Third-party Risk Management release notes

Release version: Zurich

Updated July 31, 2025

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Summary of Third-party Risk Management release notes

The ServiceNow® Third-party Risk Management (TPRM) application in the Zurich release centralizes and enhances management of third-party portfolios, risk assessments, and remediation. Key updates include the introduction of a Document Management System (DMS), vertical navigation in Vendor Management Workspace, advanced Smart Assessment Engine (SAE) capabilities, and improvements to Digital Resilience and regulatory compliance features. These enhancements streamline workflows, improve audit readiness, and support regulatory requirements like EU DORA.

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Key Features

Document Management System: Centralizes third-party documents with metadata, version control, and access permissions to facilitate evidence tracking and reuse across assessments and contracts.
Vendor Management Workspace Navigation: Replaces horizontal tabs with vertical, grouped panels for easier access to third-party records, assessments, and performance data.
Smart Assessment Engine (SAE): Enables configurable risk areas with weighted questions, supports internal and external assessments with enhanced questionnaire templates, automated response filling, and bulk migration of classic templates. SAE is enabled via a system property and replaces the legacy engine permanently.
Digital Resilience Third-party Information Register: Adds regulator-ready report packages in CSV format, automated validation of reports with detailed error feedback, and enhanced contract records associating multiple entities to support compliance with regulations such as DORA.
Security and Role Enhancements: Introduces granular control for read-only fields to improve instance security, and feature-specific administrator roles for better operational access control, moving away from broad administrator privileges.
UI and Experience Improvements: Adoption of the Coral theme as default with an optional dark mode for Vendor Management Workspace and portals, enhancing user experience and visual consistency.
Terminology and Structural Changes: Internal and external assessments are renamed to better reflect their purpose; multiple list views and fields have been renamed for clarity and alignment with regulatory terminology.

Important Upgrade Information

Sequential upgrades are required when moving from Vendor Risk Management (VRM) to TPRM to avoid data inconsistencies.
Enabling the Smart Assessment Engine after upgrading to version 21.0.x is irreversible and should be tested in non-production environments first.
Data migration for the Industry field to a new column occurs automatically post-upgrade; customizations must be reviewed and updated accordingly.

Activation and Related Applications

TPRM is available via the ServiceNow Store and requires installation through request. The Zurich release supports integration with related ServiceNow applications including Operational Resilience, GRC Risk Management, Risk Workspace, and the Smart Assessment Engine to deliver comprehensive risk management capabilities.

Practical Impact for ServiceNow Customers

With these Zurich release enhancements, ServiceNow customers can expect improved efficiency in managing third-party risks through centralized document control, streamlined assessment processes using the Smart Assessment Engine, and enhanced compliance reporting. The updated user interface and role management facilitate better operational control and user experience. Customers should plan upgrades carefully, verify data migrations, and configure new features progressively to maximize benefits and maintain data integrity.

The ServiceNow® Third-party Risk Management (TPRM) application provides a centralized process for managing your portfolio of third parties and their engagements, assessing and scoring risk, and performing remediation. TPRM was enhanced and updated in the Zurich release.

Third-party Risk Management highlights for the Zurich release

Use the Document Management system in TPRM to centralize third-party documentation in a searchable repository with metadata, and versioning, access controls.
Use vertical navigation in the Vendor Management Workspace through a customizable panel grouped by related lists for improved access to third-party records, assessments, and performance pages.
Configure risk areas with weighted questions and scored responses for internal assessments using the Smart Assessment Engine in the Vendor Management Workspace.
Use the latest Smart Assessment Engine questionnaire templates to perform internal and external assessments.
Use the enhanced Digital Resilience Third-party Information Register features in the Vendor Management Workspace.

See Third-party Risk Management for more information.

Important:

Third-party Risk Management is available in the ServiceNow Store. For details, see the "Activation information" section of these release notes.

Important information for upgrading Third-party Risk Management to Zurich

If you’re a VRM user upgrading to TPRM and upgrading to Vancouver or a later release from an earlier release, you must run each upgrade sequentially to ensure that fix scripts run correctly. For example, you must upgrade from Utah to Vancouver, Vancouver to Washington DC, and so on. If the scripts don’t run in the correct order, you can get data inconsistencies, broken functionalities, and conflicts.

