SPM Nested Portfolios

[Shradhasuman Tr]

Hi All,

Is there a way to add nested portfolios within ServiceNow? We have tried positioning programs as sub-portfolios but the requirement is specific to having a parent-child relationship on portfolios. While technically it can be done by adding a parent field on portfolio table,

a. are there any potentials implications?

b. Has anybody achieved this in their engagement?

Thanks in advance!

[Mark Manders]

Why is that necessary? The portfolio table is structured to support a flat hierarchy. You will run into issues with the data model and also on reporting stuff. Roll ups will go wrong and investment is based on a portfolio, not portfolios within portfolios.

What is your use case? Why is this needed? A portfolio 'manages' the projects related to that portfolio. If you have an IT portfolio and within that 'internal IT' and 'Application development' (depending on your business), you just have 2 portfolios. Without major customization, you won't be able to have these interact properly. 

A program can run over multiple portfolios and a portfolio can be part of multiple programs, so maybe do look into that direction. Maybe add custom fields to the program table to make it a portfolio type program?

ServiceNow designed this as distinct layers of planning and execution and the logic has its roots deep in the SPM application. Getting it out, won't be easy and would probably break on every update of the store app or upgrade of the platform.

[jameswoodfo]

Hello,

For some additional color here, when you look at the data is it actually something that would be considered a portfolio? My working definition of a portfolio is something that represents permanence in your organization. You will always have a HR department. For Healthcare, you might always have Construction. Do the portfolios as presented represent permanence there?

If not, are some of the items programs? Working definition, things that are time bound. While I might always a Construction portfolio, a particular campus build or rebuild might represent a program.

Finally, are some the items strategic priorities?

In short, as @Mark Manders  said, the data model support a flat structure for portfolio. This might be an opportunity to structure this multi-portfolio ask in a more elegant solution.