Why should I get certified with ServiceNow?
Experts are critical to the successful implementation and maintenance of ServiceNow. The platform has become essential to so many organizations, so the demand for great administrators and implementers is higher than ever before.
According to IDC’s 2021 ServiceNow Professional Impact study, 69% of respondents say that ServiceNow certification has made a positive difference in their careers. Nearly a third say that certification helped them get a promotion within a year, and 31% say that certification positively impacted their salary.To validate expertise, ServiceNow offers a host of professional certifications. Individually, professionals can increase their value, master new skills and techniques, and create better opportunities.
Because the scope of the Now Platform is exceptionally broad and varied, understanding which ServiceNow courses and exams are required to achieve certification can be a daunting task. This article will provide an overview of the key types of ServiceNow certifications (depending on the type of job being performed) and discuss some complementary industry-leading certifications that will provide a wider breadth of knowledge to those working in and around ServiceNow.
ServiceNow certification puts tools and techniques into our hands to confidently do great work, improves performance, and exposes us to different and new ways of achieving organizational goals.
For those considering training and certification in ServiceNow, there is no time like the present to begin defining that path. ServiceNow certifications fall into three categories: Micro-Certifications, Mainline Certifications, and Expert Programs.
Our team of authorized ServiceNow training providers and certified ServiceNow instructors will focus on the Mainline Certifications, which validate knowledge and skills using, implementing, and maintaining the Now Platform with an emphasis on customer success.
Mainline ServiceNow certification paths
Figure 1: Mainline ServiceNow Certification Paths
Which ServiceNow certifications are essential?
The certifications you pursue depend heavily on the applications you or your organization use and plan to implement. The most common path for certification is IT Service Management (ITSM). However, ServiceNow offers a number of relevant and growing product lines.
For example, your organization may intend to use ServiceNow to support Agile product development and management. In this case, the ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) product would provide extensive support for both application and project portfolio management, helping to scale work and deliver value faster across the enterprise.
Whether you are seeking certification for personal growth and development or looking to build a top-tier team, understanding the suite of ServiceNow products and applications is invaluable. Our article on how ServiceNow certifications can drive the mission of the organization can provide further guidance on deciding which certifications to pursue.
There are three primary areas of focus include:
- Implementer
- ServiceNow Developer
- Application Specialist
The following is a brief overview of each of these areas. With each path, having real-world experience working within the ServiceNow platform makes certification that much more powerful.
Certified System Administrator
The first course every advanced and specialized ServiceNow Mainline Certification requires is ServiceNow Fundamentals. This is the path to becoming a certified system administrator, and the course can be taken as instructor-led or self-paced. The course takes three days to complete. Included in the course is a ServiceNow simulator instance for hands-on learning activities.
This foundational course focuses on understanding the core elements of the Now platform, from initial access and navigation to basic configuration and system management functions. Once the course is completed, you must take and pass the ServiceNow Certified System Administrator (CSA) exam.
The exam is 60 questions, with multiple choice (single answer) and multiple select (select all that apply) type questions. You will have 90 minutes to complete the exam and become a certified ServiceNow system administrator.
ServiceNow Implementer Path
To pursue certifications along this path, you must complete the ServiceNow Platform Implementation (SNPI) course. This course covers the technical aspects of implementation. Additionally, candidates will learn roles and responsibilities for an implementation team.
Like Fundamentals, this course utilizes a ServiceNow simulator instance for hands-on labs. According to ServiceNow, the on-demand course takes an estimated nine (9) hours, while the instructor-led option is three (3) days.
Below is a summary of each certification, required course(s), and a brief overview of exam domains. Some courses can be taken on-demand or instructor-led, while others only offer one of these. Each course summary will include an estimated time to completion for each option.
