The ServiceNow® Process Automation Designer application enables process owners to create multiple-flow processes from a task board or diagram interface. Process Automation Designer was improved and updated in the Vancouver release.

Process Automation Designer highlights for the Vancouver release

  • Receive more updates to Process Automation Designer, now that it's a ServiceNow Store application.
  • Build processes in a visually intuitive diagram.
  • Control whether an activity just starts with its stage, or only after specific activities within the stage are complete.

See Exploring Process Automation DesignerPlaybooks for more information.

Important: Process Automation Designer is available in the ServiceNow Store. For details, see the "Activation information" section of these release notes.

Important information for upgrading Process Automation Designer to Vancouver

After you upgrade to Vancouver, update the Process Automation Designer application in the ServiceNow Store.

New in the Vancouver release

Diagram view
Build your processes in a diagram view with all the same configuration options as in the board view, except for optional activities. Toggle between views as needed.
Decision branches
Use decision branches if you want a process to follow different paths for certain conditions.
Start Rule
Define whether an activity executes when its stage starts, or if it should run after other activities in the stage.
Note: All your old processes in Utah and earlier will remain the same. If you need to edit the old processes, we will handle the editing for you. If you upgrade from Utah or older releases to Vancouver and newer, your processes will be upgraded.
Undo and Redo
Undo or redo recent changes during design.
Error Tray
Receive notifications in a validation tray when a process is missing connectors or has redundancies.
Archive button
To better control storage consumption, admins can archive process execution records with the archive button on the process execution list.
This Activity
Select the This Activity option for input and experience properties.

UI changes

Stages
A Lane is now referred to as a Stage.
Field Picker
All input or experience fields now use a field picker.

Removed in this release

  • Side panel modals have been removed. Instead, use the Show additional options button to see all additional properties of an activity or stage.

Activation information

Install Process Automation Designer by requesting it from the ServiceNow Store. Visit the ServiceNow Store website to view all the available apps and for information about submitting requests to the store. For cumulative release notes information for all released apps, see the ServiceNow Store version history release notes.

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