What is the use of 'Fulfillment automation level' on the catalog item form?

[Suggy]

What is the use of 'Fulfillment automation level' on the catalog item form? Does it have anything to play as part of request fulfilment?

[Maik Skoddow]

Hi

yes, it is fulfillment-related. Page https://docs.servicenow.com/en-US/bundle/sandiego-servicenow-platform/page/product/service-catalog-m... says:

Option to specify the level of fulfillment automation for catalog item requests. The available options are:

• Unspecified: Automation level of catalog item is not specified.
• Manual: Catalog item is not automated.
• Semi-automated: Catalog item is semi-automated.
• Fully automated: Catalog item is completely automated.

And on page https://docs.servicenow.com/en-US/bundle/sandiego-it-service-management/page/product/itsm-success-da... you can find an example how this field can be used for statistical purposes.

Maik

[David Hepburn]

Maik, this comment is directed towards the SN docs, not your post...

That's gotta be the worst way to explain the differences among those options and what they actually mean. 

Semi-automated: Catalog item is semi-automated. 🤔

Well obviously if it's semi-automated, it's semi-automated.  But what does that actually mean?  (rhetorical question).

[StuartD]

It seems to me that this field is just a way to provide an indicator of which catalog item is backed by a flow with fully automated steps, or by a flow with partial automation, or completely manual.  If you were reporting on active catalog items and you want to review as part of a continuous improvement, it would allow an easy way to identify which areas might benefit more.