ServiceNow and Smartsheet Integration Achieves IT Operations Information Sharing and Business Efficiency Improvements

NTT DATA INTELLILINK Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Hidehiko Tanaka; hereinafter: NTT DATA INTELLILINK) has conducted a demonstration experiment for a system that links ServiceNow and Smartsheet to enable real-time sharing of IT operations information (such as incidents and change requests) between departments, which has been difficult to share previously. This initiative confirmed that information sharing is possible, including with departments not using ServiceNow, thereby reducing tasks that previously relied on manual work or individual communication, and achieving swift decision-making and improved business efficiency. This technology is expected to be utilized as a highly effective immediate solution for companies facing inefficiencies due to fragmented information or differences in tools.

[Background]

Many companies require rapid information sharing among multiple departments for incident response and change management in IT operations. However, differences in tools and access privileges often lead to information being dispersed across departments, forcing reliance on email or manual sharing, which has resulted in issues such as response delays and increased workload. In particular, collaboration with departments not using ITSM (IT Service Management) tools like ServiceNow has been challenging, posing a barrier to company-wide information utilization.

[Overview of Demonstration Experiment]

We conducted a demonstration experiment to assess the feasibility of speedy information sharing and improvements in business efficiency by integrating ServiceNow and Smartsheet in the following two cases:

Change Management

Starting with the approval of a change request, related information was automatically linked to development and infrastructure departments using Smartsheet's Bridge function, reducing the need for individual communication and manual data transfer that was previously required.

Furthermore, while the development and infrastructure departments typically manage the progress of change request tasks using individual project management tools, this experiment confirmed that by leveraging Smartsheet's customizability, Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) and issue management sheets could be created and centrally managed within Smartsheet. This allows for the completion of information sharing and progress management within a single platform.

Incident Management

Upon an incident occurring, information entered and updated by operations personnel was automatically and periodically linked to management and administrators using Smartsheet's Data Shuttle function.

This case assumed a scenario where API usage is not permitted due to security rules. Instead of the integration using the Bridge function mentioned above (1), incident information entered and updated in ServiceNow was exported as a CSV file, linked via cloud storage, and confirmed to be viewable on the shared Smartsheet.

Moreover, beyond simply sharing the linked data, by leveraging Smartsheet's customizability, we confirmed the ability to add new management items, extract data under various conditions, and generate graphs, thereby creating sheets and dashboards that allow management and administrators to instantly grasp the overall situation. This achieves both information sharing and situation visualization.

From these results, we confirmed that utilizing Smartsheet not only enables smooth sharing of information held by ServiceNow across departmental boundaries but also leads to improved business efficiency in the relevant departments that receive the shared information.

[Demonstration Effects]

The following effects were confirmed through this demonstration:

- Expedited information sharing between departments (real-time linkage) - Reduction in manual information transmission - Improved business efficiency through information centralization - Accelerated decision-making through visualization

Figure: Overview of Demonstration Experiment

[Future Outlook]

Moving forward, NTT DATA INTELLILINK aims to provide services for inter-departmental information linkage utilizing ServiceNow and Smartsheet. We will also promote expanded integration with various business systems to resolve information silos dispersed within companies, thereby supporting business efficiency and swift, accurate decision-making. We will particularly focus on deployment to companies facing challenges in IT operations efficiency and company-wide information utilization.

[Related Links]

NTT DATA INTELLILINK News Release

NTT DATA INTELLILINK Signs Partnership Agreement with Smartsheet Japan

- Commencing Provision of "Smartsheet" to Contribute to Smoother Project Progress and Increased Productivity - (Announced December 16, 2024)

https://www.intellilink.co.jp/topics/news_release/2024/121600.aspx

"ServiceNow" Provided by NTT DATA INTELLILINK

https://www.intellilink.co.jp/servicenow/index.aspx

"Smartsheet" Provided by NTT DATA INTELLILINK https://www.intellilink.co.jp/business/platform/smartsheet.aspx

[About the Cloud Platform for Digital Transformation "ServiceNow"]

"ServiceNow" is a cloud service designed to support companies in improving business efficiency and digital transformation. This platform integrates and automates various business processes such as IT Service Management (ITSM), Customer Service Management (CSM), and Human Resources Service Delivery (HRSD), offering tools equipped with AI capabilities and enterprise-grade security.

URL: https://www.servicenow.com/jp/

[About Smartsheet]

Smartsheet is the leading enterprise AI work management platform trusted by millions of users worldwide, including 85% of Fortune 500 companies. Smartsheet is a pioneer and market leader in this field, offering powerful solutions that drive performance and lead the next wave of innovation. For more information, please visit https://jp.smartsheet.com/.

* ServiceNow, the ServiceNow logo, Now, and other ServiceNow marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of ServiceNow, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.

* Smartsheet is a registered trademark of Smartsheet Inc.

* "INTELLILINK" is a registered trademark of NTT DATA INTELLILINK Corporation in Japan and the United States.

* Other product names, company names, and organization names are generally trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.