Implementation

The implementation of any common attachment format is symmetrical, meaning that the output, when consumed, should produce the same or similar records at the target. The implementation should also exhibit idempotent behavior, meaning when a document is consumed and processed repeatedly, the same result either appears or is ignored, because the results already exist.

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Dynamic Shares

For the correct outputs to be produced, you must create 2 Dynamic Shares - one to capture the comments and work_notes field values in a before context, and the other as async mode to capture the related records in a delayed step.

In the before Dynamic Share, use the following code snippet to prevent unwanted outbound messages to be queued when comments or work_notes are not updated. Please note this is only necessary if it applies to your use case.

if (current.comments.nil() && current.work_notes.nil()) {
	ignore = true;
}

Embedded Records

Embedded records are fields in the Common Problem document that cannot be mapped by singular values. Instead, they are entirely different records included inside the Common Problem document to be created on the subscribing system. 

These are the supported embedded records in Common Problem: 

Attachment Embedded Record

The attachment field in the Common Problem is an embedded record that, when populated, will create a new attachment on the system receiving the Common Problem.

Incident Record

The incident field in the Common Problem is an embedded record that, when populated, will create a new incident on the system receiving the Common Problem.

Problem Task Record

The problem task field in the Common Problem is an embedded record that, when populated, will create a new problem task on the system receiving the Common Problem.

Table Maps

Outbound Table Maps

The following table maps construct the outbound messages to be queued. Specify the main Change to Common Problem Table Map in your Dynamic Share as the root map.

Inbound Table Map

In order to process messages of topic: siam and type: common_problem, you must create an inbound table map to target the import set table as follows. (This map should have been included in the provided update set already)

Import Set

The import set table is called u_psp_common_problem and has a transform map called PSP Common Problem to Problem. This transform map has transform scripts that are responsible for parsing the embedded sections of common_problem:

• attachments

• incidents

• problem_tasks

 NOTE: Select to deactivate each of these transform scripts if you choose not to parse these embedded objects into records. If you need to extend or add additional capabilities, instead of modifying the existing scripts, add new ones so that upgrades are possible.

These transform scripts use specific script includes to assist in parsing and ingesting the embedded objects into the correct artifacts. The script includes are

• PerspectiumAttachment

• PerspectiumIncident

• PerspectiumProblemTask

These script includes are included as part of the Common Endpoint update set that should be installed prior to installing the common object format update sets.

Sample Output

A sample Common Problem looks like this:

<common_problem>
    <active />
    <activity_due/>
    <additional_assignee_list/>
    <approval />
    <approval_history/>
    <approval_set/>
    <assigned_to/>
    <assignment_group/>
    <attachments>
      <attachment>
         <data />
         <size_bytes />
         <file_name />
         <sys_id />
         <content_type />
      </attachment>
    </attachments>    
    <business_duration/>
    <business_service/>
    <calendar_duration/>
    <closed_at/>
    <closed_by/>
    <close_notes/>
    <cmdb_ci/>
    <comments/>
    <comments_and_work_notes/>
    <company/>
    <contact_type/>
    <correlation_display/>
    <correlation_id/>
    <delivery_plan/>
    <delivery_task/>
    <description />
    <due_date/>
    <escalation />
    <expected_start/>
    <follow_up/>
    <group_list/>
    <impact />
    <incidents>
        <incident>
            <number />
            <opened_at />
            <category />
            <caller_id_name />
            <assigned_to_name />
            <short_description />
            <priority />
            <id />
            <state />
            <assignment_group_name />
        </incident>
    </incidents>
    <knowledge />
    <known_error />
    <location/>
    <made_sla />
    <number />
    <opened_at />
    <opened_by />
    <order/>
    <parent/>
    <priority />
    <problem_state />
    <problem_tasks>
        <problem_task>
            <cmdb_ci/>
            <assigned_to/>
            <state />
            <short_description />
            <assignment_group/>
            <number />
            <priority />
        </problem_task>
    </problem_tasks>
    <provider />
    <reassignment_count />
    <rejection_goto/>
    <related_incidents />
    <rfc/>
    <short_description />
    <sla_due/>
    <state />
    <sys_class_name />
    <sys_created_by />
    <sys_created_on />
    <sys_domain />
    <sys_domain_path />
    <sys_mod_count />
    <sys_tags/>
    <sys_updated_by />
    <sys_updated_on />
    <time_worked/>
    <upon_approval />
    <upon_reject />
    <urgency />
    <user_input/>
    <variables/>
    <watch_list/>
    <wf_activity/>
    <work_around/>
    <work_end/>
    <work_notes/>
    <work_notes_list/>
    <work_start/>
</common_problem>

The following Perspectium Inbound/Outbound Message unloads can be un-gzipped and uploaded into your instance of ServiceNow to view and used for testing.

Common Problem Sample - Inbound.xml.zip

Common Problem Sample - Outbound.xml.zip