After upgrading to version 21.0.x, you can enable the Smart Assessment Engine (SAE) by setting the Smart Assessment Engine enabled (sn_vdr_risk_asmt.sae_enabled) property. After setting this property, Smart Assessment Engine (SAE) becomes the default assessment engine and replaces the legacy experience. The transition isn’t reversible.

Warning:

Set this property in your non-production instances and conduct thorough testing before changing your production instances. Failure to do so may result in unexpected issues.

For more information on upgrading from VRM to TPRM and the differences between the Smart and Classic Assessment engines, see Third-party Risk Management upgrade information.

For existing TPRM customers, after upgrading to version 21.0.3, data from the Industry column in the Company [core_company] table is automatically migrated to the tprm_industry column. Migration can take several hours depending on the number of records in the Company [core_company] table. After migration, a system log message confirms that the migration is complete. Review the Company [core_company] table content and update any customizations referencing the Industry field to use tprm_industry. After verifying the migration and updating customizations, you can drop the Industry column.

The Zurich release introduces enhanced protections for read‑only fields across the ServiceNow AI Platform®. These changes include a new “read_only_option” field with granular control levels, including “strict_read_only” and “client_script_modifiable". The changes occur in the back end and maintain backward‑compatible behavior. This update helps strengthen your instance security while preserving the flexibility you need. Refer to KB2718122 for additional technical details on how to identify affected fields and adjust their settings.

New in the Zurich release

Now Assist for Third-party Risk Management (TPRM) release notes

Review the Now Assist for Third-party Risk Management (TPRM) (TPRM) release notes for full descriptions of the features.

Document Management system in Third-party Risk Management

Starting with version 21.1.x, you can use the Document Management System (DMS) in TPRM, which provides a centralized repository for storing, organizing, and managing third-party documents throughout the vendor life cycle. It can be used by third-party risk managers [sn_vdr_risk_asmt.vendor_manager], third-party assessors [sn_vdr_risk_asmt.vendor_assessor], and third parties to upload, categorize, track, and review documents with metadata, version control, and access permissions. This feature streamlines evidence tracking, reduces duplication, and improves audit readiness by enabling document reuse across assessments, contracts, issues, and tasks.

For information on Now Assist skills for TPRM and Document Management, see Now Assist for Third-party Risk Management (TPRM) release notes and Now Assist in Document Intelligence release notes.

Register of information regulatory packages

After upgrading the Digital Resilience Third-party Information Register application to version 21.1.x, third-party assessors [sn_vdr_risk_asmt.vendor_assessor] can now generate regulator-ready Register of Information packages using the Plain-CSV Report Package option on the download page. The ZIP file includes metadata and report folders structured to regulator specifications, with file names containing LEI, entity ID, and release version. This format helps ensure EU DORA compliance and supports automated validation workflows. You can follow the user guide on the Download/Upload request page for suggested steps and permissions.

Validation framework for Register of Information

After upgrading the Digital Resilience Third-party Information Register application to version 21.1.x, third-party risk managers [sn_vdr_risk_asmt.vendor_manager] can now validate downloaded Register of Information packages using the Plain-CSV Report Package option on the download page against requirements. File format, structure, encoding, naming conventions, and field-level data are validated across multiple tables. If any validation warnings are detected, a validation report is automatically attached, including mappings to regulator fields such as Template Code, Row Code, and Column Code. Validation reports include real-world field labels, rule expressions, and record identifiers. You can cross-reference validation errors using a downloadable Excel master template that mirrors the CSV structure, making it easier to locate and address issues. Additional enhancements include support for “Not applicable” values, enforcement of file size limits, and clearer error messages for malformed data.

New sn_vdr_risk_asmt.sae_enabled property

Use the new and improved Smart Assessment experience after you upgrade to version 21.0.x and set the Smart Assessment Engine enabled (sn_vdr_risk_asmt.sae_enabled) property.

