Automated Test Framework (ATF) for ServiceNow

ATF provides automated testing capabilities for ServiceNow applications, enabling regression testing and continuous integration.

ATF Architecture

Test Hierarchy

code

Test Suite: Incident Management Tests
├── Test: Create Incident
│   ├── Step 1: Impersonate User
│   ├── Step 2: Open New Record
│   ├── Step 3: Set Field Values
│   ├── Step 4: Submit Form
│   └── Step 5: Assert Values
├── Test: Assign Incident
│   └── Steps...
└── Test: Resolve Incident
    └── Steps...

Key Tables

Table	Purpose
`sys_atf_test`	Test definitions
`sys_atf_step`	Individual test steps
`sys_atf_test_suite`	Test suite groupings
`sys_atf_test_suite_test`	Suite-test relationships
`sys_atf_test_result`	Test execution results

Test Step Types

Common Step Types

Step Type	Purpose	Example
Impersonate	Run as specific user	Test as ITIL user
Open a New Form	Create new record	New incident form
Open an Existing Form	Edit record	Open INC0010001
Set Field Values	Populate fields	Set priority, description
Click a UI Action	Trigger button	Click "Save"
Assert Field Values	Validate values	Priority = 1
Run Server Side Script	Execute script	Custom validation
Wait	Pause execution	Wait for async

Creating Tests

Basic Test Structure (ES5)

javascript

// Create a new ATF test
var test = new GlideRecord("sys_atf_test")
test.initialize()
test.setValue("name", "Test: Create High Priority Incident")
test.setValue("description", "Verify high priority incident creation workflow")
test.setValue("active", true)
test.setValue("application", "global") // or scoped app sys_id
var testSysId = test.insert()

// Add test steps
function addTestStep(testId, order, stepType, config) {
  var step = new GlideRecord("sys_atf_step")
  step.initialize()
  step.setValue("test", testId)
  step.setValue("order", order)
  step.setValue("step_config", stepType)

  // Set step-specific configuration
  for (var key in config) {
    if (config.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
      step.setValue(key, config[key])
    }
  }

  return step.insert()
}

Impersonate Step

javascript

// Step 1: Impersonate ITIL user
addTestStep(testSysId, 100, "sys_atf_step_config_impersonate", {
  description: "Impersonate ITIL user",
  inputs: JSON.stringify({
    user: "itil", // or sys_id
  }),
})

Open New Form Step

javascript

// Step 2: Open new incident form
addTestStep(testSysId, 200, "sys_atf_step_config_open_new_form", {
  description: "Open new incident form",
  inputs: JSON.stringify({
    table: "incident",
  }),
})

Set Field Values Step

javascript

// Step 3: Set field values
addTestStep(testSysId, 300, "sys_atf_step_config_set_field_values", {
  description: "Set incident fields",
  inputs: JSON.stringify({
    table: "incident",
    values: [
      { field: "short_description", value: "ATF Test Incident" },
      { field: "priority", value: "1" },
      { field: "category", value: "network" },
      { field: "caller_id", value: "admin" },
    ],
  }),
})

Submit Form Step

javascript

// Step 4: Submit form (click Save)
addTestStep(testSysId, 400, "sys_atf_step_config_click_ui_action", {
  description: "Save the incident",
  inputs: JSON.stringify({
    ui_action: "sysverb_insert", // Submit/Insert action
  }),
})

Assert Field Values Step

javascript

// Step 5: Assert values
addTestStep(testSysId, 500, "sys_atf_step_config_assert_field_values", {
  description: "Verify incident was created correctly",
  inputs: JSON.stringify({
    table: "incident",
    assertions: [
      {
        field: "priority",
        operator: "equals",
        value: "1",
      },
      {
        field: "state",
        operator: "equals",
        value: "1", // New
      },
      {
        field: "number",
        operator: "is not empty",
      },
    ],
  }),
})

Server-Side Script Steps

Custom Validation Script (ES5)

javascript

// Step: Run Server Side Script
// Script (ES5 only!):

;(function (outputs, steps, params, stepResult) {
  // Access outputs from previous steps
  var incidentSysId = steps["step_sys_id"].record_id

  // Perform custom validation
  var gr = new GlideRecord("incident")
  if (gr.get(incidentSysId)) {
    // Check business rule fired
    if (gr.getValue("assignment_group") === "") {
      stepResult.setOutputMessage("Assignment group not set by business rule")
      stepResult.setFailed()
      return
    }

    // Check SLA attached
    var sla = new GlideRecord("task_sla")
    sla.addQuery("task", incidentSysId)
    sla.query()

    if (!sla.hasNext()) {
      stepResult.setOutputMessage("No SLA attached to incident")
      stepResult.setFailed()
      return
    }

