One Common Mistake: How to Convert an Incident to a Request Using ITSM Service Operations Workspace

[BillMartin]

"I want to convert an Incident to a Request, is this available in ServiceNow?"

This is also one of the common questions I get asked.

The ability to convert an Incident to a Service request is available out of the box using the ServiceNow ITSM module. However, doing the conversion properly and carrying it out right with the platform's best practices and technology roadmap.

One common mistake I see is the utilization of the UI16 in implementing this conversion. UI16 as it describes, was created back in 2016 and is not anymore meant to be utilized by service desk and service engineers alike. The UI16 view is implied for administrators and developers alike.

ServiceNow being the platform of platforms with over two thousand developers has created the ITSM Service Operations Workspace to improve business productivity, and efficiency and address the daily challenges of a typical business operation disruption!

To give you a better picture!

Now let us drill down, to show the features of ITSM Service Operations Workspace and a Quick Start Guide on how you can benefit from the Service Operations Workspace.

Here is How: ServiceNow Best Practices: Convert an Incident to a Request Using ITSM Service Operations Workspace.

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[Dr Atul G- LNG]

Hi @BillMartin 

Thanks for this information, but according to me it is not conversion, it is how we can create a request from Inc. As per me conversion means, the life cycle of Incident is over and now all updates/action will be taken on Req not on incident.

Please share thoughts.

[BillMartin · Accepted solution]

Hi @Dr Atul G- LNG ,

Thanks for your input. 

Request and Incidents are two different definitions both from ServiceNow and ITIL perspectives.

To give you enlightenment, I have shared this documentation for your reference.

As established, a service request is an appeal for access to a service that exists as part of a company’s normal offerings. A service request is not a request for help or IT support if a service fails to function correctly. When an unplanned interruption to or reduction of quality in a service occurs and a employee reaches out for support in resolving the problem, this is known as an incident.

Although incidents and service requests have traditionally been grouped together, modern businesses that use ITIL make a distinction between the two. This is partly because of the urgency associated with instances as compared to service requests. Service requests are usually not as time sensitive and may be scheduled out in advance. Incidents, on the other hand, are much more urgent; they represent unexpected issues that are negatively impacting the employee experience, and should be prioritized for immediate resolution.

For further reading: What is a Service Request vs an Incident?

[Dr Atul G- LNG]

Hi @BillMartin 

My concern is not about the terms or their meaning., my concern the word convert is not correct here. In this video you are not converting INC to REQ but you are creating REQ in INC. This is the difference. 

[velvet]

I understand your conern, you want to Convert an incident to a Request, when an enduser submits an Incident when it should or been an Request.  So cancel the Incident and Create the Request.   Convert to Request is not the same as Create Request. Create Request creates a request in order to resolve the Incident.  For example, If I submit a ticket and say my monitor is not working.  And now the tech has to order me a new monitor because the monitor has an issue, but in order to resolve it i need to place a request for a new monitor.