Synchronizing BMC Helix ITSM incidents with ServiceNow incidents via BMC Helix iPaaS, powered by Jitterbit

As an administrator, you can integrate BMC Helix ITSM with ServiceNow to synchronize ServiceNow incidents with BMC Helix ITSM incidents.

BMC Helix Multi-Cloud Broker, along with BMC Helix iPaaS, powered by Jitterbit provides an out-of-the-box integration template to integrate BMC Helix ITSM and ServiceNow. You configure the integration in BMC Helix Multi-Cloud Broker and deploy the integration template to your BMC Helix iPaaS, powered by Jitterbit environment.

The following image gives an overview of the capabilities that this integration supports:

This integration provides the following capabilities:

Use case

BMC Helix ITSM to ServiceNow

ServiceNow to BMC Helix ITSM

Create tickets

Creates an incident in ServiceNow ITSM when an incident is created in BMC Helix ITSM

Creates an incident in BMC Helix ITSM when an incident is created or updated (not yet brokered) in ServiceNow ITSM.

Important: When a BMC Helix ITSM incident is created from a ServiceNow incident, the value of Priority field is different in the BMC Helix ITSM incident and the ServiceNow incident. If the Priority field is set to High in the ServiceNow incident, the value of Priority field is automatically set to Critical in the corresponding BMC Helix ITSM incident.

Values of the Priority field are mapped based on the pre-defined integration template for synchronizing BMC Helix ITSM incidents with ServiceNow incidents. Mapping is done for values that exist in both applications independently. As a result, names of the corresponding values may differ in BMC Helix ITSM and ServiceNow.

Synchronize updates

Synchronizes updates in the BMC Helix ITSM incident with the ServiceNow ITSM incident

Synchronizes updates in the ServiceNow ITSM incident with the BMC Helix ITSM incident

Synchronize comments

Creates a work note in the ServiceNow ITSM incident when an activity note is created in the BMC Helix ITSM incident

Creates an activity note in the BMC Helix ITSM incident when a work note is created in the ServiceNow ITSM incident

BMC Helix ITSM to ServiceNow data flow

The following image gives an overview of the data flow for creating and updating a ServiceNow incident from a BMC Helix ITSM incident:

ServiceNow to BMC Helix ITSM data flows

The following image gives an overview of the data flow for creating a BMC Helix ITSM incident from a ServiceNow incident:

The following image gives an overview of the data flow for updating a BMC Helix ITSM incident from a ServiceNow incident:

Before you begin

You require the following items to successfully set up and use this integration:

Required versions	BMC Helix ITSM version 20.08 and later
Authentication and permissions	Administrator access to the ServiceNow account Administrator permissions for BMC Helix Multi-Cloud Broker and BMC Helix ITSM users to run this integration
Jitterbit Harmony subscription	A valid BMC Helix iPaaS, powered by Jitterbit subscription

Task 1: To configure the integration

Log in to BMC Helix Innovation Studio.
On Workspace, click Multi-Cloud Broker.
To launch BMC Helix Multi-Cloud Broker, click Visit Deployed Application.
Tip

You can access BMC Helix Multi-Cloud Broker directly by entering the URL https://hostName:portNumber/helix/index.html#/com.bmc.dsm.mcsm/login and logging in as a tenant administrator.
Click Settings .
Select Start Here > Quick Configuration Guide.
The Quick Configuration Guide page is displayed.
In the Step 1: Choose configuration tab, perform the following steps:
1. From the Choose configuration list, select the Helix iPaaS (powered by Jitterbit).
2. Under Incident Brokering, select ITSM incident and ServiceNow incident.
3. Click Next.

In the Step 2: Perform configurations tab, perform the following steps:

Add an operating organization, if you have not already done so.
Add ServiceNow as the vendor organization, if you have not already done so.

To add vendor metadata for ServiceNow, click Map vendors, and perform the following steps:

On the Map Vendors page, click Map Vendor.

Complete the fields as described in the following table:

Field	Action
Description	Enter a description for the ServiceNow vendor metadata configuration.
Ticketing Technology Provider	From the list, select ServiceNow.
(Optional) Instance Name	If you are using multiple instances of ServiceNow, enter the instance name that you are using to identify it.
Add Mapping	After you select the ticketing technology provider, click Add Mapping. BMC Helix Multi-Cloud Broker displays the default values in the Instance URL field and the Display Field Mapping section.
Instance URL	If you have clicked Add Mapping, this field is auto-populated. Update the URL and replace the ServiceNow server with the correct host name.
Vendor Field Mapping	You must not update the default mappings.
Display Field Mapping	By default, the basic ServiceNow fields are mapped in this section. If you want to map additional fields to display in the BMC Helix ITSM UI, add the relevant mappings by clicking .
Enable Local ITSM Communication	By default, this toggle key is enabled. If you want to use BMC Helix Integration Service as the underlying integration platform, disable this toggle key.
Integration Platform	Select Jitterbit.

