How to integrate ServiceNow using PowerShell

Integrate PowerShell and ServiceNow
Integrate PowerShell and ServiceNow

Learn how to quickly and efficiently connect ServiceNow with PowerShell for smooth data access.

Read and write ServiceNow data effortlessly. Integrate, manage, and automate incidents, tasks, attachments, and records — almost no coding required. You can do it all using the high-performance ServiceNow ODBC Driver for PowerShell (often referred to as the ServiceNow Connector). We'll walk you through the entire setup.

Ready to dive in? Download the product to jump right in, or follow the step-by-step guide below to see how it works.

Create data source using ServiceNow ODBC Driver

Step-by-step instructions

To get data from ServiceNow using PowerShell, we first need to create an ODBC data source. We will later read this data in PowerShell. Perform these steps:

  1. Download and install ODBC PowerPack (if you haven't already).

  2. Search for odbc and open the ODBC Data Sources (64-bit):

    Open ODBC Data Source

  3. Create a User data source (User DSN) based on the ZappySys API Driver driver:

    ZappySys API Driver
    Create new User DSN for ZappySys API Driver
    • Create and use a User DSN if the client application runs under a User Account. This is the ideal option at design time (e.g., when developing in Visual Studio). Use it for both types of applications (64-bit and 32-bit).
    • Create and use a System DSN if the client application runs under a System Account (e.g., as a Windows Service). This is usually the required option in a production environment. If your Windows Service is a 32-bit application, you must use the 32-bit ODBC Data Source Administrator to configure this

  4. When the Configuration window appears give your data source a name if you haven't done that already, then select "ServiceNow" from the list of Popular Connectors. If "ServiceNow" is not present in the list, then click "Search Online" and download it. Then set the path to the location where you downloaded it. Finally, click Continue >> to proceed with configuring the DSN:

    ServicenowDSN
    ServiceNow
    ODBC DSN Template Selection

  5. Now it's time to configure the Connection Manager. Select Authentication Type, e.g. Token Authentication. Then select API Base URL (in most cases, the default one is the right one). More info is available in the Authentication section.

    Basic Auth (UserName and Password)

    ServiceNow authentication

    Authenticate using ServiceNow instance username and password.

    Locate your ServiceNow instance credentials and use them for HTTP authentication:

    1. Go to https://developer.servicenow.com/dev.do and log in.
    2. Click on your profile picture.

    3. When a menu appears, click on Manage instance password or a similar option:

      Manage instance password in ServiceNow

    4. In a new window you will see your HTTP Basic Authentication credentials:

      Use instance credentials to authenticate to ServiceNow

    5. Done! Use this username and password when configuring HTTP Authentication parameters.

    API Connection Manager configuration

    Just perform these simple steps to finish authentication configuration:

    1. Set Authentication Type to Basic Auth (UserName and Password) [Http]
    2. Optional step. Modify API Base URL if needed (in most cases default will work).
    3. Fill in all the required parameters and set optional parameters if needed.
    4. Finally, hit OK button:
    ServicenowDSN
    ServiceNow
    Basic Auth (UserName and Password) [Http]
    https://[$InstanceName$].service-now.com/api/now
    Required Parameters
    InstanceName (e.g. mycompany) Fill-in the parameter...
    User name Fill-in the parameter...
    Password Fill-in the parameter...
    Optional Parameters
    ApiVersion v2
    RetryMode RetryWhenStatusCodeMatch
    RetryStatusCodeList 429
    RetryCountMax 5
    RetryMultiplyWaitTime True
    Date Time Value Handling
    ODBC DSN HTTP Connection Configuration

    OAuth Authorization Code Grant (User Creds)

    ServiceNow authentication

    Authenticate using OAuth 2.0 Authorization Code Flow (3-legged)

    Create OAuth application and use it for authentication:

