Make Your New ServiceNow Instance Feel Like Home

[MGOPW]

Welcome to your new ServiceNow instance! You're probably eager to get started and make it your own. Here are three key steps to help you customize your instance and make it feel like home. This article was written as of the Washington D.C. release, but each feature below will let you know what version it originated in for better clarity. 

1. Dive into Theme Builder

Originally released in Utah. Must be installed from store through Application Manager; it will not come OOB.  

Installing Theme Builder

Theme Builder is your go-to tool for creating a unique look for your ServiceNow instance.  Before using Theme Builder for the first time, you need to install it. Here's how: 

1. Go to the Application Manager:In your dev instance, head over to the filter navigator under the "All" menu and type Plugins. You will find it under System Definition.

2. Search and Install: Type "Theme Builder" in the search bar. Click on the card that appears, then click to install.

Creating Your Custom Theme

With Theme Builder installed, you're ready to craft your theme. Here you will find the general steps to walk through the wizard. If you would like more in-depth instructions with screenshots, or want to dive deeper into what Theme Builder can do, consider checking out the Knowledge 2024 "Level Up Your ServiceNow Style: Your Roadmap to Advanced Theming Mastery" Lab by visiting sn.works/NEworkshops.

You can easily transfer Themes between instances via Update Sets. Just be sure to select your update set and scope before entering Theme Builder to make sure everything makes it in the correct place. 

1. Launch Theme Builder: After making sure you’re in the correct Update Set, refresh your page to re-load the All menu so the menu item appears. In the Filter Navigator under the All menu, navigate to Now Experience Framework > Theme Management > Theme Builder.  
2. Start a New Theme: Click on "Create a Theme" and give it a name that fits your company, along with a nice description.
3. Pick Your Colors: Customize the primary and secondary colors to match your brand's look. Feel free to add additional colors to be used as part of your Theme. 
4. Add Your Logo: Replace the default ServiceNow logo with your company's logo by uploading your file in the logo section.
5. Select your other styling preferences: The wizard will walk you through selecting your font and what corner styling you would like.
6. Save and Apply: Once you're happy with your theme, save it and apply it to see the changes.
7. Walk through the tour: Theme Builder will present you with a Guided Tour to introduce you to all it's awesome features. Click Get started to initiate the tour and learn more about it's inner workings.

Allowing multiple Themes per instance 

As of Vancouver, you can create as many Themes as you need, and you can publish one Theme per instance. If you would like to provide your end-users with multiple options to choose from, create your primary Theme and then go to the "Manager" page of Theme Builder and add an Alternate Color Palette. As of Washington D.C. you may only publish one Theme to your instance with any number of Alternate Color Palette to provide options for your end-users. Additionally, Theme Builder does not currently allow you to create Dark variants for your themes. 

The upcoming Xanadu release will allow you to publish multiple Theme records on your instance, each with their own Alternate Color Palettes and Variants. You will be able to publish different themes with their own distinct logos, colors, fonts, and styles. You'll have endless customization options available! 

2. Make development easier with the Instance Tools Utility Menu

Originally released in Vancouver.

Enabling the Instance Tools Utility Menu 

With a simple configuration update, you can now access Application Scope, Update Set Picker, Encryption Contexts, and Domain menus from a single location. This new menu simplifies your workflow and boosts efficiency. Here’s how to enable the menu 

1. Using the filter navigator, type in sys_properties.list and hit enter. This will open up the System Properties table.
2. Make sure you’re in the Global scope, then click “New” 
3. Fill in the form as follows and hit save: 
   1. Name: glide.ui.next_experience.instance_tools_disabled 
   2. Value: false 
4. Refresh your browser and the instance tools menu should appear. 

Customizing the Product Description

A feature of the Instance tools menu is that the Product Description system property is prominently featured below the title (the default value is "Service Management"). A clear product description helps users understand what your instance is all about. It's also helpful to record things like the last time your instance was cloned and other relevant information about your ServiceNow instance.  

To set it up:

1. Navigate to the system properties table: In the filter navigator, type sys_properties.list to be directed to the system properties table.
2. Search for the system property: In the search bar above Name type in glide.product.description, hit enter and select the record for the system property. 
3. Enter your description: Find the value field and type in what you would like to see, typically a brief, descriptive sentence about your instance. Something like "Development instance" could work.
4. Save your updates: Hit save to lock in your changes.

Here's a brief code snippet showing how you can use this in a post-clone script to provide helpful information to your instance's admins:

function setHeader(environment){
//get the current date
var glideDate = GlideDate();
gs.info(glideDate.getByFormat("dd-MM-yyyy"));

var instance = gs.getProperty("instance_name");

//set the "glide.product.description" property based on the instance suffix and current date to display in the banner frame
var descriptionString = environment + " Environment (Cloned on " + glideDate.getDisplayValue().replace(" ", " @ ") + ")";
gs.setProperty("glide.product.description", descriptionString);

// Confirmation
var finalHeader = gs.getProperty("glide.product.description");
gs.print("Header set to " + finalHeader + ".");
}

3. Tap into Learning Resources

To get the most out of ServiceNow, make use of the available resources. Here are some must-check options:

• Next Experience Center of Excellence: The Next Experience Center of Excellence is packed with tutorials, webinars, and documentation to help you get up to speed with theming and other Next Experience features like UI Builder and Workspaces.
• Explore the Next Experience Academy: Head over to the Next Experience Academy for a wealth of information. There are live webinars on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 4:00pm EST , and a backlog of videos showing you what's new in each new release and teaching you important features and concepts of the Next Experience Framework. The best place to start is Session #19: Everything you need to know to get started. 
• Now Learning: There's lots of learning content over on Now Learning that focuses on theming, Next Experience, Workspaces, and UI Builder. Check out their Career Journeys and Learning Paths for a streamlined approach to structuring your learning and getting the most out of their material.
• Practice with Next Experience Workshops:  Head over to Next Experience Workshops to find labs from previous Knowledge conferences focusing on Workspace configuration, learning UI Builder, and using Theme Builder. 

By diving into these resources, you'll become more adept at configuring and using your ServiceNow instance to its fullest potential.