Certified Implementation Specialist – Customer Service Management (CIS – CSM)
Required Courses
- Customer Service Management (CSM) Fundamentals – On-demand (17 hours, 25 minutes), Instructor-led (3 days)
- Customer Service Management (CSM) Implementation – Instructor-led (2 days)
Exam
60 Questions, 90 minutes
Domains:
- Engagement Methodology and Project Planning (5%)
- Customer Service Management System Setup and Configuration (60%)
- Customer Service Management Integration (10%)
- CSM Portal, Knowledge Management, Service Catalog, Communities and Performance Analytics (25%)
Certified Implementation Specialist – Application Portfolio Management (CIS – APM)
Required Courses
- Application Portfolio Management (APM) Fundamentals – On-Demand (45 minutes)
- Common Service Data Model (CSDM) 3.0 Fundamentals – On-Demand (2 hours, 30 minutes)
- Application Portfolio Management (APM) Implementation – On-Demand (1 hour, 45 minutes)
- Application Portfolio Management (APM) Implementation Simulator – On-Demand (3 hours, 20 minutes)
Exam
30 Questions, 60 minutes
Domains
- Introduction (20%)
- Applications Under Management (13%)
- Basic Rationalization (13%)
- Advanced Rationalization (17%)
- Fundamentals (37%)
Certified Implementation Specialist – Project Portfolio Management (CIS – PPM)
Required Courses
- Project Portfolio Management (PPM) Fundamentals – On-Demand (14 hours, 31 minutes), Instructor-Led (2 days)
- Project Portfolio Management (PPM) Implementation – On-Demand (5 hours, 15 minutes)
- Project Portfolio Management (PPM) Implementation Simulator – On-Demand (1 hour, 35 minutes)
- Performance Analytics (PA) Essentials – On-Demand (3 hours)
Exam
60 Questions, 130 Minutes
Domains
- PPM Implementation Overview (2%)
- PPM Application Overview (22%)
- Idea & Demand Configuration (21%)
- Project Configuration (21%)
- PPM Teamspace Configuration (2%)
- Resource Management Configuration (17%)
- PPM Financials (8%)
- Time Tracking Configuration (5%)
- PPM Performance Analytics, Reporting & Dashboards (2%)
Certified Implementation Specialist – Cloud Provisioning and Governance (CIS – CPG)
Required Courses
- Cloud Provisioning and Governance (CPG) Fundamentals – Instructor-Led (3 days)
- Cloud Provisioning and Governance (CPG) Advanced – Instructor-Led (3 days)
Exam
45 Questions, 90 Minutes
Domains
- Administration and Setup (42%)
- Templates (13%)
- Resource Blocks and CAPI (29%)
- Cloud Providers (16%)
Certified Implementation Specialist – Risk and Compliance (CIS – RC)
Required Courses
- GRC: Integrated Risk Management (IRM) Fundamentals – On-Demand (7 hours)
- GRC: Integrated Risk Management (IRM) Implementation – Instructor-Led (2 days)
- GRC: Classic Risk Assessment Fundamentals – On-Demand (48 minutes)
- GRC: Audit Management Implementation – On-Demand (1 hours, 10 minutes)
- GRC: Advanced Risk Assessment for Implementers – On-Demand (2 hours)
Exam
45 Questions, 130 Minutes
Domains
- GRC Overview (10%)
- Implementation Planning (5%)
- Entity Scoping (25%)
- Policy and Compliance Implementation Approach (25%)
- Risk Implementation Approach (25%)
- Extended Capabilities (5%)
- Audit Management Implementation (5%)
Certified Implementation Specialist – Service Mapping (CIS – SM)
Required Courses
- Service Mapping (SM) Fundamentals – On-Demand (9 hours, 15 minutes), Instructor-Led (3 days)
- Service Mapping (SM) Implementation – Instructor-Led (3 days)
Exam
60 Questions, 130 Minutes
Domains
- Service Mapping Pattern Design (30%)
- Service Mapping Configuration (20%)
- Discovery Configuration (15%)
- Event Management (10%)
- Configuration Management Database (15%)
- Service Mapping Engagement Readiness (10%)
Certified Implementation Specialist – Discovery (CIS – Disco)
Required Course
- Discovery Fundamentals – On-Demand (10 hours, 2. minutes), Instructor-Led (3 days)
