Perform AES configuration tasks

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated April 28, 2026
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    Summary of Perform AES configuration tasks

    This guide outlines the essential configuration tasks for setting up and managing App Engine Studio (AES) within your ServiceNow environment. Following these steps ensures that your development and production instances are properly prepared for creating, editing, and collaborating on applications using AES, enhancing productivity and governance.

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    Key Tasks for Configuration

    • Install App Engine Studio: Install the AES application on development instances using admin privileges. This also installs related Store applications and necessary plugins.
    • Set up Instance Credentials: Create and verify credential aliases for each instance you use to enable secure connections.
    • Activate Playbooks: Enable Playbooks and the Process Automation Designer plugin to allow process editing within AES.
    • Configure Integration Hub Spokes: Activate spokes such as Gmail, Google Sheets, Jira, Microsoft 365 Excel, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Twilio, X (Twitter), and Zoom to enhance workflow integration capabilities.
    • Review Access Settings: Adjust permissions for Workflow Studio and Catalog Builder to ensure developers have appropriate editing and catalog management capabilities.
    • Set Up Instance Scan Cadence: Schedule regular instance scans via Health Center to proactively identify development-related issues.
    • Manage User Groups in Production and Development:
      • Add users to the AES Admin group in production to handle app and deployment requests, including defining a contact email for notifications.
      • Add developers to AES Users and AES User Limited groups in development to enable application building and collaboration respectively.
    • Set Up Collaboration Descriptors: Customize collaborator roles globally to tailor development collaboration within AES.
    • Manage Template Access: Assign the apptemplateadmin role in non-production instances to control template activation, deactivation, and sharing.

    Why It Matters

    Properly configuring AES prepares your ServiceNow instances for efficient application development and process automation. It ensures secure access management, integration with common business tools, and streamlined collaboration among development teams. Regular scans help maintain instance health and prevent issues related to app development.

    What to Expect

    • Seamless installation and activation of AES and related components.
    • Secure and organized user and access management aligned with organizational roles.
    • Enhanced integration capabilities through multiple spokes for common business applications.
    • Improved collaboration and governance over application templates and development activities.
    • Ongoing health monitoring through scheduled scans to maintain system integrity.

    As you work through the App Engine Studio (AES) guided setup, you must perform different configuration tasks.

    Setting up environments, tools, and user access

    The following table lists the tasks required for configuring App Engine Studio, including links to detailed instructions for completing the tasks.

    Table 1. App Engine Studio configuration tasks
    Task Description
    Install App Engine Studio in your development instances.

    You can install the App Engine Studio application (com.snc.app-engine-studio) if you have the admin role.

    The application installs related ServiceNow® Store applications and plugins if they are not already installed.

    For detailed instructions, see Installing App Engine Studio.
    Set up instance credentials.

    For each instance that you're using, create a Connections and Credentials alias. Verify that the alias type is Credential, not Connection and Credential.

    For detailed instructions, see Set up instance credentials.
    Activate Playbooks.

    You can edit processes in App Engine Studio, but you must activate Playbooks for App Engine Studio and enable the Process Automation Designer for App Engine [com.glide.pad.license] plugin to get started. For more information, see Activate playbooks.
    Set up Integration Hub spokes.

    Activate spokes to enhance your Workflow Studio and App Engine Studio experience with integration-specific content.

    The following spokes are available for use with App Engine Studio.
    Review access settings for Workflow Studio in your development instance. Enable your developers to use the editing capabilities that best suit them.

    For detailed instructions, see Review Flow Designer access settings.
    Review access settings for Catalog Builder. Enable your developers to add items to the appropriate catalogs and categories.​

    For detailed instructions, see Review Catalog Builder access settings.
    Set up an instance scan cadence. Schedule regular scans of your instance so that you can identify possible issues that arise from application development in App Engine Studio.

    For detailed instructions, see Set up an instance scan cadence in Health Center.
    In your production instance, add users to the App Engine Studio admin group.

    Add members to the group so they can review app- and deployment-related requests. Also, define a contact email address for the group.

    For detailed instructions, see Add users to the App Engine Admin group.
    In your development instance, add developers to the App Engine Studio users group.

    Enable developers in your organization to build applications in App Engine Studio.

    For detailed instructions, see Grant user access to AES.
    In your development instance, add users to the App Engine Studio User Limited group.

    Enable developers in your organization to collaborate on applications that someone else created in App Engine Studio.

    For detailed instructions, see Grant user access to AES.
    Set up collaboration descriptors.

    Set up custom collaboration descriptors in the global scope for use in App Engine Studio.

    For detailed instructions, see Set up custom collaboration descriptors.
    In your non-production instance, specify an app template admin.

    Grant the app_template_admin role to users who will manage template activation, deactivation, and sharing in App Engine Studio.

    For detailed instructions, see Manage template access.
    Learn more about AES configuration Additional ServiceNow resources
    ServiceNow provides several additional resources on configuring and administering App Engine Studio.

    App Engine Studio release notes

    ServiceNow Community site

    App Engine Studio video on adding security