    1. Login to your instance at https://your-instance-id.service-now.com.

    2. Start by clicking on menu item All, then search for oauth, and click Application Registry option:

      Locate OAuth configuration in ServiceNow

    3. Then click button New:

      Create new OAuth application in ServiceNow

    4. Continue by clicking Create an OAuth API endpoint for external clients option:

      Use ServiceNow OAuth application for external clients

    5. Move on by naming your OAuth application and entering a Client Secret (or let it be generated automatically).

    6. Click on the lock icon next to the Redirect URL. Enter https://zappysys.com/oauth. This is not needed if you use Client Credentials Grant or Password Grant

    7. Finally give it a final touch by increasing the Refresh Token Lifespan value to 315,360,000 (it should last for 10 years):

      Configure OAuth application in ServiceNow
    8. Change Default Grant Type as per your need.
      NOTE: If you prefer to use Client Credentials grant (Service account style access without using real userid-password) then your admin must enable it. Client Credentials is only supported on instances where it is explicitly enabled by the ServiceNow administrator. Its not supported in Dev / Free instance.

    9. Done! Now you can use Client ID and Client Secret when configuring OAuth Authentication parameters.

    Enable Client Credentials Grant Type

    • Enable the Client Credentials Grant Type: Go to System Properties > All Properties, create a new property named glide.oauth.inbound.client.credential.grant_type.enabled, and set it to true.
    • Configure the OAuth Application: Navigate to System OAuth > Application Registry, click New, and select Create an OAuth API endpoint for external clients. Set the name and save the record. In the Default Grant Type field, select Client Credentials and associate it with the integration user.
    API Connection Manager configuration

    Just perform these simple steps to finish authentication configuration:

    1. Set Authentication Type to OAuth Authorization Code Grant (User Creds) [OAuth]
    2. Optional step. Modify API Base URL if needed (in most cases default will work).
    3. Fill in all the required parameters and set optional parameters if needed.
    4. Press Generate Token button to generate the tokens.
    5. Finally, hit OK button:
    ServicenowDSN
    ServiceNow
    OAuth Authorization Code Grant (User Creds) [OAuth]
    https://[$InstanceName$].service-now.com/api/now
    Required Parameters
    Redirect URI (***Must match as App Registry Page***) Fill-in the parameter...
    ODBC DSN OAuth Connection Configuration

    OAuth Client Credentials Grant (Must be enabled by Admin)

    ServiceNow authentication

    Authenticate using OAuth Client Credentials Grant (Client ID and Client Secret). [API reference]

    Create OAuth application and use it for authentication:

    1. Login to your instance at https://your-instance-id.service-now.com.

    2. Start by clicking on menu item All, then search for oauth, and click Application Registry option:

      Locate OAuth configuration in ServiceNow

    3. Then click button New:

      Create new OAuth application in ServiceNow

    4. Continue by clicking Create an OAuth API endpoint for external clients option:

      Use ServiceNow OAuth application for external clients

    5. Move on by naming your OAuth application and entering a Client Secret (or let it be generated automatically).

    6. Click on the lock icon next to the Redirect URL. Enter https://zappysys.com/oauth. This is not needed if you use Client Credentials Grant or Password Grant

    7. Finally give it a final touch by increasing the Refresh Token Lifespan value to 315,360,000 (it should last for 10 years):

      Configure OAuth application in ServiceNow
    8. Change Default Grant Type as per your need.
      NOTE: If you prefer to use Client Credentials grant (Service account style access without using real userid-password) then your admin must enable it. Client Credentials is only supported on instances where it is explicitly enabled by the ServiceNow administrator. Its not supported in Dev / Free instance.

    9. Done! Now you can use Client ID and Client Secret when configuring OAuth Authentication parameters.

    Enable Client Credentials Grant Type

    • Enable the Client Credentials Grant Type: Go to System Properties > All Properties, create a new property named glide.oauth.inbound.client.credential.grant_type.enabled, and set it to true.
    • Configure the OAuth Application: Navigate to System OAuth > Application Registry, click New, and select Create an OAuth API endpoint for external clients. Set the name and save the record. In the Default Grant Type field, select Client Credentials and associate it with the integration user.
    API Connection Manager configuration

    Just perform these simple steps to finish authentication configuration:

