Add attachments to change requests using attachment API
Summarize
Summary of Add attachments to change requests using attachment API
This guide explains how ServiceNow customers can add attachments, such as test report XML files, to change requests using the Attachment API. This capability is particularly useful for integrating DevOps tools like Azure DevOps, GitHub, and Jenkins with ServiceNow change management by programmatically attaching relevant files directly to change records.
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Key Features
- API Endpoint: Use the POST method on
/now/attachment/filewith parameterstablename=changerequest,tablesysid(the change request's sysid), andfilenameto upload attachments. - Authentication and Roles: Requires a ServiceNow user with
snchangewriterole and Web Service Access only enabled for secure API calls. - Integration Examples: Sample pipeline configurations for Azure DevOps, GitHub, and Jenkins demonstrate how to invoke the Attachment API to upload files during CI/CD processes.
- System Properties: For Azure DevOps, ensure the system property
sndevops.enableadogenericconnectionis enabled and the generic connection uses a user with thesnchangewriterole. - Pipeline Usage: Pipelines retrieve the change request sysid dynamically and then post the attachment using REST API calls with proper authorization headers.
Limitations and Considerations
- The size of the attachment XML must be compatible with the orchestration tool's limits.
- Proper role assignment is mandatory for authentication and authorization to attach files to change requests.
Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers
By leveraging the Attachment API, customers can automate the submission of test reports and other documents directly into change requests, enhancing traceability and compliance. This integration supports streamlined DevOps workflows by ensuring that all relevant artifacts are stored within the related change records, improving visibility and audit readiness.
Add test report xmls as attachments to DevOps change requests using the attachment API.
For more information about the API, see Attachment - POST /now/attachment/file.
The attachment API URL is:
https://<your_instance>.service-now.com/api/now/attachment/file?table_name=change_request&table_sys_id=$(getServerChange.sys_id)&file_name=<attached_filename.xml>, where- table_name = 'change_request'
- table_sys_id = <chg record sys_id>
- file_name = Any name for the attachment
Azure DevOps
Prerequisites
- Create an active user with the option Web service access only selected. For information on how to create a user, see Create a user.
-
Assign the role sn_change_write to the user. For information on how to assign the role, see Assign a role to a user.
- The system property sn_devops.enable_ado_generic_connection must be enabled.
- While configuring your Azure DevOps project, to upload to chg. table, the generic connection used should have a user having the role sn_change_write.
For Azure DevOps pipelines, use the format given here to add attachments to change requests.
stage: PostDeploy
jobs:
- job: 'pd1'
pool: server
steps:
- task: ServiceNow-DevOps-Server-Get-Change@1
inputs:
connectedServiceName: 'v01-Software Quality Scans-ServiceNow DevOps Service Connection'
projectName: '$(system.teamProject)'
pipelineName: '$(build.definitionName)'
stageName: 'Deploy'
jobName: 'd1'
buildNumber: '$(build.buildId)'
branchName: '$(Build.SourceBranchName)'
name: getServerChange
- task: InvokeRESTAPI@1
inputs:
connectionType: 'connectedServiceName'
serviceConnection: 'v01 - new'
method: 'POST'
body: '<root><name>john2</name><age>34</age></root>'
urlSuffix: 'api/now/attachment/file?table_name=change_request&table_sys_id=$(getServerChange.changeSysId)&file_name=test3.xml'
waitForCompletion: 'false'GitHub
For GitHub pipelines, use the format given here to add attachments to change requests.
Sample pipeline:
Attachment in the Change Request form in Now instance:
Jenkins
For Jenkins pipelines, use the format given here to add attachments to change requests.
pipeline {
agent any
stages {
stage('POST API Call') {
steps {
script {
def apiUrl = 'https://<your_instance>.service-now.com/api/sn_devops/v1/devops/tool/test?toolId=<devops_ToolId>&testType=Smoke'
def requestBody = [
name: "Smoke tests",
duration: 0.0,
passedTests: 1,
failedTests: 1,
skippedTests: 1,
blockedTests: 1,
totalTests: 4,
startTime: "2023-12-14T23:31:31z",
finishTime: "2023-12-15T23:31:31z",
buildNumber: env.BUILD_NUMBER,
stageName: "POST API Call",
pipelineName: "TestPipelineKL"
]
def auth = "<password>" // devops.integration.user:<password> in base64 encoded.
def authHeader = "Basic " + auth
def response = httpRequest(
contentType: 'APPLICATION_JSON',
httpMode: 'POST',
requestBody: groovy.json.JsonOutput.toJson(requestBody),
url: apiUrl,
customHeaders: [[name: 'Authorization', value: authHeader]]
)
if (response.status == 200 || response.status == 201) {
echo "API call successful!"
echo "Response: ${response.content}"
} else {
error "API call failed with status ${response.status}"
}
}
}
}
stage('UAT deploy') {
steps {
script {
def chg_output = snDevOpsChange()
def changeRequestNumber = snDevOpsGetChangeNumber(changeDetails: """{"build_number":"${env.BUILD_NUMBER}", "pipeline_name": "TestPipelineKL", "stage_name": "UAT deploy"}""")
echo "${changeRequestNumber}"
echo "Output of snDevOpsChange(): ${chg_output}"
}
}
}
stage('Example') {
steps {
script {
def API_URL = 'https://<your_instance>.service-now.com/api/sn_devops/devops/orchestration/changeInfo?pipelineName=TestPipelineKL&toolId=<devops_ToolId>&buildNumber=' + env.BUILD_NUMBER + '&stageName=UAT%20deploy'
def AUTH = 'Basic <password>'
// Call the API
def response = sh(script: "curl -X GET -H 'Authorization: ${AUTH}' -H 'Content-Type: application/json' '${API_URL}'", returnStdout: true).trim()
echo "Response: ${response}"
// Store the JSON response into a variable
def slurper = new groovy.json.JsonSlurper()
def jsonResponse = slurper.parseText(response)
echo "Stored JSON Response: ${jsonResponse}"
// Store the specific field value from JSON response into a variable
def changeId = jsonResponse.result.sys_id
echo "Change ID: ${changeId}"
// Call the second API to post attachment
def xmlData = '<root><name>john2</name><age>34</age></root>'
def AUTH2 = 'Basic <password>='
def postResponse = sh(script: "curl -X POST -H 'Authorization: ${AUTH2}' -H 'Content-Type: application/xml' -d '${xmlData}' 'https://<your_instance>.service-now.com/api/now/attachment/file?table_name=change_request&table_sys_id=${changeId}&file_name=test10111.xml'", returnStdout: true).trim()
}
}
}
}
}
Limitations of the attachment API
- The attachment xml file’s text size should be acceptable to the orchestration tool.
- For Azure DevOps, sn_change_write role is needed for authentication of attachment API, to upload the file to the change record.