OpenFrame overview

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of OpenFrame overview

    OpenFrame is a communication interface designed for customer service agents within ServiceNow to place and receive calls. It integrates telephony systems into the ServiceNow AI Platform®, enabling seamless communication between the platform and telephony services through the OpenFrame API. Access to the OpenFrame window is controlled via user roles and group memberships, ensuring that only authorized agents can use it.

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    Key Features

    • Telephony Integration: OpenFrame supports embedding and contextual phone conversations directly within ServiceNow, including incoming call details such as account, contact, or consumer information.
    • OpenFrame API: Provides programmatic control over OpenFrame’s visual features and communication with the ServiceNow AI Platform. A minified API script is available for integration, while an unminified version serves as a reference.
    • Softphone Integration: Allows integration of third-party telephony URLs into ServiceNow for cross-origin iframe communication, managed through system properties and security settings.
    • Context Identification: Incoming calls trigger the OpenFrame window to display caller information, enabling agents to quickly access relevant records.
    • Form Linking: Agents can open related ServiceNow records (accounts, contacts, cases) directly from OpenFrame using the API.
    • Select-to-Call Capability: Agents can initiate calls by clicking phone number fields in both Agent Workspace and the platform interface, with support for multiple phone numbers per contact.
    • Window Controls: The OpenFrame window can be opened, hidden, expanded, collapsed, and moved to suit the agent’s workflow.
    • CSM Configurable Workspace Integration: OpenFrame can be integrated with Interaction Management System (IMS) and interaction records to manage the full phone interaction lifecycle, including native voice control via the Interaction Controls Component (ICC) plugin.

    Configuration and Administration

    Administrators with the admin role can create and modify OpenFrame configurations that define window dimensions, header icons, titles, subtitles, and user access permissions. They can also customize the phone icon placement within the ServiceNow interface.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Facilitates efficient call handling within the ServiceNow environment, reducing the need for external telephony tools.
    • Improves agent productivity through contextual data display and quick access to related records during calls.
    • Supports flexible telephony integration options, including third-party softphones and voice channels.
    • Enhances customer service workflows by integrating call management with ServiceNow’s case and interaction management features.

    OpenFrame provides a communication frame that customer service agents use to place and receive customer calls.

    OpenFrame user roles

    The OpenFrame window is available to agents who belong to one of the user groups specified in the OpenFrame configuration, and with any of the following roles:
    • sn_openframe_user
    • sn_customerservice_agent
    • sn_customerservice.consumer_agent
    • admin

    About OpenFrame

    Use OpenFrame to integrate telephony systems into the ServiceNow AI Platform®. Use the OpenFrame API to communicate between the ServiceNow AI Platform and the domain opened in the OpenFrame window.

    OpenFrame includes these components:
    • TopFrame, a ServiceNow application.
    • OpenFrame API, which gets sourced from the partner application. This API communicates with TopFrame and controls the OpenFrame visual features.

      The location of the API is https://[servicenow instance]/scripts/openframe/1.0.5/openFrameAPI.min.js. This minified version includes other needed libraries and should be used for integration.

      For API reference, you can use the unminified version: https://[servicenow instance]/scripts/openframe/1.0.5/openFrameAPI.js. This version can’t be used directly for integration purposes.

    Note:
    • To stay current with reference to the OpenFrame library, use the following resource URI: https://[servicenow instance]/scripts/openframe/latest/openFrameAPI.min.js.
    • To integrate softphone into the ServiceNow AI Platform using OpenFrame, add the third-party URLs of telephony services in the following property: glide.ui.concourse.onmessage_enforce_same_origin_whitelist. For more information see, Available system properties, and Enable URL allow list for cross-origin iframe communication in Instance Security Hardening Settings.

    Using the OpenFrame window

    OpenFrame provides support for embedded and contextual phone conversations, including:
    • Context identification: Incoming calls maximize the OpenFrame window and display details about the caller, including the account, contact or consumer name, and phone number.
    • Links to forms: Use the openFrameAPI (openServiceNowForm) to create links to forms. When an incoming call is received, an agent can select the account, contact, consumer, or case number in the OpenFrame window to open the corresponding record.
      • In Agent Workspace, records open in either a primary tab or a subtab depending on the tab configuration.
      • In the platform interface, records open in TopFrame (that is, the current page).
    • Select-to-call capability: Click phone number fields to make a call.
      • In Agent Workspace, agents can select phone number fields on forms and in the Customer 360 ribbon component to make a call.
      • In the platform interface, agents can select the phone icon next to the Contact or Consumer fields.
        • If a contact or consumer has one phone number, the call is placed to that number.
        • If a contact or consumer has more than one phone number, a dialog box displays the available numbers. Select a number to place the call.
    • OpenFrame window actions:
      Table 1. OpenFrame window actions
      User action Description
      Open the window
      In Agent Workspace, select the phone icon:
      • In the navigation bar.
      • Next to the Contact or Consumer fields on the Case form.
      In the platform interface, select the phone icon:
      • In the banner frame.
      • Next to the Contact or Consumer fields on the Case form.

      With the admin role, you can configure the phone icon. For more information, see CTI integration with the Case form.
      Hide the window Select the X in the OpenFrame window header.
      Note:
      The OpenFrame window remains on top of other forms or pages until hidden.
      Expand or collapse the window Select the + / – buttons in the OpenFrame window header (if Enable collapsed view is set to True in the OpenFrame configuration).
      Note:
      When collapsed, agents can still access call control actions.
      Move the window Select and drag the OpenFrame window header.

    Using OpenFrame in CSM Configurable Workspace

    In the CSM Configurable Workspace, you can:
    • Integrate OpenFrame with the Interaction Management System (IMS) and interaction records. This enables agents to manage the phone interaction life cycle.
    • Use the native voice control capability from the Interaction Controls Component (ICC) plugin to integrate to the contact center voice channel. You would need to be enable this in the CSM Configurable Workspace to manage the voice channel. For more information, see Interaction Controls Component and Interaction Controls Component (ICC) call features.

    Creating an OpenFrame configuration

    With the admin role, you can create or modify an OpenFrame configuration. This configuration stores information about the OpenFrame window settings, including:
    • The window height and width.
    • The icon, title, and subtitle displayed in the window header.
    • Users and groups that have access to the window.