Exam
45 Questions, 90 Minutes
Domains
- Discovery Pattern Design (35%)
- Discovery Configuration (35%)
- Configuration Management Database (15%)
- Discovery Engagement Readiness (15%)
Certified Implementation Specialist – Service Provider (CIS – SP)
Required Courses
- Data Separation Basics – On-Demand (30 minutes)
- Service Provider Architecture – On-Demand (1 hour)
- Domain Separation Implementation – On-Demand (3 hours, 35 minutes)
- Domain Separation Implementation Simulator – On-Demand (2 hours)
Exam
45 Questions, 60 Minutes
Domains
- Initial Domain Setup and Service Provider Architecture (11%)
- Data Separation/Visibility (20%)
- Process Separation (36%)
- Foundational Data Management (11%)
- Domain Support in Applications (16%)
- Platform Governance and Reporting (4%)
Certified Implementation Specialist – Event Management (CIS – EM)
Required Course
- Event Management (EM) Fundamentals – Instructor-Led (2 days)
Exam
30 Questions, 60 Minutes
Domains
- Event Management Overview (13%)
- Architecture and Discovery (13%)
- Event Configuration and Use (27%)
- Alerts and Tasks (30%)
- Event Sources (17%)
Certified Implementation Specialist – Security Incident Response (CSI – SIR)
Required Courses
- Security Operations (SecOps) Fundamentals – Instructor-Led (2 days)
- Security Incident Response (SIR) Implementation – Instructor-Led (2 days)
Exam
60 Questions, 130 Minutes
Domains
- Security Incident Response Overview (15%)
- Security Incident Creation and Threat Intelligence (14%)
- Security Incident and Threat Intelligence Integrations (14%)
- Security Incident Response Management (15%)
- Risk Calculations and Post Incident Response (12%)
- Security Incident Automation (30%)
Certified Implementation Specialist – Field Service Management (CIS – FSM)
Required Courses
- Field Service Management (FSM) Fundamentals – On-Demand (7 hours, 19 minutes)
- Field Service Management (FSM) Implementation – Instructor-Led (2 days)
Exam
60 questions, 180 minutes
Domains
- Field Service Management Fundamentals (50%)
- Implementation Planning (5%)
- Implementing Field Services Processes (38%)
- Implementing Related Processes (7%)
Certified Implementation Specialist – Software Asset Management (CIS – SAM)
Required Course
- Software Asset Management (SAM) Fundamentals – On-Demand (13 hours, 23 minutes), Instructor-Led (3 days)
Exam
60 Questions, 130 Minutes
Domains
- Software Asset Core Overview & Fundamentals (14%)
- Data Integrity – Attributes and Sources for the Data (28%)
- Practical Management of Software Compliance (30%)
- Operational Integration of Software Processes (13%)
- Extending SAM (15%)
Certified Implementation Specialist – Hardware Asset Management (CIS – HAM)
Required Course
- Hardware Asset Management (HAM) Fundamentals – On-Demand (13 hours, 26 minutes), Instructor-Led (3 days)
Exam
60 Questions, 60 Minutes
Domains
- IT Asset Management Overview & Fundamentals (20%)
- Data Integrity – Attributes and Data Sources (27%)
- Practical Management of IT Assets (30%)
- Operational Integration of IT Asset Management Processes (18%)
- Financial Management of IT Assets (5%)
Certified Implementation Specialist – Vulnerability Response (CIS – VR)
Required Courses
- Security Operations (SecOps) Fundamentals – Instructor-Led (2 days)
- Vulnerability Response (VR) Implementation – Instructor-Led (2 days)
Exam
45 Questions, 90 Minutes
Domains
- Vulnerability Response Applications and Modules (20%)
- Getting Data Into Vulnerability Response (25%)
- Tools to Manage Vulnerability Response (20%)
- Automating Vulnerability Response (20%)
- Application Vulnerability Response (8%)
- Vulnerability Response Data Visualization (7%)
Certified Implementation Specialist – Human Resources (CIS – HR)
Required Courses
- Human Resources (HR) Fundamentals – Instructor-Led (2 days)
