Introduction to User Administration & User Management
User Administration in ServiceNow enables you to manage individual access and responsibilities across the platform. In this topic, we will focus on the importance for administrators to understand how users are created, what the servicenow user preferences are, and also get the current logged in user servicenow platform.
Introduction to User Administration
User Administration covers everything required to manage user access to the system and what they can do. It includes creating accounts to assigning roles and organising users into groups. who use the system. ServiceNow user administration includes creating user accounts, assigning the right roles to users, putting them in groups, and making sure they can only access what they are supposed to
These are managed mainly through the following tables:
| Table Type | Uses | Example |
|---|---|---|
| sys_user (Users) | This table stores all users in ServiceNow. | John, Mary, Admin. |
| sys_user_group (Groups) | This table stores user groups and teams. | Service Desk, HR, Managers. |
| sys_user_role (Roles) | This table stores roles that grant permissions. | ITIL, admin, catalog_admin. |
| sys_user_has_role |
This table stores which user has which role.
Includes both:
|
John → ITIL role. |
| sys_group_has_role/td> | This table stores which group has which role. Every user in that group automatically gets the role. | Service Desk group → ITIL role |
Note: Roles that are assigned through a group are inherited roles. If the user is removed from the group, they also lose the role they were assigned to.
How to create Users in ServiceNow?
ServiceNow user creation means creating records for new people in the system so they can log in and use the platform. These users are assigned to groups with specific roles
The steps involved in user creation are:
1. Go to Users in User Administration.
2. Click New
3. Fill in user details (Name, User ID, Email)
Note: User ID is the unique ID/ employee formal login name. (eg: Jsmith, John.smith)
4. Assign Roles from Edit → add needed roles.
5. Add to Groups (optional)
6. Click Submit.
Important: After you submit, ensure that either you create a temporary password for the user or enable the password reset email options. This helps user activate their account and can change the password later.
ServiceNow User Preferences
Each ServiceNow user can access preferred formats and change settings tailored to their needs. The ServiceNow User Preferences allow each user to customize the interface settings, including:
- Language
- Time zone
- Date format
- Number of rows in a list
- Theme or color scheme
These preferences are specific to each user, making it easier for different users to see the system differently based on their needs. These preferences are stored in the sys_user_preference table. Admins can also view or reset a specific user’s preferences from the backend if needed.
How to Access User Preferences?
If, as a user, you want to modify your ServiceNow interface, follow the steps below:
- Click your profile avatar in the top-right corner.
- Select Preferences.
- Change the settings as desired.
- Click Save to apply changes.
As an ServiceNow Admin, you can also access the user preferences of other users either by impersonating them or by navigating to sys_user_preference directly.
Current Logged in Users
It is important for ServiceNow Admins to keep track of currently logged in users in the system. This helps identify active sessions, monitor activities, or troubleshoot. The details that can be accessed are:
- User name
- Login time
- Session ID
- IP address (sometimes)
How to Check Current Logged-in Users?
If you want to get current logged in user ServiceNow list, the steps are:
- Type “Sessions” in the search bar.
- Go to System Logs → Sessions or System Security → Active Sessions.
Important: In newer ServiceNow versions, access via System Security → Active Sessions.
- You’ll see all active users and their session details.
Note: Access to Sessions and Active Sessions is restricted to users with the admin or security_admin role. Regular users will not see this module.
What’s Next?
In the next topic, we will be analyzing the ways to work with roles and groups, along with the ways to assign roles to users and groups.
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