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Documentation Index

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ServiceNow Logo

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ServiceNow

Knowledge Base and service management platform

✅ Ready📖 Documentation Available

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Overview

The ServiceNow connector syncs Knowledge Base content from your instance into PipesHub using OAuth 2.0. It can index articles, categories, knowledge bases, and related metadata so your team can search across ServiceNow documentation alongside other connectors.

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What gets synced

EntityDescription
UsersProfiles and context used for permissions and visibility
GroupsGroup memberships relevant to KB access
Knowledge basesKB definitions and configuration
CategoriesArticle categories and hierarchy
ArticlesKnowledge articles and body content
AttachmentsFiles attached to knowledge articles

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Authentication

The connector uses OAuth 2.0 with a three-step flow in PipesHub: Authenticate Instance (credentials + redirect URL), Authorize (browser sign-in to ServiceNow), then Configure Records (sync strategy and related options). The admin who completes Authorize should use the same email as their PipesHub account so permissions line up.
Creating the OAuth application in ServiceNow and registering the redirect URL requires ServiceNow admin access. If you change Client ID, Client Secret, or Redirect URL in ServiceNow, update the connector in PipesHub and complete Authorize again.

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Configuration Guide

Register an OAuth API endpoint in ServiceNow, then add the connector under Workspace Settings in PipesHub. Copy the Redirect URL from PipesHub into ServiceNow before submitting the OAuth app—the values must match exactly (including scheme, host, path, and trailing slashes).

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How to configure and enable the ServiceNow connector

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Step 1: Open Connectors and start setup

  1. In the main app, open your user profile menu at the bottom of the left sidebar, then choose Workspace Settings.
User profile menu with Workspace Settings
  1. In the workspace sidebar, under Workspace, select Connectors.
Workspace settings sidebar with Connectors selected
  1. On the Connectors page, find ServiceNow and click + Setup (or open an existing instance to edit).
Connectors grid — ServiceNow card with + Setup

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Step 2: Authenticate Instance — instance name and Redirect URL

  1. In ServiceNow Configuration, stay on Authenticate Instance.
  2. Set Instance name (for example ServiceNow knowledge).
  3. Copy the Redirect URL from the read-only field. In System OAuth → Application Registry in ServiceNow, paste this URL into your OAuth application’s allowed redirect list exactly as shown (use the copy control in PipesHub if one is available).
ServiceNow Configuration — Redirect URL to register in ServiceNow
Use the in-panel ServiceNow OAuth Setup and Pipeshub Documentation links if you need vendor-specific detail while configuring.

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Step 3: Create the OAuth application in ServiceNow

  1. Sign in to your ServiceNow instance (for example https://dev12345.service-now.com) as an administrator.
  2. Open Application Registry: filter navigator Application Registry, or System OAuth → Application Registry.
  3. Click New → Create an OAuth API endpoint for external clients.
ServiceNow Application Registry
ServiceNow — create new OAuth application
ServiceNow — OAuth API endpoint for external clients
  1. Configure the application, including:
    • Name — e.g. PipesHub KB Connector
    • Redirect URL — the exact URL you copied from PipesHub in Step 2 (must match character-for-character)
    • Client ID / Client Secret — generated by ServiceNow; copy both for Step 5
    • Accessible from — typically All application scopes
    • Refresh token lifespan — e.g. 8640000 seconds (~100 days) if your policy allows
ServiceNow OAuth application — redirect URL field
ServiceNow OAuth application configuration
  1. Submit the record. Copy Client ID and Client Secret again from the form if needed.
ServiceNow OAuth Client ID and Secret
Treat the Client Secret like a password. Anyone with it can call your OAuth endpoint until you rotate it in ServiceNow and update PipesHub.

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Step 4: Verify admin roles (ServiceNow)

The user who completes Authorize in PipesHub should have permission to access the knowledge data you intend to sync (often admin or impersonator / impersonate depending on your instance and security model).
  1. Open System Security → Users and select that user.
  2. Confirm roles such as admin or impersonation-related roles per your organization’s standards.
ServiceNow user roles for connector administrator

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Step 5: Complete Authenticate Instance in PipesHub

From your instance hostname, derive:
  • ServiceNow Instance URL — https://your-instance.service-now.com (no trailing slash)
  • ServiceNow Authorize URL — https://your-instance.service-now.com/oauth_auth.do
  • ServiceNow Token URL — https://your-instance.service-now.com/oauth_token.do
On Authenticate Instance, pick a saved OAuth app if your workspace lists one, or enter a new Client ID and Client Secret from Step 3 together with the three URLs above. Confirm the Redirect URL still matches ServiceNow.
ServiceNow Configuration — Authenticate Instance, instance name and documentation
ServiceNow Configuration — OAuth 2.0 credential fields
Click Next → to open the Authorize tab.

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Step 6: Authorize tab

  1. Click Authenticate ServiceNow to Proceed (or the equivalent primary button). Complete sign-in and consent in the provider window.
  2. Continue to configuration → stays disabled until authentication succeeds. When you see a success state (for example Connected – you can continue to Configure records), click Continue to configuration →.
ServiceNow Configuration — Authorize tab before authentication
ServiceNow Configuration — Authorize tab after successful connection
Authorize using the same email as your PipesHub account. A different identity often causes permission or visibility issues in PipesHub.

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Step 7: Configure Records

On Configure Records, set Sync strategy (for example Scheduled or Manual) and Sync interval when scheduled (for example 1 Hour). Then click Save Configuration.
ServiceNow Configuration — Configure Records, sync settings

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Step 8: Start syncing and monitor

After save, you may see Instance is configured and ready to sync — choose Start Syncing Now or I’ll do it later. On the ServiceNow connector page, use Sync Enabled and the sync actions on the instance card as needed.
ServiceNow instance ready — Start Syncing Now or I'll do it later
Initial sync duration depends on how many knowledge articles, categories, and users are in scope. Incremental sync typically relies on change fields such as sys_updated_on on synced tables.

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Supported Features

The ServiceNow connector syncs the following data:
  • Users — User profiles and permissions context
  • Groups — Group memberships used for access
  • Knowledge bases — KB structures and settings
  • Categories — Article categories and hierarchy
  • Articles — Knowledge article content
  • Attachments — Files attached to articles

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Troubleshooting

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Common issues

Invalid client credentials
  • Re-check Client ID and Client Secret from ServiceNow with no extra spaces.
  • Confirm the OAuth application is active and not expired or rotated without updating PipesHub.
Redirect / callback mismatch
  • The Redirect URL in PipesHub must exactly match the value saved on the ServiceNow OAuth application (scheme, host, path, trailing slash).
  • After any change, save in both places and run Authorize again.
Authorization failed
  • Confirm the authorizing user has the roles your organization requires for KB access.
  • Ensure the account is not locked and can open the same instance URL you configured.
Incorrect instance or OAuth URLs
  • Instance URL pattern: https://instance-name.service-now.com (no trailing slash).
  • Authorize URL ends with /oauth_auth.do; token URL ends with /oauth_token.do.
Token expired or sync stopped
  • Refresh token lifetime is controlled in ServiceNow OAuth settings.
  • Use Re-authenticate with provider (or equivalent) in PipesHub when tokens are rotated or revoked.
Permission denied for articles
  • Verify KB and table ACLs for the admin / integration user.
  • Check group membership and knowledge base visibility in ServiceNow.
If you change Client ID, Secret, or Redirect URL in ServiceNow, update Authenticate Instance in PipesHub and complete Authorize again.

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Data sync behavior

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Initial sync

  • Pulls users, groups, knowledge bases, categories, and articles in configured scope
  • Respects ServiceNow permissions when indexing for search
  • Duration scales with catalog size

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Incremental sync

  • Typically driven by timestamps such as sys_updated_on
  • Fetches new or changed records since the last successful run

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User context and impersonation

  • The connector authenticates with OAuth using the administrator (or integration user) you authorize in Authorize.
  • Depending on your ServiceNow configuration and roles (for example admin or impersonate), the platform may access knowledge data on behalf of other users while still enforcing ACLs and knowledge visibility.
  • Align this behavior with your security team’s standards for production.

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ServiceNow version compatibility

This connector is validated on recent ServiceNow releases (for example Zurich onward). OAuth 2.0 and Table APIs are generally stable across versions, but always test in a subproduction instance before production rollout.
If your instance uses stricter OAuth or SSO policies, involve your ServiceNow platform team when registering the redirect URL and token lifetimes.

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FAQ

There are three common causes:
  1. Email mismatch — The email used during Authorize does not match your PipesHub account email.
    • Fix: Re-run Authorize with the same email as your PipesHub account (see Step 6).
  2. Records in All Records but not in search — Indexing or filters may exclude content.
    • Fix: Review Configure Records and connector filters; wait for indexing to finish.
  3. Data not yet indexed — Initial or incremental sync still running.
    • Fix: Open Workspace Settings → Connectors → ServiceNow, inspect the instance status and sync actions, and wait for completion.

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Ready to get started?

Connect your ServiceNow Knowledge Base to PipesHub for unified search. Follow the configuration guide above, or contact support if you need help.