- Human Resources (HR) Implementation – Instructor-Led (2 days)
Exam
45 questions, 90 minutes
Domains
- Describe and use the ServiceNow HR System Architecture (30%)
- Configure and Implement ServiceNow Core HR Applications and Employee Center (30%)
- Configure and Implement HR Lifecycle Events (15%)
- Describe and Use Platform, Role, and Contextual Security (20%)
- Explain how to configure HR Integrations (5%)
Certified Implementation Specialist – Vendor Risk Management (CIS – VRM)
Required Courses
- Vendor Risk Management (VRM) Fundamentals – On-Demand (1 hour, 45 minutes)
- Vendor Risk Management (CSM) Implementation – Instructor-Led (2 days)
- Vendor Risk Management (VRM) Simulator – On-Demand (2 hours, 50 minutes)
Exam
60 Questions, 130 Minutes
Domains
- Vendor Risk Management Fundamentals and Vendor Risk Management Review (23.3%)
- Core Configuration (13.3%)
- Assessment Configuration (25%)
- Risk Issues and Processes (13.3%)
- Vendor Portal Configuration (15%)
- Other Application Relationships (5%)
- Dashboards and Reports (5%)
Certified Implementation Specialist – IT Service Management (CIS – ITSM)
Required Courses
- ITSM Fundamentals – On-Demand (11 hours, 23 minutes), Instructor-Led (2 days)
- ITSM Implementation – Instructor-Led (3 days)
- ITSM Implementation Simulator – On-Demand (4 hours, 35 minutes)
Exam
60 Questions, 130 Minutes
Domains
- Incident Management (25%)
- Problem Management (15%)
- Change and Release Management (25%)
- Knowledge Management (5%)
- Request Management (25%)
- Configuration Management Database (5%)
ServiceNow Developer Path
The Developer path provides evidence that a candidate has the skills and knowledge to develop ServiceNow applications. As with other Implementer certifications, ServiceNow Fundamentals and the CSA credential are required to pursue this path.
Certified Application Developer
Required Courses
- Scripting in ServiceNow Fundamentals – Instructor-Led (3 days)
- Application Development Fundamentals – Instructor-Led (3 days)
Exam
60 Questions, 130 Minutes
Domains
- Designing and Creating an Application (20%)
- Application User Interface (20%)
- Security and Restricting Access (20%)
- Application Automation (20%)
- Working with External Data (10%)
- Managing Applications (10%)
ServiceNow Application Specialist Path
This designation is a specialized certification that validates a candidate’s skills and knowledge to configure, implement, and maintain ServiceNow Performance Analytics.
This ServiceNow application is a powerful tool to enable the business to set, analyze, and track progress against goals. By leveraging well-defined metrics and organizational targets, Performance Analytics can enable more meaningful continual improvement through a cohesive, unified set of data measurements that can be accessed in real-time.
Certified Application Specialist – Performance Analytics (CAS – PA)
Required Courses
- Performance Analytics (PA) Essentials – On-Demand (3 hours)
- Performance Analytics (PA) Simulator – On-Demand (2 hours, 10 minutes)
- Performance Analytics (PA) Fundamentals On-Demand (17 hours, 24 minutes), Instructor-Led (2 days)
- Responsive Dashboards Overview – On-Demand (1 hour, 30 minutes)
- Performance Analytics (PA) Widgets – On-Demand (3 hours)
- Performance Analytics (PA) Advanced – On-Demand (3 hours), Instructor-Led (2 days)
- Formula Indicators Overview – On-Demand (3 hours)
- Performance Analytics Implementation Simulator – On-Demand (5 hours, 40 minutes)
Exam
60 Questions, 130 Minutes
Domains
- Architecture and Deployment (10%)
- Configure Breakdowns and Breakdown Sources (22%)
- Data Collection (12%)
- Data Visualization (23%)
- Administration and Solutions (7%)
- Configure Indicators and Indicator Sources (26%)
What are the ServiceNow Certification Exams Like?
