SharePoint / ServiceNow Integration

[BH14]

I’m a business analyst and newer to integrations. I am hoping to get some help with a SharePoint integration my team is working on. There is a list that is maintained in SharePoint and there is a custom list of the same information maintained in ServiceNow. Multiple users update the list in SharePoint but due to licensing limitations, there are only a few folks that can update the list in ServiceNow. This won’t be the only SharePoint use case we proceed with working on but it’s one we are starting with. We’ve already set up the integration in a lower environment, I’m just uncertain about how to proceed.

I assume the following:

1) The ‘spoke action’ would be ‘List Item Management’,

2) We have a unique identifier, and I’d need to map fields from SharePoint to ServiceNow then

3) Determine how often a scheduled job fetches the information from one to the other.

4?)I also assume that we would need a way to handle errors when items fail to update.

Am I completely off base with these assumptions? Are there any gaps? Any documentation to support what we are trying to do would be super helpful and appreciated.

[BH14]

I've asked another forum this question and got this response: "I’d use power automate to push any changes in real time into ServiceNow and a Business Rule to push any changes in ServiceNow to Sharepoint in real time."

[John Martin2]

Tera - BLUF --  you should leave everything where it already exists in SharePoint and not duplicate the files in ServiceNow?  We would welcome the chance to provide you a demo of our DTech Apps DocIntegrator!  This is a cost effective solution certified and sold on the ServiceNow store and provides a lot more than just SharePoint integration.

Here is the long answer:

You've hit on some key aspects of a basic SharePoint-to-ServiceNow list synchronization, but DTech Apps DocIntegrator offers a different, and often more robust and user-friendly, approach than a standard "spoke action" for this scenario. Let's break down how DocIntegrator would help and address your assumptions: 

How DTech Apps DocIntegrator Simplifies This Scenario: 

Instead of relying on the complexities of building and maintaining a direct list-to-list integration using Integration Hub spoke actions, DocIntegrator focuses on linking documents and information contextually within ServiceNow records. 

Here's how it would address your situation: 

• Centralized Document Repository (SharePoint): DocIntegrator encourages using SharePoint as the primary, easily accessible repository for your list information. All users can continue updating the list in SharePoint as they do now, without ServiceNow licensing restrictions. 

• Contextual Linking within ServiceNow: Instead of trying to replicate the entire SharePoint list as a separate list in ServiceNow, DocIntegrator allows you to link specific ServiceNow records to the relevant SharePoint list or even specific items within that list. 

• Displaying SharePoint Information within ServiceNow: DocIntegrator provides user-friendly widgets and functionalities that can be embedded within ServiceNow forms (e.g., a Change Request, an Incident, a custom application record). These widgets can display real-time information from the linked SharePoint list directly within the ServiceNow interface. 

• Triggered Updates: DocInt can be configured to support bi-directional synching of metadata and content between SharePoint and ServiceNow.  This includes changing metadata in either system based on a corresponding change in the other.  For example, if you change access to a ServiceNow Record by changing the assignment on a case, we can ensure that the old user has edit permissions removed and the new assignee has the edit permissions in SharePoint  

Addressing Your Assumptions with DocIntegrator in Mind: 

1. The ‘spoke action’ would be ‘List Item Management’: 

• DocIntegrator Approach: DocIntegrator doesn't primarily rely on the "List Item Management" spoke action for this scenario. Instead, it focuses on establishing a link between ServiceNow records and the SharePoint list (or items). The core functionality revolves around displaying and interacting with the SharePoint content from within ServiceNow. 

1. We have a unique identifier, and I’d need to map fields from SharePoint to ServiceNow then: 

• DocIntegrator Approach: You would still likely use a unique identifier to determine which SharePoint list or item to link to a specific ServiceNow record. However, the "mapping" is less about constantly synchronizing fields between two lists and more about configuring how the linked SharePoint information is displayed within the ServiceNow context. DocIntegrator provides tools to configure these display settings. 

1. Determine how often a scheduled job fetches the information from one to the other: 

• DocIntegrator Approach: DocIntegrator provides real-time access to the SharePoint information when a ServiceNow user views a record with the configured widget.  

1. I also assume that we would need a way to handle errors when items fail to update: 

• DocIntegrator Approach: Error handling would depend on how you configure DocIntegrator to interact with SharePoint. If you're setting up triggers to update ServiceNow based on SharePoint changes, DocIntegrator would typically provide logging and error handling mechanisms. However, since the primary model isn't a direct two-way sync, the error handling is focused on the successful retrieval and display of information. 

Gaps and Considerations with DocIntegrator: 

• Initial Setup: While generally more user-friendly for end users, the initial configuration of DocIntegrator to establish the connection to SharePoint and configure the display widgets within ServiceNow forms will require some understanding of both platforms. (Consider adding some language about how it is no more complicated than using the O365 Spoke and that we are happy to help)