    // All validations passed
    outputs.incident_number = gr.getValue("number")
    outputs.sla_count = sla.getRowCount()
    stepResult.setOutputMessage("All validations passed")
  } else {
    stepResult.setOutputMessage("Incident not found")
    stepResult.setFailed()
  }
})(outputs, steps, params, stepResult)

Data Setup Script (ES5)

javascript

// Step: Setup test data
;(function (outputs, steps, params, stepResult) {
  // Create test user if needed
  var user = new GlideRecord("sys_user")
  user.addQuery("user_name", "atf_test_user")
  user.query()

  if (!user.next()) {
    user.initialize()
    user.setValue("user_name", "atf_test_user")
    user.setValue("first_name", "ATF")
    user.setValue("last_name", "Test User")
    user.setValue("email", "atf@test.com")
    user.setValue("active", true)
    outputs.user_sys_id = user.insert()
  } else {
    outputs.user_sys_id = user.getUniqueValue()
  }

  stepResult.setOutputMessage("Test user ready: " + outputs.user_sys_id)
})(outputs, steps, params, stepResult)

Cleanup Script (ES5)

javascript

// Step: Cleanup test data (always runs)
;(function (outputs, steps, params, stepResult) {
  var testRecordId = steps["create_incident_step"].record_id

  if (testRecordId) {
    var gr = new GlideRecord("incident")
    if (gr.get(testRecordId)) {
      gr.deleteRecord()
      stepResult.setOutputMessage("Cleaned up test incident: " + testRecordId)
    }
  }
})(outputs, steps, params, stepResult)

Test Suites

Creating Test Suite

javascript

// Create test suite
var suite = new GlideRecord("sys_atf_test_suite")
suite.initialize()
suite.setValue("name", "Incident Management Regression Suite")
suite.setValue("description", "Full regression tests for incident management")
suite.setValue("active", true)
var suiteSysId = suite.insert()

// Add tests to suite
function addTestToSuite(suiteId, testId, order) {
  var link = new GlideRecord("sys_atf_test_suite_test")
  link.initialize()
  link.setValue("test_suite", suiteId)
  link.setValue("test", testId)
  link.setValue("order", order)
  return link.insert()
}

addTestToSuite(suiteSysId, createTestId, 100)
addTestToSuite(suiteSysId, assignTestId, 200)
addTestToSuite(suiteSysId, resolveTestId, 300)

Parameterized Tests

Using Test Parameters

javascript

// Test with parameters
var test = new GlideRecord('sys_atf_test');
test.initialize();
test.setValue('name', 'Test: Create Incident with Priority');
test.setValue('parameters', JSON.stringify({
    priority: '2',
    category: 'software'
}));
test.insert();

// In step, reference parameter
{
    "values": [
        { "field": "priority", "value": "${priority}" },
        { "field": "category", "value": "${category}" }
    ]
}

MCP Tool Integration

Available ATF Tools

Tool	Purpose
`snow_create_atf_test`	Create test
`snow_create_atf_test_step`	Add step to test
`snow_create_atf_test_suite`	Create suite
`snow_execute_atf_test`	Run test
`snow_get_atf_results`	Get results
`snow_discover_atf_tests`	Find existing tests

Example Workflow

javascript

// 1. Create test
var testId = await snow_create_atf_test({
  name: "Test: Incident Priority Escalation",
  description: "Verify priority changes trigger notifications",
})

// 2. Add steps
await snow_create_atf_test_step({
  test_id: testId,
  order: 100,
  type: "impersonate",
  user: "itil",
})

await snow_create_atf_test_step({
  test_id: testId,
  order: 200,
  type: "server_script",
  script: createIncidentScript,
})

// 3. Execute test
var resultId = await snow_execute_atf_test({
  test_id: testId,
})

// 4. Get results
var results = await snow_get_atf_results({
  result_id: resultId,
})

Best Practices

•Isolate Test Data - Create and cleanup test data in each test
•Use Impersonation - Test as actual user roles
•Atomic Tests - Each test validates one scenario
•Descriptive Names - Clear test and step descriptions
•Order Steps - Use 100, 200, 300 for easy insertion
•Handle Async - Add wait steps for async operations
•Cleanup Always - Use finally steps for cleanup
•Parameterize - Use parameters for reusable tests

Common Assertions

Assertion	Use Case
`equals`	Exact value match
`not equals`	Value exclusion
`is empty`	Field should be empty
`is not empty`	Field must have value
`contains`	Substring match
`starts with`	Prefix match
`greater than`	Numeric comparison
`less than`	Numeric comparison