CIS-CSM Service Level Agreements — Timed 20 Questions

Question 1

An implementation specialist needs to configure an SLA definition in CSM that applies specifically to Case records where the Priority is Critical and the Account is VIP. Which table should the specialist select as the base table for this SLA definition?

20 minute time limit — choose an answer to begin.

Accepted Answer

Task [task]. The Task SLA definition uses the Task table or its extended tables. Since Case extends Task, the Task table is the correct base table, and conditions are used to filter by Priority and Account.

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Case [sn_customerservice_case]

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SLA Definition [contract_sla]

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Customer Account [customer_account]

Question 2

A CSM project requires an SLA to pause whenever a Case is placed in the 'Awaiting Vendor' state. Where must this pause condition be configured so that the Task SLA engine recognizes it?

Accepted Answer

In the SLA Definition record using the Pause condition field. Pause conditions are configured directly within the SLA Definition record using the Pause condition builder.

Answer

In a Business Rule running on the Task SLA table

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In the SLA Workflow using a Timer activity

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In the SLA Definition record using the Pause condition field

Question 3

When setting up Service Level Agreements for CSM, which type of SLA measures the time taken to assign a case to an agent or group?

Accepted Answer

Response SLA. Response SLAs track the time from creation to first response or assignment, whereas Resolution SLAs track total time to close.

Answer

Customer SLA

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Resolution SLA

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Operational SLA

Question 4

An organization wants to trigger a notification to the CSM manager immediately when a Case SLA reaches 75% of its allotted time without being met. Which feature of the SLA engine should be utilized?

Accepted Answer

SLA Percentage Timers or SLA stages configuration. SLA percentages and thresholds are managed via SLA Percentage Timer or SLA workflow milestones, specifically configured using SLA plugin features like SLA Workflows or breach thresholds.

Answer

SLA Properties set in Service Level Management properties

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SLA Workflow with a Workflow Timer set to 75%

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Data Policy enforcing notification fields at 75%

Question 5

A CSM case has multiple SLAs attached: Resolution SLA and Response SLA. The Response SLA has breached, but the Case is subsequently resolved within the Resolution SLA timeframe. How does the base system Task SLA engine update the overall Case priority color or indicator?

Accepted Answer

The Case SLA indicator shows 'Breached' because at least one attached SLA has breached.. The system evaluates active SLAs. If any attached SLA breaches, the task SLA indicator generally reflects the worst state (Breached).

Answer

The system automatically cancels the Response SLA breach when the Resolution SLA is met.

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The Case indicator remains normal because the Resolution SLA was met.

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The SLA engine deletes the Response SLA record to keep reporting clean.

Question 6

When a Case is cancelled, what happens to its currently running attached SLAs by default?

Accepted Answer

They are automatically cancelled by the SLA engine.. When a task is cancelled, active task SLAs are automatically cancelled by the SLA engine.

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They are deleted from the database immediately.

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They remain paused indefinitely.

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They continue running until they reach their breach time.

Question 7

Which role is typically required to create and modify SLA Definitions in a CSM implementation?

Accepted Answer

sla_admin or admin. SLA configuration requires specialized administrative privileges, typically provided by the SLA Admin role.

Answer

sn_customerservice_manager

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sn_customerservice_agent

Answer

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Question 8

Which condition type in an SLA Definition specifies when the SLA timer should stop counting?

Accepted Answer

Stop condition. Stop conditions dictate when an SLA successfully completes (reaches its target).

Answer

Reset condition

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Pause condition

Answer

Start condition

Question 9

An enterprise CSM deployment requires that when an SLA reaches its breach time, a high-priority incident is automatically created via an SLA workflow. Which activity should be added to the SLA workflow to achieve this?

Accepted Answer

Create Task activity configured to target the Incident table. The Create Task activity in Workflow editor allows the automated creation of records like incidents when an SLA breaches.

