Service Mapping flow

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 6, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Service Mapping flow

    Service Mapping enables organizations to collaboratively map, review, and monitor their application services. It involves multiple user roles working together to ensure accurate and comprehensive service maps, which represent the components and dependencies of application services within the organization.

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    The workflow covers the entire lifecycle from initial setup and bulk mapping to detailed review, error resolution, approval, and finalization of application service maps.

    Key Stages in the Service Mapping Workflow

    • Initial Setup: The administrator performs essential configurations to prepare Service Mapping for use.
    • Bulk and Individual Mapping: Application services are mapped either in bulk or individually by the administrator.
    • Error Resolution: The administrator addresses errors in bulk first, then refines individual service maps.
    • Review Process: Fixed maps are sent to application service owners who verify completeness and accuracy, providing feedback through reject messages if needed.
    • Fine-Tuning: The administrator uses feedback to adjust maps and resubmits them for owner approval.
    • Finalization: Upon approval, the administrator configures access permissions and advanced attributes such as service criticality, completing the service definition.
    • Ongoing Maintenance: Users can continue to monitor and maintain application service maps through Service Mapping.

    Additional Capabilities and Roles

    Service Mapping supports pattern customization for device and application discovery, which requires the pdadmin role and programming knowledge. The servicemappingadmin role includes pdadmin privileges by default. This customization helps tailor discovery patterns to better fit organizational needs.

    Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Streamlined collaboration between administrators and service owners to ensure accurate service maps.
    • Efficient bulk handling of service mapping and error resolution, reducing manual effort.
    • Structured review and approval cycles that improve map quality and stakeholder confidence.
    • Ability to customize discovery patterns to enhance service detection and mapping accuracy.
    • Comprehensive finalization options including access control and service attribute configuration.

    Learn about high-level tasks users having different roles perform in Service Mapping.

    In Service Mapping, users collaborate to map, review, and monitor an organization's application services.
    Note:
    For a complete list of Service Mapping roles, see Components installed with Service Mapping.
    A typical Service Mapping workflow has the following stages:
    1. The administrator performs basic obligatory configurations to set up Service Mapping. See Configuring Service Mapping for more details.
    2. The administrator maps organization application services in bulk. In addition, the administrator may map some application services individually. See Map multiple application services suggested by classic Service Mapping for more information about mapping services in bulk.
    3. The administrator fixes application service errors in bulk, as described in Fix application service errors in bulk.
    4. The administrator reviews the results of the initial mapping, resolving errors in individual application services. See Fix errors in individual application service maps for more details.
    5. The administrator sends fixed application services to the application service owner for review. See Send application service maps for review for more information.
    6. The application service owner checks that the application service maps are complete and all major components comprising it are correctly represented. If necessary, the owner leaves comments, referred to as reject messages, on application service maps for the Service Mapping administrator to implement. See Review application service maps.
    7. The administrator uses the feedback from the application service owner to fine-tune the application service maps, and then resends them to the owner for review. For more information about fine-tuning an application service map, see Fine-tune application services to implement owner requests.
    8. If the revised application service maps are satisfactory, the application service owner approves them. If not, the owner requests further fixes, which the administrator must address. See Review application service maps.
    9. The administrator finalizes the application services by configuring access and setting advanced attributes, such as criticality. To learn more, see Application service completion.
    10. After the service instance definition is complete, the Service Mapping user can view application service maps. To learn more about maintaining the application services using Service Mapping, see Application service analysis and maintenance using classic Service Mapping.
    Figure 1. Service Mapping flow

    Service Mapping flow

    In addition to these tasks, there may be a need to customize patterns that Service Mapping uses to discover devices and applications forming application services. Users must have the pd_admin role to customize patterns. In the base system, the service_mapping_admin role contains the pd_role. Customizing patterns requires basic knowledge of programming.