Free Practice Questions for ServiceNow CSA Exam

When youimpersonatea user in ServiceNow for testing, you temporarily assume their permissions and role-based access. Toreturn to your own user session, thebestway is toEnd Impersonation.

Click on theUser Menu (top right corner).

Select"End Impersonation".

You will immediately return to your original user session.

A. Turn your computer off and on again→ Unnecessary and does not affect session management.

B. Clear browser cache→ Cache clearing is not required; impersonation is session-based.

D. Log out and back in→ While this works, it isnot the bestmethod becauseEnd Impersonationis a faster and direct solution.

InServiceNow Knowledge Management, thepublishing and retiring process for knowledge articlesis managed throughWorkflows. These workflows define the steps an article must go through before it is published, updated, or retired.

Submission:

A user creates a knowledge article and submits it for approval.

Approval Process:

Based on the workflow, an article may require manager or SME (Subject Matter Expert) approval.

Publishing:

Once approved, the article ispublishedand made available in the Knowledge Base.

Updating & Versioning:

If edits are needed, the article enters adraft or reviewstate.

Retirement:

When an article is no longer needed, it follows the workflow toretire or archiveit.

Knowledge Approval Publish(requires approval before publishing)

Knowledge Instant Publish(automatically publishes the article)

Knowledge Retire(handles retiring or archiving articles)

A. Approval Policies(Incorrect)

ServiceNow does not use a separate "Approval Policy" for knowledge articles; approvals are managed within the workflow.

B. Approval Definitions(Incorrect)

There is no such specific feature in ServiceNow. Approvals are configured within workflows, not separate definitions.

C. Workflow Designer(Incorrect)

TheWorkflow Designeris a tool used tocreate workflows, but it does not control the publishing process directly. The workflows themselves do.

E. State Lifecycle(Incorrect)

While knowledge articleshave a lifecycle (Draft → Review → Published → Retired), this is controlledby workflows, not by an independent "State Lifecycle" feature.

Knowledge Workflows Overview:https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/rome-servicenow-platform/page/product/knowledge-management/reference/r_KnowledgeWorkflows.html

ServiceNow Knowledge Management Process:https://docs.servicenow.com/en-US/bundle/utah-it-service-management/page/product/knowledge-management/concept/knowledge-management-overview.html

How Workflows Control Knowledge Article Publishing & Retiring:Common Knowledge Workflows in ServiceNow:Explanation of Incorrect Options:Official References from Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation:

In ServiceNow,Business Rulesare server-side scripts that executeat specific timesrelative to database operations. The"When" settingdetermineswhenthe Business Rule runs in relation to a record action (Insert, Update, Delete, Query).

Why is Option A Correct?Before

Executesbeforea record is saved to the database.

Used tovalidate data, modify values, or prevent an action(e.g., stopping an invalid update).

After

Executesaftera record is inserted, updated, or deleted.

Commonly used fortriggering notificationsor creating related records.

Async (Asynchronous)

Runsaftera database operation but executes inthe background.

Ideal forlong-running or performance-heavy tasks(e.g., integrating with external systems).

Display

Executesbefore a form loads, allowing modifications to fieldsbefore they are displayedto the user.

Typically used forpre-filling form fieldsbased on user roles or conditions.

Why Are the Other Options Incorrect?B. Prior to, Synchronous, on Update

"Prior to"is not a valid Business Rule execution timing.

"Synchronous"is a general term but isnot a specific execution timing optionin Business Rules.

"on Update"is a database operation,not an execution timing.

C. Insert, Update, Delete, Query

These aredatabase operationsthat trigger Business Rules,not execution timings.

Execution timing determineswhen(before, after, etc.), while these determinewhat triggers it.

D. Before, Synchronous, Scheduled Job, View

"Synchronous"is not a Business Rule timing option.

"Scheduled Job"refers toScheduled Jobs(not Business Rules).

"View"is a UI-related concept,not a Business Rule execution timing.

ServiceNow Business Rules - How They Work

ServiceNow Best Practices - Business Rule Execution Timing

ServiceNow Developer Documentation - Before, After, Async, and Display Business Rules

References to Official Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation:

Virtual Agentis ServiceNow’sAI-powered chatbotthat provides assistance via amessaging interface. It helps users obtain information, make decisions, and complete common tasks without human intervention.

Conversational Interface→ Users interact through chat to get information and perform tasks.

Automated Responses→ Uses predefinedtopicsandnatural language understanding (NLU)to provide relevant answers.

Integration with ServiceNow Applications→ Can create incidents, reset passwords, check order statuses, etc.

Available on Multiple Channels→ Works with Microsoft Teams, Slack, and the ServiceNow portal.

