If any user reports an issue about the ServiceNow platform itself, how are you fixing it?

Suggy · a week ago

If any user reports an issue by creating an incident about the ServiceNow platform like:

Say a catalog item is not working as expected <OR> there could be a field missing on the Change form

<OR> a broken process <OR> some issue with an eBonding integration

How are you fixing/handling the incident for above scenarios? Are you creating a Service Request or Defect or Story or any other process are you following?

One of my colleagues told to create a Defect, other told to create a story, but I dont see any relation between those tables and Incident table.

NavinAgarwal · a week ago

Hi @Suggy ,

If a user reports an issue with the ServiceNow platform itself, like a malfunctioning catalog item, missing field on a form, broken process, or eBonding integration issue, you should create an Incident. An Incident is the appropriate record type for capturing and resolving user-reported problems with the system.

Why not use a Defect or Story:

Defect:
Defects are typically used to track issues in the software itself, like bugs in the code or design flaws. While a system issue like a broken process might have underlying code issues, the Incident is the more appropriate record for the user-reported experience. A defect would be used if the root cause of the broken process was identified as a software defect.
Story:
Stories are used in agile project management to represent user requirements or features. They are not designed to track system issues or problems encountered by users.

How to handle the incident:

Create an Incident:

Fill out the Incident form with details about the issue, including the affected area, steps to reproduce the problem, and any error messages.

Assign the Incident:

Based on the severity and nature of the issue, assign the Incident to the appropriate team or technician.

Investigate and Resolve:

The assigned team will investigate the issue, determine the root cause, and implement a solution.

Update the Incident:

Regularly update the Incident record with progress updates and the final resolution.

If there is a connection to a pre-existing Problem:

If the reported issue is related to a known problem, you can create a new Incident and link it to the existing Problem. This allows for centralized tracking and ensures that all related information is in one place.

Key points to remember:

Use the Incident table for user-reported issues with ServiceNow.
Defects are for tracking software issues, Stories are for user requirements.
Link related incidents and problems for better tracking.

If you found my response helpful, could you please mark it as ‘Accept as Solution’ and ‘Helpful’? This small action goes a long way in helping other community members find the right answers more easily and supports the community.

Suggy · a week ago

Sorry, I dont want an answer from Copilot. I have already seen above response from it. It still doesnt answer my question.

NavinAgarwal · a week ago

Hi @Suggy ,

The answer is simple, create an incident for all user reported issues (be it simple or complex), next steps can be taken upon triaging. You asked the difference between Incident, defect and user stories and they are not related. I hope someone can help answer in a better way and address your question.

Use the Incident table for user-reported issues with ServiceNow.
Defects are for tracking software issues, Stories are for user requirements.
Link related incidents and problems for better tracking.

Suggy · a week ago

@NavinAgarwal This info I have already got from ChatGPT

Use the Incident table for user-reported issues with ServiceNow.
Defects are for tracking software issues, Stories are for user requirements.
Link related incidents and problems for better tracking.

But tell me for my above scenarios/issues that I have stated, when to create INC vs DEFECT and how to handle the cycle till close of issue.