Click Save.

To fetch incidents from BMC Helix ITSM, click Define filter criteria to fetch records from ITSM to Helix Multi-Cloud Broker for incident, and perform the following steps:
1. To select the filter criteria, click Advanced filter.
2. Select the filters from the available fields, and click Next.
  The query filter expression is displayed. By default, the AND qualifier is applied when you select multiple filter criteria.
3. To change the qualifier for your filters, update the query, and then click Save.
  Important
  
  Make sure that you enter a valid query with available fields and values.
4. Click Close.
  When an incident matches the operation and filter that you have selected, the system fetches that incident to BMC Helix Multi-Cloud Broker.
In the Configure ServiceNow integration section, refer the configuration steps listed and select the check boxes as you complete each step.
Click Save.

Task 2: To download and import the integration template project file

Download the Sync BMC Helix ITSM incident and ServiceNow incident Update 2022-07-01 file.
This file contains the BMC Helix iPaaS Cloud Studio project Sync BMC Helix ITSM incident and ServiceNow incident.
Important

Your ability to access product pages on the EPD website is determined by the license your company purchased.
Log in to BMC Helix iPaaS and navigate to the Cloud Studio.
Select your organization.
On the projects page, click Import.
Click Browse and then select the Sync BMC Helix ITSM incident and ServiceNow incident.json file that you downloaded.
The Project Name and Organization fields are automatically populated. The default project name is displayed. You can change the project name.
From the Environment list, select the environment to which you want to import this integration template, and click Import.
The project opens after the integration template is imported.
To open the project file at a later time, select the environment where the integration templates are available, select the project name, and click View/Edit.

Task 3: To update the project variables for the integration template

Next to the Environment name, click the ellipsis ... and select Project Variables.

Update the project variables as described in the following tables:

BMC Helix iPaaS variables:

Project variable	Action
BHIP_API_NAME	The default value of this variable is set to BMCHelixITSMAndServiceNowIncident. If required, you can change the name.
BHIP_API_User_Roles	Enter comma-separated values of the user roles assigned for the BMC Helix iPaaS API. Only a user with these roles can access the APIs. Leave this value blank to restrict access only to administrators.
BHIP_MCB_API_Profile_User_Name	The integration template creates an API in BMC Helix iPaaS to handle requests from BMC Helix Multi-Cloud Broker. Enter the user name that should be used while creating the BMC Helix Multi-Cloud Broker API profile.
BHIP_MCB_API_Profile_User_Password	The integration template creates an API in BMC Helix iPaaS to handle requests from BMC Helix Multi-Cloud Broker. Enter the password that should be used while creating the BMC Helix Multi-Cloud Broker API profile.
BHIP_Vendor_API_Profile_Type	The integration template creates APIs to accept requests from a vendor. By default, the value of this variable is APIKEY.
BHIP_Vendor_API_Profile_User_Name	You need not provide any value for this variable.
BHIP_Vendor_API_Profile_User_Password	You need not provide any value for this variable.
BHIP_Vendor_API_Profile_ApiKey_Name	The default value is apiKey. If required, you can change the API Key name. Important: Provide a value for this variable, when you select the APIKEY option in BHIP_Vendor_API_Profile_Type.
BHIP_Host	Enter the BMC Helix iPaaS instance URL where you want to run this project. Important: Make sure that you do not enter any leading and trailing spaces.
BHIP_User_Name	Enter the user name for the BMC Helix iPaaS instance.
BHIP_User_Password	Enter the password for the BMC Helix iPaaS instance.
Enable_BMC_Helix_To_Vendor_Integration	Enable the creation and updates of ServiceNow ITSM incidents from BMC Helix ITSM incidents. By default, this variable is set to true. If you want to disable updates of ServiceNow incidents, set the default value to false.
Enable_Vendor_To_BMC_Helix_Integration	Enable the creation and updates of BMC Helix ITSM incidents from ServiceNow ITSM incidents. By default, this variable is set to true. If you want to disable updates of BMC Helix ITSM incidents, set the default value to false.