    1. Set Authentication Type to OAuth Client Credentials Grant (Must be enabled by Admin) [OAuth]
    2. Optional step. Modify API Base URL if needed (in most cases default will work).
    3. Fill in all the required parameters and set optional parameters if needed.
    4. Finally, hit OK button:
    ServicenowDSN
    ServiceNow
    OAuth Client Credentials Grant (Must be enabled by Admin) [OAuth]
    https://[$InstanceName$].service-now.com/api/now
    There are no parameters to configure.
    ODBC DSN OAuth Connection Configuration

    OAuth Password Grant

    ServiceNow authentication

    Authenticate using OAuth Password Grant (ServiceNow instance username, password, OAuth Client ID, and Client Secret). [API reference]

    Create OAuth application and use it for authentication:

    1. Login to your instance at https://your-instance-id.service-now.com.

    2. Start by clicking on menu item All, then search for oauth, and click Application Registry option:

      Locate OAuth configuration in ServiceNow

    3. Then click button New:

      Create new OAuth application in ServiceNow

    4. Continue by clicking Create an OAuth API endpoint for external clients option:

      Use ServiceNow OAuth application for external clients

    5. Move on by naming your OAuth application and entering a Client Secret (or let it be generated automatically).

    6. Click on the lock icon next to the Redirect URL. Enter https://zappysys.com/oauth. This is not needed if you use Client Credentials Grant or Password Grant

    7. Finally give it a final touch by increasing the Refresh Token Lifespan value to 315,360,000 (it should last for 10 years):

      Configure OAuth application in ServiceNow
    8. Change Default Grant Type as per your need.
      NOTE: If you prefer to use Client Credentials grant (Service account style access without using real userid-password) then your admin must enable it. Client Credentials is only supported on instances where it is explicitly enabled by the ServiceNow administrator. Its not supported in Dev / Free instance.

    9. Done! Now you can use Client ID and Client Secret when configuring OAuth Authentication parameters.

    Enable Client Credentials Grant Type

    • Enable the Client Credentials Grant Type: Go to System Properties > All Properties, create a new property named glide.oauth.inbound.client.credential.grant_type.enabled, and set it to true.
    • Configure the OAuth Application: Navigate to System OAuth > Application Registry, click New, and select Create an OAuth API endpoint for external clients. Set the name and save the record. In the Default Grant Type field, select Client Credentials and associate it with the integration user.
    API Connection Manager configuration

    Just perform these simple steps to finish authentication configuration:

    1. Set Authentication Type to OAuth Password Grant [OAuth]
    2. Optional step. Modify API Base URL if needed (in most cases default will work).
    3. Fill in all the required parameters and set optional parameters if needed.
    4. Finally, hit OK button:
    ServicenowDSN
    ServiceNow
    OAuth Password Grant [OAuth]
    https://[$InstanceName$].service-now.com/api/now
    Required Parameters
    User name Fill-in the parameter...
    Password Fill-in the parameter...
    ODBC DSN OAuth Connection Configuration

  6. Once the data source connection has been configured, it's time to configure the SQL query. Select the Preview tab and then click Query Builder button to configure the SQL query:

    ZappySys API Driver - ServiceNow
    Read and write ServiceNow data effortlessly. Integrate, manage, and automate incidents, tasks, attachments, and records — almost no coding required.
    ServicenowDSN
    Open Query Builder in API ODBC Driver to read and write data to REST API

  7. Start by selecting the Table or Endpoint you are interested in and then configure the parameters. This will generate a query that we will use in PowerShell to retrieve data from ServiceNow. Hit OK button to use this query in the next step. 