A. Agent Workspace→ A unified interface for agents to manage cases, not an AI chatbot.

B. Chat bot→ A generic term; Virtual Agent is the official chatbot in ServiceNow.

D. Knowledge Chat→ No such feature exists; however, Virtual Agent can integrate with the Knowledge Base.

E. Now Support→ ServiceNow’s customer support portal, not an AI-driven assistant.

In ServiceNow, when applying filters, theFunnel iconopens the condition builder, allowing users to set criteria for displaying records.

Understanding the requirement:

The user wants to seeIncidents where the state is ClosedORIncidents where the Assignment Group is Network.

The key word here isOR, meaning records satisfyingeithercondition should be displayed.

Steps to apply this filter in ServiceNow:

Click theFunnel iconto open the condition builder.

Define thefirst condition→ SelectState = Closed.

Click theORbutton (since we want records meeting either condition).

Define thesecond condition→ SelectAssignment Group = Network.

PressEnterto apply the filter.

Since the user wantseither condition to be true,ORis the correct logical operator.

PressingEnterafter defining the second conditionexecutes the filter.

A. Define the first condition; click AND button; define second condition; click Run:Incorrect becauseANDwould requireboth conditions to be true simultaneously, which is not what the user wants.

B. Define the first condition; click AND button; define second condition; press enter:Same issue as option A—AND willnarrow the resultsinstead ofexpanding them.

D. Define the first condition; click > icon on breadcrumb, define second condition; click Run:Thebreadcrumb navigationis used to modify filtersafter applying them, not to create them initially.

E. Define the first condition; click > icon on breadcrumb, define second condition; press enter:Same issue as option D—breadcrumb navigation is for modifying, not for initial filter creation.

Using Filters and Condition Builder in ServiceNow:ServiceNow Docs

ServiceNow Querying and Filtering Best Practices

Why is the Correct Answer "C"?Why Not the Other Options?References from the Certified System Administrator (CSA) Official Documentation:UsingORensures both conditions are considered independently, displaying incidents that are eitherClosedor assigned toNetwork.

In ServiceNow,Import Setsallow administrators toimport and transform datafrom external sources into ServiceNow tables. The platform supports multiple file formats for importing data, includingXML, CSV, and Excel.

XML (Extensible Markup Language)

Used for structured data exchange between systems.

ServiceNow canimport XML filescontaining records formatted according to its schema.

CSV (Comma-Separated Values)

One of the most common formats for bulk data imports.

ServiceNow can processCSV filesand map them to target tables.

Excel (XLS/XLSX)

ServiceNow allows direct imports fromMicrosoft Excel spreadsheets.

Users can upload Excel files via the Import Set UI.

Supported Data Formats for Import Sets:

Import Data:The user uploads a supported file (XML, CSV, or Excel) into an Import Set table.

Mapping:The imported data is mapped to target tables using aTransform Map.

Transformation & Processing:Data is transformed, validated, and inserted into the correct destination tables.

How Import Sets Work in ServiceNow:

A. CSS, SOAP, and Excel→CSS is a styling language, and SOAP is a protocol, not a data format.

C. SOAP, REST, and XML→SOAP and REST areweb service protocols, not file formats used for import sets. XML is valid but alone is insufficient.

D. XML, SOAP, and CSS→SOAP and CSS are incorrect as they are not standard import file formats.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

ServiceNow Documentation:Importing Data into ServiceNow

CSA Exam Guide:Coverssupported data formats for Import Sets (XML, CSV, and Excel).

TheCMDB Builderis the primary tool used inServiceNow’s Configuration Management Database (CMDB)for creating and managingdependencies between Configuration Items(CIs). It provides agraphical interfacethat allows administrators and CMDB managers to visualize and define relationships between CIs efficiently.

Visual Representation of CI Dependencies:

CMDB Builder provides agraphical interfacethat allows users tocreate, modify, and deleterelationships between Configuration Items (CIs).

It helps in identifyingimpact analysisandservice dependenciesby mapping CIs and their relationships.

Supports Complex CI Relationships:

Allows definingparent-child,peer, anddependencyrelationships between CIs.

Helps in ensuring the accuracy ofservice mapsandIT asset relationships.

Drag-and-Drop Functionality:

Users candrag and dropCIs onto the builder canvas andconnect them using predefined relationships.

Integration with CMDB Relationship Rules:

CMDB Builder adheres toCMDB relationship rulesto ensure that onlyvalidrelationships are created.

Impact and Root Cause Analysis:

Helps introubleshooting IT incidentsby showing thedependencies between services.

Useful inchange managementto predict potentialimpactson downstream services before making changes.