ServiceNow exams are proctored and they can be taken online or onsite. Regardless of the format, your results will be tabulated immediately and communicated directly upon completion of the exam. This result will be pass/fail only—the actual score is not shared publicly. If, for any reason, you fail to meet the minimum passing score for the exam, you will be provided with section percentages to identify areas for additional study.
Exam Retakes
If you need to retake a certification exam, you may do so based on several criteria:
- Retakes cannot be scheduled unless you fail an exam
- The second attempt may be scheduled 3 days after the first failed attempt
- The third and fourth attempts require a 14-day waiting period after the previous failed attempt
- After the fourth attempt, the candidate must take additional training to retake the exam
How Do I Maintain a ServiceNow Certification?
Delta Exams
All ServiceNow Mainline Certifications are based on the current version of the Now Platform. This means that to maintain your certification, you will need to take Delta Exam(s) when new releases are made public.
There is a window of opportunity after a new release of 90 days, during which you must complete any Delta Exam(s) to retain a current certification. This window begins 15 days after the general availability date of each ServiceNow product release.
For additional convenience, ServiceNow provides automated notifications when Delta Exams are available. These exams are non-proctored, and each contains no more than 10 questions. If you fail a Delta Exam for any reason, you will need to wait 24 hours to retake the exam.
Maintenance Fees
In addition to Delta Exam(s), you will need to pay a maintenance fee for your ServiceNow certifications. This annual fee is USD $200 per individual and covers all Mainline Certifications you hold.
What are some Complementary ServiceNow Certifications Worth Considering?
ITIL 4 and IT Service Management
The Now Platform was built on the principles and guidance of the ITIL framework. However, there is a lack of basic knowledge of the framework in many organizations.
The reality is that when an organization does not have a common understanding and language for ServiceNow system administration, it fails to build strong processes. This ultimately leads to poor tool design and implementation, and with that comes frustrated users who will blame the technology for their struggles.
ServiceNow products and applications align closely with concepts and best practices contained within the ITIL publications. To better understand the implementation and maintenance of ServiceNow products, you should consider taking the ITIL 4 Foundation training course.
Scrum Alliance and Certified ScrumMaster
The Scrum methodology is one of the most widely accepted agile development methods in the industry. In fact, the NowCreate method uses a lot of Agile/Scrum concepts, and having a deep understanding of these concepts allows teams to get customer feedback faster, learn and adapt, and ultimately, receive high-quality ServiceNow functionality quickly into the hands of those that need it.
For those seeking to become a ServiceNow Certified Application Developer or Certified Implementation Specialist, it is highly beneficial to gain the Certified ScrumMaster designation.
CompTIA Security+
Globally recognized as the leader in vendor-agnostic training and certification, CompTIA developed the Security+ certification to provide practitioners with a solid foundation of knowledge to pursue opportunities in the cyber security field.
If your organization uses—or plans to implement—the Security Operations module in ServiceNow, this certification can greatly enhance your overall understanding of incident response, vulnerability research, and threat hunting.
PMI Project Management Professional
Considered the gold standard for project management, the Project Management Professional (PMP) credential validates broad and deep knowledge of project management, lending an essential foundation for controlling the scope, staying within budget, and effectively managing the schedule in implementing and managing the ServiceNow IT Business Management (ITBM) product line.
There are many certification paths in the ServiceNow community. Choosing the best path for you requires a little legwork and some self-reflection.
The best first step is to obtain your CSA. This credential opens the door to every other Mainline Certification offered by ServiceNow. You can and should also consider complementary industry-recognized certifications as these can further clarify processes and provide methodologies and guidelines to maximize your results.
If you have questions, reach out and our team of ServiceNow certified professionals can help respond to specific situations or guide you on the certification path that’s right for you.