Ramisun | Job Openings

If You Can, Customize If You Must
How Over-Customizing ServiceNow Defeats Its Purpose

Introduction
ServiceNow is a powerhouse for streamlining IT service management (ITSM), enterprise workflows, and digital transformation. Its out-of-the-box (OOTB) capabilities are designed to solve common business challenges efficiently. Yet, organizations often fall into a trap: over-customizing the platform to mirror legacy processes or meet hyper-specific demands. While customization has its place, excessive tweaking can undermine ServiceNow’s core value. This article explores why adhering to the mantra “configure if you can, customize if you must” is critical—and how over-engineering risks complexity, cost, and chaos.

The Power of Configuration vs. the Pitfalls of Customization
Configuration means leveraging ServiceNow’s native features, settings, and workflows to align with business needs. It’s about adapting processes to the platform’s best practices.
Customization involves code changes, scripted workflows, or building entirely new components to force the platform to conform to outdated or overly niche requirements. While customization can address unique needs, it often comes at a cost:

Upgrade Headaches: Heavy customization creates “technical debt” that complicates upgrades. ServiceNow releases updates twice a year, but custom code can break during migrations, forcing costly rework.
Performance Degradation: Over-engineered workflows, redundant scripts, or bloated tables slow down the platform, frustrating users.
Lost Agility: The more you customize, the harder it becomes to adopt new ServiceNow modules or features, locking you into rigid, outdated solutions.
Maintenance Nightmares: Custom code requires specialized skills to maintain, increasing dependency on niche developers or third-party vendors.

Why Organizations Over-Customize

Common drivers of over-customization include:

“But we’ve always done it this way!”: Attempting to replicate legacy systems or processes in ServiceNow, even when they’re inefficient.
Scope Creep: Expanding requirements beyond the platform’s OOTB capabilities due to poor initial planning.
Lack of Governance: No centralized team to enforce standards, leading to fragmented solutions.
Misunderstanding Best Practices: Assuming customization is the only way to solve problems, rather than rethinking processes.

Real-World Consequences of Over-Customization
Case Study: The Upgrade That Broke Everything

A financial institution heavily customized its ServiceNow instance to replicate a legacy ticketing system. When upgrading to the latest version, 30% of their custom scripts conflicted with new OOTB features. The result? A six-month delay, $500k in rework, and employee backlash over disrupted workflows.

The Hidden Costs

Time: Developers spend hours maintaining custom code instead of innovating.
Money: Licensing additional tools to fix performance issues caused by bloat.
User Experience: Confusing interfaces and slow load times lead to low adoption rates.

Best Practices: Balancing Configuration and Customization

Start with OOTB: Use ServiceNow’s native features as the foundation. Many “unique” needs can be met with configuration.
Adopt Process Re-engineering: Align workflows with ServiceNow’s best practices instead of forcing old habits into the platform.
Leverage the ServiceNow Store: Use pre-built apps and integrations from the ServiceNow ecosystem before building from scratch.
Govern Customizations:

Establish a review board to approve necessary
Document every change and its business justification.
Isolate custom code for easier upgrades (e.g., using Update Sets).

Test Relentlessly: Simulate upgrades in a sandbox environment to catch conflicts early.
Train Stakeholders: Educate teams on the platform’s capabilities to reduce “we need it exactly like before” demands.

When Customization Is Justified

Customization isn’t inherently bad—it’s about strategic use. Valid scenarios include:

Industry-Specific Compliance: Building modules for highly regulated sectors (e.g., healthcare, finance).
Unique Business Models: Tailoring workflows for niche operations not covered by OOTB features.
Integration Demands: Connecting ServiceNow to proprietary legacy systems.

Even then, follow the “80/20 rule”: 80% configuration, 20% customization.

The Future of ServiceNow: Low-Code and Flexibility

ServiceNow’s recent investments in low-code tools (e.g., App Engine, IntegrationHub) empower users to build lightweight solutions without deep coding. These tools strike a balance, enabling customization while minimizing upgrade risks.

Conclusion
ServiceNow’s greatest strength is its ability to simplify complexity—but over-customization inverts that value. By prioritizing configuration, organizations maintain agility, reduce costs, and future-proof their investment. Customize only when absolutely necessary, and even then, do so sparingly. Remember: the goal isn’t to bend ServiceNow to your will, but to evolve your processes to leverage its full potential.

Call to Action
Audit your ServiceNow instance today:

Identify redundant customizations.
Revisit processes that could align with OOTB features.
Invest in training to shift mindsets from “customize first” to “configure first.”

Your future self (and your budget) will thank you.

Author’s Note: ServiceNow is a tool for transformation, not a canvas for recreating the past. Embrace its strengths, and you’ll unlock far more value than any customization could provide.

call us +1-510-972-8212