Configuring work order templates

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Configuring work order templates

    Work order templates in ServiceNow enable you to quickly create well-defined work orders by automatically generating tasks and part requirements for common activities like password resets or memory upgrades. These templates and related task templates are available upon activating the Field Service Management plugin. For advanced dynamic configurations, you can enable the Template Management for Field Service plugin, which adds source table mapping, attribute mapping, and enhances template configurability within the product catalog.

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    Key Features

    • Template Creation and Management: Users with the wmadmin or modelmanager roles can create, edit, and delete work order and work order task templates to standardize repeatable work processes.
    • Integration with Knowledge Articles: Templates can link to knowledge articles that provide guidance such as installation guides, maintenance procedures, or checklists, helping technicians perform work consistently.
    • Contextual Search: This feature enables relevant knowledge articles to be surfaced based on the content of a work order or task. It requires configuring search criteria, adding the Contextual Search Results field to the Work Order and Work Order Task forms, and specifying where articles attach (e.g., the worknotes field).
    • Work Order SLA Management: You can optionally configure SLAs on work orders and tasks to monitor and ensure timely completion, accessible directly from the relevant forms.

    How It Helps You

    By using work order templates, your organization benefits from standardized, consistent, and efficient creation of work orders, reducing manual entry and errors. Linking knowledge articles and contextual search empowers technicians with immediate access to relevant information, improving task accuracy and reducing resolution times. SLA management ensures contractual or operational deadlines are met, enhancing service reliability and customer satisfaction.

    Getting Started

    • Create work order templates to define repeatable information like assignment groups and tasks.
    • Optionally develop and assign knowledge articles to support technicians with detailed guidance.
    • Optionally set up work order SLAs to track and manage service commitments.
    • Configure contextual search fields on forms to surface relevant knowledge content during work execution.

    Work order templates allow you to quickly create well-defined work orders.

    These templates automatically create tasks and part requirements on work orders for common activities, such as password reset or memory upgrades. Work order templates and work order task templates are added to the product catalog when the Field Service Management plugin is activated.

    You can enable the advanced configurations for work order templates by activating the Template Management for Field Service plugin (com.snc.fsm_template_management). Activation of this plugin adds the source table mapping, attribute mapping, work order task templates, and work order templates to the product catalog that helps configure the template to work dynamically. For more information, see Configuring Template Management for Field Service.

    Users with the wm_admin or model_manager role can create, edit, and delete work order templates and work order task templates.

    When you create a template, you can use knowledge articles for a work order or work order tasks. You can then add Contextual Search to the knowledge article. Contextual Search helps you to create, or work on, a task with relevant knowledge articles based on the content of the task.
    • Define Search Fields: Specify the criteria to be used to search across your desired content sources.
    • Work Order Form: Add the contextual search results field to the Work Order form. Configure the form and add the Contextual Search Results field to your desired location on the form.
    • Work Order Task Form: Add the contextual search field to the Work Order Task form. Configure the form and add the Contextual Search Results field to your desired location on the form.
    • Article Attachment field: Set the field where the knowledge article will be attached. Configure the glide.knowman.attach.fields property to include work_notes field.

    Configuration overview

    The steps for setting up work order templates are:

    1. Create a work order template

      Use work order templates populate work orders with repeatable information. For example, templates can populate an Assignment group, during the template creation process. This ensures consistent information is included across all related records.

    2. (Optional) Create a knowledge article for a work order template

      Help Field Service technicians stay consistent when completing the same types of work orders. For example, a knowledge article can be installation guides, maintenance procedures, or checklists.

    3. (Optional) Manage a work order SLA

      Use work order SLAs help ensure SLAs are met in time. Work order SLAs can be viewed or managed from the work order or work order task form so they're easy to access.