This blog is a deep dive into the new features for the January 30th, 2025 release of the Workplace Service Delivery (WSD) Store Apps.
Please note that this is a summary of the most notable items, not an exhaustive list. For full details, refer to the Product documentation and release notes on the ServiceNow Store.
New features:
- Workplace Services Kiosk: Kiosk Indoor Mapping
- Indoor Mapping: Map Printing
- Now Assist for Workplace Service Delivery – Workplace Concierge (this new experience will be detailed in a second blog)
Enhancements:
- Workplace Reservation Management:
- Reservation portal enhancements
- Event Planner enhancements
- Location Directory enhancements
- Workplace Lease Administration:
- New tables (Workplace Contract Responsibilities, Workplace Contract Clauses, Workplace Contract Options)
- New fields add on the Workplace Contracts table
- Workplace Calendar Synchronization:
- Support for personal authentication
Workplace Services Kiosk: Kiosk Indoor Mapping
Persona: Visitor and/or Employee as end-user, Facility Team for kiosk configuration
Role: sn_wsd_kiosk.admin, sn_wsd_kiosk.operator, sn_wsd_kiosk.viewer, indoor_map.admin
Plugins: Workplace Core, Workplace Services Kiosk, Workplace Indoor Mapping, Workplace Central, Workplace Visitor Management
With this release, we continue to enhance the kiosk experience, improving the Workplace Experience for both Visitors and Employees by introducing a map view that enables various actions. The following details outline the configurable experience, allowing Admins to tailor features based on the kiosk’s location and the End User—whether a Visitor, Visiting Employee, or Employee.
1. End User Experience
If your organization began using or testing the kiosk app from the August '24 release, you'll see a new ‘Explore Workplace’ module option on the homepage. When enabled by the Admin, this feature allows End Users to view a map of the location.
Kiosk Home page. Assuming all modules have been configured (Workplace Visitor Management for the Check in, Check out options and Workplace Indoor Mapping for the Explore workplace option).
When selected, the End User will see the map view configured by the Admin, complete with a location pin to indicate their current position in the building. The map also offers advanced filtering options, allowing Users to customize the information displayed.
Explore Workplace, default view
Users can switch between buildings and floors using the location selector on the right side of the screen. The available options will include all active buildings and floors within the campus where the kiosk is located.
Explore Workplace, location selector
Advanced filtering options are available based on the modules configured by the Admin. The User can filter on:
- Neighborhoods: Displays color-coded spaces based on neighborhood allocations.
- Reservation Status: Highlights spaces as booked (red) or available (green).
- Occupancy Status: Shows real-time space occupancy.
- Space Type: Allows users to refine the map view to display only relevant spaces.
Explore Workplace, filter options
Additionally, when searching for or selecting a space on the map, users will see a location directory-style card view, offering the option to raise a case directly from the device.
Explore Workplace, space card
When raising a case, the user will stay on the same page, and a brief pop-up will appear with three fields to log the request: a description of the issue, the urgency level, and the intended requestor of the case.
Explore Workplace, Raise an issue
Note: The "Requested For" field will automatically populate with the name of the kiosk viewer, allowing visitors to log a case without making changes. Employees submitting a case can easily search for and select their name from the dropdown list.
The kiosk's map view also includes wayfinding capabilities, enabling users to navigate the workplace by searching for a space and requesting directions. Since the kiosk is physically positioned on the map, the starting point will be prefilled with the kiosk's location.
Note: If the kiosk has multiple modules configured, the kiosk will switch back to the homepage once the map is no longer being used.
2. Admin configuration
Note: The Workplace Services Kiosk capability was first introduced in August 2024. Please refer to the product documentation for guidance on the initial kiosk setup.
To enable the map functionality within the kiosk experience, the Map Admin must configure the map in Indoor Mapping. Detailed instructions on importing and setting up maps in Map Studio can be found here.
With this release, Map Studio now includes a new view that allows Map Admins to define a unique version of the map for kiosks, separate from the default and scenario planning views used in other Workplace Service Delivery experiences.
To begin setting up maps for kiosks, navigate to Indoor Mapping Administration > Kiosk Indoor Mapping, which will open the new Kiosk Admin workspace within Workplace Central.
Workplace Central, Kiosk Indoor Mapping
In this centralized workspace, the Kiosk Admin can manage the maps and features that will be enabled on each kiosk, with the flexibility to configure different setups based on the kiosk users (Visitors only or both Visitors and Employees).
The overview provides the Admin with key information on:
- Kiosk Map Configurations: Displays all kiosks that have been created.
- Map Feature Configurations: Lists the available configurations that can be enabled on the kiosk for user interaction.
To begin, the Kiosk Admin will select the desired kiosk to enable the map and proceed through the following configuration steps.
1. Map Configuration:
- Map View: Choose the map view to be displayed on the kiosk. The Admin can select from the Default, Scenario Planning, or Kiosk view, depending on what has been configured by the Map Admin and the intended users for the kiosk experience. If a different view that is not kiosk is selected, please make sure the kiosk viewer has access to it.
