CIS-CSM Service Level Agreements Practice Test 2 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A CSM manager reports that SLA breach reports are inaccurate because cancelled cases are still showing as 'Breached' in historical reporting. How can an administrator correct this for existing records and prevent it moving forward?

Choose an answer to begin — your selection is scored in the full session.

Accepted Answer

Ensure the task state change to Cancelled triggers the Task SLA cancellation logic, and update past records via batch script.. SLA engine configuration or retroactive cleanup, but ensuring task cancellation correctly cancels active SLAs resolves future cases.

Answer

Manually update every past task_sla record using a background script.

Answer

Delete all breached records from the task_sla table.

Question 2

An administrator is asked to configure a custom SLA stage that triggers when an SLA is within 15 minutes of breaching. Where must this custom stage be added so that the SLA engine recognizes and applies it correctly?

Accepted Answer

In the SLA Stage [sla_stage] choice list on the Task SLA table dictionary.. Stages are maintained via choice lists on the Task SLA stage field and engine workflow configurations.

Answer

In the Service Level Management Properties module under 'Custom Stages'.

Answer

In the Dictionary Override of the Case table.

Answer

In the SLA Definition condition builder as an explicit stage filter.

Question 3

A CSM client wants to ensure that SLAs do not attach to internal maintenance cases. Which THREE mechanisms can an implementation specialist use to exclude these cases? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

Configure explicit exclusion criteria in the Start condition of the SLA Definition (e.g., Category != Maintenance).. Option A is correct because the SLA Definition's Start condition is the primary filter that determines which task records are eligible for an SLA; adding a condition such as Category != Maintenance prevents maintenance cases from ever attaching to that SLA. Option B is correct because SLA processing evaluates definitions by order and, when multiple definitions match, the higher-priority (lower order number) definition with no SLA actions effectively intercepts the maintenance cases and prevents the real SLA from attaching. Option C is correct because SLA Definitions support exclusion mechanisms such as the Exclude related list (for excluding specific records or conditions) and advanced script inclusion filters, both of which can programmatically filter out maintenance cases. Option D is not correct because deleting the Task SLA table dictionary entry would break the SLA engine entirely rather than selectively excluding maintenance cases. Option E is not correct because the SLA engine is not controlled per user profile; disabling it for a maintenance user profile would not reliably exclude maintenance cases and would affect unrelated SLA processing.

Answer

Delete the Task SLA table dictionary entry for maintenance records.

Answer

Disable the SLA engine for the maintenance user profile.

Question 4

An administrator is configuring a complex SLA workflow for CSM that includes timer activities and conditional branches. Which THREE behaviors should the administrator keep in mind regarding SLA workflow execution? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

SLA workflow timers are independent of the core SLA schedule unless explicitly scripted.. Option B is correct because SLA workflow timers operate on their own internal timing mechanism and do not automatically inherit or sync with the core SLA schedule (business calendar, schedule, timezone) unless the administrator explicitly scripts that behavior. Option D is correct because the SLA workflow attaches to the Task SLA record at the moment the Task SLA instance is created and begins executing in parallel with the SLA timer, allowing timer activities and conditional branches to run alongside the SLA's own countdown. Option E is correct because when the Task SLA is stopped or cancelled, the associated SLA workflow context is automatically cancelled, preventing orphaned workflow executions from continuing after the SLA is no longer active. Option A is incorrect because SLA workflows do not automatically modify the base duration of the Task SLA record upon completion; duration changes require explicit configuration or scripting. Option C is incorrect because SLA workflows execute server-side in the background, not synchronously in the client browser before the form saves.

Answer

SLA workflows automatically modify the base duration of the Task SLA record upon completion.

Answer

SLA workflows run synchronously on the client browser before the form saves.

Question 5

When setting up SLA Definitions for CSM Accounts in different geographic regions, which TWO mechanisms ensure that correct holiday schedules are applied? (Choose two.)

Accepted Answer

Associating regional holiday schedules with the specific Schedule [cmn_schedule] referenced in the SLA Definition.. Option A is correct because in ServiceNow SLA processing, the schedule referenced on the SLA Definition (via the Schedule [cmn_schedule] field) determines which holiday schedule is used when calculating SLA durations; associating the appropriate regional holiday schedule with that cmn_schedule ensures the correct non-working days are excluded. Option C is correct because SLA Definitions can be scoped or filtered by attributes such as Account Region or Country, so the matching SLA Definition (and therefore its attached regional schedule) is applied to the right CSM Accounts. Options B, D, and E are incorrect: UI policies and Data Policies only affect form behavior/validation and do not drive SLA time calculations, and the global system language property has no bearing on which holiday schedule an SLA uses.

Answer

Hardcoding regional holidays into client-side UI policies for each agent.

Answer

Changing the global system language property to match the region.

