Using the Connections dashboard

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Using the Connections dashboard

    The Connections dashboard in ServiceNow Yokohama release offers a streamlined interface for connection administrators to manage multiple connection and credential aliases efficiently. It allows users to add, edit, and configure connections while viewing detailed connection information in a centralized location.

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    Key Features

    • Centralized Management: Manage multiple connections and credential aliases from a single dashboard.
    • Dashboard Landing Page: Displays all available connection and credential aliases in card format, showing application icon, alias name and scope, description (if no connections), total connections, and list of associated connections.
    • Sorting and Searching: Search aliases by name, sort by creation date or alphabetically in ascending or descending order.
    • Alias Card Actions: Options to view details, add new connections (if a configuration template exists), or perform advanced setup (if no template).
    • Detailed Alias View: Two-column layout showing alias information and connection list, with options to add, configure, or edit connections. OAuth token status is displayed for OAuth credentials, with easy token renewal via “Get OAuth Token.”
    • Configuration Templates: Simplify complex integration setups (e.g., OAuth) by using templates that automate creation of required records from one form. Templates are necessary for direct dashboard connection management and were introduced in the Orlando release.
    • Unconfigured Connections: When aliases are transferred or promoted, connections may become unconfigured. These must be reconfigured either via the dashboard (if a template exists) or through the platform UI (if no template).
    • Access Control: Access to the Connections dashboard requires the connectionadmin or admin role.

    What This Enables You to Do

    ServiceNow customers can efficiently manage connection aliases and their associated connections with a user-friendly interface that centralizes visibility and controls. The dashboard accelerates connection setup and maintenance, especially for complex integrations using configuration templates. It ensures that connection information stays organized and accessible, reducing administrative overhead and simplifying OAuth token management.

    Practical Considerations

    • Not all aliases have configuration templates—older aliases may require advanced setup through the platform UI.
    • Connections transferred between instances or promoted to production may require reconfiguration to become operational.
    • Understanding roles and permissions is essential to accessing and using the dashboard effectively.

    View and configure your connection and credential aliases through a simplified interface. Add new connections, edit existing connections, and view connection details.

    Benefits

    The Connections dashboard provides these benefits:
    • Enables connection admins to manage multiple connections through a single interface.
    • Provides simplified processes for adding, editing, and configuring connections.
    • Displays details about an alias and all associated child connections in a single location.

    Landing page

    The dashboard landing page displays all the connection and credential aliases available on your instance. You can search for an alias by name, sort aliases by date created, or sort them alphabetically in ascending or descending order.

    Each alias is displayed in a card format. Cards display the following:
    • The application's icon.
    • The name and scope of the parent alias.
    • A short description of the application associated with the alias. This option only appears when there are no connections.
    • The total number of connections.
    • A list of all the connections associated with the alias. The first connection is the default parent connection.
    • A View Details option that displays specific information about the alias and any child connections.
    • An Advanced Setup option. This option only appears when an alias doesn't have a configuration template.
    • An Add Connection option. This option is only available when an alias has a configuration template.

    Each page of the Connections dashboard displays a maximum of 12 aliases. Page through to see additional aliases.

    Detailed view

    View details about an alias and any child connections by clicking the View Details option on the alias card. The details page has two columns. The first column displays:
    • The application's icon.
    • The name and scope of the parent alias.
    • An option to View connection alias, which opens the associated Connection & Credential Aliases record.
    The second column of the detailed view displays:
    • An Add Connection or Advanced Setup option, depending on whether the alias has a configuration template.
    • The number of connections associated with the alias.
    • A list of connections associated with the alias. The default connection is marked.

    Connections that are not configured have a Configure option. Connections that are configured have an Edit option. Each configured connection displays the connection name, endpoint, credential name, and credential type.

    If an alias uses an OAuth credential, the OAuth access or refresh token status is displayed with each connection. For connections that require a new token, you can request one by clicking Get OAuth Token.

    Configuration templates

    Configuration templates enable you to set up complex integrations using a single form. For example, an OAuth integration requires registering an OAuth provider, generating a token, and creating several connection and credential records. But if you use a configuration template to set up an OAuth integration, you only need to fill in one form. The system creates the associated records. To learn more about templates, see Connection and Credential configuration templates.

    To add, edit, or configure connections directly through the dashboard, an alias must have a configuration template. Not all aliases have templates. Templates were first introduced in the Orlando release, so aliases from previous versions may not have them yet. An alias without a template displays an Advanced Setup option on both its dashboard and detailed view. Clicking Advanced Setup opens the alias's connection and credential record, where you can set up the alias. For more information about working with aliases that don't have templates, see Create a Connection and Credential alias.

    Unconfigured connections

    When you transfer an alias or promote it to production, its underlying connection information doesn't get transferred with it. In this situation, the connection is in an unconfigured state and must be reconfigured before you can use it. You can reestablish the underlying connections either through the dashboard or through the platform user interface.
    • If the alias has a template, you can configure the connection through the dashboard.
    • If it doesn't have a template, configure it through the platform user interface. For more information about configuring a connection without a template, see Getting started with connections.

    Roles

    To access the Connections dashboard, you must have the connection_admin or admin role.