the plugin and it should show that the plugin activation was a Success. In case the plugin was not activated it should show Failure.
If you do not found entry in tables Progress Worker or Plugin Activation Log, then it concludes that Plugin is not Activated in your system at all.
5) Guided Setup Entitlement Plugin Mapping (gs_entitlement_plugin_mapping) : Application entitlement is provided to your ServiceNow instance and their mapping is provided.
6) App Dependency Client App Plugin Mapping (sn_dependentclient_app_plugin_map):
The record in this table provides details about your plugin such as scope, app type,tagline, compatibility about version, source ID, Vendor details, App Store Purchase Links
7) App Dependency Client Plugin Details (sn_dependentclient_plugin):- contains the ID of the dependent plugins
😎Plugin Installation Schedule (sys_installation_schedule) : This table stores the record for Scheduled installation of a plugin, application, or product at the required time from your ServiceNow instance. You can simultaneously schedule multiple installations.
9) Plugin Installation Schedule Item (sys_installation_schedule_item) : This This table stores the record for completed installation of a plugin, application, or product at the required time from your ServiceNow instance.
So, for you all the important tables are Sys Plugins ( sys_plugins), System Plugin (v_plugin), Progress Worker (sys_progress_worker), Plugin Activation Log (sys_plugin_log)
Thanks and Regards
Gaurav Shirsat
ServiceNow Community MVP 2022
