Knowledge Base Improvements

Purpose

We are enabling the ServiceNow Knowledge Management Advanced functionality to help our knowledge authors, owners and managers to better manage their content.

What is included in the Knowledge Management Advanced functionality?

Article Versioning

Articles will now adhere to a more strict workflow that allows managed versions of each article.

How do I use versioning?

When you attempt to update an article after the 6.16.0 release, you will find that all the fields will be read only. You will need to check out the article, apply your edits then publish the article. Publishing will walk the article through the approval process again. This is new with this release. The initial creation process will remain unchanged.

1. You will open the article you want to update
2. Click Checkout
3. Apply your updates
4. Click Publish
5. Wait for approvals by the Knowledge Base owner or a manager
6. The article is now live

Versions increment by

• Last_Version.01 on checkout
• Last_Version.02 on publish request
• Next_Version.00 on approval
• Each save/update does not increment the version

Article Subscriptions and Notifications

• Knowledge users (users with the knowledge role) can receive email notifications when new articles are created in a knowledge base or existing articles are revised.
• Knowledge authors receive email notifications about articles that are checked out or revised by other authors and articles that receive user comments. Knowledge authors are auto-subscribed to their articles.
• Knowledge base owners receive email notifications when new articles are created in the knowledge base. Knowledge base owners are auto-subscribed to their knowledge bases.

FAQ

When I checkout an article, is it still available for customers?

Yes. The article is still available in it’s last whole number version.

If I checkout an article, can anyone else edit it?

Only you and the Knowledge Base owner can edit a checked out article.

If I accidentally check out an article, what do I do?

You will need to either publish the article without change or contact the ServiceNow Platform Support team to delete the checked out version since no one else will be able to update the article.

How are old versions handled?

Old published versions (whole numbers) are available in the normal article list. Minor versions (.01 and .02) are available when you view the latest version of the article as an agent in the fulfillment view.

Who can subscribe to articles?

Only users with the knowledge role can subscribe to an article they are not the author of.