Collection of information I use to study for the CSA certification.
The Exam
Listing of which topics appear to what percentage in the exam:
| Domain | Topics / Subtopics | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Platform Overview and Navigation
| 7% |
| 2 | Instance Configuration
| 11% |
| 3 | Configuring Applications for Collaboration
| 20% |
| 4 | Self Service & Automation
| 20% |
| 5 | Database Management
| 27% |
| 6 | Data Migration and Integration
| 15% |
Topics
Platform Overview and Navigation / Instance Configuration
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Predictive Intelligence | Machine Learning, determine field values during creation |
| Fred Luddy | Founder ServiceNow |
| History Tab | Quickest way navigate back to recently viewed |
| Submit | Creates record and closes form |
| Configuration > Suggested Relationships | Create new relationship Role Menu (CMDB / CI Class) |
| System Settings | Personalization of user interface |
| Application Platform-as-a-Service (aPaas) | Cloud computing model of Servicenow |
| Platform interfaces | Now Platform User Interface / Next Experience Unified Navigation, ServiceNow Mobile Apps / Now Mobile App, Service Portal / ESC |
| Self-Service users | Users without assigned role permissions |
| User Presence | Help improve collaborative effort. Shows currently online users on record. |
| Connect Chat | Real time messaging tool, appears in "Banner Frame" |
| User Menu Options | Elevate Roles, Logout, Impersonate User |
| Incident > create new | Incident => application; create new => module |
| Global Search | Used to search whole instance |
| Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CICD) Spokebatch install | Install multiple applications, application customizations or plugins at once |
| Onboarding Component, first Login | When first login to Instance shown Onboarding |
| Variable Types | Name for types of "form" / input element in SN |
| Banner Frame Elements | Global Search, User Menu, Help Icon, Contextual App Pill |
| report_publisher | Role required to publish reports |
| sys_user | db name for user table |
| user menu > impersonate | to impersonate user |
| Localization framework plugin | Requried to translate content to multiple languages |
| Process Automation Designer | Create "cross-enterprise" workflows, single unified process |
| Insert / Update Differences | Insert/Submit creates new record, update saves existing, both close form upon clicking |
| Main Screen Elements in "All Menus" | All (Applications & Modules), History, Navigation Filter, Favorites |
| Reporting Incident on Service Portal | "Can We Help You?" Category in Service Catalog |
| Workflow Type in Now Platform | Employee, Customer, Information Technology (IT) |
| Now Mobile App OSs | Apple iOS, Google Android |
| Icon to mark as favorite | Star |
| Welcome Page | Customized message at login |
| _Rule Selector for one field on record | table.field |
| Next Experience UI | New Design released in San Diego |
| Guided Setup indicator -> empty circle | Task not yet started |
| ITIL abbrev. | Information Technology Infrastructure Library |
| New Record, Form open | Insert and Stay |
| Interact with SN, Primary Way (Since Rome) | Now Platform UI |
| Prevent Users from creating Homepages | com.glideapp.home.deprecate_homepages = true |
| HI abbrev. | Hosted Instance |
| Role for Helpdesk Technician | itil |
| Content Frame | Main screen where homepages, dashboards, forms, list of records |
| SN Applications Workflow types | IT Workflows, Employee Workflows, Customer Workflows, Creator Workflows |
| Main Elements SN UI (Backend / Platform) | Application Navigator, Content Frame, Banner Frame |
| Group | A set of users, share roles, sub-groups |
| SN Support & Data Centers Count | 10 Support Centers & 10 Data Centers |
| Automatic Notification for Partners when earning badges | false |
| Navigation filter | Name of application navigator search box |
| Reference field type | Displays record of other tables |
| Replacement for mobile onboarding app (depr. San Diego) | Now mobile app for hr service delivery |
| Email Digest | Single Email summary of activity |
| History Tab | Default last 30 entries, not showing UI Pages / non-standard interfaces, in "application navigator" (ui position) |
| Now Support | Mobile application for customer support (not customizable) |
| ITSM abbrev. | Information Technology Service Management |
