A program helps you to logically group related projects or demands under a single entity. The ServiceNow® Program Management application helps you to manage related projects and demands in coordinated way which is not possible when projects and demands are managed independently.

The it_program_manager role is essential to be able to manage programs. The Program Management application provides the following capabilities to the program manager:
  • Create a program by adding related projects and demands.
  • Create tasks specific to the program. These tasks are essential for completion of the program but are outside the scope of projects.
  • Define key milestones, anticipated risks, and issues for the program.
  • Monitor the progress and status and of all the projects and demand that are part of the program. Program manager can track the costs, resources, and schedules.
When you create a program, consider:
  • A program can be part of a portfolio or can be a generic standalone program that is not part of any portfolio.
  • A program cannot be part of multiple portfolios.
  • A project or demand cannot be part of multiple programs.
  • You can have projects and demands that can directly be part of a portfolio and not part of a program.
The following diagram illustrates how you can implement programs.
Figure 1. Program implementation
Program implementation

Basics of Program Management

When you create a program, you can add multiple projects or demands to it. If you have created cost plans for the projects and demands, certain values are rolled up from the cost breakdown of program. At the same time, the risk and issues of the projects and demands are also included with the program. The following diagram illustrates how information in the program is related to the projects and demands that are part of the program.
Figure 2. Information population in program
Information population in program
Project workbench provides graphical charts to view and monitor the progress of the program and the projects and demands that are part of it. You can also view the progress of a program, projects, and demands against a timeline with the details of milestones and key milestones.

The project manager dashboard provides a central location to a program manager to generate different graphical reports of programs and the program financials.