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How to Automate Approvals in ServiceNow ServiceNow s fast-paced digital workplace automating approvals is essential for streamlining business processes, reducing delays, and improving overall productivity. ServiceNow, a leading IT Service Management (ITSM) platform, offers powerful tools to create and manage approval workflows without writing a single line of code. Whether you're handling incident requests, change management, or HR onboarding, automating approvals ensures consistency, visibility, and efficiency. This article walks you through how to automate approvals in ServiceNow using its native no- code capabilities perfect for administrators, process owners, and business analysts. What is Approval Automation in ServiceNow? Approval automation refers to the process of setting up structured workflows where tasks or requests are automatically routed to the appropriate users or groups for review and approval. In ServiceNow, this functionality can be configured using: ServiceNow Training Flow Designer Approval Rules Workflow Editor (legacy but still used) Service Catalog Approvals The goal is to reduce manual effort and make decision-making faster and traceable. Benefits of Automating Approvals in ServiceNow Before diving into the process, let s highlight the main advantages:

1.Speed and Efficiency: Automatic routing reduces wait time between approvals. 2.Audit Trail: Every action is logged, enhancing transparency and compliance. 3.Error Reduction: Eliminates human error in routing or communication. 4.Standardization: Ensures consistent decision-making across departments. 5.User Satisfaction: Faster approvals lead to quicker service delivery. Key Components for Approval Automation To automate approvals, it's essential to understand these ServiceNow components: 1. Flow Designer A modern, intuitive tool that lets you build and visualize automated workflows with drag-and- drop logic perfect for no-code users. 2. Approvals Table ServiceNow maintains approvals in a centralized table (sysapproval_approver), which tracks who needs to approve what, and when. 3. Approval Rule Defines the logic for who should approve a given task or request, based on conditions like department, role, or cost. ServiceNow Online Training 4. Catalog Items / Tasks These are the actual items or services being requested, like hardware, software, or access rights. Step-by-Step Guide to Automate Approvals without Coding Step 1: Define Approval Requirements Start by documenting the use case: What triggers the approval? (e.g., submission of a service request) Who needs to approve? (individuals, roles, or groups) Is there conditional logic? (e.g., approvals only for costs above $1,000) Step 2: Use Flow Designer to Build Your Workflow Access Flow Designer: Navigate to Flow Designer via the Application Navigator. Click on New Flow and name your workflow (e.g., New Laptop Request Approval ). Set a Trigger:

Choose a trigger like When a record is created or updated. Select the appropriate table, such as sc_request or sc_task. Add Approval Actions: Drag and drop an Action block. Choose Ask For Approval. Select the record to approve, the users or groups involved, and any conditions. You can also add multiple approval steps using conditional branches (e.g., different approvers based on the request amount or department). ServiceNow Course Online Configure Notifications: Add an action to send approval emails or notifications to the approvers. Save and Activate: Save your flow and activate it to make it live. Step 3: Set Up Approval Rules (If Needed) Approval rules automatically assign approvers based on criteria. To configure approval rules: Navigate to System Policy > Approval Rules. Click New and choose the table (e.g., Change Request, Service Request). Define the conditions and approver logic. Save the rule. This allows ServiceNow to dynamically determine approvers without hardcoding names into the flow. Step 4: Configure the Service Catalog Item (Optional) If automating approval for a Service Catalog item: Go to Maintain Items under Service Catalog. Open the catalog item (e.g., Request New Laptop ). Under the Approval tab, define if it requires approval and who should approve. Link it to your Flow Designer flow if needed. Tips for Effective Approval Automation 1.Use Groups Instead of Individuals Assign approvals to roles or groups instead of individuals to ensure continuity when someone is out of the office. ServiceNow Institute

2.Set Approval Timeouts Configure a default action if an approver doesn t respond in a set time, such as auto- approve or escalate. 3.Use Notifications strategically Keep communication clear and concise. Notify approvers only when action is needed. 4.Add Conditions for Smart Routing Use logical branches (IF/THEN conditions) in Flow Designer to direct approvals based on cost, department, urgency, etc. 5.Test before You Go Live Always test your workflows using different user roles to ensure functionality and access are properly set. 6.Monitor with Reporting Use built-in reporting to track pending, approved, and rejected approvals for visibility and optimization. ServiceNow Online Course Common Use Cases for Automated Approvals IT Asset Requests: Route to the IT manager for hardware or software approval. Access Control: Get approvals for VPN, system access, or confidential data. Change Management: Automate approvals for Normal or Emergency change requests. HR Onboarding: Trigger multi-level approvals for new employee equipment and access. Finance Requests: Set thresholds for expense approvals based on cost centers. Challenges and How to Overcome Them Challenge Solution Multiple Approval Loops Approvals Getting Stuck Manual Errors in Assignment Poor Visibility of Pending Items Build custom dashboards and reports. Use Flow Designer s parallel and sequential branches. Set timeouts and escalations in Flow Designer. Rely on groups and roles instead of individuals. Future-Proofing Approval Workflows As your organization grows, so will your approval requirements. To stay scalable: Use variables and data pills in Flow Designer to make workflows dynamic. Document all flows and approval rules for easy maintenance. Regularly review and optimize based on usage data and feedback. Conclusion Automating approvals in ServiceNowdoesn t require programming expertise. With tools like Flow Designer, Approval Rules, and Service Catalog configuration, you can design powerful, efficient workflows that meet your business needs without writing a single line of code. By

focusing on clarity, consistency, and logic, ServiceNows no-code tools empower process owners and business users to take control of their workflows. Whether you're just getting started or optimizing existing processes, approval automation is a key step in modernizing your service delivery. Trending Courses: Docker and Kubernetes, SAP Ariba, Site Reliability Engineering Visualpath is the Best Software Online Training Institute in Hyderabad. Avail is complete worldwide. You will get the best course at an affordable cost. For More Information about ServiceNow Online Training Contact Call/WhatsApp: +91-7032290546 Visit: https://www.visualpath.in/servicenow-online-training-in-hyderabad.html