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Integration Overview & IntegrationHub

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In this lesson, you will learn:

  • What an integration is
  • Inbound vs outbound integrations
  • What IntegrationHub and spokes do

1 Systems talking to systems

SNWR uses many tools: a chat app, an HR system, a monitoring tool. When monitoring spots a down server, it should create an incident automatically. When a P1 is opened, the team should get a chat message. That’s what integrations do. 🔌

Key term: Integration

A connection that lets ServiceNow and another system share data or trigger actions, without people copying things by hand.

Inbound and outbound integrations around the SNWR instance. Inbound, other systems call ServiceNow: a monitoring tool creates incidents through the REST API, and the HR system sends new hires through an import. Outbound, ServiceNow calls other systems: a flow uses a chat spoke to post P1 alerts to a team channel, and a REST message sends approved purchases to the finance system. A MID Server connects to systems inside the company network.
Figure 1. Inbound: others call ServiceNow. Outbound: ServiceNow calls others.

2 Inbound vs outbound

Inbound Outbound
Who starts it The other system calls ServiceNow ServiceNow calls the other system
Common tools REST API (Table API, Scripted REST), SOAP, email, import sets IntegrationHub spokes, REST messages, SOAP messages
Example Monitoring creates an incident Post a P1 alert to a chat channel

3 IntegrationHub and spokes

Key term: IntegrationHub

Adds ready-made integration actions to Flow Designer (Workflow Studio). Actions are grouped into spokes, one per system, like a chat spoke or a cloud-storage spoke.

  • You drag a spoke action into a flow, like Post Message, and fill in the data pills.
  • Logins are stored safely in connection and credential aliases, not inside the flow.
  • For a system without a spoke, use the REST step to call any web API.

📝 Note: Some spokes are free. Others need an IntegrationHub subscription, which is usually counted by the number of transactions (calls).

⚠️ Heads up: Integration accounts need only the roles they use. Never give an integration user the admin role “to make it work”.

⭐ Remember: Inbound = others call ServiceNow (APIs). Outbound = ServiceNow calls others (spokes, REST messages).

4 Let’s try it: find the spokes

  1. Open Workflow Studio (Flow Designer). Create a test flow and add an Action.
  2. Look through the list of spokes. Which systems can your PDI connect to?
  3. Go to Connections & Credentials > Connection & Credential Aliases. What aliases exist?

5 Quick recap

  • Integrations connect ServiceNow with other systems
  • Inbound: others call ServiceNow. Outbound: ServiceNow calls others
  • IntegrationHub adds spoke actions to flows
  • Store logins in connection and credential aliases
  • Give integration users only the roles they need

6 Check yourself

Think of your answer first. Then tap to check.

1 A monitoring tool creates incidents in ServiceNow. Inbound or outbound? Show answer

Inbound.

2 What is a spoke? Show answer

A set of IntegrationHub actions for one system, used in flows.

3 Where should an integration’s password be stored? Show answer

In a connection and credential alias, not in the flow or script.

Nice work! You finished this lesson. 🎉

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