Managing ServiceNow Audits, Requests and Tasks

Overview

Functionalities of using ServiceNow to manage ZenGRC audits, tasks and requests include the following:

• An audit can be connected to any ServiceNow project within the connected ServiceNow instance.
• The audit and imported requests are automatically created in ServiceNow and linked together.
• All audit and request updates are transferred in real time between ServiceNow and ZenGRC.
• ZenGRC tasks can be linked to any ServiceNow issue.
• Assignees to a request do not need to exist in ZenGRC. As long as they are ServiceNow users, they can be assigned to a request.
• For users in the linked ServiceNow project, ZenGRC seamlessly opens the application for direct access.
  
  

Accessing ServiceNow from an Audit

The majority of information for a ServiceNow audit can be directly accessed and updated within ZenGRC. However, there may be times when you want to open ServiceNow.

The quickest way to open an audit in ServiceNow is directly from the Audits page prior to accessing the individual audit. To do this, complete the following steps:

1. Click Audits in the left-hand navigation.
2. Scroll to desired audit.
3. Click Open in ServiceNow.
   
   
   
   

If the individual audit summary page is already open from the Audits home page, access ServiceNow by completing the following:

1. Click Actions | Open in ServiceNow.
   
   

To open ServiceNow and export information, complete the following:

1. Click Actions | Export from ServiceNow.
   
   

Working with Requests

Once requests are imported into a ServiceNow-connected audit in ZenGRC, they are also created in ServiceNow. Updates in ServiceNow are reflected in ZenGRC requests and vice versa.

Editing a ServiceNow Request

Requests imported into ServiceNow audits can be edited in both ZenGRC and ServiceNow. But in ZenGRC, the only way to access them is through Audits.

To open and edit a request, complete the following steps:

1. Click Audits and open the desired ServiceNow audit.
2. Click Requests (in ServiceNow).
3. Find the request and click View.
   
   
   
   
4. On the resulting page, only two fields can be edited. 
   1. Click the dropdown arrow beside Status to make another selection.
   2. Start typing in the Comments text field to prompt an Add button.
      
      
      
      
5. Click Edit to open a page where the majority of fields can be edited while remaining in the ZenGRC application.
   
   
   
   

6. Click Open in ServiceNow to open ServiceNow in a new browser tab or window.
   
   

   TIP

   ServiceNow only opens for users who have a ServiceNow profile.

Linking a ZenGRC Task to ServiceNow

A task must already exist in ZenGRC prior to linking to ServiceNow. However, a new ServiceNow issue can be created directly from a ZenGRC task and saved in the selected ServiceNow project.

Connecting to an Existing ServiceNow Item

To connect a task to an existing ServiceNow item, complete the following steps:

1. Create or open a task.
2. Click the ellipses in the top right (if your browser is maximized, an Actions button replaces the ellipses) and select Link to ServiceNow.
   
   
   
   

3. In the dialog box, enter a search term and click Search.
   
   

   TIP

   The Search box does not auto populate, so you will need to know a word in the ServiceNow Key or Summary fields in order to search for your issue.

   
   
   
   

4. Select an option from the results.
   
   
   
   

5. Click Save. The page refreshes to display information from the ServiceNow issue.
   
   
   
   

   TIP

   These ServiceNow fields can only be edited in ServiceNow.

Linking a ZenGRC Task to a New ServiceNow Item

To create a new ServiceNow item and connect it to a task, complete the following steps:

1. Create or open a task.
2. Click the ellipses in the top right (an Actions button replaces the ellipses if your browser is maximized) and select Create new ServiceNow issue.
   
   
   
   

3. In the Project dropdown, select an option.
   
   

   TIP

   The Project dropdown displays projects in the connected ServiceNow instance. This then populates the Issue dropdown with selections from the chosen ServiceNow project.

   
   
   
   

4. Select an option in the Issue dropdown and click Create new. Alternatively, click Back to cancel and return to the prior page.
   
   
   
   

5. A new dialog box displays with fields to complete that are dependent on the selected ServiceNow project setup.
   
   
   
   

   IMPORTANT

   Since user information cannot be transferred from ServiceNow to ZenGRC, clicking within the Assignee and Reporter dropdown boxes won't prompt a name dropdown. These fields either expect email addresses associated with the ServiceNow accounts or ServiceNow user names following the @. 

   For example, the below screenshot is from ServiceNow and displays a list of users.
   
    

   • Only the person's email address (not shown) or the information outlined in red (without the @) is accepted in the ZenGRC fields. ("Eddy" or "Eddy Editor" will prompt errors, but "michael+editor" or "michael+editor@reciprocitylabs.com" won't.)
   • The user must be in ServiceNow, but does not have to be in ZenGRC.
   • Only one user can be assigned per field.

   These are not a mandatory fields, so a workaround is to create the issue without assigning names. Then, log into ServiceNow and assign users.

Editing a ServiceNow Issue Linked in a ZenGRC Task

To access a ServiceNow issue from a ZenGRC task, complete the following steps:

1. Open the task.
2. Click the link under ServiceNow issue key.
   
   

Unlinking or Replacing a Linked Item

Only one ServiceNow item can be linked within a task.

To remove the link between a task and a ServiceNow item, complete the following steps:

1. Open the task.
2. Click the ellipses in the top right (an Actions button replaces the ellipses if your browser is maximized) and select Unlink ServiceNow issue.
   
   
   
   
3. In the dialog box, click Unlink. Alternatively, click Cancel to close without changes.
   
   
   
   

To replace the link between a task and a ServiceNow item with a different ServiceNow item, complete the following steps:

1. Open the task.
2. Click the ellipses in the top right (an Actions button replaces the ellipses if your browser is maximized) and select Replace ServiceNow issue.
3. The dialog box displays allowing you to search or create a new ServiceNow issue.