- Kiosk Position: Select the building and floor from the drop-down lists to define the kiosk's physical location. The Admin will then drop a pin on the exact position of the kiosk.
- Location Pin Title: The title of the location pin can be customized to provide clear guidance for the end user.
Workplace Central, Map Configuration, Kiosk Placement
- Map settings: provides the option to set the pitch, bearing and camera which will define how the map opens and is shown to Users when the map is first opened.
Workplace Central, Map Configuration, Map Settings
2. Module configuration
Once the map is configured, the next step will be to configure the modules available on the kiosk. From here, the Kiosk admin can define whether the selected kiosk will have multiple modules available or have it restricted to one.
Workplace Central, Module configuration
If the kiosk is already configured with the visitor experience, those features will appear. To include the interactive map experience, a new module will need to be defined.
Similar to the visitor module setup, the configuration is customizable. The Admin can define which features should be enabled for the map experience, categorized into two areas:
- Allowed Actions: Enables wayfinding and/or the option to raise a case.
- Data Visualization: Provides advanced filtering options for displaying user names for booked/assigned spaces, neighborhoods, reservation data, and occupancy data.
Workplace Central, Map Feature Configurations
Once the set-up is completed we recommend having the Kiosk Operator validate the binding of the kiosk setup with the physical kiosk before logging in as the Kiosk Viewer.
Indoor Mapping: Map Printing
Persona: Space Planner and Employees
Role: sn_map_core.map_printer
Plugins: Workplace Core, Workplace Indoor Mapping + Workplace Central & Workplace Space Management for the Map Based Space Administration view
In this release, we are introducing a map printing capability that allows Space Planners to select a map, choose which elements to display, and then print it. To support this functionality, a new role, sn_map_core.map_printer, has been created.
This feature enables Map Printers to print maps from the Location Directory and building view in Map-Based Space Administration within Workplace Central.
Note: The example below demonstrates how a map can be printed from the Location Directory. To begin, the Map Printer will open the Location Directory, apply advanced filters to select a specific floor, and customize the map view to focus on the relevant content. Once everything is set, the printer can click the print icon in the top right corner of the map view to print the selected map.
Employee Center, Location Directory
This will open a new map printing page in the browser.
A few configurations can be made on the map printing page before printing the map. However, the map content needs to be configured prior to selecting the print option.
The printing options are set up in two steps:
- Step 1: The Map Printer will adjust the overall map appearance by selecting the option to add a location pin. Once chosen, the pin can be placed on the map. Additionally, the printer can decide whether to include or remove the outdoor map.
Print Map, Edit Map
- Step 2: This step involves defining the print layout.
- The Map Printer will begin by selecting the page format, including the map orientation and layout, and choosing the content to be included, such as a title, timestamp, and legend. If the intention is to print the map with directions, an additional option will appear to include the directions along with the "to" and "from" details.
Print Map, Print Layout
- By scrolling down in the layout configuration settings, additional options can be adjusted before printing. These options allow the Map Printer to enhance the clarity of the map, preventing an overcrowded image by modifying the size of space labels, marker size, legend labels, and icon size.
- Due to the anti-collision system, some space icons and text may not be visible. However, this can be adjusted by enabling the overlap options. The numbering option removes the collision of space icons and text.
Print Map, Print Layout, More options
Once all the configurations are complete, the Map Printer can proceed to print the map. This will open the browser's printing window, offering a few additional settings to adjust margins and scale before selecting the printer or exporting the map as a PDF.
Browser Print Page, Map Printing
The example shown above illustrates a use case, where the intent for the map print is to download the file as a PDF file that can later be shared as part of an email to visitors.
Workplace Reservation Management:
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Reservation portal enhancements
Persona: Employee
Role: sn_wsd_core.workplace_user
Plugins: Workplace Core, Workplace Reservation Management, Workplace Case Management
Several enhancements have been made to the reservation experience on the reservation portal providing ease of use to Employees when search for a space to reserve.
- The time and date fields have been separated enabling the employee to select the date and choose from the time option drop down both for start and end times. The seconds have been removed from the time picker.
- The Reservation page now has an auto-refresh for updating the list of spaces that are shown to the Employee when the search criteria gets edited.
Employee Center, Reservation Portal
- A new role has been delivered as part of this release to enable the Users that have this new role (sn_wsd_rsv.bypass_module_validation) to ignore certain time related setting defined on the reservable module on the reservation portal. Enabling the Users to overwrite the defined max days in future, limit of occurrences, duration of the reservation, and the multi-day reservation settings.
Note: This new role is only applied to the advanced reservation experience. It is not available to the quick reservation, Outlook add-in, native mobile, or space details page experiences.