| Architecture of Now Platform | Multi-instance architecture |
| Mobile Studio | Create, manage, modify applets for SN Mobile |
| Searching in SN | Usage of wildcard character (*), Global Search allows Bool Operators (need to be ALL CAPS) |
| Self-Service Appl. | Available to all users |
| Now creators | Get skills, earn badges; Levels: Pro, Legend, Star |
| Clicking on Logo | Returns Home |
| Flushing Cache (Admin) | By typing cache.do in the navigation filter |
| Management of Hosted Instances, upgrades etc. | The Now Support (HI) (formerly known as HI Service Portal) |
| Role | Set of permissions |
| Best practices Assignment Rules / Predictive Intelligence | Setting an Assignment group and User based on Category and Subcategory. / Setting a User based on Category and Subcategory. / Setting an Assignment group and User based on the short description. / Setting an Assignment group based on Category and Subcategory. |
| UI Policy vs. Data Policy | A Data Policy runs on both Client and Server side |
Configuring Applications for Collaboration
Lists, Filters, and Tags
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| List Column Context Menu | Actions: Export data, Quick Reports, configure |
| Creating Filter | Condition builder (clicky) / Natural Language Query (type text to "AI") |
| Filter Conditions | Alias: Breadcrumbs; Parts: Field, Value, Operator |
| List interface | Parts: title bar, filters, breadcrumbs, columns of data; Double click on field: edit data inline |
| Create a favorite. Ways | drag breadcrumbs of filter to favorites tab / drag a record to favorties tab / click star button next to application / module |
| List versions | v3, v2 |
| Role: List layout | personalize_list |
| List field | Has "List field context menu" |
| List title menu | Show, Refresh List, Create Favorite |
| Types of Context Menus | List column context menu, form context menu |
| Create new view | right click header column "Configure > List Layout" |
| All Configuration Items | Configuration > Base items > All |
| Searching for Rows | Wildcard character in header search field |
| Save a filter | Name it, set visibility (group, person, everyone), save |
| Select multiple values | Shift + Up / Down Arrow / Shift + click and drag |
| Personalized List | Indicator: small green dot |
| Column in List | Represents a field |
Form Configuration / templates and saving options
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Form Layout | Hide or show fields in view |
| Update | updates and closes form |
| Submit | Visible when create new record; Create and close form |
| Save | Updates existing record, keeps form open |
| Form Designer | Options on field: Handle, Remove, Edit; GUI Configure Forms; Add field: Field Navigator |
| Create record, stay open | Copy indident, insert & stay |
| Record Producer | Form that adds record to system table |
| Delegated Development | For non-admins to develops apps |
| Template Bar | Select diff. template to apply to form |
| Activity | Read-only record created, record created, updated |
| Activity Stream | Shown for a task under "Notes" |
| Function Fields | arithmetics, coalesce concatenation and length |
| Configure Forms: Roles | amdin, personalize_form |
| Group related fiels | Sections |
Task Management / Visual Task Boards (VTBs)
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| "All > Service Desk > My Work" | Task Types: Requests, Security Cases, Visual Task Board Tasks, Change Requests, Incidents, Knowledge Base Submissions; Active tasks assigned to myself |
| "My Groups Work" | Work Assigned to my group |
| Visual Task Boards | Manage task by drap drop, identify process bottelnecks, track activity in one place. Collaboration tool; Types: Flexible, Guided, Freeform |
| Task | Record, assigned to user, completed by user. Quicker resolution time, repeatable process, minimize human error. |
| Owner of VTB | Rights to: create, edit, delete sorting criteria |
| Inactivity Monitors | Notifies users for tasks when untouched for time |
| SLA Definition Sequence | Start, Pause, Stop |
| Task SLA Table | task_sla |
| SLM abbrev. | Service Level Management; SLAs, OLAs and Underpinning Contracts |
| Assignment Rules | Automatically assigns tasks to users / groups. Create under "System Policy > Rules > Assignment" |
| Service Level Agreement (SLA) | Track amount of time task open, ensure tasks complted on time |
