Lifecycle Events evaluation interval

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Lifecycle Events evaluation interval

    ServiceNow’s Lifecycle Events evaluation interval mechanism ensures workflow timers trigger automatically without waiting solely for periodic evaluation intervals. Activity sets within lifecycle events can be triggered in multiple ways—immediately, by date, by trigger script, by conditions based on table fields, or by combinations of these methods. This flexibility enables precise and timely execution of HR and other lifecycle activities.

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    When a lifecycle event case reaches the Ready state, the HR Activity Launcher flow initiates all activity sets, but individual activities within those sets trigger based on configured conditions and dependencies.

    Key Features

    • Evaluation Interval and Triggering Delay: Activity sets rely on a default “Wait to reevaluate Trigger Script” timer set to four hours, which controls when conditions are rechecked. This can cause delays if conditions become true shortly after evaluation. Administrators can reduce this interval by adjusting the snhrle.All activity set closure timer field in Lifecycle Event Properties, but should do so cautiously to avoid excessive event triggers and cancellations.
    • Condition with Event BR (Demo) Activity Set: An optional, event-driven alternative to the evaluation interval. This demo activity set, available with the Human Resources Scoped App plugin, uses a business rule to trigger a server-side event (checkactivitysettrigger) that prompts immediate evaluation of activity set trigger conditions when a lifecycle event case moves to Work in Progress.
    • HR Activity Set Trigger Check Workflow: Integrated with the HR Activity Launcher workflow, this workflow listens for the checkactivitysettrigger event and promptly evaluates whether an activity set’s trigger conditions are met, enabling faster activation than waiting for the periodic evaluation interval.

    Practical Guidance for ServiceNow Customers

    • Use the default evaluation interval to balance timely triggering and system performance; reduce the interval only if faster responsiveness outweighs the risk of increased event traffic.
    • Consider implementing the Condition with Event BR (Demo) activity set and corresponding business rule for more immediate trigger evaluations, especially in scenarios requiring faster lifecycle event responses.
    • Customize the Condition with Event BR (Demo) activity set and business rule as needed to align with specific organizational workflows and trigger conditions.
    • Leverage server-side scripting to trigger the checkactivitysettrigger event from business rules, scripts, or scheduled jobs, enhancing control over activity set execution timing.

    Additional Resources

    For detailed configuration, refer to documentation on Lifecycle Event Properties, Lifecycle Events workflows, and business rules. These resources provide further guidance on creating triggers, managing dependencies between activity sets, and optimizing lifecycle event workflows for your enterprise needs.

    There is a mechanism available to ensure timers within a workflow trigger automatically rather than wait for the evaluation interval to trigger.

    Activity sets can be triggered using different methods based on how you configure it:

    *When an activity set is triggered by other activity sets it must wait for all dependencies to resolve before triggering.

    HR Activity launcher flow

    When a lifecycle event case is changed to the Ready state, all activity sets run through the HR Activity Launcher flow. The activities in each activity set are not triggered at this time. When an activity set is not dependent on other activity sets to trigger activities, the trigger conditions are analyzed.

    If the trigger condition has not been met, it waits for the Wait to reevaluate Trigger Script timer to run (default is every four hours).

    If the trigger condition is met, but after the evaluation interval runs, it has to wait another four hours before the activities set is re-evaluated. This can cause delays in an activity set to trigger.

    The Wait to reevaluate Trigger Script timer uses the sn_hr_le.All activity set closure timer field under Lifecycle Event Properties to determine when to evaluate the activity set. The default value is four hours.

    You can reduce the value in the sn_hr_le.All activity set closure timer field in order to launch the activity set sooner.
    Note:
    Use caution if you decide to change the default value. Frequent updates trigger more events and can cause your lifecycle event activity sets to cancel before it can complete. For more information, see Lifecycle event properties.
    HR Activity Launcher

    Condition with Event BR (Demo) activity set

    An alternative to using the Evaluation interval field is to use the Condition with Event BR (Demo) activity set that is included with demo data as an example of what you can use. This is an optional solution, but you can create and use server-side code (business rule, event script, scheduled job, etc.) that triggers the check_activity_set_trigger event into the HR Activity Set Trigger Check workflow. Any activity set can be triggered using the check_activity_set_trigger event from the server side with the exception of activity sets that are triggered immediately or only by other activity sets.
    Note:
    To access the Condition with Event BR (Demo) activity set, activate the Human Resources Scoped App: Lifecycle Events for Enterprise (com.sn_hr_lifecycle_ent) plugin. This is an optional method that can be used instead of the values in the Evaluation interval field.
    • The trigger type for the activity set must be set to Condition.
    • The Condition with Event BR (Demo) activity set triggers when the state of primary lifecycle event case moves to Work in progress.
    • The Email - Condition with Event BR (Demo) activity is included with the Condition with Event BR (Demo) activity set.
    • The Condition with Event BR (Demo) activity set contains the HR Activity Launcher workflow. It also contains the Condition with Event BR (Demo) business rule.
      • The Condition with Event BR (Demo) business rule runs after the state of an LE case changes to Work in Progress.
      • It then looks for the workflows that are running for the LE case until it finds the HR Activity Set Trigger Check workflow and broadcasts the check_activity_set_trigger event to that workflow.
    • You can modify the Condition with Event BR (Demo) activity set, Email - Condition with Event BR (Demo) activity, and Condition with Event BR (Demo) business rule to fit your requirements.
      Note:
      For more information, see Lifecycle Events workflows and Business rules.

    HR Activity Set Trigger Check workflow

    The HR Activity Set Trigger Check workflow (see below) was added to the HR Activity Launcher workflow so that any server-side script can notify the workflow to see if the activity set is ready to trigger.
    Note:
    It does not trigger the activity, it evaluates the condition of the activity set.
    HR Activity Launcher with HR Activity Set Trigger Check HR Activity Set Trigger Check workflow
    • The HR Activity Set Trigger Check workflow is called when an activity set is not dependent on other activity sets.
    • It periodically checks if the trigger condition for an activity set has been met.
    • If the trigger conditions have not been met, it still waits for the evaluation interval to run.
    • If the check_activity_set_trigger event fires, the Activity set trigger conditions are checked immediately.