What is Requested Item (RITM) in ServiceNow?
An RITM (Requested Item) is a single item someone ordered from the Service Catalog, such as a laptop or access to an application. It sits between the overall request (REQ) and the catalog tasks (SCTASK) that fulfill it.
REQ, RITM and SCTASK
When someone checks out from the Service Catalog, ServiceNow creates three levels of records. The request (REQ, table sc_request) is like the shopping cart order. Each item in it becomes a requested item (RITM, table sc_req_item). Each RITM then gets one or more catalog tasks (SCTASK, table sc_task), which are the actual units of work assigned to fulfillment teams.
A practical example
A new employee’s manager orders a laptop and a mobile phone in one checkout. That creates one REQ with two RITMs. The laptop RITM creates a task for the hardware team to image the device and another for the logistics team to ship it. The phone RITM gets its own approval from the cost center owner before its task is created.
Where the answers live
The questions on a catalog item are variables, and the answers are stored against the RITM. That is why fulfillers usually look at the RITM to see exactly what was requested, and why scripts and flows refer to current.variables.variable_name on the RITM.
Stages and approvals
Each RITM has its own stage (such as Waiting for approval, Fulfillment, Delivery) and its own approvals, driven by a flow in Flow Designer or a legacy workflow. When all of an RITM’s tasks are closed, it closes; when all RITMs are closed, the REQ closes.
Best practices
Build fulfillment in Flow Designer rather than legacy workflows. Keep variable names consistent across items so reporting and automation are simpler. Show users the RITM stage in the portal so they can track progress without contacting the service desk.
Frequently asked questions
What does RITM stand for?
Requested Item. Its numbers start with RITM, for example RITM0010023.
Is an RITM the same as an incident?
No. An RITM is a request for something new or a standard service. An incident is for something that is broken.
Why does my request have several RITMs?
Each ordered item gets its own RITM, so one checkout with several items creates several RITMs under one REQ.
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