    SELECT * FROM incident 

--Using Primary Key				
--SELECT * FROM any_table_here WHERE sys_id='109562a3c611227500a7b7ff98cc0dc7' --Primary Key in WHERE clause

--OR-- 

--Use below to query system / hidden tables (faster response - No Table name lookup needed in below)
SELECT * FROM get_table_rows WITH(TableName='incident', Query='number=INC0000001')

--=================================
--Examples: Using Filter Expression
--=================================
-- Incremental Load Pattern: Load only incidents updated in the last 24 hours (see FUN_TO_DATETIME function help for more information, you can use +/- d, m, y, min,h,s along with now, today, yesterday, weekstart, weekend, monthstart, monthend, yearstart, yearend functions)
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='sys_updated_on>=<<today-1d,FUN_TO_DATETIME>>')

--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='number=INC0000001') --Equal condition
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='number!=INC0000001') --Not equal condition
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='numberININC0000001,INC0000002,INC0000003') --IN condition
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='number=INC0000001^state=7') --AND condition
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='number=INC0000001^ORnumber=INC0000002') --OR condition
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='numberLIKE0001') --LIKE condition
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='numberSTARTSWITHINC00') --StartWith condition
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='numberENDSWITH0001') --StartWith condition
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='number=INC0000001^state=7^NQORnumber=INC0000002') --AND / OR MIXED using NQ (NewQuery Operator)  -- (number=INC0000001 and state=7) OR (number=INC0000002)

--more information about filter here https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/utah-platform-user-interface/page/use/common-ui-elements/reference/r_OpAvailableFiltersQueries.html


-- To read all available tables execute this query:
-- SELECT * FROM Tables

-- Other common tables:
-----------------------
-- SELECT * FROM sys_db_object
-- SELECT * FROM sys_dictionary
-- SELECT * FROM sys_user
-- SELECT * FROM sys_user_has_role
-- SELECT * FROM sys_user_grmember
-- SELECT * FROM task
-- SELECT * FROM task_sla
-- SELECT * FROM incident
-- SELECT * FROM incident_sla
-- SELECT * FROM change_request
-- SELECT * FROM cmdb_ci_computer
-- SELECT * FROM cmdb_ci_outage
-- SELECT * FROM cmdb_ci
-- SELECT * FROM sn_customerservice_case
-- SELECT * FROM kb_knowledge
-- SELECT * FROM kb_use
-- SELECT * FROM sc_req_item
-- SELECT * FROM sc_request
-- SELECT * FROM sc_task
    Configure table/endpoint parameters in ODBC data source based on API Driver
    Some parameters configured in this window will be passed to the ServiceNow API, e.g. filtering parameters. It means that filtering will be done on the server side (instead of the client side), enabling you to get only the meaningful data much faster.

  8. Now hit Preview Data button to preview the data using the generated SQL query. If you are satisfied with the result, use this query in PowerShell:

    ZappySys API Driver - ServiceNow
    Read and write ServiceNow data effortlessly. Integrate, manage, and automate incidents, tasks, attachments, and records — almost no coding required.
    ServicenowDSN
    SELECT * FROM incident 

--Using Primary Key				
--SELECT * FROM any_table_here WHERE sys_id='109562a3c611227500a7b7ff98cc0dc7' --Primary Key in WHERE clause

--OR-- 

--Use below to query system / hidden tables (faster response - No Table name lookup needed in below)
SELECT * FROM get_table_rows WITH(TableName='incident', Query='number=INC0000001')

--=================================
--Examples: Using Filter Expression
--=================================
-- Incremental Load Pattern: Load only incidents updated in the last 24 hours (see FUN_TO_DATETIME function help for more information, you can use +/- d, m, y, min,h,s along with now, today, yesterday, weekstart, weekend, monthstart, monthend, yearstart, yearend functions)
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='sys_updated_on>=<<today-1d,FUN_TO_DATETIME>>')

--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='number=INC0000001') --Equal condition
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='number!=INC0000001') --Not equal condition
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='numberININC0000001,INC0000002,INC0000003') --IN condition
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='number=INC0000001^state=7') --AND condition
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='number=INC0000001^ORnumber=INC0000002') --OR condition
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='numberLIKE0001') --LIKE condition
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='numberSTARTSWITHINC00') --StartWith condition
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='numberENDSWITH0001') --StartWith condition
--SELECT * FROM incident WITH(Query='number=INC0000001^state=7^NQORnumber=INC0000002') --AND / OR MIXED using NQ (NewQuery Operator)  -- (number=INC0000001 and state=7) OR (number=INC0000002)

