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Integration Best Practice: Import Set API vs Scripted REST API for Inbound Integration

Khalid9030
Tera Contributor

46m ago

Hi Community,

I have a question regarding inbound integrations in ServiceNow.

For an inbound integration, how do you decide which integration approach to use? For example, we have options such as the Table API & Import Set API and Scripted REST API.

In a real project scenario, which approach would you choose, and what factors do you consider when making the decision?

When would you prefer the Import Set API, and when would you choose a Scripted REST API & Table API ? Are there any performance, maintainability, data transformation, or security considerations that influence your decision?

I would really appreciate answers based on real project experience and practical implementation scenarios. Please avoid generic or purely AI-generated answers, as I am specifically looking to learn from people who have actually worked on these types of integrations in ServiceNow.

Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.

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Kieran Anson
Kilo Patron

41m ago

There's a great article providing a decision tree for deciding what approach to take. ServiceNow Integration Pattern Decision Tree

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Kieran Anson
Kilo Patron
In response to Kieran Anson

36m ago

In terms of real-world examples. If the use case is for an external system to send data to ServiceNow my decision approach would go as follows:

  1. Is there a spoke/app that already provides these capabilities? Adopt this as a first point of call for quick ROI
  2. Avoid using the Table API in all use cases where a system is pushing data into the platform. It provides no protection or staging of data and is a "brute force" approach
  3. If the external system has control over the payload it is sending and can conform to the Import Set API format, then use it. 
  4. Where the external system needs a custom response, or can't control the format data is being sent, leverage a Scripted Rest API. This comes with tech-debt and will need to be fully tested for functional, security, and non-functional validation.
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