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.

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

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Embedded Records

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

The following are examples of the embedded records in Common Request: 

Approver Record

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

Attachment Embedded Record

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

Group Approval Embedded Record

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

Recurring Price Record

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

Requested Item Record

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

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Table Maps

Outbound Table Maps

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

 NOTE: In Helium, the Catalog Task (sc_task) table map is included as part of the Common Request update set. To learn more about catalog tasks, see view and edit a catalog task.

Inbound Table Map

In order to process messages of topic: siam and type: common_request, 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_request and has a transform map called PSP Common Request to Request. This transform map has transform scripts that are responsible for parsing the embedded sections of common_request:

• attachments

• requested_items

• approvers

• group_approvals

• recurring_prices

 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

• PerspectiumRequestedItem

• PerspectiumApprover

• PerspectiumGroupApproval

• PerspectiumRecurringPrice

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.

Variables

To access variables in your table maps scripts, you can use the variables object of the record.  For example, to put all of a requested item's variables into the description field of the outbound table map record:

var variables = current.variables.getElements();
var output = "Variables: \r\n ";
for (var i = 0; i<variables.length; i++) {
    var question = variables[i].getQuestion();
    output = output + (question.getLabel() + ":" + question.getValue() + "\r\n")  ;
}

answer = current.description +"\r\n\r\n"+ output;

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Sample Output

A sample Common Request looks like this:

<common_request>
    <active />
    <activity_due />
    <additional_assignee_list />
    <approval />
    <approval_history />
    <approval_set />
	<approvers>
		<approver>
            <created/>
            <approver_name/>
            <assignment_group_name/>
            <approver/>
            <state/>
            <comments/>
            <approver_email/>
            <assignment_group/>
        </approver>
	</approvers>
    <assigned_to />
    <assignment_group />
    <attachments>
        <attachment>
	    	<data />
	    	<size_bytes />
	    	<file_name />
	    	<sys_id />
	    	<content_type />
		</attachment>
    </attachments>
    <business_duration />
    <business_service />
    <calendar_duration />
    <calendar_stc />
    <closed_at />
    <closed_by />
    <close_notes />
    <cmdb_ci />
    <comments />
    <comments_and_work_notes />
    <company />
    <contact_type />
    <correlation_display />
    <correlation_id />
    <delivery_address />
    <delivery_plan />
    <delivery_task />
    <description />
    <due_date />
    <escalation />
    <expected_start />
    <follow_up />
    <group_approvals>
 		<group_approval>
            <short_description/>
            <assignment_group/>
            <approval_user/>
            <approval/>
        </group_approval>
	</group_approvals>
    <group_list />
    <impact />
    <knowledge />
    <location />
    <made_sla />
    <number />
    <opened_at />
    <opened_by />
    <order />
    <parent />
    <price />
    <priority />
    <provider />
    <reassignment_count />
    <recurring_prices>
		<recurring_price>
	    	<recurring_frequency />
	    	<recurring_price />
		</recurring_price>
    </recurring_prices>
    <rejection_goto />
    <requested_date />
    <requested_for />
    <requested_items>
        <requested_item>
	    	<price />
	    	<stage />
	    	<quantity />
	    	<assigned_to />
	    	<due_date />
	    	<cat_item />
	    	<number />
	    	<sc_catalog />
        </requested_item>
    </requested_items>
    <request_state />
    <short_description />
    <sla_due />
    <special_instructions />
    <stage />
    <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_end />
    <work_notes />
    <work_notes_list />
    <work_start />
</common_request>

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 Request Sample - Inbound.xml.zip

Common Request Sample - Outbound.xml.zip

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