--more information about filter here https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/utah-platform-user-interface/page/use/common-ui-elements/reference/r_OpAvailableFiltersQueries.html


-- To read all available tables execute this query:
-- SELECT * FROM Tables

-- Other common tables:
-----------------------
-- SELECT * FROM sys_db_object
-- SELECT * FROM sys_dictionary
-- SELECT * FROM sys_user
-- SELECT * FROM sys_user_has_role
-- SELECT * FROM sys_user_grmember
-- SELECT * FROM task
-- SELECT * FROM task_sla
-- SELECT * FROM incident
-- SELECT * FROM incident_sla
-- SELECT * FROM change_request
-- SELECT * FROM cmdb_ci_computer
-- SELECT * FROM cmdb_ci_outage
-- SELECT * FROM cmdb_ci
-- SELECT * FROM sn_customerservice_case
-- SELECT * FROM kb_knowledge
-- SELECT * FROM kb_use
-- SELECT * FROM sc_req_item
-- SELECT * FROM sc_request
-- SELECT * FROM sc_task
    API ODBC Driver-based data source data preview
    You can also access data quickly from the tables dropdown by selecting <Select table>.
    A WHERE clause, LIMIT keyword will be performed on the client side, meaning that the whole result set will be retrieved from the ServiceNow API first, and only then the filtering will be applied to the data. If possible, it is recommended to use parameters in Query Builder to filter the data on the server side (in ServiceNow servers).

  9. Click OK to finish creating the data source.

Video Tutorial

Read ServiceNow data in PowerShell

Sometimes, you need to quickly access and work with your ServiceNow data in PowerShell. Whether you need a quick data overview or the complete dataset, this article will guide you through the process. Here are some common scenarios:

Viewing data in a terminal
  • Quickly peek at ServiceNow data
  • Monitor data constantly in your console
Saving data to a file
  • Export data to a CSV file so that it can be sliced and diced in Excel
  • Export data to a JSON file so that it can ingested by other processes
  • Export data to an HTML file for user-friendly view and easy sharing
  • Create a schedule to make it an automatic process
Saving data to a database
  • Store data internally for analysis or for further ETL processes
  • Create a schedule to make it an automatic process
Sending data to another API
  • Integrate data with other systems via external APIs

In this article, we will delve deeper into how to quickly view the data in PowerShell terminal and how to save it to a file. But let's stop talking and get started!

Reading individual fields

  1. Open your favorite PowerShell IDE (we are using Visual Studio Code).

  2. Use this code snippet to read the data using ServicenowDSN data source:

    "DSN=ServicenowDSN"
    Read API data with PowerShell using ODBC DSN in Visual Code

    For your convenience, here is the whole PowerShell script: 

    # Configure connection string and query
$connectionString = "DSN=ServicenowDSN"
$query = "SELECT * FROM Customers"

# Instantiate OdbcDataAdapter and DataTable
$adapter = New-Object System.Data.Odbc.OdbcDataAdapter($query, $connectionString)
$table = New-Object System.Data.DataTable

# Fill the table with data
$adapter.Fill($table)

# Since we know we will be reading just 4 columns, let's define format for those 4 columns, each separated by a tab
$format = "{0}`t{1}`t{2}`t{3}"

# Display data in the console
foreach ($row in $table.Rows)
{
    # Construct line based on the format and individual ServiceNow fields
    $line = $format -f ($row["CustomerId"], $row["CompanyName"], $row["Country"], $row["Phone"])
    Write-Host $line
}
    Access specific ServiceNow table field using this code snippet: 
    $field = $row["ColumnName"]
    You will find more info on how to manipulate DataTable.Rows property in Microsoft .NET reference.
    For demonstration purposes we are using sample tables which may not be available in ServiceNow.

