Configuring RPA Hub

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Configuring RPA Hub

    This guide helps ServiceNow customers plan and configure the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Hub in their organization. It covers installation, data migration, security setup, and customization to ensure efficient deployment and management of RPA capabilities within ServiceNow.

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    Key Configuration Tasks

    • Install RPA Hub Application: Install the snrpafdn application with admin privileges. This includes demo data and necessary ServiceNow Store applications and plugins if not already installed.
    • Optional Table Restructuring: Restructure RPA tables into an application file format to capture changes in update sets, enabling seamless data migration across environments without re-creating records.
    • Data Migration: Use update sets to migrate RPA Hub data from lower (non-production) environments to higher (production) environments for real-time operations.
    • Client Authentication and Code Signing Certificates: Set up security by generating and installing user certificates or exporting Microsoft Active Directory certificates:
      • Generate client authentication certificates via KeyStore Explorer for Unattended Robot authentication.
      • Generate code signing certificates for publishing automation projects from RPA Desktop Design Studio.
      • Export and register Active Directory root and intermediate certificates in ServiceNow and map client authentication certificates to users.
    • Apply CSDM Guidelines: Align RPA Hub configuration items (CIs) and their relationships with the Common Service Data Model (CSDM) to ensure data is properly structured in the CMDB for optimal use with ServiceNow AI Platform applications.
    • Robot License Distribution: In the classic environment, create robot license distribution records to manage license consumption and distribution across parent, child, or global domains.
    • Configure RPA Hub Properties: Customize settings such as robot auto-assignment and authentication mechanisms to tailor the RPA Hub experience within the classic environment.

    Guided Setup and Assistance

    • Guided Setup: Use the Guided Setup interface within ServiceNow to follow a sequenced set of tasks for configuring RPA Hub. This feature tracks progress and allows stopping and resuming configuration as needed. Access it via All > Robotic Process Automation > Administration > Guided Setup.
    • Guided Tours: Utilize step-by-step in-instance instructions for specific configuration tasks to simplify setup and reduce errors.

    Related Configuration Areas

    For comprehensive RPA deployment, customers should also consider configuring:

    • Unattended Robot
    • Attended Robot
    • RPA Desktop Design Studio
    • Now Assist for RPA Hub

    You can plan and configure an RPA Hub implementation in your organization.

    Configuration overview

    Perform the following tasks for configuring RPA Hub:

    1. Install Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Hub.

      Install the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Hub application (sn_rpa_fdn) if you have the admin role. The application includes demo data and installs related ServiceNow® Store applications and plugins if they are not already installed.

    2. (Optional) Restructure RPA Hub tables.

      Restructure the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) tables to an application file, so that changes that you make to these tables are captured in the update sets and can be moved seamlessly across environments. With this process, you don't have to re-create the data records in the targeted environment.

    3. (Optional) Migrating your data from a lower environment to a higher environment in RPA Hub.

      Use the update set capability to migrate your data from a lower (non-production) environment to a higher (production) environment for real-time use.

    4. Set up client authentication and code signing certificates.

      You can generate a client authentication and a code signing certificate in two ways. You can either generate and install user certificates or export active directory certificates.

      • Generate and install user certificate from KeyStore Explorer.

        Generate a client authentication certificate for authentication purposes in the Unattended Robot application. Generate a code signing certificate for publishing an automation project from RPA Desktop Design Studio.

      • Export Active Directory certificates.

        You can export Microsoft Active Directory certificates, such as root, intermediate, and a client authentication certificate, for authentication purposes. You can then register the exported root and intermediate certificate in the ServiceNow instance and map the exported client authentication certificate to the user.

    5. Applying the CSDM guidelines to RPA Hub.

      Apply Common Service Data Model (CSDM) guidelines to define configuration items (CIs) and relationships between CIs in the CMDB. This process ensures that your data resides in the appropriate CMDB tables for maximum value from your ServiceNow AI Platform applications.

    6. Create a robot license distribution record in RPA Hub.

      In the classic environment, define the consumption and distribution of licenses for parent and child domains, or global domain by creating a robot license distribution record in RPA Hub.

    7. Configure RPA Hub properties.

      In the classic environment, configure RPA Hub properties, such as auto assignment of robots or defining the authentication mechanism to customize the experience.

    Using Guided Setup to implement RPA Hub

    Guided Setup provides a sequence of tasks that help you configure RPA Hub on your ServiceNow® instance. With Guided Setup, keep track of what you have completed, so you can stop and start again where you left off. To open Guided Setup for RPA Hub, navigate to All > Robotic Process Automation > Administration > Guided Setup.

    For more information about using the guided setup interface, see Using guided setup.

    Using Guided Tours to get help related to a configuration task

    Guided Tours provide step-by-step instructions on your ServiceNow® instance to help you complete a task. For more information about using guided tours, see Use Guided Tours in RPA Hub.