Key Features of CMDB Builder:

A. CI Relationship Editor:

TheCI Relationship Editorallows users toview and edit relationshipsbetween CIs in atabular formatbutdoes not provide a graphical dependency visualizationlike CMDB Builder.

It is moremanual and less interactivecompared to CMDB Builder.

C. CI Service Manager:

CI Service Manageris used for managingCI service mappingsbut isnot primarily a tool for creating dependencies between CIs.

It is more focused ondefining service-level relationshipsrather thanbuilding CMDB dependency models.

D. CI Class Manager:

CI Class Manageris used formanaging CI classes, attributes, and extending CMDB class structures.

It is not used forcreating dependencies between configuration items.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

ServiceNow CMDB Guide:CMDB Builder Overview

ServiceNow Best Practices for CMDB:CMDB Relationship Management

ServiceNow Admin Documentation:Understanding CMDB Dependency Management

References from the Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation:

Final Answer:CMDB Builder (Option B) is the correct answer, as it is the primary tool used to create, manage, and visualize dependencies between CIs in ServiceNow's CMDB.

Thethree-bar iconin theForm headerof ServiceNow is commonly referred to as theHamburger icon. It provides access toadditional form actionsthrough acontext menu.

Opens adrop-down menuwith options such as:

Configure Form Layout

Configure Form Design

Insert and Stay

View History

Export Options

Helps users accessquick actionswithout navigating away from the form.

The icon consists ofthree horizontal lines, resembling ahamburger(bun-patty-bun).

This naming convention is widely used in web and mobile UI design.

Functions of the Hamburger Icon in ServiceNow:Why is it Called a "Hamburger Icon"?

Incorrect Answer Choices Explanation:A. Pancake Icon– No such term exists in ServiceNow UI terminology.

B. Additional Actions or Context Menu– While the icondoesprovide additional actions, "Context Menu" refers to right-click options or three-dot menus, not the three-bar menu.

D. Cake Icon– No such UI term exists in ServiceNow or general UI design.

Understanding the ServiceNow Form Header

ServiceNow UI Overview

Official CSA Documentation Reference:

In ServiceNow, asys_idis aunique 32-character identifier(UUID - Universally Unique Identifier) that is automatically assigned to every record in the system.

It isa unique 32-character alphanumeric string(e.g.,5137153cc611227c000bbd1bd8cd2005).

Every record in every table in ServiceNow has asys_idfield.

Thesys_id remains the same across instances if the record is transferred via an Update Set.

It helpsuniquely identifyrecords and is used in scripting, APIs, and database relationships.

In theIncident [incident]table, an incident record might have:

Number:INC0012345

sys_id:9d72f6141b122200d37a85e15b2d6fe6

Key Characteristics of sys_id:Example:

Thesys_id is always 32 characters long.

It is acritical part of the ServiceNow database structure.

Used forrelationships, APIs, scripting, and querying records.

Why "A. Unique 32-character identifier that is assigned to every record" is Correct?

B. A client-side Business Rule – Incorrect

Business Rulesdo not generate sys_ids; they control logic execution.

C. A server-side Business Rule – Incorrect

Business Rules are used for automation, but sys_id is a system-generated field.

D. Unique 64-character identifier that is assigned to every record – Incorrect

The correct length of sys_id is32 characters, not 64.

Explanation of Incorrect Options:

ServiceNow Docs: Understanding sys_id

ServiceNow CSA Study Guide – Database Architecture

ServiceNow Product Documentation: Unique Identifiers in ServiceNow

References from Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation:

When importing data into ServiceNow via anImport Set, the system determines whether to update existing records or create new ones based on theCoalescefield setting.

If noCoalesce Fieldis defined,ServiceNow treats every imported row as a new record.

The import process doesnotcheck for existing records, meaning no records in the target table are updated.

This can result induplicate entriesif the imported data includes records that already exist in the target table.

ACoalesce Fieldis used tomatchincoming data to existing records.

If a matching record is found, it is updated instead of inserting a new one.

If no matching record is found, a new record is created.

Behavior When No Coalesce Field is Specified:How Coalescing Works:Incorrect Answers Explanation:A.All rows are rejected from the import, as coalesce field is required

This is incorrect because the import does not require a coalesce field to proceed. The system will still import all rows.C.Duplicate rows are rejected from the import

Without a coalesce field, duplicates arenotrejected. Instead, every row is inserted as a new record, even if it already exists in the target table.D.All rows are treated as new records, but errors will be flagged in the import log

Errors are only flagged in cases ofdata mismatches, validation failures, or incorrect mappings, not just because coalescing is missing.

ServiceNow Documentation→ "Importing Data - Coalescing Best Practices"

ServiceNow Import Set Documentation→ "Understanding Import Set Behavior Without Coalescing"

References from Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation: