Advantages of Adopting ServiceNow Configuration as a Service
Knowing what to choose between ServiceNow configuration and customization is critical to optimize ServiceNow efficiency and create the best value from it. Often, companies go by the general approach and consider customization over configuration. Here, companies must know that customization and configuration are two different approaches with individual need-based relevance. So, making a prudent choice matters!
This blog talks about the advantages of adopting ServiceNow configuration as a service, rather than customizing anything and everything associated with it. So, towards the end, you will be able to make an informed, sustainable and efficient choice regarding the ServiceNow environment of your organization.
What is ServiceNow Configuration?
Before we proceed to explore the advantage of ServiceNow configuration, let us look at its meaning. ServiceNow is a complex set of features, and functionalities meant to simplify your ITSM operations. What works for a particular company may not necessarily work in your case. Now, here one may directly refer to customization to align the platform with the business needs. Nevertheless, that isn’t always the solution!
You must go step by step to understand what suits your needs, starting from configuration and then, if needed, customization. ServiceNow configuration refers to extending the platform’s capabilities to meet your needs but without making any changes or modifications to the baseline installation code. In other words, it is tailoring and using ServiceNow best practices and API to meet your needs without changing the baseline installation code.
ServiceNow configuration proves handy while configuring email templates, portal forms, page layouts, security roles, membership types, custom fields and objects, revenue recognition schedules, and many other features.
What is ServiceNow Customization?
As the name suggests, ServiceNow customization refers to any change to the code that is a part of the baseline installation of a ServiceNow instance. Customizations are useful, but only when you need a change in something that demands a change in the original script. Hence, customization is supposed to be done only when your existing functionalities do not meet your business demands or you need to develop something very specific.
So, when exactly do you customize ServiceNow? It is while developing a new scoped application, making changes to the baseline rules, making an extension to the existing table in scope with some scripting, creating a new global application, or customizing integrations and building complex ones.
Why does ServiceNow Customization not work in Every Case?
ServiceNow customization works, but only in some instances. Besides, it brings a range of concerns, dealing with which may guzzle up your bandwidth and resources. They cannot be termed disadvantages, as if you have the time and money to deal with them, they wouldn’t seem as significant. However, if you don’t, you must know the various aspects associated with ServiceNow customization.
1. Cost and Time Involved:
Customization is a complex process. Customizing the platform requires time and involves a lot of costs. The more you customize, the more expensive and time-consuming the affair turns. Besides, implementing, maintaining, and upgrading a customized platform is more challenging than the one which is simplify configured to meet your business needs.
2. Upgrades:
ServiceNow releases two new upgrades every year, and which refers to the addition of new functionalities, applications, and features, and improvements to those already existing. In a customized ServiceNow environment, the changes in upgrades being delayed or incurring a lot of time, cost, and efforts are very high. Besides, you may face a plethora of other technical challenges as well, and for which you must make a prudent choice between customization and configuration.
Advantages of ServiceNow Configuration
It isn’t wrong to customize ServiceNow. However, going overboard with the customization and completely ignoring out-of-the-box functionalities may prove a challenge in the long run. It may build a technical debt and make your upgrade cycle more time-consuming and lengthy. So, the very purpose of aligning ServiceNow with your needs through customization will be defeated. It is here that ServiceNow configuration proves beneficial. Let us look at some of the advantages of choosing a ServiceNow configuration as a service.
1. Configuration is Relatively Straightforward:
Since configuration does not require a change to the original code of the application, it becomes relatively simpler for developers and you as well to tackle it.
2. Requires Lesser Time and Cost:
Customization involves a major change and configuration. On the other hand, configuration is an extension or a tweak to align the application better. Hence, it does not require as much time and cost compared to customization that is lengthy and all the more expensive.
3. Easy Upgrades, Maintenance, and Enhancements:
Applications with configurations are easy to upgrade and maintain. Besides, you can enhance the existing features easily with zero to minimal hassles.
4. No Changes to the Original Code:
Configurations do not touch the original code. So, in other words, it involves making changes that the ServiceNow application is designed to be able to align with.
Nevertheless, remember that configuration isn’t as apparent either. It comes in various forms and demands experimentation and tweaking to serve your business needs without making changes to the code.
Partnering with the best ServiceNow configuration proves critical here. It helps you optimize the application, keep it aligned with your business protocols, and stay efficient across scheduled upgrades and enhancements. Let us now see what factors to look at while choosing the best ServiceNow configuration partner.
5 Factors to Consider while Choosing a ServiceNow Configuration Company
Efficient ServiceNow configuration is critical to the success of your overall ITSM efficiency. Hence, you need a comprehensive ServiceNow configuration company that helps you with every service associated with ServiceNow. Here are five factors you must consider while making a prudent choice relating to your ServiceNow configuration service provider. It will help you leverage the application optimally and also increase your RoI.
1. ServiceNow Consulting:
Since making an informed choice between customization and configuration is crucial, you must partner with a company that helps you choose the right option after a complete review of the current and futuristic ServiceNow needs. It will help invest right and generate a better RoI. So, it is your ServiceNow service provider who must recommend whether you need configuration or full-fledged customization or an in-between solution to includes the changes you need.
2. Availability of a Range of Deployment Options:
As said earlier, configuration comes in various forms, and you’ve got a lot of options relating to it. Your service provider must be able to explore and possess the capability to execute each one of them with an equal amount of efficiency and ease. Besides, in situations wherein you need a higher degree of customization and configuration, your vendor must be able to do so to help you get what you need from the ServiceNow platform for your business.
3. Diversity of Experience:
Your ServiceNow partner must have the experience of working with a diverse range of companies and delivering projects successfully in the past. In this view, you must check the success rate and past feedback of the company’s clients to get better clarity.
4. ITIL Best Practices:
The service provider must be able to strike a balance between meeting your requirement and adherence to the best ITIL practices.
5. Multilingual ServiceNow Support:
While this isn’t a mandatory consideration, it is undoubtedly a significant one, especially when you’ve got offices using ServiceNow across multiple geographies spread throughout the world. It will help you get personalized ServiceNow consulting and help your IT staff get a better understanding of the ServiceNow solution.
Fidel – The Best Company for ServiceNow Configuration
Fidel is an India-based global ServiceNow service provider. The company provides an accurate piece of consulting on ServiceNow configuration, customization, and other aspects associated with it. It has a team of experienced multilingual ServiceNow consultants, developers, and other professionals to ensure personalized service and appropriate ServiceNow solutions to business from a wide range of industries.
We hope this blog helped you understand the difference between ServiceNow configuration and ServiceNow customization and also helped you make the right choice between both with the help of a ServiceNow service provider. If you are looking forward to outsourcing ServiceNow configuration to India and a detailed consultation on what to choose between ServiceNow configuration and ServiceNow customization, connect with Fidel at +91-20-49007800 or write an email to sales@fidelsoftech.com.
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