Push notification setup with the ServiceNow mobile app
Summarize
Summary of Push notification setup with the ServiceNow mobile app
The ServiceNow mobile app automatically enables and configures push notifications when users first log in, simplifying notification delivery on mobile devices. This feature is supported only on cloud instances and not on on-premise installations. Setting up push notifications requires coordinated actions by both system administrators and end users to ensure effective notification management and delivery.
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Administrator Responsibilities
Administrators are responsible for creating and managing push notifications within the ServiceNow instance. This process involves:
- Creating the push message: Define the JSON payload containing the message content.
- Creating the push notification: Link the push message to a notification for the same data table. Existing platform notifications can be updated to serve as push notifications.
- Registering the push notification: Add the notification to the Push Default Registration table to ensure it appears in users’ notification preferences upon their next mobile app login.
Administrators do not need to configure user devices or update individual user preferences for push notifications.
User Responsibilities
Users must perform the following actions to receive push notifications on their mobile devices:
- Install the ServiceNow mobile app on iOS or Android devices.
- Accept push notifications when prompted during app installation, enabling the device to register with the instance and generate a device token.
- Log in to the company’s ServiceNow instance via the mobile app, which automatically subscribes them to registered push notifications.
- Manage notification preferences within the ServiceNow mobile app’s Notification Settings or through the System Settings on desktop or mobile browsers, including enabling, disabling, or applying filters to notifications.
Key Outcomes
- Admins can efficiently create and control push notifications linked to specific data tables without device-level configuration.
- Users receive timely and relevant notifications on their mobile devices after simple app installation and login.
- Device registration and token management are handled automatically, ensuring secure and accurate delivery of push notifications.
- Notification preferences are user-configurable, allowing personalized control over notification reception and filtering.
Next Steps for Administrators
Review existing system notifications to identify if new push messages or notifications should be created to enhance mobile user engagement and information delivery.
The ServiceNow mobile application automatically enables push notifications and configures mobile devices for push notifications when users initially log in to the instance.
- Admin creates or updates push notifications for the ServiceNow mobile app. The admin does not need to set up the mobile devices for users nor update their user preferences for receiving push notifications.
- Users install the ServiceNow mobile mobile on their iOS or Android mobile devices and set their preferences for receiving notifications on the ServiceNow mobile app.
What to do — admins
Admins create push notifications, similar to setting up email notifications. A push notification has two main parts: the push message and the notification, which includes the push message.
- Create the push message
- Before creating a push notification, create the push message with the actual message content (JSON payload) to be included in the push notification.
- Create the push notification that includes the push message
- Create the push notification that includes the push message and message content. A push notification specifically sends the push message. You can update a standard platform notification and use it as a push notification that includes the push message.
- Add the new push notification to the Push Default Registration table
- To ensure that a new push notification is included and enabled in the notification preferences of your users, register a new push notification in the Push Default Registration table. The notification is listed in the notification preferences of your users the next time that they log in to the ServiceNow mobile app.
What to do — ServiceNow mobile app users
- Download the ServiceNow mobile app
- Install the ServiceNow mobile app on an iOS or Android mobile device.
- Agree to accept push notifications
- After installing the ServiceNow mobile app, users are asked to accept
push notifications. When the instance receives the push notification acceptance message
from a user, it creates a record in the Push Notification Installations
[sys_push_notif_app_install] table. This record is what the instance uses to identify
the device + mobile application combination necessary to identify a push notification
recipient.
The device then performs the following actions:
- Obtains a token that identifies the device.
- Triggers the creation of the device in the user notification preferences.
- Log in to the company instance from the ServiceNow mobile app
- Logging in automatically subscribes users to the push-specific notifications registered in the Push Default Registration table.
- Update preferences for receiving notifications on the ServiceNow mobile app
Users can enable and disable through Notification Settings in the ServiceNow mobile app. They can set additional notification preferences, such as conditions or filters that affect notification delivery, by using the System Settings window on a desktop or mobile browser. For details, see Setting notification preferences in Core UI.
Next steps
If you are an admin, review the base system notifications and determine if new push message content and push notifications are needed.