Creating bulk cases

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
  • Summarize
    Summarized using AI
    This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.

    Summary of Creating bulk cases

    The bulk case creation feature in ServiceNow enables the creation of the same type of HR case for multiple employees simultaneously, significantly saving time and effort. This is particularly useful for scenarios such as onboarding multiple new hires, managing payroll issues affecting groups, or sending annual recertification tasks. Bulk HR cases apply to all active users, and for those without an HR profile (e.g., new hires), a profile is automatically created.

    Show full answer Show less

    Bulk Case Process

    To create bulk cases, follow these key steps:

    • Create and save a bulk case request: This initiates the process and includes basic information about the cases to be created. At least one user segment group must be associated with the request.
    • Create one or multiple user segment groups: These groups specify values for subsets of users, allowing different case attributes for different user groups. User segment groups help verify accuracy before case creation and show targeted user counts. Users can also be removed from segments if needed.
    • Create cases: Once user segments are verified, individual cases can be created for each targeted employee.

    Performance and Limits

    Bulk case creation supports up to 10,000 basic HR cases or 1,000 cases involving workflows such as Lifecycle Event cases. Performance may degrade when exceeding these limits.

    Handling Bulk Cases from Previous Releases

    All bulk case requests from earlier releases must be completed or closed, as incomplete requests cannot be finished in the current release. Some fields and user segments in completed requests from previous versions may be non-editable.

    Processing and Roles

    Bulk case requests are queued and processed asynchronously in the background. The previous scheduled job for bulk processing is deprecated.

    The required role to create bulk cases has changed from HR case writer (snhrcore.casewriter) to HR admin (snhrcore.admin) due to the volume of cases created. To enable users with the HR case writer role to create bulk cases, administrators must update Access Control Lists (ACLs) for the relevant bulk case tables and user segment groups.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Streamlines the creation of multiple HR cases, reducing manual work and errors.
    • Allows precise targeting and customization of cases through user segment groups.
    • Supports large-scale HR processes efficiently within defined system limits.
    • Ensures compliance with role-based access controls for secure bulk case creation.

    You can create the same type of HR case, for multiple employees, without having to create the same case multiple times. Segments for a bulk case help you define specific values for groups of employees.

    Bulk case creation can save you time and effort. For example, onboarding 20 new hires, a payroll run issue, or an annual recertification process, are cases that can be created as a bulk case.

    Bulk HR cases can be created for all active users. For users without an HR profile, like new hires, an HR profile is automatically created.

    You can create one bulk case that creates individual HR cases for each employee in a group. Examples include:
    • Sending an annual recertification task to a group of employees every year.
    • Onboarding multiple new hires.
    • Managing a payroll issue that affects multiple employees.
    Bulk case process
    Perform the following steps to create a number of similar cases using bulk case request:
    • Create and save a bulk case request.
      A bulk case request starts the process and contains basic information about the types of cases you are creating.
      Note:
      You must create and associate at least one user segment group to a bulk case request.
    • Create one or multiple user segment groups.
      • User segment groups allow you to specify values for a group of users. You can create multiple segments for a bulk case request that defines different values for different groups of users.
      • User segment groups allow admins to ensure their bulk case creation is correct before executing.
      • After creating a user segment group, you can see the number and the users the bulk case request has targeted. You can also remove specific users.
    • If your user segment groups look accurate, you can create cases.
    Number of cases and performance
    HR bulk case creation is designed to create up to 10,000 basic HR cases, or 1,000 cases using workflows such as Lifecycle Event cases.
    Note:
    Performance declines when attempting to create more bulk cases than the system is designed to handle.
    Bulk cases from previous releases
    You must complete or close all existing bulk case requests from previous release versions. Incomplete bulk case requests in previous release versions cannot be completed in Rome.
    When opening completed bulk case requests from a previous release version, some fields are not editable and segments do not appear.
    Bulk cases queued and asynchronously updated
    The request to process bulk cases are queued and asynchronously updated in the background.
    Note:
    In previous releases, the Bulk case creation scheduled job processed bulk case requests. This scheduled job is now deprecated.
    HR admin (sn_hr_core.admin) and bulk case creation
    Previously, the HR case writer (sn_hr_core.case_writer) role was required. Because bulk case creation involves a large number of cases, it was decided to change the required role to HR admin (sn_hr_core.admin).
    If you want employees with the HR case writer (sn_hr_core.case_writer) role to create bulk cases, you can update the Access Control List (ACL) for the following table:

    Bulk Case Request (sn_hr_core_bulk_case_request).

    To allow user segment groups under the request, update the ACLs for:
    • Bulk Case User Segment (sn_hr_core_bulk_case_user_segment)
    • Bulk Case User Segment Group (sn_hr_core_bulk_case_user_segment_group)
    For more information on ACLs, see Access control list rules.