--- sourceDocument: australia Combined Product Files sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/delta-xanadu-australia Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - australia Combined Product Files ft:clusterId : - delta3ax bundleId : - delta3ax --- # Combined Incident Management release notes for upgrades from Xanadu to Australia # Combined Incident Management release notes for upgrades from Xanadu to Australia {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated October 8, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 11 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Combined Incident Management Release Notes for Upgrades from Xanadu to Australia This consolidated document provides key details on Incident Management feature updates, changes, and important upgrade considerations for ServiceNow customers upgrading from the Xanadu release family through to Australia. It helps customers understand new capabilities, behavioral changes, security enhancements, and administrative improvements introduced across these releases, enabling better planning and execution of their upgrade activities. Show full answer Show less ## Key Features * **User Role for Service Desk Agents (Yokohama):** Introduction of the `snservicedeskagent` role designed to streamline tier 1 service desk operations, including incident, problem, change, and request management. Integration with AI capabilities occurs when the ITSM Gen AI plugin is installed. * **Enhanced Security Model (Yokohama):** Automatic activation of Deny-Unless ACLs on incident-related tables restricts unauthorized access, improving data security. This feature requires installation of the ITSM Enhanced Security Features plugin and testing in non-production environments before production deployment. * **Granular Admin Roles (Australia):** New fine-grained administrative roles allow precise configuration of Incident, Major Incident, Task Outage, and related communication features. Roles include `snincidentadmin`, `snmimadmin`, `sntcmadmin`, `sniamadmin`, `sncontactadmin`, and `sntaskoutageadmin`. * **Form Channel for Response Templates (Australia):** Added to "Need more information" and "Schedule meeting" response templates, enabling users to copy template texts directly from incident forms for use in work notes, comments, or other communication channels. * **Coral Theme and Dark Mode (Zurich):** Coral becomes the default theme for new portals and experiences, offering a fresh, brand-neutral UI with an optional dark mode for web and mobile to enhance readability and reduce eye strain. ## Key Changes * **Email Notification Link Redirection (Xanadu, Yokohama):** Users can control whether incident and major incident email notification links open records in the Classic UI16 interface or Service Operations Workspace (SOW). This is governed by system properties and requires the ITSM Notifications Redirection plugin. * **Incident and Problem Workflow Enhancements (Xanadu, Zurich):** Sharing fixes or workarounds from problem records now adds events as private work notes in associated incidents. Known Error (KE) article links also appear in incident activity streams, improving communication and traceability. * **Incident Reopening Behavior (Yokohama):** Agents, callers, requesters, and users who opened the incident can reopen resolved incidents via Classic UI16 and Portal interfaces (Service Portal, Employee Service Center). Portal agents can reopen incidents assigned only to themselves. * **Configuration Item (CI) Search Performance (Yokohama):** The CI field in incident forms now sorts search results alphabetically by CI name instead of by class, improving UI clarity and loading speed. An override option is available for specific child tables. * **Incident Task Record Behavior (Zurich):** Closed incident tasks become read-only to prevent edits, supporting data integrity and audit compliance. ## Upgrade Considerations * Review and complete all pre- and post-upgrade tasks specific to Incident Management before upgrading to Australia. * Test enhanced security features and Deny-Unless ACLs in non-production instances prior to production rollout. * Configure new granular admin roles post-upgrade to manage Incident Management and related features effectively. * Adjust email notification properties to control record link redirection based on organizational preferences and user roles. ## Activation and Requirements Incident Management remains an active default feature across all listed releases from Xanadu through Australia. No additional activation steps are generally required unless enabling new plugins such as ITSM Enhanced Security Features or ITSM Gen AI. No new browser or localization requirements were introduced within these releases. ## Summary for ServiceNow Customers Upgrading from Xanadu to Australia for Incident Management offers improved security controls, better role-based access management, enhanced user productivity tools, and modernized UI experiences. Customers can expect more granular administrative control, streamlined service desk operations, and improved workflows connecting incident and problem management. Planning should include testing new security features and adjusting configurations for email notifications and user roles to fully leverage these benefits while ensuring smooth business continuity. Consolidated page of all release notes for Incident Management from Xanadu to Australia. ## How to use this page To help you prepare for your upgrade, we have combined the cross-family Incident Management release notes onto one page. Read this summary of the new features, changes, and updated information for your product from Xanadu to Australia. Tip: If there were no updates for a release notes section in a certain family release, we included a short note for your reference. For example, if a product did not have any updates in Tokyo, the row says "No updates for this release." ## Important information for upgrading Incident Management to Australia Before you upgrade to Australia, review these pre- and post-upgrade tasks and complete the tasks as needed. {#dfrn3-incidentmanagement-summary__entry__2} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Xanadu | No updates for this release. | | Yokohama | No updates for this release. | | Zurich | No updates for this release. | | Australia | No updates for this release. | [ ] ## New features Between your current release family and Australia, new features were introduced for Incident Management. {#dfrn3-incidentmanagement-summary__entry__12} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Xanadu | No updates for this release. | | Yokohama | [User role for service desk agents](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=inci-roles-instld-itsm-roles&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US) : With the sn_service_desk_agent user role, increase the operational efficiency by streamlining the process of asking about, gathering, and verifying information, as well as delivering quick resolutions. This role is designed for tier 1 service desk agents and is accessible when the ITSM Roles plugin (com.snc.itsm.roles) installed. The sn_service_desk_agent role includes the following user roles: * sn_incident_write * sn_problem_write * sn_change_write * sn_request_write * tracked_file_reader Additionally, with the installation of the ITSM Gen AI (com.sn.itsm.gen.ai) plugin, the knowledge_user, and now_assist_panel_user roles are integrated within the sn_service_desk_agent role. The sn_service_desk_agent role can be used starting with SOW version 6.1. [Enhanced security model adoption for incident tables](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=activate-itsm-enhanced-security-inci-mangmnt&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US) : Help prevent unauthorized access to incident-related tables using Deny-Unless ACLs. A Deny-Unless authentication ACL restricts access for a non-authenticated user, such as a public role user. Without access, the user can't perform any actions on incident-related tables, including reading, writing, deleting, creating, or accessing the report view. This feature is activated automatically and applicable on the following incident-related tables: * kb_template_incident_kcs_articl * kb_template_incident_kcs_template Additionally, this feature is available on the following incident-related tables of new or zBoot instances after installing the ITSM Enhanced Security Features (com.snc.itsm.enhanced_security) plugin: * incident * incident_task * task_ci * task outage The ITSM Enhanced Security Features (com.snc.itsm.enhanced_security) plugin can be installed and activated by an admin via a support request. Existing or upgrade users must test and evaluate the results in their non-production instance, and then install the plugin and implement the security change in their production instance. For more information, see [Deny-Unless ACL](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=acl-denial-behavior&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US). | | Zurich | No updates for this release. | | Australia | [Introduction of granular admin roles](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=req-itsm-roles-inci-mgmt&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : Configure all the incident, major incident, task outage and related communication features for both UI16 and SOW using the following granular admin roles: * sn_incident_admin: Configure all Incident Management features including incident management properties. * sn_mim_admin: Configure all Major Incident Management features including major incident properties and trigger rules. * sn_tcm_admin: Configure all Task Communications Management features including communication plans and tasks. * sn_iam_admin: Configure all Incident Communications Management features including creating, editing, or canceling incident communication plan, communication task, and managing contact information. Additionally, this role can administrate all Incident Communications Management capabilities." * sn_contact_admin: Configure all Contact Management features including creating and editing contact definitions, contact responsibilities, configuration of MI users, recipient lists, and groups. * sn_task_outage_admin: Configure all Task Outage features including the mapping between the Task \[task\] table and the Outage \[cmdb_ci_outage\] table. [Form channel for response templates](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=working-incident-record-form&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) : The form channel is added to the Need more information and Schedule meeting response templates. The channel enables you to access the response templates from the incident record, copy the response templates texts to the clipboard from the incident form to be shared in the work notes, comments or other communication channels. | [ ] ## Changes Between your current release family and Australia, some changes were made to existing Incident Management features. {#dfrn3-incidentmanagement-summary__entry__22} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Xanadu | [Email notification link redirection behavior](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=t_ViewIncidentNotification&family=xanadu&ft:locale=en-US) : In email notifications, you can now decide where the links to an incident record are redirected. Instead of an incident record automatically opening in the classic UI16 interface in Incident Management, the incident record can be opened in SOW. The incident record link in an email notification opens in SOW only if the following conditions are met: * The Redirect SOW Email notification (sow_email_notification_redirect) system property is set to true. * The user selecting the incident record link has the sn_sow.sow_user role. The ITSM Notifications Redirection (com.snc.itsm.notifications_redirection) plugin is installed and activated automatically to support this behavior. To ensure consistency, the email notification template is updated to send the notification from SOW in the same format as sent from classic UI16 interface. Also, the