  3. To read values in a console, save the script to a file and then execute this command inside PowerShell terminal:

    Read API data in PowerShell using ODBC DSN
    You can also use even a simpler command inside the terminal, e.g.: 
    . 'C:\Users\john\Documents\dsn.ps1'

Retrieving all fields

However, there might be case, when you want to retrieve all columns of a query. Here is how you do it:

"DSN=ServicenowDSN"
Read all API columns from ODBC data source in PowerShell

Again, for your convenience, here is the whole PowerShell script: 

# Configure connection string and query
$connectionString = "DSN=ServicenowDSN"
$query = "SELECT CustomerId, CompanyName, Country, Phone FROM Customers"

# Instantiate OdbcDataAdapter and DataTable
$adapter = New-Object System.Data.Odbc.OdbcDataAdapter($query, $connectionString)
$table = New-Object System.Data.DataTable

# Fill the table with data
$adapter.Fill($table)

# Display data in the console
foreach ($row in $table.Rows) {
    $line = ""
    foreach ($column in $table.Columns) {
        $value = $row[$column.ColumnName]

        # Let's handle NULL values
        if ($value -is [DBNull])
        {
            $value = "(NULL)"
        }
        $line += $value + "`t"
    }
    Write-Host $line
}
You can limit the numbers of lines to retrieve by using a LIMIT keyword in the query, e.g.: 
SELECT * FROM Customers LIMIT 10

Using a full ODBC connection string

In the previous steps we used a very short format of ODBC connection string - a DSN. Yet sometimes you don't want a dependency on an ODBC data source (and an extra step). In those times, you can define a full connection string and skip creating an ODBC data source entirely. Let's see below how to accomplish that in the below steps:

  1. Open ODBC data source configuration and click Copy settings:
    ZappySys API Driver - Configuration [Version: 2.0.1.10418]
    ZappySys API Driver - ServiceNow
    Read and write ServiceNow data effortlessly. Integrate, manage, and automate incidents, tasks, attachments, and records — almost no coding required.
    ServicenowDSN
    Copy connection string for ODBC application
  2. The window opens, telling us the connection string was successfully copied to the clipboard: Successful connection string copying for ODBC application
  3. Then just paste the connection string into your script: Paste ODBC connection string in PowerShell to read API data
  4. You are good to go! The script will execute the same way as using a DSN.

Have in mind that a full connection string has length limitations.

Proceed to the next step to find out the details.

Handling limitations of using a full connection string

Despite using a full ODBC connection string may be very convenient it comes with a limitation: it's length is limited to 1024 symbols (or sometimes more). It usually happens when API provider generates a very long Refresh Token when OAuth is at play. If you are using such a long ODBC connection string, you may get this error: 

"Connection string exceeds maximum allowed length of 1024"

But there is a solution to this by storing the full connection string in a file. Follow the steps below to achieve this:

  1. Open your ODBC data source.
  2. Click Copy settings button to copy a full connection string (see the previous section on how to accomplish that).
  3. Then create a new file, let's say, in C:\temp\odbc-connection-string.txt.
  4. Continue by pasting the copied connection string into a newly created file and save it.
  5. Finally, the last step! Just construct a shorter ODBC connection string using this format: 
    DRIVER={ZappySys API Driver};SettingsFile=C:\temp\odbc-connection-string.txt
  6. Our troubles are over! Now you should be able to use this connection string in PowerShell with no problems.
This feature requires ODBC PowerPack v1.9.0 or later.

Write ServiceNow data to a file in PowerShell

Save data to a CSV file

Export data to a CSV file so that it can be sliced and diced in Excel: 

# Configure connection string and query
$connectionString = "DSN=ServicenowDSN"
$query = "SELECT * FROM Customers"

# Instantiate OdbcDataAdapter and DataTable
$adapter = New-Object System.Data.Odbc.OdbcDataAdapter($query, $connectionString)
$table = New-Object System.Data.DataTable

# Fill the table with data
$adapter.Fill($table)

# Export table data to a file
$table | ConvertTo-Csv -NoTypeInformation -Delimiter "`t" | Out-File "C:\Users\john\saved-data.csv" -Force

Save data to a JSON file

Export data to a JSON file so that it can ingested by other processes (use the above script, but change this part): 

# Export table data to a file
$table | ConvertTo-Json | Out-File "C:\Users\john\saved-data.json" -Force

Save data to an HTML file

Export data to an HTML file for user-friendly view and easy sharing (use the above script, but change this part): 

# Export table data to a file
$table | ConvertTo-Html | Out-File "C:\Users\john\saved-data.html" -Force
Check useful PowerShell cmdlets other than ConvertTo-Csv, ConvertTo-Json, and ConvertTo-Html for other data manipulation scenarios.

