Create a digital interface form

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of Create a Digital Interface Form

    This form is designed for creating and managing digital interfaces within Enterprise Architecture (formerly Application Portfolio Management). It allows ServiceNow customers to document and track key details about digital interfaces used in integrations, enabling clear governance and lifecycle management of APIs and related services.

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    Key Fields and Their Purpose

    • Name: Enter a unique, meaningful name reflecting the interface’s purpose (e.g., Customer Profile API).
    • Number: Automatically generated unique identifier with a DINTF prefix.
    • Provider Business Application: Identifies the business application owning the interface; can be empty for external or open APIs.
    • Interface Type: Specifies API type such as Open, Partner, Internal, or Public/Open, indicating usage restrictions and availability.
    • Parent: Links to a parent interface for cases where interfaces are composed or bundled.
    • Version: Tracks the version of the interface to manage different iterations.
    • Life Cycle Stage and Status: Defines the development stage (e.g., Design, Operational) and status within that stage (e.g., In Use, Pending Retirement) to monitor interface maturity and operational state.
    • Model ID: Optional reference to an interface model from the Application Model table, allowing tracking of API variants or types.
    • Description: Provides high-level design details and use cases to inform architects and owners about the interface’s value and capabilities.

    Ownership and Support Information

    • Business Owner: Person responsible for the business function owning the interface.
    • IT Owner: IT representative responsible for the interface management.
    • Supported By: SME or individual providing support for the interface.
    • Support Group: Team or group responsible for interface support.

    Functional and Technical Details

    • Protocol: Specifies the communication protocol used (e.g., REST, SOAP, LDAP) which governs how the API operates.
    • Message Format: Defines the data format exchanged (e.g., JSON, XML, CSV) to ensure compatible data handling.

    Authentication and Authorization

    • Authentication Type: Defines how the interface verifies identity (options include Basic Auth, OpenID Connect, Certificate, WS-Security, LDAP, None, or custom types).
    • Authorization Type: Specifies how access is authorized (e.g., OAuth 2.0 Token, JWT, SAML 2.0 Token, Other, or none), supporting secure API consumption.

    Activity Tracking

    The form includes a section for work notes to document comments, updates, or other remarks about the digital interface for ongoing communication and record keeping.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Enables structured capture and management of digital interfaces, improving visibility and control over API assets.
    • Supports lifecycle tracking to manage interface evolution from ideation to retirement.
    • Facilitates clear ownership assignment and support accountability.
    • Ensures standardized documentation of technical and security details for integration consistency and compliance.
    • Helps architects and application owners make informed decisions about interface usage and versioning.

    Create a digital interface for an integration in Enterprise Architecture (formerly Application Portfolio Management).

    Digital Interface form fields

    Field Description
    Name Unique and meaningful name of the digital interface. Enter a descriptive name that reflects the purpose of the interface.
    For example, a Customer Management application might expose multiple digital interfaces, such as:
    • Customer Profile API — provides customer identity and profile information
    • Customer Order Service — supports order creation and status updates

    Even though all interfaces are provided by the same application, each interface represents a different interaction contract and can be consumed independently by multiple applications.

    Number Number of the digital interface. This field is automatically generated with the DINTF prefix and can’t be edited.
    Provider Business Application Name of the provider business application that provides, manager, and owns the interface.
    Note:
    This attribute can be empty if there is no business application in your repository. If you are using open interfaces such as Weather or Financial Service, you are only aware of the interface and track it without a related business application.
    Interface Type Type of API used by the interface. It helps to track whether the API is Public or Open.
    Note:
    For Public or Open APIs, there won’t be any Provider Business Application unless the Organization exposes it as an open interface.
    Use the following options:
    • Open API
    • Partner API
    • Internal API

    Public or Open APIs are available to anyone and can be used without any restrictions or license agreements.

    Internal or Private APIs are available to authorized (technical) users only and can be used without any usage restrictions and regulations.

    Partner APIs are available to authorized partners of an API provider. Usually, these APIs have special terms and conditions for usage.

    Parent Name of the parent interface.

    Often, interfaces are bundled or part of a composition. As you can reference a digital interface on the digital integration, use the parent interface. The digital interfaces related to the parent interface are listed in the related list of the interface.

    Version Version of the interface. This field helps you to track which digital integrations are using which version of an interface.
    Life Cycle Stage Life cycle stage of the interface. Use the following options:
    • Ideation
    • Design
    • Deploy
    • Operational
    • End of Life
    Life Cycle Stage Status Life cycle stage status of the interface. Each of the main life cycle stages can have one or more life cycle stage statuses. For example, a digital Interface in the operational stage might change status over time from In Use to In Maintenance to Pending Retirement. Use the following options:
    • Ideation: Under Evaluation, Pilot
    • Design: Chartered, Design, Build
    • Deploy: Test
    • Operational: In Use, In Maintenance, Pending Retirement
    • End of Life: Retired, Obsolete
    Model ID Model ID of the interface. This field helps you to track the interface model.

    This is a reference to the Application Model table where you can manage your own variants of API models or types. For example, Table API, Attachment API, Aggregate API, and Process APIs. This optional field can be used to track the interface model. Depending on your use case, you can add new models and model categories.

    Description Description of the digital interface. Provide the high-level design aspects of the interface.

    You can provide the details such as how the digital interface adds value, how it should be designed, and how it’s intended to be used.

    You can also describe different changes and capabilities according to version of the interface. It helps the Application owners and Architects to decide which interface version they want to use.

    Table 1. Owners section fields
    Field Description
    Business Owner The owner of the business function, who owns the digital interface. It can be the same person who owns the parent business application.
    IT Owner The owner within the IT organization, who owns the digital interface. It can be the same person who owns the parent business application.
    Supported By Name of the Subject matter Expert (SME) or individual who provides support to the digital interface.
    Support Group Name of the group that provides support to the digital interface.
    Table 2. Functional section fields
    Field Description
    Protocol Type of protocol used by the interface. API Protocols are the specifications that regulate the application. These protocols are used to integrate application programming interfaces with their software. Choices include REST, SOAP, LDAP, and so on.
    Note:
    This list is a non-exhaustive list and can be extended by adding your preferred values or hide the provided values.
    Message Format Format of the message in the interface. Choices include JSON, XML, CSV, and so on.
    Note:
    This list is a non-exhaustive list and can be extended by adding your preferred values or hide the provided values.
    Table 3. Authentication section fields
    Field Description
    Authentication Type Type of authentication used to authenticate the interface.
    Use the following options:
    • Basic Auth
    • OpenID Connect
    • Certificate
    • WS-Security
    • LDAP
    • None
    • Other

    You can use the system-provided authentication types or add yours.

    Authorization Type Type of authorization used to authorize the interface.
    Use the following options:
    • OAuth 2.0 Token
    • JWT Web Token
    • SAML 2.0 Token
    • Other
    • No authorization

    You can use the system-provided authentication types or add yours.

    Table 4. Activities section fields
    Field Description
    Work notes Comments about the interface.
    Create or update a digital interface