What is Change Request in ServiceNow?
A change request is a formal record for adding, modifying or removing anything that could affect IT services. Change management makes sure changes are assessed, approved and scheduled so they don’t cause outages.
Types of change
Standard changes are low-risk, repeatable changes that are pre-approved and follow a template, like adding storage to a server. Normal changes need assessment and approval before they happen. Emergency changes fix urgent issues, often a major incident, and follow a faster approval path.
The change lifecycle
Changes are stored in the change_request table. A normal change typically moves through New, Assess, Authorize, Scheduled, Implement, Review and Closed. Change tasks break the work into steps for different teams, such as backup, deployment and testing.
Risk, conflicts and approvals
ServiceNow can calculate risk from a risk assessment questionnaire or from rules based on the affected CI and history. Conflict detection checks the change schedule for blackout windows, maintenance windows and other changes touching the same CI. Approvals can come from technical owners, change managers, and the Change Advisory Board (CAB) for higher-risk changes.
Faster change with automation
Modern change management aims to remove unnecessary approvals. Change approval policies let you automatically approve changes that meet low-risk criteria, and DevOps Change Velocity can create and approve changes straight from deployment pipelines when quality gates pass.
Best practices
Move as many routine changes as possible to standard change templates. Always link the change to affected CIs so impact and conflicts can be calculated. Use the post-implementation review to learn from failed changes, not to assign blame.
Frequently asked questions
What is a CAB?
The Change Advisory Board reviews and advises on higher-risk changes. ServiceNow’s CAB Workbench helps plan agendas and record decisions.
When should I use an emergency change?
Only when waiting for normal approval would cause significant business harm, such as fixing an ongoing outage or a critical security vulnerability.
Can changes be approved automatically?
Yes. Change approval policies and standard change templates allow low-risk changes to proceed without manual approval.
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ServiceNow is a trademark of ServiceNow, Inc. This glossary is an independent resource by Sequal Consultancy and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ServiceNow, Inc.