ServiceNow PDI Setup

This repository contains a Batch Update Set containing some settings and additional tools that assist in quickly preparing a freshly deployed ServiceNow Personal Developer Instance (PDI).

Installation

Quick Overview

1. Import, preview and commit the "Base PDI Setup" Update Set
2. Install plugins with the "Install Base PDI Plugins" Fix Script

Details

Import, preview and commit Batch Update Set

1. Go to: System Update Sets -> Retrieved Update Sets
2. Click the "Import Update Set from XML" Related Link
3. Choose the "Base PDI Setup.xml" file
4. Click "Upload"
5. Find and open the "Base PDI Setup" Update Set
6. Preview Update Set Batch
7. Commit Update Set Batch
8. Log out and back in to activate the new admin user preferences (assuming the above was executed as the "admin" user)

Install desired plugins:

1. Go to: System Definition -> Fix Scripts
2. Find and open Fix Script "Install Base PDI Plugins"
3. Optionally add or remove any plugins to be installed by adding or removing "plugins.push(..)" lines
4. Optionally modify the "var include_demo_data .." line to "true" if plugin demo data should be installed with plugins
5. Save the Fix Script if you made any changes in the previous step
6. Run the fix Script in foreground. It does not need to be run in background since it finishes instantly.
7. If you want to follow the installation progress, copy and open the two URLs displayed in the message popup (or progress worker output if the script was run in background)
8. Plugin activation is finished when all plugins have reached Status=Active
9. Progress can also be monitored by refreshing the System Diagnostics -> Upgrade History list (Total installation time has been observed to be somewhere between 30-40 minutes on a fresh PDI)

Example Fix Script output:

*** Script: Plugin installation has been initiated, please note that installation runs in the background and can take some time.
*** Script: Please visit the following URLs to monitor the state of the installed plugins.
*** Script: The installation has finished when all the following plugins have reached State=Active.  
*** Script: https://devXXXXXX.service-now.com/nav_to.do?uri=%2Fv_plugin_list.do%3Fsysparm_query%3DidINcom.snc.service_portfolio.sla_commitment,com.snc.sc_catalog_manager,com.snc.financial_planning_pmo,com.snc.sdlc.agile.2.0,com.snc.sdlc.agile.multi_task,com.glide.i18n,com.snc.test_management.2.0,com.snc.incident.mim,com.snc.change_management.risk_assessment  
*** Script: A more detailed installation progress can also be seen in the Upgrade History log:  
*** Script: https://devXXXXXX.service-now.com/nav_to.do?uri=sys_upgrade_history_list.do

What's included in the package?

The Batch Update Set provides the following settings and features:

• A custom Favicon with "PDI" text over the ServiceNow logo
• Default timezone: GMT
• Browser tab title: "MY PDI"
• Fix script that can be used to install some additional plugins
• The following user preferences for the "admin" user:
  • Show update set picker in header
  • Show 100 rows per page
  • Show domain picker in header
  • Show application picker in header
• Code Search Tables added according to SN Utils Codesearch recommendations (child update set)
• UI Action: "Find Record References" from SN Guru / servicenowguru.com (child update set)
• Update set from Share: Add to Update Set Utility v7.6 (child update set)
• Update set from Share: Xplore: Developer Toolkit 4.13 (child update set)

How do I customize this for my needs?

Easy way to customize and save the changes in a new Update Set:

1. Install the "Base PDI Setup" Update Set on a fresh PDI
2. Go to: System Update Sets -> Local Update Set
3. Find and open "Base PDI Setup" Update Set
4. Change State to "In Progress" and Save
5. Select the Update Set via the Update Set picker or "Make This My Current Set" Related Link
6. Make any neccessary changes just like with any other Update Set
7. When all work is complete change the Update Set State to "Complete" and export it to XML

Child Update Sets can also be added, updated, replaced or removed as desired or new child Update Sets added as needed before completing the "Base PDI Setup" Update set.

Links and related information

Some interesting stuff in the following Community post series:

• Provision your PDI or company/customer instances quicker, smarter (01): Setting-up your personal user account