Optional: Centralized data access via ZappySys Data Gateway

In some situations, you may need to provide ServiceNow data access to multiple users or services. Configuring the data source on a Data Gateway creates a single, centralized connection point for this purpose.

This configuration provides two primary advantages:

  • Centralized data access
    The data source is configured once on the gateway, eliminating the need to set it up individually on each user's machine or application. This significantly simplifies the management process.
  • Centralized access control
    Since all connections route through the gateway, access can be governed or revoked from a single location for all users.
Data Gateway
Local ODBC
data source
Simple configuration
Installation Single machine Per machine
Connectivity Local and remote Local only
Connections limit Limited by License Unlimited
Central data access
Central access control
More flexible cost

To achieve this, you must first create a data source in the Data Gateway (server-side) and then create an ODBC data source in PowerShell (client-side) to connect to it.

Let's not wait and get going!

Create ServiceNow data source in the gateway

In this section we will create a data source for ServiceNow in the Data Gateway. Let's follow these steps to accomplish that:

  1. Search for gateway in the Windows Start Menu and open ZappySys Data Gateway Configuration:

    Open ZappySys Data Gateway Service Manager

  2. Go to the Users tab and follow these steps to add a Data Gateway user:

    • Click the Add button
    • In the Login field enter a username, e.g., john
    • Then enter a Password
    • Check the Is Administrator checkbox
    • Click OK to save
    Data Gateway - Add User

  3. Now we are ready to add a data source:

    • Click the Add button
    • Give the Data source a name (have it handy for later)
    • Then select Native - ZappySys API Driver
    • Finally, click OK
    ServicenowDSN
    ZappySys API Driver
    Data Gateway - Add data source

  4. When the ZappySys API Driver configuration window opens, go back to ODBC Data Source Administrator where you already have the ServiceNow ODBC data source created and configured, and follow these steps on how to Import data source configuration into the Gateway:

    • Open ODBC data source configuration and click Copy settings:
      ZappySys API Driver - Configuration [Version: 2.0.1.10418]
      ZappySys API Driver - ServiceNow
      Read and write ServiceNow data effortlessly. Integrate, manage, and automate incidents, tasks, attachments, and records — almost no coding required.
      ServicenowDSN
      Copy connection string for ODBC application
    • The window opens, telling us the connection string was successfully copied to the clipboard: Successful connection string copying for ODBC application

    • Then go to Data Gateway configuration and in data source configuration window click Load settings:

      ServicenowDSN
      ZappySys API Driver - Configuration [Version: 2.0.1.10418]
      ZappySys API Driver - ServiceNow
      Read and write ServiceNow data effortlessly. Integrate, manage, and automate incidents, tasks, attachments, and records — almost no coding required.
      ServicenowDSN
      Load configuration in ZappySys Data Gateway data source
    • Once a window opens, just paste the settings by pressing CTRL+V or by clicking right mouse button and then Paste option.

  5. Once done, go to the Network Settings tab and Add a firewall rule for inbound traffic:

    Data Gateway - Add firewall rule for inbound connections
    • This will initially allow all inbound traffic.
    • Click Edit IP filters to restrict access to specific IP addresses or ranges.

  6. Crucial Step: After creating or modifying the data source, you must:

    • Click the Save button to persist your changes.
    • Hit Yes when prompted to restart the Data Gateway service.

    This ensures all changes are properly applied:

    ZappySys Data Gateway - Save Changes
    Skipping this step may cause the new settings to fail, preventing you from connecting to the data source.