template theme is updated to match the Next Experience theme. | | Yokohama | [Email redirection behavior for major incident email notification links](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=email-notif-redirt-inci-major-inci&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US) : In major incident email notifications, you can now decide where the links to a major incident record are redirected. Instead of a major incident record automatically opening in the classic UI16 interface in Major Incident Management, the record can be opened in SOW. The major incident record link in an email notification opens in SOW only if the following conditions are met: * The Redirect SOW Email notification (sow_email_notification_redirect) property is set to true. Setting this property to true enables the email redirection behavior for all tables including major incident. * The Redirect SOW Email notification for Major Incident Management (sn_major_inc_mgmt.sow_email_notification_redirect.mim) property is set to true. * You have the sn_sow_user role. The ITSM Notifications Redirection (com.snc.itsm.notifications_redirection) plugin is installed and activated automatically to support this behavior. [Email redirection behavior for incident email notification links](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=email-notif-redirt-inci-major-inci&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US) : In incident email notifications, you can now decide where the links to an incident record are redirected. Instead of an incident record automatically opening in the classic UI16 interface in Incident Management, the record can be opened in SOW. The incident record link in an email notification opens in SOW only if you have the sn_sow_user role and any of the following conditions are met: * The Redirect SOW Email notification (sow_email_notification_redirect) property is set to true. Setting this property to true enables the email redirection behavior for all tables including incident. * The Redirect SOW Email notification for Incident Management (sow_email_notification_redirect.incident) property is set to true. You can create this property if you want to enable or restrict the email redirection behavior specifically for the incident table. This property, if created and set, overrides the Redirect SOW Email notification (sow_email_notification_redirect) base system property. The ITSM Notifications Redirection (com.snc.itsm.notifications_redirection) plugin is installed and activated automatically to support this behavior. To ensure consistency, the email notification templates for incident tasks are also updated to send the notification from Service Operations Workspace (SOW) in the same format as sent from classic UI16 interface similar to incident. Also, the template theme is updated to match the Next Experience theme. [Incident and problem workflow changes](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=incident-management-properties&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US) : When a problem is fixed and the Share fix option is triggered, the event is added to the Work notes (Private) field instead of the Additional comments (Customer visible) field for the incident associated with the problem record. This feature is available in the base system for the new customers. For existing or upgrade customers, admin must set the Communicate problem workaround to incident worknotes (com.snc.incident.communicate_prb_workaround_to_inc_worknotes) system property to true to enable the feature. [Changes in the reopening incident behavior](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=reopening-incident&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US) : Enable the agents with incident write access, callers, requesters, or Opened by end users to reopen a resolved incident. Both the caller and the requester can view and use the Reopen option on the incident classic UI16 form and the Portal UIs, such as Service Portal and Employee Service Center (ESC) portal. An agent can view and use the Reopen option on the incident classic UI16 form to reopen any incident that is assigned to them or to other agents. However, on the Portal UI, an agent can only view and use the Reopen option to reopen an incident if it's assigned to them. [Sorting CIs in incident forms](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=create-an-incident&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US) : The search performance of the available CIs for the Configuration item field on an incident form is enhanced to promote a clean UI and quick loading and sorting of the CIs. The search results that list the CIs are sorted alphabetically by CI name instead of by CI class and then CI name. The ref_ac_order_by=sys_class_name attribute is removed from the default attributes on the cmdb_ci field of the Task \[task\] table, which increases the performance of the field. This change is applicable to new and existing users using the default attributes. You can use the Override attributes option to restrict this change for any required child tables that extend to the cmdb_ci field of the Task \[task\] table. | | Zurich | Coral theme : Coral is now the default theme for new portal, web, and mobile experiences with Next Experience or Core UI enabled. This theme provides a fresh look and feel, featuring brand-neutral illustrations to enhance your user experience. A dark theme option is available for web and mobile experiences. [Incident task record behavior changes](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=create-incident-task&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : When an incident task is closed, you can no longer edit the field values in the incident task form. Disabling the fields helps prevent any further updates or modifications to closed incident tasks, reducing audit risks. [Incident and problem workflow changes](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=working-incident-record-form&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) : When a problem record is linked