Steps to Troubleshoot Integrations

Steps to Troubleshoot Integrations

1. Understand the Integration:

   • Ensure you have a comprehensive understanding of the integration's purpose, functionality, and components.

2. Utilize External Tools:

   • Use tools like Postman to verify that the integration is functioning correctly from an external perspective.

3. Leverage ServiceNow Tools:

   • Use the REST API Explorer within ServiceNow to test and validate the APIs being used in the integration.

4. Validate Authentication:

   • Confirm that authentication mechanisms and credentials are correctly configured and valid.

5. Check Logs if Issues Persist:

   • Outbound Requests: Navigate to System Logs → Outbound HTTP Request to view logs related to outbound requests.

   • Inbound Requests: Collaborate with the third party to identify any errors they are receiving from ServiceNow.

   • System Logs: Check system logs to identify any errors captured by the try-catch block.

   • Canceled Transactions: Review logs for any canceled transactions that might be affecting the integration.

Best Practices:

1. Thorough Planning and Testing:

   • Engage all relevant stakeholders during the planning phase and ensure thorough testing before deploying integrations.

2. Centralized Logging:

   • Implement logging in a central location, ideally using a custom table, to streamline monitoring and troubleshooting.

3. Enhanced Visibility:

   • Create dashboards that provide clear and comprehensive visibility into the integration’s performance and health.

4. Automatic Retry Mechanism:

   • Implement an automatic retry mechanism with a defined retry policy. If the retry process fails repeatedly, generate a service request and assign it to the integration team for further investigation.

5. Error Handling:

   • Implement try-catch blocks to effectively handle errors. Regularly monitor the system for issues and ensure that these blocks print logs into the system log within a separate class.

6. Review Outbound Logs:

   • Regularly review HTTPS outbound logs to ensure the smooth operation of outbound requests and detect any potential issues early.