Getting started with workflows

The graphical Workflow Editor provides a drag-and-drop interface for automating multi-step processes across the platform.

Workflow support

Important:

As of the Zurich release, new customers no longer receive the legacy workflows created and published by ServiceNow, Inc.. All legacy workflow functionality has been replaced by Workflow Studio content. Only customers who upgraded from prior versions retain the ability to use and edit existing legacy workflows. While all customers retain the ability to create legacy workflows, you are strongly encouraged to instead use Workflow Studio to create process automation content. Only Workflow Studio will receive new features and enhancements.

Parts of a workflow

Workflows consist of these parts.

Properties

Specify configuration settings such as the workflow name, the table whose records the workflow acts on, and the conditions under which to run it.

Activities

Specify the sequence of operations the workflow performs such as generating records, notifying users of pending approvals, or running scripts.

Transitions

Specify the conditions under which to run an activity.

Exit conditions

Specify the conditions under which to run a transition.

Contexts

Store historical runtime information about a specific workflow run in a Workflow Context record.

Versions

Store historical design information about a specific workflow in a Workflow version record.

Workflow life cycle

A workflow starts when a triggering event occurs. Common triggers include a record being inserted into a specific table, or a particular field in a table being set to a specified value. For example, you might create a workflow that runs whenever a user requests approval for an item they want to order from the catalog. You can also schedule workflows to run periodically or call them from scripts such as business rules.

When an activity completes, the workflow transitions to the next activity. An activity might have several different possible transitions to various activities, depending on the outcome of the activity. Continuing the example above, if the user's request is approved, the activity might transition to an activity that notifies someone to order the item. If the user's request is denied, the activity might transition to notifying the user that their request has been denied.

The graphical Workflow Editor represents workflows visually as a type of flowchart. It shows activities as boxes labelled with information about that activity and transitions from one activity to the next as lines connecting the boxes.

At each step in a workflow:

1. An activity is processed and an action defined by that activity occurs.
2. At the completion of an action by an activity, the workflow checks the activity's conditions.
3. For each matching condition, the workflow follows the transition to the next activity.

When the workflow runs out of activities, the workflow is complete. The Workflow Context stores the execution history of the activities and transitions run. The Workflow Version stores the design history of the activities, transitions, and exit conditions available to run.

Workflow properties

The workflow properties specify when to run a workflow and what records it acts on. For more information about workflow properties, see Workflow properties.

Workflow activities

A workflow activity contains instructions that are processed by the workflow.

Activities can include running scripts, manipulating records, waiting for a set period of time, or logging an event. Workflow conditions determine whether or not the activity is performed. Activities can be added, removed, or rearranged. Transitions can be drawn between activities.

This is an activity that triggers a notification:

Figure 1. Sample activity

Workflow runs activities as the user session that starts them. Workflows started from record operations will run activities as the user session that performed the record operation. Workflows started from schedules or restarted from timers run activities as the System user. Workflows started from script calls run activities as the user session that started the script.

For more information on available activities and their behaviors, see Workflow activities.

Transitions

After the workflow condition is evaluated, the workflow transition determines which activity is performed when the workflow condition is met.

This is a transition that always leads from the Change Approved script to the Change Task activity:

Figure 2. Sample transition

Exit conditions

After a workflow activity is performed, the workflow condition is evaluated to determine which transition is activated.

The condition determines behavior based on a change being approved or rejected:

Figure 3. Sample exit conditions

Workflow example

During workflow editing or while an unpublished workflow is running, only the person who checked out the workflow can view the changes.

After a workflow is published, it is available to other users. The workflow moves through the process as defined in the Workflow Editor. The entire workflow is represented in one screen. For example, this is the Standard Change workflow:

Figure 4. Sample change workflow