| Comments | Visible by all users |
| SLA Type field | Types include SLA, OLA, UC in Field "Type" |
| SLA Enginge PRoperties | SErvice Level MAnagement > Properties > SLA Engine |
Reporting, Dashboards, and Performance Analytics
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Flows | Autoamte businesslogic for process / application |
| Report Designer Tab: Data | Report Name, Source Type, and table / data source |
| Report Designer Tab: Type | Report visualisation format |
| Report Designer Tab: Configure | Define report grouping (Group By); aggregate field values --> standard deviation calculations, select fields |
| Report Designer Tab: Style | colors, title, chart properties, color schmee |
| Report Designer Action: Sharing | Default: Shared w/ report creator; Sharing Options: Publish, Export to PDF, Add to dashbaord, Schedule, Share |
| Multidimensional Charts | Heatmap, Bubble, Multi-level pivot table |
| Dashboards Landing Page | Navigate via this to "Dashboard System Health" |
| PCI Configuration Controls score | Dashboard shows compliant security checks score |
| KPI Signals Application | Considers behavior to signal variation |
| Anti-signal | Let's know workflow under control |
| Responsive Dashboards | Users Widgets & Reports and Performance Analystics visualisation sharing |
| Time Series charts | Area, Column, Line, Spline, Step Line |
| Bar Charts | Bar, Historgram, Horizontal Bar, Pareto |
| Score Charts | Dial, Single Score, Speedometer |
| Pies and Donuts Charts | Donut, Pie, Semi donut |
| How to open Reporting | View/Run application (menu), Context menu column header list view |
| Create Chart from List View (Context Menu) | Bar Chart, Pie Chart |
| Menu List Reports | "Reports > View/Run" |
| Recommended Way to Share Report | Action "Share" |
Notifications
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Subscriptions | Allos users to manage notifiations, set in system settings |
| Notification Trigger | System Event |
| Notifications | Found undeR: System Notification > Email > Notifications |
| Notifications Tab: When to send | Condition on which to send |
| Notifications Tab: What will it contain | allows overriding html, Select variables from record, apply template |
| Notifications Tab: Who will receive | Target for notification |
| Inbound Email Action Types | Changes system table, reply to email, override agent acapacity for agents |
| Notification Types | Email, Meeting Invitation, SMS |
Self Service & Automation
Knowledge Management
Service Catalog
Flow Designer
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Flow Designer | automate business logic, Replacement for Workflow Editor |
| Spokes in ServicENow Core | Aks for approval, Creat Record, Delete Record |
| When to user Flow Designer | When Version higher than Jakarta, when starting from scratch w/ development |
| Flow Trigger | Schedule (DAte, DAily, Weekly), Record, Application (SLA Task, Inbound email, MetricBase, Service Catalog) |
| Complex Objects | TEmpalte can be saved to user in in/output in steps and actions |
| Process Automation Designer | Processed document --> Automated Designs; Different Interface in Kanban / Playbook Style |
| Flow Designer Roles | flow_operator, action_designer, flow_designer |
Virtual Agent
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Virtual AGent | Automated chatting agent in service portal, common tasks, get info, make decisions |
| CApabilites | Answering FAQ, Provide how to, perform diagnosis |
| Acessible Content | Knowledge Bases, Service Catalog, System REcords |
| Issue Auto Resolution | Intercept and help resolve submitted incidents |
| Link Unfurling | Preview for TExts-Links, Videos, Images; Deactivate: By updating system property com.glide.cs.enable_link_unfurling to false. |
| Interfaces | Service Portal, iOS, Android |
| Third Party Messaging Support | Workplace (Google), MS Teams, Slack |
Data Schema
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Schema Map | Visualisation of relationships between tables; From "Tables & Columns" menu accessed; Roles: personalize_dictionary, admin |
| Field Settings / Attributes for Table | All > System Definition > Tables & Columns |
| Dictionary (System Dictionary) | Details tables, fields in system; Navigate: All > System Definition > Dictionary |
| Dictionary override | Override for field on inherited table (child), than on parent table; field dependencies, read-only status of field |
