After completing the ServiceNow NextGen program, I’ve started working on a Loaner Vehicle Request and Inventory Management Project. This project, which spans 6 weeks, aims to transform a manual, time-consuming process into a streamlined, automated system leveraging ServiceNow’s powerful platform features.
Project Overview
The primary goal of this development project is to automate the vehicle request process for contractors. Currently, requests are handled manually, leading to inefficiencies and delays in vehicle allocation. By building a robust system on ServiceNow, we aim to automate requests, approval workflows, and vehicle tracking while integrating maintenance automation as part of an end-to-end solution.
Project Phases: Key Features
• Phase 1: Automating the vehicle request workflow. Contractors will be able to choose available vehicles, schedule dates, and input delivery information.
• Phase 2: Automating vehicle return and maintenance processes, based on real-time vehicle status.
• Phase 3: Implementing a comprehensive vehicle maintenance tracking system, incorporating predictive maintenance and automated decommissioning when necessary.
Sprint 1: Laying the Groundwork
Our first sprint, which is crucial for establishing the foundation of the application, focuses on setting up the following key components:
• Application Scope and Update Sets: Defined the application’s boundaries and started capturing changes through update sets, ensuring all configurations are recorded and can be deployed across instances seamlessly.
• Table Creation and Relationships: Built core tables, including the Loaner Vehicle Catalog, which stores information on vehicle availability, condition, and status (e.g., available, in-service, or rented). Relationships between tables were defined to track the entire vehicle lifecycle.
• UI Policy and UI Actions: Implemented UI policies for dynamic form behavior, ensuring mandatory fields (e.g., vehicle type, delivery date) are correctly displayed based on user inputs. UI actions were created to trigger workflows directly from the interface, improving usability and efficiency.
• Service Catalog Item: Created the first service catalog item, allowing contractors to request vehicles through a user-friendly interface. Fields include vehicle selection, location details, and request dates, which will trigger automated workflows for approval and dispatch.
Sprint Management and Tooling
For sprint management, I’ve integrated ServiceNow’s Agile module to manage backlogs, track user stories, and monitor task completion. This provides a structured approach to sprint management, helping visualize progress and bottlenecks. The focus on agile practices ensures flexibility and adaptability, particularly as we anticipate scope changes as the project evolves.
What’s Coming Up in Sprint 2?
As we progress into future sprints, the focus will shift to:
• Building Process Automation: Utilizing ServiceNow Flow Designer to automate vehicle dispatching, approval workflows, and notifications to stakeholders.
• Service Portal Integration: Enhancing the user interface by integrating the ServiceNow Service Portal for easier access, improving user experience, and providing self-service options for contractors.
• Maintenance Automation: Designing workflows for scheduled maintenance, using real-time vehicle data to trigger automated reminders, ensuring vehicles are serviced on time or decommissioned based on their usage and condition.
Challenges and Learnings So Far
So far, setting up relationships between tables and handling conditional UI elements were interesting challenges. Using UI Policies to dynamically show/hide fields based on the vehicle’s status and ensuring robust data validation required a balance between user experience and technical integrity. Additionally, managing update sets efficiently to track all configurations across multiple environments was a critical step to ensure proper deployment practices.
Final Thoughts and Next Steps
This project has provided an excellent opportunity to apply the knowledge I gained in ServiceNow’s NextGen program to a real-world scenario. Automating workflows, streamlining operations, and improving efficiency are at the heart of this development, and it’s been rewarding to see the early foundation come together.
Looking forward, I’m excited about implementing more advanced features, particularly in process automation and maintenance workflows. These features will be key in transforming this vehicle management system into an intelligent, fully automated solution.
Key Takeaways:
1. Automating vehicle requests, approvals, and deliveries for efficiency.
2. Managing sprint progress using ServiceNow’s Agile module.
3. Setting the foundation for advanced automation with Flow Designer and Service Portal integration in future sprints.
Get in Touch:
Feel free to connect if you’re working on similar projects or exploring ServiceNow! I’m always open to sharing insights and learning from community members.
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