Smart assessments with Third-party Risk Management

Create Smart Assessment Engine assessments for your organization:

Enhanced navigation: Use the improved navigation for a better user experience.
Assessment support: Conduct assessments for both internal and external parties. TPRM questionnaire templates include additional attributes such as the risk area and the option to include previous responses, which aren’t available in SAE. TPRM templates must be created directly within the Vendor Management Workspace to ensure that they include the necessary attributes.
Organize questions: Group questions into subsections for better organization.
Add attachments: Attach the files directly to the individual questions.
Add reference information: Add reference information to a questionnaire template to help ensure that assessors can access the information they need while responding.
Filter questions: Quickly identify and filter unanswered questions.
Auto-save for questionnaires: Auto-save each question automatically after changes are made to them.
Standardized risk rating scale definition: Define the risk rating scales at the template level for both internal and external assessments.
Assessment duration: Define the duration of an assessment when creating a questionnaire template.
Combine assessments: Respond to questionnaires by using the same SAE template in a single, streamlined view.
Bulk template migration: Migrate classic templates in bulk to the Smart Assessment format. To ensure the templates work correctly in TPRM, you must migrate them by using the Third-party Risk Management application.
Risk score normalization: Standardize the risk scores for a consistent evaluation.
Support for the GRC and third-party portals: Use the GRC portal to access and complete internal assessments and the third-party portal to complete external assessments.

UI changes

Vertical navigation in the Vendor Management Workspace

Starting with version 21.1.x, the legacy horizontal tab-based layout in the Vendor Management Workspace has been replaced with a structured vertical navigation panel with groups of related lists, organizing access to third-party records, assessments, and performance pages in a way that supports clearer workflows and is consistently available to all internal users.

Third-party information register download option renamed to Excel master template

Starting with version 21.1.x, the option to download the Third-party Information Register is renamed to Excel Master Template. This change improves clarity and aligns with regulator terminology.

DPM business validation rules and properties

Starting with version 21.1.x, the DPM business validation rules and report.json, reportPackage.json, FrameworkCodeModuleVersion properties are now included. These modules enable Third-party risk admins [sn_vdr_risk_asmt.vendor_admin] to view and maintain validation logic and configuration settings for CSV reporting and automated validation.

Choice field for ICT third-party service provider identification

Starting with version 21.1.x, the field Type of code to identify the ICT third-party service provider is now updated to be a choice field in the Digital Resilience Third-party Information Register in the contract record. This update aligns the field with regulator-defined options for selecting identification systems when creating new providers. In the Specific Information section of the contract record, the field is read-only and auto-populated based on upstream selections, such as the third-party or engagement record.

Global TPRM changes

Assessments and Third-party assessments are now renamed as External assessments.
Tiering assessments are now renamed as Internal assessments.
The Tier-level column is now renamed as Risk rating.
The Tiering assessors column is now renamed as Respondents.
The Owner field is now renamed as Assigned to on the internal assessment, external assessment, tiering assessment, and due diligence request forms.

Changes made to the list view in Vendor Management Workspace

The Assessment setup section has been added. From this section, you can create assessment templates, Smart Assessment questionnaire templates, and issue generation rules.
The Questionnaire requests section has been added.
The Tiering assessments and Inherent risk questionnaires (IRQ) are combined in the Internal assessments section.

Changes made to internal assessment pages

Tier-level scales are renamed as Scales.
Tiering assessment schedule and Schedules are combined and renamed as Assessment schedule.

Changes made to assessment related lists

Assessment instances is renamed as Questionnaire requests.
Questionnaires is renamed as Questionnaire templates.
Document requests is renamed as Document templates.
Fourth-party questionnaires is renamed as Fourth-party templates.
Repeating assessments is renamed as Assessment scheduling.

Smart Assessment integration changes

The Assessment engine column has been added to the Internal and External assessment list views in Vendor Management Workspace. You can track the assessment type as you transition to using the Smart Assessment Engine for all active questionnaires.
The Assessment engine field has been added to related forms for internal risk assessments, external risk assessments, and assessment templates.
The Support smart assessment column has been added to the Assessment templates and Issue generation rules list views.
The original TPRM Classification field has been replaced with the Purpose field on all assessment templates.

Changes made to Digital Resilience Third-party Information Register contract records in Vendor Management Workspace

The General info related list has now been renamed as Details and the following related lists have been added:

Entities signing contract to use service
Entities making use of services
Entities providing services
Third parties signing contract to provide services
Third-party engagements signing contract
ICT service supply chains
Assessments of the ICT services

Coral theme

Coral is now the default theme for Vendor Management Workspace, portal, and mobile experiences. This theme provides a fresh look and feel, featuring brand-neutral illustrations to enhance your user experience. A dark theme option is available for web and mobile experiences.