Answer

Notification activity with incident payload mapping

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SLA Breach Action business rule

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Run Script activity using current.insert() on the Incident table

Question 10

A company notices that legacy CSM cases are having their attached SLAs retroactively modified when an administrator updates an SLA Definition. How can an administrator prevent retroactive adjustments to already completed or running SLAs?

Accepted Answer

Uncheck the 'Retroactive' checkbox on the SLA Definition record. The Retroactive start and Retroactive fields control whether past records are re-evaluated, but to protect completed/running SLAs, retroactivity settings must be properly understood.

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Delete the SLA Definition before making updates

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Disable the SLA background worker thread

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Lock the Task SLA table using Access Control Lists (ACLs)

Question 11

An administrator wants to ensure that all CSM cases created for VIP accounts use a specific 4-hour resolution SLA, overriding any other general SLA definitions that might match. How is precedence handled among multiple matching SLA definitions?

Accepted Answer

The SLA Definition with the lowest Order value takes precedence.. SLA definitions can use order fields or specificity to determine precedence when multiple definitions match.

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All matching SLAs attach simultaneously, creating multiple competing timers.

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The system prompts the user to select the correct SLA during case creation.

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ServiceNow processes SLAs alphabetically by name.

Question 12

An administrator is configuring a Service Level Agreement and wants the duration to be dynamically set based on a field value (e.g., case impact) rather than a fixed duration. How should this be configured?

Accepted Answer

Set the Duration type to 'User specified' and select a duration field from the Task table.. Duration type on SLA Definitions can be set to 'User specified' or derived from a duration field on the task table.

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Use a Workflow timer activity with a dynamic script.

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Create a client script that calculates the milliseconds and injects them into the SLA engine.

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Write an After Insert business rule that modifies the duration field on the contract_sla table.

Question 13

An implementation specialist notices that SLA workflow notifications are firing twice for a single breach event. Upon inspecting the SLA Definition, what is the most likely cause of this behavior?

Accepted Answer

Both an SLA Workflow and SLA Email Notifications are configured to trigger on the same breach event.. In ServiceNow CSM, SLA Definitions can be configured with multiple notification mechanisms. When both an SLA Workflow and SLA Email Notifications are enabled on the same SLA Definition, each independently triggers on the breach event, resulting in duplicate notifications. The SLA engine evaluates breach conditions once, but each configured action fires separately, producing two notifications for a single breach.

Answer

The Task SLA table has duplicate dictionary entries.

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The background worker job is scheduled to run twice every minute.

Answer

The Case table business rules are firing recursively.

Question 14

A CSM customer wants SLAs to apply only when a Case is created via the Customer Support Portal, and not when created via Email or Phone. How should the administrator configure the SLA Definition to support this?

Accepted Answer

Configure the SLA Definition start condition to filter where Contact type is 'Self-Service' or 'Portal'.. Using the Case 'Contact type' or 'Source' field in the Start condition of the SLA Definition.

Answer

Modify the Service Portal widget script to attach the SLA manually.

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Use Data Policies to block SLAs on non-portal channels.

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Create an inbound email action to delete SLAs for email cases.

Question 15

An organization requires that when a CSM case SLA is paused, the elapsed time calculation must exclude non-business days and hours, but when the SLA is running, it should use a 24x7 schedule. Can an SLA definition use different schedules for running and paused states?

Accepted Answer

No, an SLA definition references a single schedule that governs the calendar calculation for duration and elapsed time.. Standard SLA definitions accept a single schedule per definition record.

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Yes, by attaching two conflicting workflows simultaneously.

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Yes, by checking the 'Dual Schedule' checkbox on the Task SLA form.

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Yes, by configuring separate schedules in the Advanced SLA property table.

Question 16

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?

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.

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Delete all breached records from the task_sla table.

Question 17

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'.

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In the Dictionary Override of the Case table.

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

Question 18

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 19

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 20

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.