Hi. I am new to SN. I am running an Ansible automation playbook. It connects from a remote host via an API. The playbook is straightforward.
1) Create a change request. Cache its number in memory for subsequent steps to re-use.
2) Close the change request.
The creation works fine. But the closure does not.
Here is the error:
TASK [Close the CR CHG0030100 after a successful execution on 2025-10-22T00:36:00Z] **********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
fatal: [localhost]: FAILED! => changed=false
msg: 'Unexpected response - 403 b''{"error":{"message":"Operation Failed","detail":"Operation against file \''change_request\'' was aborted by Business Rule \''Change Model: Check State Transition^b71e12a083f0b210f28198c6feaad3e3\''. Business Rule Stack:Change Model: Check State Transition"},"status":"failure"}'''So, it appears I am violating some business rule. There is another thread here that has a solution, but it is as clear as mud to me. I am a database admin, not a ServiceNow professional. Can you help me with an exact, step-by-step instructions listed here:
Why does the Change model not allow state transitions in normal change workflow?
Here is the part in the SN manual that seems relevant:
Configure state model transitions
This is not an Ansible or automation problem for two reasons:
1) The automation successfully creates the CR. We know that because it actually announces its number, before attempting to close it. I can also see it in my PDI URL.
2) The error coming from ServiceNow clearly indicate it is a business rule that is the reason:
So, my question is how do I bypass the rule within ServiceNow? Keep in mind this is a PDI and I can disable or change any rules there. It is all for demo purposes. Alternatively, if I need to add more steps to the playbook (attached) to get to the point where I will be ALLOWED to close it, that isnt a problem. I just need to know what additional steps I need to automate for the given CR number, between the creation and the closure. If you can, please post step by step screenshots, otherwise I will be lost in SN terms and features I know nothing about.
Thank you.
Nestor.
Ansible playbook:
---
- name: Omni-Vendor Omni-Environment Emergency Password Rotation Process ID 2972.56
hosts: localhost
gather_facts: true
vars_files:
- vars/main.yml
tasks:
- name: Create main change request on {{ ansible_date_time.iso8601 }}
servicenow.itsm.change_request:
instance:
host: "{{ sn_instance}}"
username: "{{ sn_username }}"
password: "{{ sn_password }}"
type: standard
state: new
requested_by: admin
short_description: Oracle OCI Password Rotation CR Triggered by INC {{ ansible_date_time.iso8601 }}
description: Emergency Vault passwords rotation for Oracle OCI Event Incident on {{ ansible_date_time.iso8601 }}
attachments:
- path: /tmp/refresh_task_sid.txt
priority: moderate
risk: low
impact: low
register: change_request_main_out
- name: Cache the Change Request number in memory | {{ ansible_date_time.iso8601 }}
ansible.builtin.set_fact:
change_task_number: "{{ change_request_main_out.record.number }}"
cacheable: yes
- debug:
msg: Task Emergency Password Rotation "{{ change_task_number }}" is now being closed | Approval {{ ansible_date_time.iso8601 }}
- name: Close the CR {{ change_task_number }} after a successful execution on {{ ansible_date_time.iso8601 }}
servicenow.itsm.change_request:
instance:
host: "{{ sn_instance}}"
username: "{{ sn_username }}"
password: "{{ sn_password }}"
state: closed
close_code: successful
close_notes: successful
assignment_group: Database
number: "{{ change_task_number }}"Log:
[ansible_admin@lnx000 ansible]$ time ansible-playbook ./playbooks/itsm_databases_password_change05.yml -kK
SSH password:
BECOME password[defaults to SSH password]:
PLAY [Omni-Vendor Omni-Environment Emergency Password Rotation Process ID 2972.56] ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
TASK [Gathering Facts] ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost]
TASK [Create main change request on 2025-10-22T00:36:00Z] ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
[WARNING]: Encountered unknown value Other while mapping field category.
changed: [localhost]
TASK [Cache the Change Request number in memory | 2025-10-22T00:36:00Z] **********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost]
TASK [debug] *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
ok: [localhost] =>
msg: Task Emergency Password Rotation "CHG0030100" is now being closed | Approval 2025-10-22T00:36:00Z
TASK [Close the CR CHG0030100 after a successful execution on 2025-10-22T00:36:00Z] **********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
fatal: [localhost]: FAILED! => changed=false
msg: 'Unexpected response - 403 b''{"error":{"message":"Operation Failed","detail":"Operation against file \''change_request\'' was aborted by Business Rule \''Change Model: Check State Transition^b71e12a083f0b210f28198c6feaad3e3\''. Business Rule Stack:Change Model: Check State Transition"},"status":"failure"}'''
PLAY RECAP ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
localhost : ok=4 changed=1 unreachable=0 failed=1 skipped=0 rescued=0 ignored=0
real 0m11.882s
user 0m1.435s
sys 0m0.432s
[ansible_admin@lnx000 ansible]$
Hey,
Change requests have a defined life cycle and need to transition through each stage in order to be closed.
For your demo purposes, I'd suggest the following:
- Check whether the 'Change Registration' model is available by using the application navigator and seeing whether Change Registration appears as a record. If it is, update it so 'available in create new' is true
- Rather than using type: standard and state: new, use chg_model: 7840d2515323101034d1ddeeff7b12a6. I'm assuming this Ansible action supports change models.
- The change will be created in a state of review
- You can then update the change by setting the state to state: closed
I answered my own question, but my solution was removed as spam. Why?