Note:

When you're upgrading from Xanadu or Yokohama to Zurich with version 20.1.x of the GRC: Vendor Portal, the application UI themes might not match. The Vendor Management Workspace uses the Polaris theme by default, and the Third-party portal uses the Coral theme by default. Upgrading to Xanadu or Yokohama with version 20.1.x of the GRC: Vendor Portal results in both the Vendor Management Workspace and Third-party portal using the Polaris theme. Upgrading to version 21.x or higher results in both the Vendor Management Workspace and Third-party portal using the Coral UI theme.

Changed in this release

Risk areas extended to internal assessments

Starting with version 21.1.x, if you have the third-party risk admin [sn_vdr_risk_asmt.vendor_admin] role, you can now configure risk areas with weighted questions and scored responses for internal assessments using the Smart Assessment Engine in the Vendor Management Workspace. Risk scores can be aggregated at the engagement level using customizable methods such as max, min, or average, and mapped to risk ratings based on business rules. Risk managers can override system-generated ratings with required justification, enabling expert judgment and helping ensure transparency in risk decisions.

Smart Assessment Engine advanced plugins

Starting with version 21.1.x, the following Smart Assessment Engine advanced plugins are automatically installed: Post Assessment Actions for Smart Assessments [com.sn_smart_imp_auto and com.sn_impact_fwk] and Advanced Response Automation for Smart assessments [sn_smart_resp_auto]. The Post Assessment Actions for Smart Assessments plugin lets Third-party risk admins [sn_vdr_risk_asmt.vendor_admin] automate follow-up tasks, like notifications or workflow launches, after an assessment is completed. The Advanced Response Automation for Smart Assessments plugin automatically fills in assessment responses based on prior data or logic, streamlining and standardizing the assessment process.

Feature-specific administrator role enhancements

Starting with version 21.1.x, if you have a feature admin role you can now complete tasks that were initially reserved for users with the broader administrator role.

Assign sn_vdr_risk_asmt.vendor_risk_admin to users who need to configure and manage vendor risk features.
Assign sn_vdr_risk_asmt.vendor_assessment_reviewer to users who perform assessments, manage dashboards, and require operational access.
Assign sn_vdr_risk_asmt.external_assessment_responder to users who need access to the third-party portal and to complete assessments.
Note:
Administrator privileges no longer grant access to TPRM features. Users must be assigned an appropriate feature-specific role to access relevant functionality.

Read-only field enhancements

Starting with version 21.1.x, the following Third-party Risk Management plugins have security enhancements for read-only fields in this release:

Third-party Risk Due Diligence [com.sn_tprm_onboarding]
Third-party Risk Management [com.sn_vdr_risk_asmt]
GRC: Vendor Portal [com.sn_grc_vendor_portal]
GRC: Profiles [com.sn_grc]
GRC: Compliance Assessment [com.sn_comp_asmt]
GRC: SIG Questionnaire Integration [com.sn_sig_asmt]
GRC: Performance Analytics Premium Integration [com.sn_grc_pa]
Vendor Risk Management integration with EcoVadis [com.sn_app_grc_ecovadis]
ITAM applications [com.snc.vendor_core]

Fourth-party assessment support in SAE

Starting with version 21.1.x, Fourth-party assessments are now supported after you enable the Smart Assessment Engine enabled (sn_vdr_risk_asmt.sae_enabled) property.

Enhanced contract records for Digital Resilience Third-party Information Register in Vendor Management Workspace

If you have the third-party assessor role [sn_vdr_risk_asmt.vendor_assessor], you can now associate multiple entities with a single contract record. This association indicates that all entities have signed the contract and are providing services that are associated with the contract. You can also configure contracts that are based on the supply chain and assessment, upload contract records, and generate reports in Microsoft Excel. To better track these entities and help ensure compliance with Digital Operational Resilience Management (DORA) regulations, related lists have been added to the existing contract records, and existing fields have been reorganized for better usability.

Activation information

Install Third-party Risk Management by requesting it from ServiceNow Store. Visit the ServiceNow Store website to view all the available apps and for information about submitting requests to the store. For cumulative release notes information for all released apps, see the ServiceNow Store version history release notes.

Accessibility information

Dark theme: The new Coral theme includes a dark theme option for the Vendor Management Workspace and mobile experiences. This option is commonly used to alleviate eye strain and improve readability.