question What is the difference between Issues and Tasks? in GRC forum

What is the difference between Issues and Tasks?

Filip Laznicka — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 12:39:27 GMT

Hello,

I'm using the VRM application and I was wondering what is the difference between issues and tasks?

They both have a workflow and are related to Vendor Risk Assessment.

I can tell there is a 1-to-many relationship but that's about it.

Could someone point me to the right direction as ServiceNow Product Documentation talks briefly only about issues.

Thanks a lot,

Filip

Re: What is the difference between Issues and Tasks?

Chuck Tomasi — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 12:54:17 GMT

Hi Filip,

I'm not the strongest in Vendor Management, but from what little I know, an issue is like an incident. Something has happened with the vendor relationship that you want to track. It indicates an event that requires action.

The task records related to the issue can be used to assign different parts of work related to that specific issue. You may need one team/person to review the vendor's contract. You may need another to check supply stock or receiving records, etc. You COULD do this by passing the issue around for person to person, but that also means that only one team/person can work on it at a time. Having related tasks allows for parallel processing.

The same concept is available in many ITSM applications like incident, problem, change.

I hope that helps.

Re: What is the difference between Issues and Tasks?

Filip Laznicka — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 13:20:36 GMT

Oh I finally see it now. So issue is like a problem or a change request and it has different tasks related to it.

Thank you Chuck.

Re: What is the difference between Issues and Tasks?

SeanBarrett — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 18:19:37 GMT

Just to add a bit more color....

An issue is like a "case" around a vendor who's response to an assessment may cause an internal control to be non-compliant. This can be automated even, where a specific question to an assessment maps to a control, and flags the control non-compliant based on how it's responded to. Either way, when non-compliance is flagged against a control, an issue is automatically created.

When it comes down to it, and issue is a way for an analyst/assessor/vendor manager who perceives a gap can communicate and work through that "gap" with the vendor via an issue.

Sean

Re: What is the difference between Issues and Tasks?

Laela — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 03:04:02 GMT

Can you tell me how to automate this?

Re: What is the difference between Issues and Tasks?

SeanBarrett — Mon, 27 Aug 2018 23:47:15 GMT

Yes, when you go to an assessment metric (asmt_metric) associated to a Vendor Risk Questionnaire, you can associate policy statements at the related list.

Go to:

Vendor Risk -> Questionnaire Templates (drill in to one)
Go to Metric Categories (related list, choose one)
Go to Assessment Metrics (related list, choose one)
You'll see the ability to relate policy statements to this

Hope this helps!
Sean