---
sourceDocument: Xanadu ServiceNow AI Platform user interface
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/xanadu/platform-user-interface

 Release :

    - xanadu

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Xanadu ServiceNow AI Platform user interface

ft:clusterId :

    - platux

bundleId :

    - platux

workflow :

    - Platform


---

# Exploring Service Portal

# Exploring Service Portal {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Xanadu
* 
* Updated August 1, 2024
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

Whether you're adapting a base system portal or developing a custom portal, learn more about the available features that help you provide a self-service portal that drives productivity and satisfaction for your employees or
customers.

## Benefits {#exploring-service-portal__section_benefits}

{#exploring-service-portal__table_benefits__entry__3}

| Benefit | Feature | Role |
|-|-|-|
| Quickly create a self-service portal with an engaging, mobile-friendly user experience using an easy-to-use, modular UI. | * [Service Portal Designer](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/HJxxVRb43STfSwKwkTcI9g#t_ConfigureAPage "Create or edit a page and use layouts to organize the columns that house the widgets.") * [Branding and styles](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/inGApjvG0KJ6qUhfRP4YNw "Pages are made up of containers, columns, rows, widgets, and widget instances. You can configure the CSS of each component, or use the CSS defined in theme and branding as global definitions for the portal. If you do not define CSS in theme or branding, Bootstrap defaults are used.") * [Widgets](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/4ngmgrkD2f~friEfQoWFdg "Widgets are what define the content of your portal pages. You can use the base system widgets provided with Service Portal, clone and modify widgets, or develop custom widgets to fit your own needs.") {#exploring-service-portal__ul_mtd_34z_kwb} | Developer |
| Empower users with self-service, deflect issues, and drive user productivity and satisfaction by providing simple and immediate access to resources. | * [Service catalogs](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/rzGHW0kL5qjgRZoV4acpMA "Associate a portal with multiple catalogs. By default, Service Portal is associated with Service Catalog.") * [Knowledge bases](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/rtfSkebvMHL035sfi9Rkgw "You can associate a portal with any knowledge base. Multiple knowledge bases can be associated with a portal.") * [Agent Chat](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/HaQJW5txlnSm4VmbWt~XTw#configure-va-in-sp "Your end users can initiate and maintain an Agent Chat conversation in any portal page. Write a script to pass portal-specific data to Agent Chat. For example, pass the name of your knowledge base to a Virtual Agent conversation.") {#exploring-service-portal__ul_j3x_zmz_kwb} | Administrator |
| Connect users to what they're looking for in a powerful, consumer-grade search experience. | [AI Search](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/8fwpVH9JyJroNB4rmUkVhA "Configure the ServiceNow AI Search application for Service Portal so that portal users can take advantage of intelligent query features and quickly find the answers they need.") | Administrator |
| Improve how external search engines index and rank public portal pages to make them more findable. | [Search engine optimization](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/899iYatNGkgQMtUzQscSiQ "Search engine optimization (SEO) helps portal users find the information they need and be more engaged with your portal. Adding SEO information to your public portal pages improves how external search engines index and rank pages to make them more findable.") | Administrator |
| Monitor metrics and interactions to understand a portal's user experience better and identify how to improve it. | [User Experience Analytics](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/o7dgdeqCahrnp8QuFFiAfw "The User Experience Analytics application provides views for monitoring usage analytics of your Service Portal applications. Visualize metrics and interactions to better understand the Service Portal user experience and identify how to improve it.") | Administrator |
| Control who accesses your portal and what they can see. | [Security](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/_tiJW1NluKl0iWVgN5BC~w "Control user access to a portal.") | Administrator |
[ ]

{#exploring-service-portal__table_benefits}
* **[Understanding Service Portal](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/0RYWDzwmxD85_kLyR8X_LA)**   
  Service Portal provides a modular user interface framework for quick and easy building of application portals and dashboards for the platform. It helps developers and non‑technical administrators create attractive and engaging user experiences that drive employee adoption of critical enterprise applications.
* **[Supported features in Service Portal](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/~Enjo567OcrzNls~J_UR0A)**   
  Service Portal is an alternative presentation layer for the platform. As such, not all features of the platform are extended to Service Portal. Consider your full application and the abilities of Service Portal before making considerable investments.