-
Event Planner enhancements
Persona: Event Planner, Reservation Admin
Role: sn_wsd_rsv.reservation_planner, sn_wsd_rsv.reservation_viewer
Plugins: Workplace Core, Workplace Reservation Management, Workplace Case Management, Workplace Central
The new role sn_wsd_rsv.bypass_module_validation mentioned above can also be applied in the Event Planner, providing additional privileges when editing and updating reservations.
Additionally, more options have been provided to the Event Planner to enable them to drag and drop a reservation across different reservable modules.
Event Planner, Drag and Drop of a reservation from the General space reservable module to the Desk reservable module.
If certain spaces are available in more than one reservable module, the Event Planner will have the option to choose with reservable module should be selected.
A new filtering option has been added to the Event Planner to have be able to filter by space type, helping provide more ease of use when search for available spaces.
Event Planner, Space type filter
Location Directory enhancements
Persona: Employee and Map Admin & Workplace Admin to configure the experience
Role: sn_wsd_core.workplace_user
Plugins: Workplace Core, Workplace Indoor Mapping (map view), Workplace Reservation Management (for the reservation data and option to create a reservation), Workplace Case Management (for the option to open a case), Workplace Connectors (for the occupancy data) and the Workplace Service Delivery for Mobile.
For this release, we have continued our investment into the Location Directory experience which is a key capability in the WSD Workplace Experience providing Employees with both card and map views.
These latest enhancements include:
- The redesign of the experience to define filter option both in the header for quick access but also in the new side panel which provides details on the advanced filtering options that can be set by Employees in a clear layout.
Employee Center, Location Directory map view with advanced filter panel
- To provide consistency across the experience, the advanced filter panel has also been included in the card view.
Employee Center, Location Directory card view with advanced filter panel
- Additional options to display of names on the map have been included to provide more flexibility to the Employee in selecting which best should apply based on the information that should be shown on the map:
- Show names for permanent assigned seating and space booking
- Show names for permanent assigned seating only
- Show name of the person who booked the space only
- Don't show employee names
Employee Center, Location Directory map view with display options
- Lastly, to enhance the Employee Experience and provide Employee with a personalized view, the map view can be predefined by the Workplace Admin to open on a specific campus based on the Employee’s Workplace Profile assignment, user preferences (last opened campus) or world map overview.
Workplace Lease Administration:
Persona: Lease Manager
Roles: sn_wsd_la.manager, sn_wsd_la.admin
Plugins: Workplace Central, Workplace Lease Administration
With this release, new tables for Contract Responsibilities, Contract Clause and Options have been added to the Lease Administration module to provide Lease Admins with more options to track lease information. In addition to, these additional fields have been added to the Workplace Contracts table.
1. Workplace Contract Responsibilities
Lease Admins can track the contract responsibilities associated to each workplace contract. The following fields are included in this new table:
- Responsibility type (full responsibility, maintain, repair, replace)
- Financial responsibility (landlord, tenant, both)
- Execution responsibility (landlord, tenant, both)
- Service (building structure, exterior paint, exterior walls, foundation, interior premises, landscaping, safety systems, lights, roof structure, sewage, trash, windows, doors)
- Description
- Document section / Document name / Document page
- Option to include attachments
Workplace Central, Lease Administration, Workplace Contract Responsibilities
2. Workplace Contact Clause
Lease Admins can track the contract clauses associated to each workplace contract. For each clause a new record should be created to collect the following information:
- Clause type (allowance, default, insurance, parking, rent, rights, security deposit, taxes, warranty, other)
- Tick box to define if the clause is silent
- Clause summary
Workplace Central, Lease Administration, Workplace Contract Clause
3. Workplace Contract Option
Lease Admins can track the contract options associated to each workplace contract. For each contract option the Lease Admin will add the following information:
- Option number
- Must exercise by
- Notice period
- Option type (renewal, expansion, termination, right of first refusal)
- Effective date
- Renewal expiration
Workplace Central, Lease Administration, Workplace Contract Option
4. New fields on the Contracts Table
The new fields added to the Contracts table include:
- Lease class (incoming lease, expense lease)
- Accounting type (accounts payable, accounts receivable)
- Rent commencement date
- Vacate date
- Possession date
- Tenant
- Organization
- Primary use (office, warehouse, retail)
Workplace Central, Lease Administration, Workplace Contract
Workplace Calendar Synchronization:
Persona: Employee
Role: sn_wsd_core.workplace_user
Plugins: Workplace Core, Workplace Reservation Management, Workplace Calendar Synchronization
With this release, we are providing the support for Personal Authentication for Microsoft Exchange Online. This new configuration mode enables organizations to limit unauthorized access to resource calendars and provides then a secure way to synchronize reservations from WSD to Microsoft Exchange Online.
The following experience is available for reservation being made via the Reservation Portal, NowMobile experience and Outlook.
Get guidance on the setup of personal authentication here.
To explore further and access detailed technical documentation, we recommend using: https://docs.servicenow.com/
