On December 4th, 2025, the Platform Academy hosted a session focused on strategies for seamless ServiceNow upgrades across all customer environments. The event equipped platform owners, admins, and IT leaders with practical tools to minimize risk, ensure app compatibility, and streamline upgrade processes.
Why This Session Mattered
Upgrades aren’t just about moving to the latest release—they’re about maintaining stability, security, and performance while reducing manual effort. Many organizations have faced confusion after upgrading, with questions such as: “Why do I still have pending app updates?” or “Do I need to manually update hundreds of apps?” These questions often stemmed from a lack of clarity around True-Up and delta true-up processes.
Key Topics Covered
-
Version Checklists That Work
Attendees learned how to create and utilize structured checklists to validate app versions before and after upgrades, ensuring consistency across environments and minimizing post-upgrade surprises. -
True-Up Essentials
The session explained how ServiceNow bundles the latest compatible Store app versions into every family release—helping teams avoid unnecessary manual updates and maintain security and compliance. -
Delta True-Up Mastery
Participants learned how to handle incremental updates between major releases and leverage automation to replace manual version comparisons using tools such as Application Manager and batch installers. -
Risk Reduction Through Automation
The discussion highlighted how automation can simplify version checks, manage compatibility, and monitor upgrade health, thereby freeing teams to focus on strategic initiatives.
Practical Takeaways
- Educate Your Teams: Host “True-Up 101” sessions before major upgrades to reduce confusion and support escalations.
- Plan Smarter: Use upgrade planning checklists and dependency mapping to anticipate issues.
- Optimize Continuously: Align upgrade cadence with business priorities and leverage automation for ongoing efficiency.
Impact
By the end of the session, attendees walked away with:
- A clear understanding of True-Up and delta true-up processes.
- Best Practices for Managing App Compatibility During Upgrades.
- Actionable steps to automate version checks and reduce manual effort.
- Confidence to keep their platforms optimized for success.
Missed the session? Please find the slide deck below and sign up for future Platform Academies
Sign up for future sessions here.
Prior Platform Fundamentals Academy Sessions by Year
Click on the year below for all Platform Fundamentals Academy sessions held that year.
2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021
