--- sourceDocument: Australia Platform security sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/platform-security Release : - australia ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Australia Platform security ft:clusterId : - psec bundleId : - psec workflow : - Platform --- # Service provider connector # Service provider connector {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Australia Updated March 12, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 3 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 Service provider connector The Service provider connector application is a reference design for building a ServiceNow Store application that enables your customers to integrate seamlessly with your systems. This solution accelerates customer onboarding, standardizes integrations, and reduces the need for costly custom integration services. By leveraging service provider connectors, customers benefit from faster billing, improved productivity, enhanced visibility within the ServiceNow ecosystem, and partner program advantages. Show full answer Show less ## Key Features * **User Interface:** Includes essential components such as persona-based reports and dashboards for visibility, descriptive menus for easy navigation, defined user and admin roles for access control, and streamlined onboarding via playbooks or guided setups that minimize the need for professional services. * **Configuration:** Built-in configurable data points handle common customer process needs, reducing dependency on professional services. * **Documentation and Support:** Comprehensive documentation and integrated support contact options ensure customers can resolve issues and get assistance efficiently. * **Task Management:** Predefined tasks such as incidents, cases, changes, and problems are integrated using Workflow Studio and Integration Hub to guarantee resiliency and performance. * **CMDB Synchronization:** Core Configuration Items (CIs) and other essential data are synchronized between provider and customer instances to support ITIL processes. * **Workflows and Catalogs:** Workflows are developed in Workflow Studio for robust execution. The provider's catalog is included as a record-producing catalog, enabling eBonded requests that synchronize status and approvals between customer and provider instances. * **Customer Process Integration:** The connector supports synchronization mechanisms that allow customers to manage approvals and processes before requests reach the provider's instance, ensuring alignment with customer workflows. * **Integration Technologies:** Integration Hub and Workflow Studio are foundational technologies used to build resilient and high-performance integrations. ## Integration Components The Service provider connector can incorporate various ServiceNow integration components based on the integration goals: * **Instance Data Replication (IDR):** Suitable when replication of data is required, though less flexible for complex logic. * **IntegrationHub:** Ideal for process integration, enabling complex, conditional workflow steps. * **Global Work Queue (Virtual):** Used for task federation across instances without external data storage, useful for agents managing work across multiple instances. * **Remote Tables:** Enables read-only access to external or third-party data without storing it, supporting operations such as grouping, sorting, and filtering. * **Flow Designer:** Facilitates process automation using a natural language interface for approvals, notifications, and record operations without coding. ## Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers ServiceNow customers leveraging service provider connectors can expect: * Faster and more cost-effective onboarding through standardized integration applications. * Reduction or elimination of custom integration development and maintenance costs. * Seamless synchronization of data and workflows between customer and provider instances, supporting ITIL and other processes. * Improved visibility and control via dashboards, roles, and integrated support mechanisms. * Flexibility to incorporate customer-specific processes and approvals within integrated workflows. The service provider connector application is a reference design for creating a ServiceNow Store application for your customers to use to integrate with your systems. Service provider applications help you speed on-boarding and create standardized integrations. ## Benefits of service connectors {#bp-service-connector__section_pvf_wkx_vcb} When service providers (vendors, suppliers, partners) publish connectors, customer on-boarding is faster, which means faster billing. Integrated instances increase productivity, greater visibility in the ServiceNow ecosystem, and partner program benefits. Specific benefits are: * Eliminates custom integrations, including the cost of services required to deliver and maintain them. * Services are provider-defined within their ServiceNow instances and remove the need for the complexity and cost of custom integrations. * Workflows and catalog requests can be synchronized, with the customer's processes and approvals preceding the provider's processes, so customers can follow their own processes. * Any data created or modified (e.g. CIs) for the customer on the provider's instance can be synchronized back into the customer's instance for their visibility and use in processes. {#bp-service-connector__ul_ucf_j3w_zkb} ## Key features {#bp-service-connector__section_ydt_kth_scb} {#bp-service-connector__table_yjt_vtl_nsb__entry__2} | Feature | Description | |-|-| | User Interface | A service connector should include the following UI components at a minimum: * Reports/Dashboards -- Reports and dashboards pre-defined by persona help with visibility. * Menu and modules -- The customer should be able to find the application via descriptive Menu Provider XYZ Services. * Roles -- Every connector requires user and admin roles to ensure access can be controlled by the customer. For example, "x_snc_xyz_user" or "x_snc_xyz_admin". * On-boarding -- Rapid on-boarding is essential to a good customer experience and should be included via playbook, guided setup, or catalog item in such a way that no professional services are required for the customer to go live. (Professional services are available, but on-boarding can be achieved without it). * Configuration -- Data points should be built into processes to account for most of the normal process configuration a customer needs to achieve. This eliminates professional services as much as possible. * Documentation -- Thorough documentation increases customer satisfaction and ease of use. * Support integration or contact info -- The customer needs an easy way to stay in contact with the service provider for any issues, questions, or requests. {#bp-service-connector__ul_gdz_xtl_nsb} | | Tasks | Use the application for tasks, such as incidents, case, changes, problems, and so on, should be predefined in the connector. These integrations are built using Workflow Studio and Integration Hub to ensure the highest level of resiliency and performance. | | CMDB | Core data synchronize such as the CIs required for proper ITIL processes should be kept in sync between provider and customer instances. | | Workflows | All workflows should be designed in Workflow Studio to ensure resiliency and performance. | | Catalogs | The provider's catalog that the customer requests from should be included in the application as a record-producing catalog. The request generated by the item in the customer's instance should be eBonded with the provider's instances. The provider's workflows keep the request updated and synchronize back to the customer's instance. | | Customer Processes | Any mechanisms for syncing requests with the provider's instance should allow for customer processes to interact with the requests before they are sent to the provider's instance. During provider processing, approvals can be sent to the customer's instance as needed. | | Integration | Integrations should be built using Workflow Studio and Integration Hub to ensure the highest level of resiliency and performance. | [ ] {#bp-service-connector__table_yjt_vtl_nsb} ## Possible components you can include in a Service Connector {#bp-service-connector__section_ewd_bzv_3mb} {#bp-service-connector__table_tsh_h5l_nsb__entry__2} | Component | Description | |-|-| | Instance data replication (IDR) | When replication is the goal: * Can be used for process integration, but can be too rigid depending on the complexity integration logic based on state transition * To learn more, see [Instance Data Replication](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=instance-data-replication&version=australia&pubname=australia-servicenow-platform&ft:locale=en-US) {#bp-service-connector__ul_gxg_jyv_3mb} | | IntegrationHub | When process integration is the goal: * Easier to inject in the middle of a process, as part of complex or conditional step in the middle of a flow * To learn more, see [IntegrationHub](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=integrationhub&version=australia&pubname=australia-integrate-applications&ft:locale=en-US) {#bp-service-connector__ul_ndd_gzv_3mb} | | Global Work Queue (Virtual) | When task federation is the goal, and storing data externally is not acceptable: * Used where agents are working across multiple ServiceNow instances and need to see all open work assigned to them * Rows returned should be limited to less than 1000 * To learn more, see [Global work queue](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/chjbkDYs5~Migmob6paGgw "The global queue concept provides a single virtual view of tasks that reside in multiple instances. The concept creates a custom application to provide a fulfiller view of work that resides in multiple instances without having to replicate tasks or data.") {#bp-service-connector__ul_ygy_qzv_3mb} | | Remote Tables | When external data usage without storage is the goal: * Used to connect an instance to third-party sources, or to another instance, to retrieve external data and optionally cache it in the memory. The data is treated as a table in the instance for read-only purposes such as group, sort, aggregate, and filter. * To learn more, see [Retrieving external data using remote tables and scripts](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=remote-tables&version=australia&pubname=australia-servicenow-platform&ft:locale=en-US) {#bp-service-connector__ul_tdv_c1w_3mb} | | Flow Designer | When process design is the goal * Used for automating processes in a single design environment. Process owners can use natural language to automate approvals, tasks, notifications, and record operations without coding. * To learn more, see [Flow Designer](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=flow-designer&version=australia&pubname=australia-application-development&ft:locale=en-US) {#bp-service-connector__ul_s1x_k1w_3mb} | [ ] {#bp-service-connector__table_tsh_h5l_nsb} Learn more about the [Service Connector proof of concept](https://support.servicenow.com/kb_view.do?sysparm_article=KB0817720) on the ServiceNow Knowledge site.