Answer

Using Data Policies to enforce regional timezones on the Case form.

Question 6

An implementation specialist needs to ensure that when a Customer Service Case is reopened, any previously breached SLA is ignored and a new SLA instance is generated. Which SLA engine property or setting controls this behavior?

Accepted Answer

Define a custom SLA Reset Rule associated with the SLA Definition. The Retroactive start and Replay features, along with legacy properties like com.snc.sla.retroactive.complex, dictate how task SLAs react to state changes and reopening.

Answer

Configure SLA Workflow Retroactive Pause parameters

Answer

Set the Retroactive start checkbox on the SLA definition and define appropriate reset conditions

Answer

Modify the 'com.snc.sla.engine.version' system property to legacy mode

Question 7

An administrator is configuring a complex SLA workflow for high-severity CSM cases. The workflow needs to send a notification when 75% of the SLA duration has elapsed. Which activity should be used in the SLA workflow to achieve this?

Accepted Answer

SLA Percentage Timer activity. In SLA workflows, the SLA Percentage Timer activity is designed specifically to pause workflow execution until a designated percentage (e.g., 75%) of the SLA time has elapsed.

Answer

SLA Breach Notification workflow action

Answer

Wait for condition activity evaluating task_sla.percentage

Answer

Standard Timer activity set to dynamic calculation

Question 8

An administrator is troubleshooting why certain Case SLAs are not pausing when expected. Which THREE factors or configurations should the administrator verify? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

The Pause condition fields exist on the target Case table and match the evaluated state. Option A is correct because pause conditions in SLA definitions are evaluated against fields that must actually exist on the target Case table and reflect the state being tested; if the referenced field is missing or its value does not match the configured pause condition, the SLA will not pause. Option C is correct because the com.snc.sla.engine.version property determines which SLA engine (and thus which pause-condition processing behavior) is active; the 2011 engine supports pause conditions while the legacy engine does not, so an incorrect value prevents pausing. Option E is correct because a Task SLA can only transition to Paused from an active InProgress stage; if the record is already Paused, Completed, or otherwise not InProgress, the pause logic will not (re)trigger. Option B is not required because pause conditions are evaluated by the SLA engine on the task's field values, not by the presence of an attached Contract Service Commitment. Option D is not required because pause conditions are evaluated by the SLA engine's condition logic rather than by a Pause timer activity inside an SLA Workflow.

Answer

The Case record has an active Contract Service Commitment attached

Answer

The SLA Workflow contains an active Pause timer activity

Question 9

A customer service manager reports that CSM cases for the 'Gold' account tier are receiving a 24-hour resolution SLA, but the business requires an 8-hour resolution. The SLA definition has a start condition of 'Case created', a duration of 24 hours, and no other conditions. The account tier is stored in a custom field 'u_account_tier' on the Case table. What should the administrator do to ensure that Gold cases get an 8-hour resolution SLA while other cases retain the 24-hour SLA?

Accepted Answer

Create a new SLA definition with a start condition that includes 'u_account_tier=Gold', set the duration to 8 hours, and ensure its order is lower than the existing 24-hour SLA definition.. The correct solution is to create a separate SLA definition for Gold-tier cases with the shorter duration and ensure it is evaluated before the general SLA. ServiceNow SLA definitions are processed in order, and the first matching definition applies. By assigning a lower order number to the Gold-specific SLA, it will attach to Gold cases, while the existing 24-hour SLA will continue to apply to all other cases. This maintains coverage for all cases and meets the business requirement without disrupting existing SLAs.

Answer

Modify the existing SLA definition to include a condition 'u_account_tier=Gold' and change the duration to 8 hours, then create another SLA definition for non-Gold cases with a 24-hour duration.

Answer

Add a condition to the existing SLA definition that sets duration to 8 hours when 'u_account_tier=Gold', otherwise 24 hours, using a dynamic duration script.

Answer

Create a new SLA definition with a start condition that includes 'u_account_tier=Gold' and set the duration to 8 hours, then set the existing 24-hour SLA definition to inactive.

Question 10

A CSM administrator must design SLA behavior so that different customer service cases receive different response and resolution targets based on account tier and case priority. The design must minimize administrative overhead when new tiers are added. Which TWO configuration approaches satisfy this requirement while remaining maintainable? (Choose two.)

Accepted Answer

Create separate SLA Definitions for each tier/priority combination, each with its own Start condition and Duration value.. Maintainable tier and priority-based SLA targets are achieved either by creating separate SLA Definitions for each combination, each with explicit conditions and durations, or by using one definition whose Duration field is scripted against a custom matrix table. The matrix approach scales best when new tiers are added frequently, while separate definitions offer simpler auditing and configuration without scripting.

Answer

Configure a single SLA Definition with multiple Start conditions that use OR logic to cover all tiers and priorities.

