How ServiceNow’s IFM Integration Framework automates case routing, work order creation, and bidirectional sync, eliminating the manual handoffs that slow facilities teams down.
Facilities management rarely happens in a single system. Most organizations rely on a patchwork of external FM providers (JLL, CBRE, or any number of regional vendors) each managing their own work orders in their own platforms. When an employee raises a case in Workplace Service Delivery (WSD), someone still has to manually look up the right provider, create a work order in an external system, chase status updates, and manually close the loop on the original case. It’s slow, error-prone, and scales poorly across multi-site portfolios.
The IFM Integration Framework changes that. Part of the Workplace Service Delivery Q1 2026 Store Release, the framework provides a configurable routing engine that automatically connects Workplace Cases to external FM providers based on conditions like location, service type, or any custom criteria. Once a case is routed, work orders are created in the external system automatically, and from that point on, both records stay in sync bidirectionally.
One request. One interface. Automated handoff to the right FM provider with real-time sync from submission to resolution removing the need to track updates on multiple interfaces.
The Experience
1. For the Employee
The experience starts where it always does: through the engagement layer with the employee raising a case. Whether it’s a broken AC, a spill that needs cleaning, a badge request or an emergency maintenance request, the employee submits through the standard Workplace Case interface (Employee Center, Kiosk, NowMobile…). Once submitted, they receive confirmation with a clear message indicating the case has been created and has been synced to an external provider. The case enters a read-only state for data integrity, though comments remain open so the employee can continue communicating throughout the process.
Any update made from then on, ie. state changes, comments from field agents or the FM provider and completion flows back automatically to the Workplace Case keeping the Employee up to date. When the work order closes, the case closes. No follow-up required.
2. For the Facility Management Provider
Once the Workplace Case is created and routed through the case routing engine, a work order is automatically generated and pushed to the designated third-party FM provider. The provider receives full visibility into the required work directly within their own system, including service details, location, and any comments added by the employee. From the work order, FM agents can update status, add comments, and view the full communication thread, keeping both sides of the transaction in sync without manual coordination.
3. For the Workplace Case Manager
Through the Facilities Management module under Case Management, Workplace Case Managers configure FM providers, define routing rules, and map the flows that connect Workplace Cases to external work orders, therefore eliminating manual triage, calls or emails to third-party providers, and tracking updates across email threads and spreadsheets. Approval steps can also be configured prior to work order creation, ensuring the right oversight is in place before work is dispatched to the provider. Once configured, the framework runs automatically for every case that meets the defined conditions. Opening any case from the case list gives Case Managers full visibility into progress, with the linked work order, sync status, and shared comment thread all accessible without leaving ServiceNow.
The Configuration
Prerequisites - plugins required:
- Workplace Case Management
- Workplace Core
- Integration Hub
- FM Provider spoke – available on the ServiceNow store
1. Creating the Facility Management Providers
Organizations often work with multiple FM providers, varying by location, service type, or both. The IFM Integration Framework enables Workplace Administrators to centrally configure all FM providers in one place, making them available to reference when building routing rules.
To get started with the setup, navigate to Workplace Case Management → Facilities Management Setup → Providers to create and manage FM providers, where each provider record represents an external FM partner. Each provider is connected through their dedicated API, which builds the integration between WSD and the provider's system, mapping WSD locations to their corresponding locations in the external system and translating workplace service requests to match the provider's own service naming conventions.
Note: For the connection to be made, the spoke for each FM provider must be installed from the ServiceNow Store. The spoke is responsible for maintaining the mapping tables that translate ServiceNow data into the external provider’s data model. These include:
- Location mappings (e.g., “Santa Clara” in WSD maps to “SCL-HQ” in the FM system)
- Service mappings (e.g., “Cleaning” in WSD maps to the equivalent service code in the external system)
- State mappings (e.g., “Work in Progress” in the FM system maps to “In Progress” on the Workplace Case)
For each provider, the following information is required:
- Title: this should be a unique title and could be the name of the third-party FM provider
- Active: true/false
- Create work order flow: references the flow designer workflow which triggers the creating of the work order in the providers system based on certain rules
- Update work order flow: references the flow designer workflow which synchronizes the comment updates and status changes
- Cancel work order flow: references the flow designer workflow which can cancel the work order in the provider’s system if the workplace case gets cancelled
Once configured, providers are immediately available to reference when defining routing rules.
Note: An out-of-the-box FSM integration is included with the framework. When both Workplace Service Delivery and Field Service Management are installed, this integration is automatically activated, with pre-built state mappings and location mappings.
2. Configure Routing Rules
Each routing rule should reference the provider configured previous, along with the information from which table the rule should run to identify the matches, this could be from the sn_wsd_case_ workplace_case or the sn_wsd_core_workplace_task table.
For each FM provider, the Workplace Admin should define the conditions under which a Workplace Case should be routed to that provider. Routing rules can be based on conditions:
- Location (e.g., all cases originating from the Santa Clara office)
- Service type (e.g., Cleaning, Emergency Maintenance, Plumbing, Badge Request…)
- Case status at time of creation (e.g., Active cases only)
- Any combination of the above conditions
Multiple routing rules can coexist, enabling location and service-specific routing across a complex multi-provider environment. The same service type can route to different providers depending on location, giving Workplace Admins precise control.
Note: Before a Workplace Case is converted into a formal work order, organisations can configure approval workflows within the framework. Depending on the nature of the request, cost thresholds, service category, regulatory requirements, or organisational policies.
Each of the routing rules setup for the provider will then be shown in the related list of the provider record.
The Integrated Facility Management Framework is built for organizations that manage facilities through external providers, giving them the automation and visibility they need without displacing the FM tools already in use.
For configuration details, refer to the product documentation.
