Configuring groups in Workforce Optimization for ITSM

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated May 11, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Configuring groups in Workforce Optimization for ITSM

    Workforce Optimization for ITSM enables managers to centrally organize, manage, and optimize their entire workforce by configuring teams as groups. These groups form the core structure that allows managers to route work, set schedules, provide training, and analyze workforce performance efficiently within ServiceNow.

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    Key Features

    • Group Configuration: Teams are set up as groups within the sysusergroup table, reflecting organizational structure and enabling tailored views for users based on their group memberships.
    • Primary Assignment Group: Each team member must have one primary assignment group assigned, even if they belong to multiple groups. This primary group determines the team calendar visibility in the Service Operations Workspace and influences coaching and approval workflows.
    • Manager Assignments: Every group requires a designated manager responsible for direct oversight. Additionally, other managers (additional managers) can be assigned visibility rights for groups they do not directly manage, supporting cross-regional or multi-team oversight.
    • User-Specific Views: Users see only their teams and relevant information in Workforce Optimization for ITSM, enhancing focus and security.

    Practical Considerations for Implementation

    • Identify Teams: Define distinct teams to be managed and configure each as a separate assignment group.
    • Assign Primary Groups: Ensure every team member has a primary assignment group set to enable schedule access and KPI visibility.
    • Assign Managers and Additional Managers: Assign direct managers for each group and optionally add additional managers who require insight into the group’s activities.
    • Regional Grouping Example: For organizations with multiple regions (e.g., AMS, APJ, EMEA), create separate assignment groups per region and assign team members accordingly.

    Key Outcomes

    • Centralized workforce management through grouping aligns organizational structure with operational workflows.
    • Clear visibility and scheduling for team members based on primary assignment groups improve workforce efficiency.
    • Manager roles, including additional managers, enhance oversight and reporting capabilities across teams and regions.
    • Proper group configuration is essential for accessing scheduling features and performance metrics within Service Operations Workspace.

    As a manager, you can manage and optimize your entire workforce using Workforce Optimization for ITSM from one central location. Organizing your teams, for example, different levels of employees in your organizational chart, into groups is the foundation on which Workforce Optimization for ITSM operates.

    Therefore, after you set up your teams as groups in Workforce Optimization for ITSM, as a manager, you can route work, set up schedules, train your teams, and analyze all aspects of your workforce from one location.

    Planning for your Workforce Optimization for ITSM implementation

    Before you start implementing Workforce Optimization for ITSM, make sure you do the following:
    Important:
    Groups are synonymous with assignment groups. A team member can belong to multiple groups but must have one group identified as their primary assignment group. If not, that team member cannot view their schedules in Service Operations Workspace. For more information on Schedules in Service Operations Workspace, see Service Operations Workspace - Scheduling.
    1. Identify your teams

      Define the different teams within your organizations that you want to manage. Each of these teams will be configured as a group in the User Groups [sys_user_group] table. When a user logs into Workforce Optimization for ITSM, the workspace will only display the logged-in user's teams and information related to those teams.

    2. Assign a primary assignment group for each member of your team

      A team member can belong to multiple groups but you must identify one group identified as the primary group for each team member and assign it to them. This determines which assignment group's team calendar that the team member can view in the Schedules module in Service Operations Workspace and also determines activities such as coaching and approvals. For more information on setting a primary assignment group, see Assign a primary assignment group for each agent.

      The following image shows a representation of assigning a primary group to a team member who belongs to more than one group.Diagram showing three regional assignment groups under Global Teams, each with managers and team members. Two team members belong to more than one group.

    3. Add a manager to each group

      Each team must have a manager assigned. This manager is someone who would directly oversee the team.

    4. Add additional managers to each group

      For each group that you create, you can also add managers who don’t directly manage the group but need visibility into those groups. These managers are known as additional managers.

    If you have three teams in different regions and the first team is in Americas (AMS), the second one is in Asia-Pacific (APJ) and the third one is in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), you must create an assignment group for each one of them and also associate each team member to one of the groups as their primary assignment group. You can also associate more managers to a team although they may not directly manage that team. These managers are referred to as additional managers who have visibility into the what the team does.