to an incident or multiple incidents, the incident and problem workflow has the following enhancements: * When a fix or workaround is shared from the problem record, an event is added in the activity stream of the incident record as work notes. The event includes a brief description of the provided fix or workaround and a link to the problem record. * When a Known Error (KE) article is linked to the problem record, an event is added in the activity stream of the incident record as work notes. The event includes the links to the problem record and the KE article. | | Australia | No updates for this release. | [ ] ## Removed Between your current release family and Australia, some Incident Management features or functionality were removed. {#dfrn3-incidentmanagement-summary__entry__32} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Xanadu | No updates for this release. | | Yokohama | No updates for this release. | | Zurich | No updates for this release. | | Australia | No updates for this release. | [ ] ## Deprecations Between your current release family and Australia, some Incident Management features or functionality were deprecated. {#dfrn3-incidentmanagement-summary__entry__42} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Xanadu | No updates for this release. | | Yokohama | No updates for this release. | | Zurich | No updates for this release. | | Australia | No updates for this release. | [ ] ## Activation information Review information on how to activate Incident Management. {#dfrn3-incidentmanagement-summary__entry__52} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Xanadu | Incident Management is a ServiceNow AI Platform feature that is active by default. | | Yokohama | Activation information : Incident Management is a ServiceNow AI Platform feature that is active by default. | | Zurich | Activation information : Incident Management is a ServiceNow AI Platform feature that is active by default. | | Australia | Activation information : Incident Management is a ServiceNow AI Platform feature that is active by default. | [ ] ## Additional requirements If any additional requirements were introduced or changed for Incident Management we have noted them here. {#dfrn3-incidentmanagement-summary__entry__62} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Xanadu | No updates for this release. | | Yokohama | No updates for this release. | | Zurich | No updates for this release. | | Australia | No updates for this release. | [ ] ## Browser requirements If any specific browser requirements were introduced or changed for Incident Management we have noted them here. {#dfrn3-incidentmanagement-summary__entry__72} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Xanadu | No updates for this release. | | Yokohama | No updates for this release. | | Zurich | No updates for this release. | | Australia | No updates for this release. | [ ] ## Accessibility information Review details on accessibility information for Incident Management, such as specific requirements or compliance levels. {#dfrn3-incidentmanagement-summary__entry__82} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Xanadu | No updates for this release. | | Yokohama | No updates for this release. | | Zurich | Accessibility information : Dark theme : The new Coral theme includes a dark theme option for web and mobile experiences. This option is commonly used to alleviate eye strain and improve readability. | | Australia | No updates for this release. | [ ] ## Localization information If there are specific localization considerations for Incident Management we have noted them here. {#dfrn3-incidentmanagement-summary__entry__92} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Xanadu | No updates for this release. | | Yokohama | No updates for this release. | | Zurich | No updates for this release. | | Australia | No updates for this release. | [ ] ## Highlight information If there are specific highlight considerations for Incident Management we have noted them here. {#dfrn3-incidentmanagement-summary__entry__102} | Release | Release notes | |-|-| | Xanadu | Control when an incident record link in the email notifications redirects to the incident record in Service Operations Workspace (SOW). See [Incident Management](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=c_IncidentManagement&family=xanadu&ft:locale=en-US) for more information. | | Yokohama | * Increase the operational efficiency of the tier 1 service desk agents with the dedicated sn_service_desk_agent role. * Control whether an incident or major incident record link in an email notification redirects you to the record in the classic UI16 interface or Service Operations Workspace (SOW). * Enable agents with incident write access, callers, requesters, and Opened by end users to reopen a resolved incident from the Incident Management classic UI16 form, SOW, or Portal UIs. * Restrict unauthorized access to incident-related tables using deny ACLs. * Search for a configuration item (CI) in a list alphabetized by the CI name with an improved search performance. See [Incident Management](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=c_IncidentManagement&family=yokohama&ft:locale=en-US) for more information. | | Zurich | * Help prevent changes to closed incident tasks to promote data integrity and to maintain a clear audit. * Manage and resolve incidents effectively with the incident and problem workflow enhancements. * Coral is the new default theme for Next Experience and Core UI, offering a more user-friendly experience. See [Incident Management](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=c_IncidentManagement&family=zurich&ft:locale=en-US) for more information. | | Australia | * Perform the incident, major incident, task outage, and related communication features configurations using granular admin roles. * Enhance communication capabilities with the form channel added to response templates. See [Incident Management](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=c_IncidentManagement&family=australia&ft:locale=en-US) for more information. | [ ]