Certification templates

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Certification templates

    Certification templates in ServiceNow define attributes, relationships, and reference field values that specify what a record should contain. These templates enable audits on ServiceNow records by identifying the target table and records through a certification filter, and by setting expected conditions for those records. The audit type selected when creating a template determines which tables and conditions are available. This functionality helps ensure data integrity and compliance across various record types.

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    Key Features

    • Role-based access: Users with the certificationadmin role can create, update, and delete certification templates, while users with the certification role can view template versions.
    • Audit type assignment: Each template is assigned an Audit type based on its application source, which controls the scope of tables and conditions available for auditing.
    • Condition Builders: Different audit types support specific condition builders to define expected states:
      • Compliance: Audits any ServiceNow records with conditions on attributes and related lists (referencing tables).
      • Architecture Compliance: For tables extending Configuration Item [cmdbci], supports attribute conditions and related list audits.
      • Desired State: For cmdbci tables, supports conditions on attributes, CI relationships (e.g., dependencies like business services), user relationships (reviewers), group relationships (backup groups), and related list audits.
    • Template version management: The default Templates list shows only active template versions filtered by Audit type. Users can adjust filters to view all versions of templates within an audit type.

    Key Outcomes

    By using certification templates, ServiceNow customers can systematically audit and validate the configuration and compliance status of records across their environment. This ensures consistent data quality, supports compliance requirements, and helps manage relationships and attributes critical to IT and business services. The role-based permissions ensure that template management is controlled, while flexible condition builders provide precise auditing capabilities tailored to different record types and audit needs.

    Certification templates can define attributes, relationships, and reference field values that indicate what a record is expected to contain.

    These values are used to perform audits on ServiceNow records. The certification filter selected in the template identifies the table and records to audit, and the template conditions set the expected state for those records. The type of audit you create determines which tables and template conditions are available.

    Users with the certification_admin role can create, update, and delete templates. Users with the certification role can view template versions.

    Certification template audit types

    When you create a template, ServiceNow assigns an Audit type that determines which tables and conditions are available in the certification template. This value is based on the application from which the template is created. Each application lists only the templates with the associated type.

    Available Condition Builders

    The available condition builders for each audit type:
    • Compliance: Runs audits on any set of ServiceNow records, not only configuration items (CI). This audit type provides the following types of conditions for any ServiceNow table:
      • Attribute: Sets conditions for the attributes of the records.
      • Related List: Runs audits on records in tables that reference the table defined in the template.
    • Architecture Compliance: Defines the following types of conditions for tables that extend the Configuration Item [cmdb_ci] table.
      • Attribute: Sets conditions for physical attributes of CIs, such as memory or disk size.
      • Related List: Runs audits on records in tables that reference the table defined in the template.
    • Desired State: Defines the following types of conditions for tables that extend the Configuration Item [cmdb_ci] table.
      • Attribute: Sets conditions for physical attributes of CIs, such as memory or disk size.
      • CI relationship: Defines the relationships these CIs have with other CIs. An example of a relationship is a business service, such as Outlook Web Access, that depends on a server.
      • User relationship: Defines the user who reviewed the log records. The only operator available with this condition builder.
      • Group relationship: Defines user groups who backed up this CI. The only operator available with this condition builder.
      • Related List: Runs audits on records in tables that point toward the table defined in the template.

    Certification Template Record List

    The default Templates list displays only the active version of each template, but you can update the breadcrumbs to display all template versions.
    • Default Templates List: The default Templates list displays only the active version of each template, filtered by Audit type.
    • All Template Versions: To view all template versions for an audit type, click the arrow before Active=true to remove that condition from the breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs.