Improve Integration Data Quality
in ServiceNow
ServiceNow is usually a highly integrated platform. Data comes in from external vendors, internal systems, and teams. Data is often produced by one party and then enriched by another. This is fertile ground for inefficiencies and unclear responsiblities.
Integration Data Quality
Problems
ServiceNow is usually highly integrated platform and a lot of resources are spent making sure the integrations work. However, often they do work technically, but the data quality might still be poor, causing all sorts of problems.
For example, when somebody leaves, the user is probably deactivated in ServiceNow via an integration. But in the CMDB, they might still be responsible for a Business Application because that information does not get updated automatically.
Server information might come from an external vendor through an integration, but an internal team is expected to enrich that data. How can you make sure both the vendor and internal team did their jobs and the Servers don't become orphans in the CMDB?
If these omissions aren't or can't be tracked easily, you may not even know your data is bad. When something happens as a result, you're likely to have difficult discussions about who was responsible.
Data Quality Problems
After the Integration
It is not enough that integrations work technically. Even if data comes through, it does not mean it is correct.
What happens to the data after the integration? Does it require manual enrichment, and if so, how do you make sure the people responsible for that part did their jobs?
Accountability
Setting and measuring KPIs for individual data providers is nearly impossible. SLAs get tracked with error-prone Excel sheets.
Money Left on the Table
Especially with Managed Service Providers, money can be left on the table if data related to cost allocation are missing.
Reporting Problems
Reporting may need to be manually tweaked to account for inaccurate data coming in through integrations.
Repetitive Fixes
People need to fix the same data over and over again because the source systems continue to feed bad data.
Watermelon SLAs
SLAs might look great but people's experience may be poor if integrated tickets are missing crucial info and only resolved ones get counted.
Disconnected Data
Integrated data is not connected to the rest of the platform if vital information is missing and nobody notices.
Data Content Manager
for Integration Data Quality
Data Content Manager can be used to define specific data requirements for each integration separately. It can then Audit your data against your requirements post-integration so that you can track your integration data quality and make sure that all parties did their part, also afterward.
Data Content Manager helps ensure that integrations work technically and that necessary connections to the rest of the platform are ensured. You can:
- Specify data quality requirements quickly and visually for different integrations and use cases.
- Define expectations for each data provider - external or internal - to clarify responsibilities.
- Enforce the above: that the integration worked as intended and that possible manual enrichment was done.
- Identify deviations as they occur, before they cause potentially expensive problems.
- Connect integrated data to the rest of the platform.
- Assign remediation tasks to correct teams automatically.
DCM can be used to ensure that integrated data is appropriately received and related to other data, such as responsible persons, relationships to Services, Business Applications, and other records within the platform.
Data Content Manager helps ensure that integrations work technically and that necessary connections to the rest of the platform are ensured. You can:
- Specify data quality requirements quickly and visually for different integrations and use cases.
- Define expectations for each data provider - external or internal - to clarify responsibilities.
- Enforce the above: that the integration worked as intended and that possible manual enrichment was done.
- Identify deviations as they occur, before they cause potentially expensive problems.
- Connect integrated data to the rest of the platform.
- Assign remediation tasks to correct teams automatically.
DCM can be used to ensure that integrated data is appropriately received and related to other data, such as responsible persons, relationships to Services, Business Applications, and other records within the platform.
The CMDB Data Quality Playbook
A Practical Guide for Improving ServiceNow Data Quality, Governance and AI-Readiness.
- A practical way to establish ownership and roles
- The 5-step model for data quality improvement
- Best practices for engaging data providers
- Five common pitfalls in CMDB data quality and how to avoid
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Related Content
5 Steps to Better Data Quality (Especially in CMDB)
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Data Content Manager & Out-of-the-Box Tools
What’s the difference between Data Content Manager and Out-of-the-Box tools such as CMDB Health or the CSDM Data Foundation Dashboard?
Get Started
Book a Call with us Now.
We know improving data quality is difficult. Let us show you how to boost your efforts easily and get your organization involved. Book a call with us, and we'll give you a full demo of DCM and explain how to get started.
Data Content Manager will make things easier regardless of if you need to accelerate your CSDM journey, improve your CMDB, or improve any other data in your ServiceNow. It does it without scripting, additional reports, or customizations.
