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 outlines how to plan and configure the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Hub within your ServiceNow environment. It covers installation, data management, security setup, compliance with ServiceNow frameworks, license management, and customization options to optimize your RPA deployment.

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    Key Configuration Tasks

    • Install RPA Hub Application: Install the snrpafdn application with admin rights. This includes demo data and auto-installs required plugins and Store applications if missing.
    • Optional Table Restructuring: Convert RPA Hub tables into application files to enable capturing changes in update sets, facilitating seamless migration across environments without data recreation.
    • Data Migration: Utilize update sets to migrate RPA Hub data from lower environments (e.g., development or testing) to production environments for real-time use.
    • Client Authentication and Code Signing Certificates: Generate and install client authentication certificates (for robot authentication) and code signing certificates (for automation project publishing) either via KeyStore Explorer or by exporting Microsoft Active Directory certificates. Register root and intermediate certificates in ServiceNow and map client certificates to users for secure authentication.
    • Apply CSDM Guidelines: Implement Common Service Data Model standards to define configuration items (CIs) and relationships within the CMDB, ensuring RPA data aligns with ServiceNow AI platform requirements.
    • Robot License Distribution: In the classic environment, create license distribution records to manage robot license consumption across domains, including parent, child, or global domains.
    • Configure RPA Hub Properties: Customize settings such as robot auto-assignment and authentication mechanisms in the classic environment to tailor the RPA Hub behavior to your organizational needs.

    Tools to Simplify Configuration

    • Guided Setup: Access a structured sequence of configuration tasks via All > Robotic Process Automation > Administration > Guided Setup. This tool tracks your progress and allows pausing and resuming setup efficiently.
    • Guided Tours: Use interactive step-by-step instructions within your ServiceNow instance to assist in completing specific configuration tasks related to the RPA Hub.

    Related Configurations and Tasks

    For a comprehensive RPA platform setup, consider configuring related components such as Unattended Robot, Attended Robot, and RPA Desktop Design Studio. Additionally, installing ServiceNow Otto can enhance your RPA Hub capabilities.

    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.