Answer

Attach all SLAs to the Account table instead of the Case table so tier information is inherited through the account relationship.

Answer

Create a single SLA Definition whose Start condition includes account tier and priority, and use the Workflow or Flow to branch to different duration values.

Question 11

A CSM administrator is designing SLA Definitions for cases. The business wants a single 'Premium Support' SLA Definition to apply only to cases whose account has the 'Premium' support level, and the timer should start when the case is created. The administrator notices that a case can match multiple SLA Definitions and that the engine attaches all matching ones by default. Which configuration in the SLA Definition controls whether more than one SLA can attach to the same case?

Accepted Answer

The 'No more than one SLA can run at a time' option (or the 'Exclude' / 'Set start to' combination on the definition) that controls whether the engine attaches only the first matching SLA.. The SLA engine attaches every definition whose Start condition matches a task unless the definition restricts concurrency. An attribute on the SLA Definition limits the engine so only one SLA runs at a time for a given task, which is the supported way to ensure a single Premium Support SLA applies. Ordering and condition precision then determine which definition wins.

Answer

The 'Set start to' field on the SLA Definition, which determines the reference field used to begin the timer.

Answer

The 'Advance' and 'Retroactive' options, which control whether the engine recalculates existing SLA records when the definition changes.

Answer

The 'Vendor' and 'Group' fields on the SLA Definition, which restrict which assignment groups the SLA applies to.

Question 12

A CSM administrator needs to ensure that when a customer service case is reopened after being resolved, the resolution SLA is re-evaluated and the timer continues from where it left off, rather than resetting. Which TWO configuration settings should the administrator verify or adjust? (Choose two.)

Accepted Answer

Verify that the SLA Definition's 'Pause' condition does not include the Resolved state, so the timer is not paused indefinitely while the case is resolved.. For an SLA to continue after case reopening, it must not be stopped when the case is resolved, and it must not be reset when reopened. Therefore, the Stop condition should not include Resolved, and the Reset condition should not trigger on reopening. Additionally, if pausing during Resolved is acceptable, the Pause condition should include Resolved to stop the timer while resolved, but the key settings are Stop and Reset.

Answer

Ensure the SLA Definition's 'Start' condition evaluates to true when the case is reopened, so the SLA re-attaches.

Answer

Ensure the SLA Definition's 'Stop' condition does not include the Resolved state, so the SLA remains attached when the case is resolved.

Answer

Set the SLA Definition's 'Reset' condition to evaluate when the case state changes to 'Reopened' or when it leaves the Resolved state.

Question 13

A CSM implementation uses SLA Definitions with business schedules to calculate breach times. A customer service manager notices that an SLA for a case created on Friday at 5:00 PM breached on Monday at 9:00 AM, even though the business schedule is 8x5 (8 hours per day, 5 days a week, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM). What is the most likely explanation for this breach?

Accepted Answer

The SLA Definition's duration was set to 8 hours, and the business schedule correctly excludes weekends and non-business hours, so the timer started Friday at 5:00 PM, paused overnight and weekend, and breached Monday at 9:00 AM after accumulating 8 business hours.. The observed breach at Monday 9:00 AM, immediately when the business schedule resumed, indicates that the SLA duration was set to 0. With a duration of 0, the SLA would breach as soon as the timer starts counting, which would be the first business moment after creation. Since the case was created Friday at 5:00 PM, the first business moment is Monday at 9:00 AM, resulting in an immediate breach.

Answer

The SLA Definition's duration was set to 48 hours, and the business schedule was not applied, so the timer counted continuous time from Friday 5:00 PM and breached Monday 5:00 PM, but the manager misread the time.

Answer

The SLA Definition's duration was set to 24 hours, and the business schedule was not applied correctly, so the timer counted continuous time including weekends.

Answer

The SLA Definition's schedule was set to a 24x7 schedule instead of the 8x5 business schedule, so the timer counted through the weekend and breached Monday at 9:00 AM after accumulating 8 hours from Friday 5:00 PM.

Question 14

A customer service manager needs a report showing the average duration of Resolution SLAs broken down by Account. Which table should be the source of this report?

Accepted Answer

Task SLA [task_sla]. Task SLA [task_sla] stores instances of SLAs attached to tasks, making it the correct table for reporting on SLA durations and compliance.

Answer

SLA Definition [contract_sla]

Answer

Metric Instance [metric_instance]

Answer

Case [sn_customerservice_case]

Question 15

An administrator needs to modify how SLA stages are displayed on CSM cases. Where are SLA stages primarily defined and managed in ServiceNow?

Accepted Answer

In the SLA Stages [sla_stage] table or choice list on Task SLA stage field. SLA stages are managed via SLA stage configuration records and choice lists on the Task SLA table.

Answer

In the SLA Engine Properties module

Answer

In Service Portal widget configurations

Answer

In the Workflow Editor stage mapping settings