Process workflows

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Introduction

Service Desk workflows are structured, automated sequences of tasks, approvals, and actions created for ITSM processes. They standardize and streamline the delivery of IT services, from incident management to change requests to the implementation of runbook processes, as well as approval processes. Workflows define how a request or task progresses through various stages. They help ensure consistency, reduce manual effort, and enforce business rules.

You can create workflows for:

• Service Catalog Items, which are customer requests for help or a service.
• Change Catalog Items, which are requests for change-related actions.
• Runbooks, which document and automate incident resolution steps.

In each of these, you can create a workflow that assures approvals are requested, the order of tasks is properly outlined, and guidance for task completion is provided. You can create an unlimited number of workflow steps and define the actions that should occur, the conditions under which they occur, assign responsibility, and document the activities required to perform the actions.

For example, you can create workflows that:

• Assign specific tasks to individuals or teams.
• Require specific users to approve/authorize something before an action can be performed.
• Identify conditions that direct the path of the worfklow.
• Send notification alerts to stakeholders.
• Integrate/connect Service Desk with external systems via API calls.
• Automatically update records based on changes to ticket fields.

Navigation

• Setup > Service Desk > Runbooks
• Service Desk > Service Catalog
• Service Desk > Change Catalog

Create a new workflow

1. Navigate to the appropriate index page (service catalog, change catalog, or runbook). See Navigation.

2. Click Add to create a new object (service catalog item, change catalog item, or runbook) or open an existing one.

   1. Under the Process tab, click Add to insert workflow steps. You can add these actions:

      • Task: Assign a task to a user or group.
      • Approval: Require approval from individuals or dynamic approvers.
      • Condition Set: Apply logic to branch the workflow.
      • Update Record: Automatically change ticket fields.
      • Send Notification: Email stakeholders.
      • Process Integration: Trigger external API calls.
      • Stop Process: End the workflow under certain conditions.

   2. Use Conditions. Conditions allow workflows to adapt based on:

      • Field values (for example, priority, department).
      • Custom logic (for example, “if A and (B or C)”).
      • Dynamic Approvers. Instead of assigning approvals to specific people, you can use roles (e.g., “Manager of Requester”) to make workflows scalable and adaptable.
   3. Add additional workflow steps as needed, and then save.

3. Test and Modify.

   • Use Process-workflow test mode to simulate execution of service catalog items.
   • Modify workflows by stopping or restarting the process, or by editing the process.
   • Use Just-in-time processing to evaluate conditions at runtime.

Related topics

• Process-workflow test mode
• Change catalog items
• Runbooks
• Service catalog introduction