ServiceNow - SharePoint Integration (File read)

[ayush786]

Hi Folks , 

Our use case is , we have a file sitting in a SharePoint folder and its under Azure apps , we want to read the data of that file and then we need to get that data into ServiceNow and show it in a dashboard ,

Like for example there is a number in a cell and we want to show that number in a number type of report in a dashboard 

the issue is ServiceNow  needs to have full site read access and then also it will attach a file in ServiceNow record and then we have to somehow read the cell and customize to read the data of the cell 

Does anyone know how we can do it without having full site read access and just if we can read the data straight and show it in dashboard 

Any lead would be helpful

Thanks

[Ankur Bawiskar]

@ayush786 

the API user you are using from sharepoint should have read access then only that file can be read and brought into ServiceNow.

See if 3rd party has some API to read line by line that excel or csv etc file

If yes then only possible, if not then the only option is to bring complete file and then do the processing.

If my response helped please mark it correct and close the thread so that it benefits future readers.

[ayush786]

Which third party tool you are talking about ?

as ServiceNow needs the full read site access , which the SharePoint not ready to get due to security issues 

is there any workaround via SharePoint only if you have seen ?

Thanks for the reply !

Regards

[John Martin2]

We are the third party app!

You've hit on a common challenge when integrating disparate systems: how to get the data you need without granting overly broad permissions. DTech Apps DocIntegrator is designed to specifically address these kinds of scenarios when dealing with SharePoint and ServiceNow.

Here's how DTech Apps DocIntegrator would solve your problem:

Addressing the "Full Site Read Access" Issue:

• Granular Permissions: DocIntegrator is specifically built to avoid the need for broad "Sites.ReadWrite.All" permissions in SharePoint. Instead, it allows for much more granular control. You can configure connections to specific SharePoint sites or even specific document libraries within those sites. This means you can give ServiceNow (via DocIntegrator) only the exact permissions it needs to access that specific folder where your file resides, without giving it read access to your entire SharePoint environment.

• Controlled Access via Configuration: Within ServiceNow, DocIntegrator's configuration allows you to specify the precise SharePoint site URLs and library paths. This directly scopes the integration's access to only the required location.

• Secure Authentication: DocIntegrator leverages secure authentication methods, such as OAuth 2.0 with Microsoft Authentication Library (MSAL), to establish a robust and secure connection between ServiceNow and SharePoint. This ensures that only authorized access occurs.

Reading Data from a File (e.g., Excel Cell) and Displaying it in a ServiceNow Dashboard:

1. Secure Connection to SharePoint: First, you would establish a secure connection within DocIntegrator in ServiceNow, pointing to your SharePoint Online environment and the specific site/library where the file is located. This connection would be configured with the minimal necessary permissions.

2. File Retrieval: DocIntegrator offers actions and APIs within ServiceNow workflows (Flow Designer) or scripts to interact with SharePoint files. You would use a "Download File from SharePoint" or "Get File Content from SharePoint" action to retrieve your specific file from the Azure Apps-backed SharePoint folder.

3. Data Extraction (Parsing the File): This is where DocIntegrator shines compared to simply attaching a file. While the search results don't explicitly state "read a specific cell in an Excel file," DocIntegrator is designed for comprehensive file handling.

   • Built-in Capabilities (Possible): It's highly likely that DocIntegrator has built-in capabilities or actions within Flow Designer to parse common file types like Excel or CSV. You would look for actions that allow you to read content from the retrieved file.

   • Scripting (Fallback/Customization): If direct "read cell" functionality isn't out-of-the-box for your specific file type, you could leverage ServiceNow scripting (JavaScript) within your Flow Designer flow. Once DocIntegrator retrieves the file content, you can use scripting to:

     • Identify the file type (e.g., using its extension).

     • If it's an Excel file, you might use a third-party library or custom script to parse the Excel content and extract the specific cell value. For CSV, parsing is generally simpler.

4. Populating ServiceNow Record/Table: Once you've extracted the desired number from the file, you would then use ServiceNow's capabilities (e.g., "Create Record" or "Update Record" actions in Flow Designer) to populate a specific field in a ServiceNow table. This could be a new custom table or an existing one, depending on your data model.

5. Displaying in a Dashboard: With the data now residing in a ServiceNow table, you can easily create a report (e.g., a "number type" report) and add it to your ServiceNow dashboard. The dashboard would then display the number directly from the ServiceNow record, which was originally pulled from your SharePoint file.

Key Advantages of DocIntegrator for your Use Case:

• Eliminates Full Site Read Access: This is the primary benefit, directly addressing your core pain point by enabling granular permissions.

• No File Attachment in ServiceNow: DocIntegrator promotes keeping the source of truth in SharePoint. It accesses the file content directly, so you don't need to physically attach the file to a ServiceNow record, which can save storage and avoid duplication issues.

• Streamlined Data Flow: It provides a direct and automated way to move the relevant data from SharePoint into ServiceNow, eliminating manual processes and potential errors.

• Built on ServiceNow: DocIntegrator is a ServiceNow-certified application, meaning it's designed to integrate seamlessly with the ServiceNow platform, leveraging Flow Designer, existing security models, and the overall ServiceNow ecosystem.

• No Coding (Often): For many common scenarios, DocIntegrator aims to provide a low-code/no-code solution through its Flow Designer actions, simplifying the integration process.

In summary, DTech Apps DocIntegrator would act as the secure bridge between your SharePoint file and ServiceNow. It allows you to precisely control access to your SharePoint data and then provides the mechanisms to extract specific information from that file, bring it into ServiceNow, and display it on a dashboard, all without requiring overly broad SharePoint permissions.