ServiceNow variables:

Project variable	Action
ServiceNow_Host_URL	Enter the ServiceNow instance URL in the following format: `[http/https]://[host name]:[port]` Important: Make sure that you do not enter any leading and trailing spaces.
ServiceNow_User_Name	Enter the user name that enables you to interact with ServiceNow.
ServiceNow_User_Password	Enter the password for the user name provided.
ServiceNow_Client_Id	Enter the ServiceNow API client ID that is used for the integration template. Get the client ID from ServiceNow and enter it in this variable.
ServiceNow_Client_Secret	Enter the ServiceNow API client secret. Get the client secret from ServiceNow and enter it in this variable.
ServiceNow_Incident_Filter_Condition	Enter the filter condition based on which you want to broker ServiceNow incidents to BMC Helix ITSM. For example, enter short_descriptionSTARTSWITHSnowITSMIncident^priority=2^EQ.

BMC Helix Multi-Cloud Broker project variables:

Project variable	Action
MCB_Host	Enter the BMC Helix Multi-Cloud Broker host URL in the following format: `[http/https]://[hostname]:[port]` Important: Make sure that you do not enter any leading and trailing spaces.
MCB_User_Name	Enter the user name that enables users to interact with BMC Helix Multi-Cloud Broker.
MCB_User_Password	Enter the password for the provided user name.
MCB_Vendor_Name	This variable is autopopulated. You must not change the value.
MCB_Assigned_Group	Enter the name of the support group to which you want to assign the incident.
MCB_Assigned_Support_Organization	Enter the name of the support organization to which you want to assign the incident.
MCB_Assigned_Support_Company	Enter the name of the support company to which you want to assign the incident.
MCB_Assigned_Company	Enter the name of the company for which you want to create the incident.
MCB_Assigned_Company_Id	Enter the ID of the company for which you want to create the incident.
MCB_Assigned_Business_Unit	Enter the name of the business unit to which you want to assign the incident.

The following variables are inputs from BMC Helix ITSM. Either enter values for these variables or map the appropriate ServiceNow fields if the data is available:

Project variable	Action
ITSM_Company_Name	Enter the company name for which the integration template needs to be run; for example, Apex Global.
ITSM_Customer_First_name	Enter the first name of the BMC Helix ITSM customer.
ITSM_Customer_Last_Name	Enter the last name of the BMC Helix ITSM customer.
ITSM_Incident_Type	Enter any of the following incident types that you want to create in BMC Helix ITSM for a corresponding ServiceNow ITSM incident: User Service Restoration User Service Request Infrastructure Restoration Infrastructure Event Security Incident

Task 4: To deploy and enable the project

Deployment is a one-time activity that initializes the integration configurations. The UI displays a message for the deployment status.

To deploy the project and then enable the integration:

To deploy the project, next to the project name, click the ellipsis ..., and select Deploy Project.
To enable the integration, next to the Enable Integrations operation, under 2.0 Integrations workflow, click the ellipsis ..., and select Run.

The following image shows the steps to deploy the project and enable it by deploying the workflow:

After you enable the integration, when an incident is created in BMC Helix ITSM, a corresponding incident is created in ServiceNow ITSM, and the converse is true. Any updates made to the ServiceNow ITSM incident are synced with the BMC Helix ITSM incident, and the converse is true.

(Optional) Task 5: To set the time for API debug mode

By default, the debug mode is set to 2 hours after you run the integration. Debug logs are updated for the time set for the debug mode. To increase the debug mode for a longer period of time, perform the following steps:

In BMC Helix iPaaS, powered by Jitterbit, select API Manager > My APIs.
Open the any of the following APIs:
- BMC_Helix_ITSM_And_ServiceNow_Incident_Vendor_To_MCB—This API creates a BMC Helix ITSM incident from a ServiceNow ITSM incident.
- BMC_Helix_ITSM_And_ServiceNow_Incident_MCB_To_Vendor—This API creates a ServiceNow ITSM incident from a BMC Helix ITSM incident.
Select Enable Debug Mode Until: and set it for the required date and time.
Save and publish the API.

(Optional) Task 6: To map a custom field between BMC Helix ITSM and ServiceNow

You can map custom fields between BMC Helix ITSM and ServiceNow. To learn about the steps to map the custom fields, see Mapping custom fields for integrations by using BMC Helix iPaaS, powered by Jitterbit.