Installing ServiceNow SQL API ODBC Driver on Client Machine

Install the ServiceNow ODBC driver on your Windows client machine to enable connectivity between your Business Intelligence tools and ServiceNow data through the SQL API.

Before you begin

Before you begin, ensure the following prerequisites are in place:

• You have downloaded the ServiceNow SQL API ODBC driver (version 1.0 or later) from your ServiceNow instance.
• You have a Windows operating system that supports the ODBC driver. Supported versions include: Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2022, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, and Windows 11.
• You have administrative privileges on the client machine to install software.
• The SQL API plugin is installed and configured on your ServiceNow instance (minimum version: Australia P1 or Zurich P8).

Role required: admin (on ServiceNow instance for configuration); local administrator privileges required on client machine for installation.

About this task

Installing the ODBC driver on your client machine enables your Business Intelligence tools and data analysis platforms to connect directly to your ServiceNow instance using standard ODBC protocols. This read-only connection allows you to query ServiceNow data without requiring data export or replication.

The ODBC driver supports industry-standard BI tools such as Tableau, Power BI, Looker, and other ODBC-compatible applications. Once installed, you will need to configure the driver with your ServiceNow instance URL and Service Account credentials.

Procedure

1. Locate the downloaded ODBC driver installation file on your client machine.
   The installation file is typically named similar to ServiceNow_ODBC_Driver_Setup.exe or ServiceNow_ODBC_v1.0.msi.
2. Right-click the installation file and select Run as administrator.
   Running the installer with administrative privileges ensures that the driver is properly registered in the Windows ODBC Data Source Administrator.
3. In the ServiceNow ODBC Driver Setup wizard, review the welcome screen and select Next.
4. Read and accept the End User License Agreement (EULA), then select Next.
5. Choose the installation directory or accept the default location, then select Next.
   The default installation path is typically C:\Program Files\ServiceNow\ODBC Driver\.
6. Review the installation settings and select Install to begin the installation.
   Wait for the installation to complete. When the installation finishes successfully,
7. Select Finish.
8. Verify the installation by opening the Windows ODBC Data Source Administrator:
   1. Press Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog.
   2. Type odbcad32 and press Enter.
   3. In the ODBC Data Source Administrator window, select the Drivers tab.
   4. Verify that ServiceNow ODBC Driver appears in the list of installed drivers.

Result

The ServiceNow ODBC driver is now installed on your client machine and registered with the Windows ODBC Data Source Administrator. You can proceed to configure the driver with your ServiceNow instance connection details.

What to do next

After installation, you must configure the ODBC driver to connect to your ServiceNow instance. For configuration instructions, see Configuring ServiceNow SQL API ODBC Driver on Client Machine.