--- sourceDocument: Australia Enterprise Architecture sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/application-portfolio-management Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia Enterprise Architecture ft:clusterId : - appportman bundleId : - appportman workflow : - Technology --- # Exploring business applications # Exploring business applications {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated March 12, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read A business application is software used by business users to perform a business function. Classify the applications to maintain an inventory and consolidate the business applications. Analyze, assess, and evaluate the applications across various dimensions and determine the action that you can take for each application. You can record the details of a business application manually or import the list of applications from a spreadsheet or a third-party tool. To import data, define a data source and transform map, and run or schedule an import. ## Assessment of Business applications {#eaw-manage-business-applications__section_bqq_chj_rgb} In Enterprise Architecture, add any business application that you want to assess and track for costs, usage, business value, functional fitment, and risks. ## Modeling platform applications and platforms {#eaw-manage-business-applications__section_jqx_ghj_rgb} Use the Business Application form to create a record and capture the details of a platform application just as you create a record for a business application. Use the same form to create individual records of all business applications that run on the platform. This structure gives you a hierarchy of business applications associated with the platform host. The Architecture type field values help you to distinguish between the platform host and platform application data. The architecture type values help in the following business cases: * Assess the performance of the platform as a whole and assess the performance of individual applications running on it. * Platform may be owned by a business owner who may not be the owner of the applications running on that platform. In such a scenario, the platform owner can assess the performance of the platform independent of the application owners, who assess the applications associated with the platform. {#eaw-manage-business-applications__ul_z2n_hxj_rgb} For example, you can create a business application record for the ServiceNow® platform. Then, create individual business application records such as Enterprise Architecture, Financial Management, and Project Portfolio Management and associate these applications to the ServiceNow® platform. The Architecture type field distinguishes between records. Use platform application for applications running on a host and platform host for platforms hosting applications. **Related tasks** * [View all business applications](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/pXZ68TQ5Rk3ZoY7iRzvEyg "View the list of all business applications in the Enterprise Architecture Workspace.") * [Add or edit a business application](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/7rJOV8qDVEiv9LVcCLKZtA "Add the applications that your organization wants to introduce based on their functions and the business processes they fulfill. In Enterprise Architecture, add or edit any business application that is used to assess and track costs, usage, business value, functional fitment, and risks.") * [View business capabilities for a business application](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/AEogN5nBipbq7dUoXPrc8Q "View business capabilities associated with business applications in the Enterprise Architecture Workspace to understand their value in your enterprise architecture landscape.") * [Add a business capability to a business application](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/jpnIDjK_fNc5NCS1KHv6WQ "You can add existing business capabilities to business applications in the Enterprise Architecture Workspace, to ensure better alignment with your strategic enterprise architecture goals.") * [Remove business capabilities from a business application](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/MmlvwmfWrvUeHjCyYdxguw "You can unassign the business capabilities associated with business applications in the Enterprise Architecture Workspace.") * [Create a Lucidchart diagram for a business application](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/9oX1407zj3GvGIP6_n9qSA "Create a diagram Lucidchart for your business application hierarchy and associate it with an architectural artifact.") * [Open business application form in Core UI from EA Workspace](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/D8cWwjJ25__ZawKhsUaz8A "Open the business application form in Core UI from the EA Workspace to view and edit the business application form in the Enterprise Architecture view.") * [View a unified map for a business application](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/TyiPE5PrH46pnCYmzJwymg "View a unified map for your business applications in the Enterprise Architecture Workspace to understand the current architecture and associated references.") * [View roadmap of a business application](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/VPNfr99evoshtlM7QCsM0g "View the roadmap of your business applications and align them with the organization's strategy. Creating a portfolio plan helps you plan, prioritize, and roadmap the work for your business application.") * [Manage information objects in EA Workspace](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ajQ16MKfxaToqZWxhy0t9w "Relate a business application to an information object using the CI relationship [cmdb_rel_ci] table of type Uses::Used by. Use this suggested relationship to get the logical data of the information object, which can be used to leverage the business application.") * [View architectural artifacts for a business application](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/BVQURMyO3gb5h4d1CVfukg "You can view the list of architectural artifacts associated with business applications, in the Enterprise Architecture Workspace.") * [Associate an architectural artifact with a business app](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/lEgdEYbrf_mvoU~ZmN3CZQ "You can create a new architectural artifact from the business application related list, in the EA Workspace.") * [Add an architectural artifact to a business application](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/vGwX2dcfNIzvcx0xe16YWQ "You can add existing architectural artifacts to business applications in the EA Workspace.") * [Remove architectural artifacts from a business application](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/OoYAcJiKtvWixS9dlFUcxw "You can remove the architectural artifacts associated with business applications in the EA Workspace, ensuring that only relevant and current architectural artifacts are associated with the business applications.")