How to stop the SLA from server Side code ?

[AbidSiddiqui]

Hi Folks,

I have implemented a Cancel button, where I’ve written server-side code to cancel the Task (sc_task).
When the Task gets cancelled, the corresponding RITM and Request also get cancelled.

The problem is — when the Task and RITM are cancelled, the associated SLAs (task and ritm) are not stopping.

In my code, I’ve used current.setWorkflow(false) because I don’t want other Business Rules to run.

Could you please guide me on how to properly stop the SLAs using server-side code in this scenario?

Here is the code from my Cancel button:

// ✅ Client-side logic

function cancelsctask() {

    if (

        //g_form.getValue('work_notes') == '' ||

        g_form.getValue('comments') == '' ||

        g_form.getValue('assigned_to') == ''

    ) {

        //g_form.setMandatory('work_notes', true);

        g_form.setMandatory('comments', true);

        g_form.setMandatory('assigned_to', true);

        alert('Please fill in additional comments to cancel this task');

        return false;

    } else {

        // Just submit the action, the server script handles the cancellation

        gsftSubmit(null, g_form.getFormElement(), 'cancel_sctask');

    }

}

// ✅ Server-side logic

if (typeof window == 'undefined') servercallnow();

function servercallnow() {

    try {

        current.setWorkflow(false);

        current.state = 4; // Cancelled

        current.active = false;

        current.close_code = 'Cancelled';

        current.close_notes = 'Task cancelled by fulfiller.';

        current.update();

        // // Stop SLAs for the current task

        // var sla = new SLA();

        // sla.cancelTaskSLAs(current);

        // Count active tasks for the same RITM

        var activeTaskCount = new GlideRecord('sc_task');

        activeTaskCount.addQuery('request_item', current.request_item);

        activeTaskCount.addQuery('active', true);

        activeTaskCount.addQuery('sys_id', '!=', current.sys_id); // Exclude current task

        activeTaskCount.query();

        var count = 0;

        while (activeTaskCount.next()) {

            count++;

        }

        if (count == 0) {

            // Cancel RITM

            var ritm = new GlideRecord('sc_req_item');

            if (ritm.get(current.request_item)) {

                ritm.setWorkflow(false);

                //cancel worflow

                var wfContext = new GlideRecord('wf_context');

    wfContext.addQuery('table', 'sc_req_item');

    wfContext.addQuery('reference', ritm.sys_id); // or 'context' depending on your data

    wfContext.query();

    while (wfContext.next()) {

        var wf = new Workflow();

        wf.cancel(wfContext);

        //gs.print('Cancelled WF: ' + wfContext.sys_id);

    }

                // Cancel Flow Designer flows

        var flowContext = new GlideRecord('sys_flow_context');

flowContext.addQuery('source_record', ritm.sys_id);

        flowContext.query();

        while (flowContext.next()) {

            flowContext.state = 'cancelled';

            flowContext.update();

        }

                ritm.state = 4;

                ritm.stage = 'Request Cancelled';

                ritm.approval = 'approved';

                ritm.work_notes = 'Cancelling RITM as task ' + current.number + ' was cancelled by fulfiller.';

                ritm.comments = current.comments;

                ritm.u_cancelled_by = 'Fulfiller';

                ritm.active = false;

                ritm.update();

                // Stop SLAs for the RITM

            }

            // Cancel REQ

            var req = new GlideRecord('sc_request');

            if (req.get(current.request)) {

                var activeRitm = new GlideRecord('sc_req_item');

                activeRitm.addQuery('request', req.sys_id);

                activeRitm.addQuery('active', true);

                activeRitm.query();

                var ritmCount = 0;

                while (activeRitm.next()) {

                    ritmCount++;

                }

                if (ritmCount === 0) {

                    req.setWorkflow(false);

                    req.request_state = 'closed_incomplete';

                    req.state = 4;

                    req.work_notes = 'Cancelling REQ as task ' + current.number + ' was cancelled by fulfiller and no active RITMs found.';

                    req.comments = current.comments;

                    req.active = false;

                    req.update();

                } else {

                    gs.info('REQ not cancelled as there are still active RITMs.');

                }

            }

        }

        action.setRedirectURL(current);

    } catch (e) {

        gs.error('Error during task cancellation: ' + e.message);

    }

}

[Marcos Kassak]

Hi @AbidSiddiqui,

Interesting setup. One thing that stands out immediately: why not handle this through Pause/Cancel conditions in the SLA definitions themselves?

That’s usually the cleanest way to stop SLAs when tasks or RITMs get cancelled. Instead of forcing it through code, you define a condition like state == X (for Cancelled), and the SLA engine takes care of the rest.

Also, worth noting, but if you’re setting current.setWorkflow(false), you’re likely bypassing any Flow/SLA updates tied to the state change. That might explain why the SLAs are still running.

Hope it helps you,

If you found my answer helpful or correct ✔️ in any way, please don't forget to mark it to help future readers! 👍

--

Kind regards,

Marcos Kassak

ServiceNow MVP 2024, 2025 ⭐
Solution Architect  🎯

[AbidSiddiqui]

Hi Marcos , 

Thanks for the response , 
Yes that is correct I am setting "current.setWorkflow(false)," because i have few BR's that i don't want to run. yes its bypassing any Flow/SLA updates state change.
Sla is not getting state change update. (in SLA we already have stop condition matching with this ).

That is why i am trying to do it by server side code.

Thanks

[AbidSiddiqui]

Hi Marcos,

Do you have any suggestions on how I should approach this?
I’m trying to handle it using server-side code in my UI action button.
While it successfully updates fields like stage (to completed) and end time, the SLA timeline still shows as running when I check it.

Thanks!