Managing Strategic Planning with Project Portfolio Management, Agile Development 2.0, and SAFe

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Managing Strategic Planning with Project Portfolio Management, Agile Development 2.0, and SAFe

    This guide ensures proper integration of Strategic Planning with Project Portfolio Management (PPM), Agile Development 2.0, and SAFe in ServiceNow. It outlines critical best practices and configurations to maintain data consistency and synchronization across interfaced records and table maps.

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    Key Guidelines

    • Table Map Filter Conditions: Avoid changing filter conditions on table maps after records are interfaced to prevent data inconsistencies. If changes are necessary, manually update the relevant attributes on interfaced records.
    • Field and Choice Maps Configuration: Always configure related field maps and choice maps whenever a table map is created to ensure proper data mapping.
    • Import Job Precautions: Do not modify table maps or field maps during active import jobs to avoid synchronization issues.
    • Record Tracking: Use the Converted to field on planning item forms to identify source records from which items were converted.
    • Reference Field Mapping: When execution and alignment tables reference different tables, include appropriate Lookup field and Lookup column values in field maps for reference or glide list field types.
    • Handling Data Synchronization Failures: Check integration error logs, verify filter conditions for alignment and execution tables, confirm that the Active flag is set in alignment integration and table maps, and ensure all necessary fields and choices are configured.
    • Execution URL Management: To view or fix missing Execution URL fields in synced planning items, configure alignment planning item records accordingly and use the provided fix job via the integration interface.
    • Primary Goal Field: A Primary goal field is now included in projects, demands, and epics table maps to support integration of goal data between alignment and execution tables.
    • Project and Demand Sync: Ensure demands linked to a project are synced when importing or exporting projects.
    • Custom Table Maps: For execution tables not based on delivered tables (pmportfolio, rmepic, dmndemand, pmproject), create a business rule to support interfacing of custom table map records.

    Practical Impact for ServiceNow Customers

    By following these guidelines, ServiceNow customers can ensure reliable and consistent integration of strategic planning data across PPM, Agile Development 2.0, and SAFe frameworks. This helps maintain data integrity, facilitates accurate tracking of planning items, and supports seamless synchronization between alignment and execution data sources. Proper configuration and adherence to best practices reduce errors, improve visibility through execution URLs, and enable custom extensions with confidence.

    Ensure that Strategic Planning is integrated properly with PPM, Agile Development 2.0, and SAFe with these guidelines.

    • Do not change the filter condition of a table map after the records are interfaced. The already interfaced records might not match with the new filter condition and any change in the filter condition can result in data inconsistency. If you need to change the filter condition, ensure that the relevant attributes on the interfaced records are updated manually to avoid data inconsistency issues.
    • Whenever a table map is created, ensure that the relevant field maps and choice maps are also configured.
    • When an import job for a table map is running (processing), do not modify the table map or its field maps.
    • Using the Converted to field on the planning item form, you can identify the original record from which it was converted.
    • Ensure that the Lookup field and Lookup column values are added whenever the execution and alignment tables are referencing two different tables, while creating a field map for field type of reference or glide list.
    • If there is a data synchronization failure, check if:
      • The Integration error logs related list within that Alignment integration record.
      • The Alignment table filter (for import) and Execution table filter (for export) conditions are met.
      • The Active flag in both the alignment integration and the table map is checked.
      • The appropriate fields and choices are configured for each table map.
    • If you want to view the Execution URL field, configure the alignment planning item record to view it.
    • If the Execution URL field in your synced planning item(s) is blank, navigate to All > Strategic Planning > Integrations and select the required alignment integration. If any of the execution URL is missing, select the Fix execution URL(s) for planning items related link. This runs a job and updates the execution URL field.
      Note:
      The Fix execution URL(s) for planning items related link is only available when the execution URL is missing for any of the planning item.
    • A Primary goal field is introduced to the projects, demands, and epics table maps to support the integration of the Goal field between alignment and execution tables.
    • When you are trying to import or export a project, ensure that the demands (that are a part of that project) are synced.
    • You can create a table map for any execution table. If a table map is not created from one of the delivered tables (pm_portfolio, rm_epic, dmn_demand, pm_project) or does not extend from them, you are required to create a business rule to support the interfacing of the table map records. For more information on creating a business rule, see Create a business rule for custom table map configuration.