ServiceNow plugins
Summarize
Summary of ServiceNow plugins
Plugins in ServiceNow are software components that add features and extend the functionality of installed applications within your ServiceNow AI Platform instance. Unlike standalone applications, which provide a collection of features independently, plugins enhance existing applications or platform capabilities.
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Activating Plugins
Some plugins are activated by default, while others can be activated manually depending on your business needs. Activation methods differ:
- Self-activation: Many plugins can be activated directly from your instance’s All Applications list if you have the admin role.
- ServiceNow-assisted activation: Certain plugins require ServiceNow personnel to activate them. You must submit a request through Now Support if you cannot activate the plugin yourself.
Note, you cannot activate plugins directly in a production instance without prior testing in a non-production environment. Activation in non-production instances is supported, including for paid plugins.
Subscription and Access Considerations
Some plugins require a purchased subscription. If the activation button is greyed out, this often indicates the need to contact your ServiceNow account manager to purchase the required subscription. Some plugins are automatically activated upon subscription purchase; others may need manual activation or a support request.
After activation, plugins cannot be disabled or deactivated. To manage plugin features, restrict access using roles and access control lists (ACLs).
Dependency and Compatibility
Many plugins depend on other plugins. During activation, the system notifies you of any dependencies and will activate required plugins automatically if you proceed. In some cases, features that require other plugins may not be installed, but the plugin will still function partially.
Testing and Safety Measures
Thorough testing in non-production instances is essential before activating plugins in production to ensure compatibility and functionality. Personal Developer Instances (PDIs) allow you to activate and test most plugins without subscription or request, though some plugins are unavailable on PDIs.
Support and Troubleshooting
If plugin activation or upgrade fails—such as issues with table alterations—a warning appears, and you should contact Customer Service and Support. For disabling unwanted functionality after activation, use role-based access control rather than attempting to deactivate the plugin.
Practical Advice for ServiceNow Customers
- Use the All Applications list to manage plugin activation where possible.
- Plan plugin activations in non-production environments first to avoid disruptions.
- Contact your account manager for subscription-related plugin access.
- Request plugin activation through Now Support for plugins that cannot be self-activated.
- Manage plugin features post-activation with roles and ACLs to tailor access.
Plugins are software components that provide features and functionalities within a ServiceNow instance.
Differences between plugins and applications
Plugins and applications are separate components on the ServiceNow AI Platform.
- A plugin adds features to installed applications and extends functionality on the ServiceNow AI Platform. For additional details about plugins, see KB0716626.
- An application is a standalone piece of code that implements a collection of features on the ServiceNow AI Platform. You can install applications from the ServiceNow Store or create your own applications.
Activating plugins
All plugins are provided by ServiceNow, but some plugins are activated differently.
- A set of plugins are activated on your instance by default. You can activate additional plugins on your instance depending on your business needs. For details, see Activate a plugin.
- Other plugins require activation by ServiceNow personnel. To request activation, follow the steps in Request a plugin.
There are some plugins that you can't activate or upgrade on your instance and the button is greyed out. This situation can happen in the following cases:
- The plugin requires a subscription that you haven't purchased. To purchase a subscription, contact your ServiceNow account manager.
- Some features are not included in the ServiceNow AI Platform and require a separate subscription. To purchase a subscription or to find plugin costs, contact the account manager in your company.
- When you purchase a subscription, certain plugins are activated automatically. If a paid plugin isn't activated automatically, you can manually activate it from the All Applications list in your instance. If the plugin doesn't appear in the instance, submit a request via the Now Support Service Catalog.
- You can't activate a plugin in your production instance. However, you can test a plugin by activating it in a non-production instance. This includes plugins that are associated with a for-fee subscription. When you’re ready to activate the plugin in your production instance, request the plugin from Now Support.
- The plugin depends on other plugins being activated.
- When you activate a plugin with dependent plugins, the system notifies you of the dependencies before it completes the activation. If you opt to continue with activation, the system automatically activates all the plugins required.
- In some cases, the plugin works, but certain features that don't apply to your system aren't installed. When you ask to activate a plugin in this category, the system notifies you of the dependencies before it completes the activation. If you opt to continue, the system activates the requested plugin but doesn't include the features that depend on other plugins.
- The plugin is already activated on your instance.
- To determine if a plugin is already activated, see Plugin Activation Status [KB0678767].
- After a plugin is activated, you can't disable or deactivate it. If needed, you can hide the functionality. You should thoroughly test, in a non-production instance, the features that are installed when you activate the plugin before using them in a production instance.
- If necessary, you can hide or disable the functionality by restricting access through the use of roles and ACLs.
- Some plugins support rollback contexts. For details on using rollback contexts, see Roll back and delete recovery.
A warning message appears if the alter table or create table operation fails when you activate or upgrade a plugin. Contact Customer Service and Support for help with processing any skipped tables.
Personal developer instances
You can test a plugin on your personal developer instance (PDI) before launching it in a production instance. If a plugin isn't active by default on a PDI, you can activate the plugin without requesting or purchasing it.
To activate a plugin on a PDI, use the All Applications page on your instance. If the plugin isn't available on the All Applications page, activate it from the . For more information, see Activate a plugin on a personal developer instance.