Actionable case flows

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Actionable case flows

    Actionable case flows in ServiceNow automate the creation and resolution of blocking tasks related to customer service cases. Enabled by default through the Case Action Status plugin, these flows streamline case management by linking specific case-related actions with predefined user tasks. Customers can disable any flow if they prefer not to generate blocking tasks for certain actions.

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    Key Features

    • Predefined Flow Designer actions: Includes Add Blocking Task, Inactivate Blocking Task, and Set Needs Attention Flag to manage task statuses automatically.
    • Flows for Customer Service Cases: Automatically create or resolve blocking tasks based on events such as:
      • Case needing customer information
      • Associated Case Tasks, Change Requests, Service Catalog Requests, Work Orders, Incidents, or Problems
      • Closure or resolution of these associated records
      • User information being provided
      • Additional comments triggering Needs Attention flag
      • Updates to the case when blocking tasks are created or attention flags toggled
    • Flows for Customer Service Orders: Similar automation applies to order cases, including creating and resolving blocking tasks based on customer information needs, comments, and status updates.
    • Flows for Problem Records Associated with Cases: Specialized flows resolve blocking tasks when fixes or workarounds are communicated, or when problem records are closed or cancelled, based on the blocking reason type.

    Key Outcomes

    • Improved case management efficiency by automating task creation and resolution tied to case progress.
    • Enhanced visibility into case status with automatic Needs Attention flagging when additional input is required.
    • Consistent handling of dependencies between cases and related records such as incidents, problems, and change requests.
    • Flexibility to enable or disable specific flows according to organizational processes.

    Actionable case flows contain predefined user actions that automatically create and resolve blocking tasks for customer service cases.

    The Case Action Status plugin provides several actionable case flows that create and resolve blocking tasks for different case-related actions. These flows are enabled by default. If you don't want to create blocking tasks for a specific action, disable the associated flow.

    To view these flows, navigate to Customer Service > Administration > Actionable Case Flows.

    Flow Designer actions

    Case flows use the following predefined Flow Designer actions:
    • Add Blocking Task
    • Inactivate Blocking Task
    • Set Needs Attention Flag

    Flows for customer service cases

    The case action status feature provides the following flows for customer service cases.
    • Create blocked by record if case needs customer information
    • Create blocked by record if Case Task is associated with case
    • Create blocked by record if Change Request is associated with case
    • Create blocked by record if SC Request is associated with case
    • Create blocked by record if Work Order is associated with case
    • Create blocked by record if Incident is associated with case
    • Create blocked by record if Problem is associated with case
    • Resolve blocked by record if Case Task is closed
    • Resolve blocked by record if Change Request is closed
    • Resolve blocked by record if Incident is closed
    • Resolve blocked by record if Problem is closed or Fix is communicated
    • Resolve blocked by record if Problem is closed or Fix/Workaround is communicated
    • Resolve blocked by record if SC Request is closed
    • Resolve blocked by record if user information is provided for case
    • Resolve blocked by record if Work Order is closed or cancelled
    • Set Needs Attention if additional comments are added by others
    • Update case when blocked by record is created
    • Update case when Needs attention field is toggled

    Flows for customer service orders

    The case action status feature provides the following flows for customer service orders.
    • Create blocked by record if order case needs customer information
    • Resolve blocked by record if user information is provided for order case
    • Set Needs Attention if additional comments are added by others on order case
    • Update order case when Needs attention field is toggled

    Flows for problem records associated with a case

    If a problem is associated with a case with the Need task resolution blocking reason, a case flow is provided to resolve the blocking task when a fix is communicated or the problem record is closed or cancelled.

    If a problem is associated with a case with the Need PRB workaround blocking reason, a case flow is provided to resolve the blocking task when a workaround is provided or the problem record is closed or cancelled.