ServiceNow Connector

Overview

The Firstbase Workflows node for ServiceNow lets you create, update, and retrieve ServiceNow incidents, users, table records, and other ServiceNow data directly from your Firstbase workflows, connecting using either Basic Auth or OAuth2.

Common Use Cases Include:

• Create a ServiceNow incident for IT when a device return is flagged overdue in Firstbase
• Update a ServiceNow incident to resolved when an offboarding device-retrieval task completes in Firstbase
• Create a ServiceNow user record when a new employee is onboarded in Firstbase, so incidents can be assigned to them
• Create a table record to log hardware/asset details when a device is issued through Firstbase

Connection Overview

This credential authenticates Firstbase Workflows against your ServiceNow instance using either Basic Auth (username and password) or OAuth2 (client ID and client secret). OAuth2 is the pattern ServiceNow recommends for system-to-system integrations, since it doesn't require storing a live user password and can be revoked independently of any one person's login.

Recommend Prep: Set up a Dedicated ServiceNow  integration user

Whichever authentication method you choose, avoid tying this connection to a real employee's personal ServiceNow login. Create a dedicated integration user account in ServiceNow for this connection. This keeps the integration working if the employee who set it up leaves the company, and lets you scope exactly what this account can access (which tables, which operations) separately from any one person's own role and permissions.

Basic Auth API Setup

To connect using Basic Auth, you will need:

• User name
• Password
• Your instance Subdomain

Step 1 - Collect account credentials

You will need the user's username and password. Note that this method requires storing and periodically rotating a live password, which is why OAuth2 is the preferred path for a production integration.

Step 2 - Get your Subdomain

Your Subdomain is part of your instance URL: https://<subdomain>.service-now.com/. For example, if your instance URL is https://dev99890.service-now.com, your Subdomain is dev99890.

OAuth2 API Setup

To connect using OAuth2, you will need:

• Client ID
• Client Secret
• Your instance Subdomain

Step 1 - Register an OAuth application

In ServiceNow, go to System OAuth -> Application Registry -> New -> Create an OAuth API endpoint for external clients. 

Step 2 - Record Client ID and Client Secret

Record  the generated Client ID and Client Secret. These will be used later. 

Step 3 - Record Client ID and Client Secret
In the Firstbase platform, navigate to the credential tab in Workflows. Click Credentials -> Create Credential (top right) -> Type "ServiceNow" -> select “ServiceNow OAuth2 API”. At the top of the pop up you will find the OAuth Redirect URL. 

Step 4 - Paste Callback URL in Atlassian

Copy the OAuth Redirect URL shown in the Firstbase Workflows credential form and enter it as the Redirect URL on the ServiceNow application registration.

Step 5 - Get your Subdomain

Your Subdomain is part of your instance URL: https://<subdomain>.service-now.com/. For example, if your instance URL is https://dev99890.service-now.com, your Subdomain is dev99890.

Setup in Firstbase Workflows

These can be saved as a global credential, reusable across Workflows, or scoped to a single workflow.

Step 1 - Navigate to Workflows

In the Firstbase platform, as an admin, click the Workflows tab.

Step 2 - Create the new credential

In Workflows, click Credentials -> Create Credential (top right) -> Type "ServiceNow". Select either Basic Auth or OAuth2 and enter the information you collected above into the corresponding fields.

Step 3 - Using the credential in a workflow

In a ServiceNow node, select the Resource and Operation you want to run, then select the ServiceNow credential you just created under Authentication. 

Important: When updating an Incident, the Update operation supports adding Work Notes as part of the same call, useful for logging what changed on the Firstbase side (e.g. "device retrieved, closing ticket") directly onto the ServiceNow record instead of a separate comment step.

Questions? Reach out to your Firstbase Solutions Engineer or Customer Success Manager