This SNOW-CSA practice question tests your understanding of reporting, sla and imports. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An SLA is defined with a condition of 'Priority is 1' and 'State is not Closed'. A task has Priority=1 and State=New. The SLA starts. Later the task is assigned and Priority is changed to 2, then back to 1. What happens to the SLA?
The SLA pauses and resumes
Why wrong: Pause/resume is for separate pause conditions, not for start/stop.
The SLA stops and a new SLA instance starts when priority returns to 1
SLA restarts when conditions are re-met.
The SLA stops and resumes with the same elapsed time
Why wrong: It restarts from scratch.
The SLA continues running because it started when conditions were met
Why wrong: SLA stops when conditions no longer met.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
The SLA stops and a new SLA instance starts when priority returns to 1
When the priority changes from 1 to 2, the SLA condition 'Priority is 1' is no longer met, so the SLA stops. When priority returns to 1, a new SLA instance starts because the condition is re-evaluated from scratch; the SLA does not resume the previous timer. This is standard behavior for SLA definitions with conditions that are not based on a single continuous state.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
The SLA pauses and resumes
Why it's wrong here
Pause/resume is for separate pause conditions, not for start/stop.
The SLA stops and a new SLA instance starts when priority returns to 1
Why this is correct
SLA restarts when conditions are re-met.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
The SLA stops and resumes with the same elapsed time
Why it's wrong here
It restarts from scratch.
The SLA continues running because it started when conditions were met
Why it's wrong here
SLA stops when conditions no longer met.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often assume SLAs pause and resume when conditions change, but ServiceNow stops and restarts a new SLA instance when the condition is re-met, which resets the timer.
Detailed technical explanation
In ServiceNow, SLA conditions are evaluated continuously; if any condition in the SLA definition becomes false, the SLA stops (not pauses). When the condition becomes true again, a new SLA instance is created, which resets the elapsed time and any breach timers. This behavior is critical for accurate breach calculations, especially in scenarios where priority changes multiple times, ensuring each SLA instance reflects the exact period the condition was fully met.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the SNOW-CSA exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
Reporting, SLA and Imports — This question tests Reporting, SLA and Imports — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: The SLA stops and a new SLA instance starts when priority returns to 1 — When the priority changes from 1 to 2, the SLA condition 'Priority is 1' is no longer met, so the SLA stops. When priority returns to 1, a new SLA instance starts because the condition is re-evaluated from scratch; the SLA does not resume the previous timer. This is standard behavior for SLA definitions with conditions that are not based on a single continuous state.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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