| One-to-many relationship | Field in table references record other table |
| Core Tables | Type: parent, child, base |
| Record Number configuration | All > System Definition > Number Maintenance |
| Create new table (Moduels) | Tables & Columns / Tables; Creates Default Modules: table label / plural table label |
| Many-to-many relationship | bi-directional relationship between tables, related records visible from both tables in related list |
| Dot-walking | In Platform UI: Green with plus sign |
| Transaction Log | System Logs > Transactions |
| Exempt from upgrade | Record altered from base, by customer |
| List Search: Starts with | <value>% |
| Data Policy | Rule forces data consistency |
| Start import set | System Import Sets > Load Data |
| Table Relation Types | Extension, One-to-many, Many-to-many |
| Prefix Custom Tables (Global Scope) | u_ |
| CRUD abbrev. | Create, REad, Update, Delete |
| Reference Lookup Icon | Identifes reference fields, opens pop-up |
| Diff. Label extended Table | All > System Definition > Language File |
| sys_id | 32-character length, globally unique identifier |
Application/Access Control
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| System Address Filters | Configure to which emails communication allowed |
| Elevated Roles | Only in current sessions, select security_admin in elevate roles |
| Certificate based authentication methods | Common Access Card (CAC), Personal Identity Verification (PIV) |
| Preferred Methods of Role Management | User in Group, Roles to group |
| ACL Rule Permissions Configuration Options | Roles / Scripting who gets access / Conditions |
| Access control processing oder | In what order ACL evaluated |
| Role inhertiance | A Role Instance inherits all child-roles from role |
| Create Role | All > User Administration > Roles |
| Modules for Security | High Security Settings, Security, Access control |
| Assignment Rules | All > System Policy > Rules > Assignment |
| User Authentication Methods | LDAP, SSO, Local DB |
| Assignment Lookup Rules | Type of assignment roles, only for incidents |
| Scope | Encapsules applications, identifies and restricts access to files and data |
| Create Assignment Lookup Rule | All > System Policy > Rules > Assignment Lookup Rules |
| contextual security | System security type, every level in SN Object hierarchy, control tables and fields |
Importing Data
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Transform Map | Relationships between fields in an import set to field in system table |
| Transform Map: Rules | Defines how data converted before saving |
| Data Source: Options | LDAP, JDBC |
| Import File Types | Excel, XML, CSV |
| Roles: Mange Import Sets | import_admin, admin |
| Import Set: Fiedl | Can be mapped to multiple in target table |
| Automatic Mappin gUitlity | All field in source and target match |
| Coalesce Field | Updates record with this field name & value, otherwise new; when more than one --> first one |
| Mapping assist utility | Not all field names match on source / target |
| ACL | Field (or table) fully inaccessible to users without certain role / permission |
CMDB and CSDM
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Key Tables in CMDB | Base CI (cmdb), Configuration Item (cmdb_ci), CI Relationship (cmdb_rel_ci) |
| Dependency Views | Visualize CIs and relationships; Navigate: Depencency Views > View Map |
| CSDM abbrev. | Commo Service Data Model,; Standard terms and definitions, best practive cmdb data modeling, OOB cmdb core tables |
| Benefits CMDB | Locating failed cahnges, assoc to incidents; impact analysis of proposed changes; assess problem trends pertaining to cis; manage incidents affecting cis |
| Service Mapping | Discovers and models relationships between CIs, automatically fills into cmdb |
| LDAP abbrev. | Lightweight Directory Access Protocol |
| Approach overlay service maps onto cmdb | Top-down |
| Create suggested relationships | All > configuration > Relationships > Suggested Relationships |
| CMDB Components | Dependency Views, Business Services, Processes |
| CI Types | Tangible, intangible |
| Testing CMDB Content | Quick start tests |
| Manage CI Classes | All > Configuration > CI Class Manager |
| MID abbrev | Management, Instrumentation, Discovery |
| Discovery | finds devices and applications --> updates cmdb |