ServiceNow, which provides configurable workflow software for various functions within an organization, today launched a new version of its main platform that gets much more granular than it has ever been — even as detailed as guiding a procurement officer through requests for indirect employee purchases.
ServiceNow has a longstanding reputation for software that serves as a blueprint for operations managers, marketing and sales professionals, accountants, human-resource specialists, and other mainstream corporate functions on a routine basis. But the operations universe continues to branch out internally — and externally — with suppliers, contractors, company partners, and potential customers. Thus new and augmented workflows are being required on a frequent basis.
In its Now Platform Tokyo release, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based company has added several new workflow modules, including options for supplier lifecycle management, enterprise asset management, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) management — a topic that is gaining more and more corporate traction as time goes on.
“For example, we've streamlined the procurement function for you and your critical suppliers,” Chief Operating Officer C.J. Desai told ZDNET. “While we cannot fix supply-chain issues, Supplier Lifecycle Management can help you with automation. Your suppliers will be able to go to our portal and request something, check on the status, and create a streamlined experience for how they deal with your company. The new efficiencies can be huge.”
According to Desai, the Tokyo edition provides auditable, investor-grade sustainability data in the following new modules:
Other new features in the Tokyo edition include:
ServiceNow competes in the same market as Salesforce, IBM, Zendesk, Freshworks, SolarWinds, and Jira.
How does incorporating the new release impact current ServiceNow customers?
“So at the platform level, they upgrade to the new database schema, and then the additional features — support for which is laid out for them,” Desai said. “Then they can turn on whatever product they were using — it automatically comes with new features enabled. The customer then has a choice to turn on any other functionality they want.”
Each function is priced separately in the ServiceNow business model. Early users of the Tokyo platform include NTT DATA Corp., the City of Copenhagen, UC Irvine, and King's Hawaiian bakeries. The software is available starting today.