Create ODBC data source to connect to the gateway

In this part we will create an ODBC data source to connect to the ZappySys Data Gateway from PowerShell. To achieve that, let's perform these steps:

  1. Search for odbc and open the ODBC Data Sources (64-bit):

    Open ODBC Data Source

  2. Create a User data source (User DSN) based on the ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server driver:

    ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server
    Create new User DSN for ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server
    If you don't see the ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server driver in the list, choose a similar version.

  3. Then set a Name for the data source (e.g. Gateway) and the address of the Data Gateway:

    ZappySysGatewayDSN
    localhost,5000
    ODBC driver for SQL Server - Setting hostname and port
    Make sure you separate the hostname and port with a comma, e.g. localhost,5000.

  4. Proceed with the authentication part:

    • Select SQL Server authentication
    • In the Login ID field enter the user name you created in the Data Gateway, e.g., john
    • Set Password to the one you configured in the Data Gateway
    ODBC driver for SQL Server - Selecting SQL Authentication

  5. Then set the default database property to ServicenowDSN (the one we used in the Data Gateway):

    ServicenowDSN
    ServicenowDSN
    ODBC driver for SQL Server - Selecting database
    Make sure to type the data source name manually or copy/paste it directly into the field. Using the dropdown might fail because the Trust server certificate option is not enabled yet (next step).

  6. Continue by checking the Trust server certificate option:

    ODBC driver for SQL Server - Trusting certificate

  7. Once you do that, test the connection:

    ODBC driver for SQL Server - Testing connection

  8. If the connection is successful, everything is good:

    ODBC driver for SQL Server - Testing connection succeeded

  9. Done!

We are ready to move to the final step. Let's do it!

Access data in PowerShell via the gateway

Finally, we are ready to read data from ServiceNow in PowerShell via the Data Gateway. Follow these final steps:

  1. Go back to PowerShell.

  2. Use this code snippet to read the data using ZappySysGatewayDSN data source:

    "DSN=ZappySysGatewayDSN"
    Read API data with PowerShell using ODBC DSN in Visual Code

    For your convenience, here is the whole PowerShell script: 

    # Configure connection string and query
$connectionString = "DSN=ZappySysGatewayDSN"
$query = "SELECT * FROM Customers"

# Instantiate OdbcDataAdapter and DataTable
$adapter = New-Object System.Data.Odbc.OdbcDataAdapter($query, $connectionString)
$table = New-Object System.Data.DataTable

# Fill the table with data
$adapter.Fill($table)

# Since we know we will be reading just 4 columns, let's define format for those 4 columns, each separated by a tab
$format = "{0}`t{1}`t{2}`t{3}"

# Display data in the console
foreach ($row in $table.Rows)
{
    # Construct line based on the format and individual ServiceNow fields
    $line = $format -f ($row["CustomerId"], $row["CompanyName"], $row["Country"], $row["Phone"])
    Write-Host $line
}
    Access specific ServiceNow table field using this code snippet: 
    $field = $row["ColumnName"]
    You will find more info on how to manipulate DataTable.Rows property in Microsoft .NET reference.
    For demonstration purposes we are using sample tables which may not be available in ServiceNow.

  3. Read the data the same way we discussed at the beginning of this article.

  4. That's it!

Now you can connect to ServiceNow data in PowerShell via the Data Gateway.

If you are asked for authentication details, use Database authentication, SQL authentication or Basic authentication option and enter the credentials you used when configuring the Data Gateway, e.g. john and your password.

Supported ServiceNow Connector actions

Got a specific use case in mind? We've mapped out exactly how to perform a variety of essential ServiceNow operations directly in PowerShell, so you don't have to figure out the setup from scratch. Check out the step-by-step guides below:

Conclusion

In this article we showed you how to connect to ServiceNow in PowerShell and integrate data without writing complex code — all of this was powered by ServiceNow ODBC Driver.

Download ODBC PowerPack now or ping us via chat if you have any questions or are looking for a specific feature (you can also reach out to us by submitting a ticket):

Download Chat

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