CSA ServiceNow Certified System Administrator Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

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.

AnUpdate Setin ServiceNow is a mechanism used tocapture configuration changes(such as UI policies, business rules, client scripts, and more) from one instance and move them to another. This ensures that customizations and modifications can be transferred across different ServiceNow instances efficiently.

The process ofretrieving an Update Setfrom another instance follows these key steps:

Verify Update Set is Complete

Before moving an Update Set, it must be marked asCompleteto ensure that all related changes are included.

Navigate toSystem Update Sets > Local Update Setsand confirm that the status is set toComplete.

If the status isIn Progress, the Update Set cannot be retrieved.

Retrieve Update Set

In thetarget instance, navigate toSystem Update Sets > Retrieved Update Sets.

Click"Retrieve Update Set"and provide the remote instance’s URL where the update set exists.

The system will fetch the Update Set from the source instance.

Preview Update Set

Before applying changes, ServiceNow provides apreview optionto check for potential errors or collisions with existing customizations.

Click"Preview Update Set"to initiate validation.

The preview will highlight any skipped records, collisions, or missing dependencies.

Commit Update Set

If the preview is successful (i.e., no critical errors), click"Commit Update Set"to apply the changes to the instance.

Once committed, the changes in the Update Set will be merged into the system's configuration.

"Commit" is the correct final step– after previewing, the Update Set must becommittedto take effect.

"Apply" is incorrect– ServiceNow does not use "Apply" in the Update Set process; instead, it uses "Commit."

"Test Connection" is not part of the Update Set retrieval process– it is relevant forMID Server connectivitybut not for Update Sets.

Why the Correct Answer is "D. Verify Update Set is Complete, Retrieve, Preview, Commit"Thus, the correct sequence is:

✔Verify Update Set is Complete → Retrieve → Preview → Commit

ServiceNow CSA Official Documentation– Update Set Management

ServiceNow Docs - Update Sets(Search for "Update Set Lifecycle")

ServiceNow Community Best Practices on Update Sets

ServiceNow Community(Search for "Best Practices for Update Sets")

ServiceNow Learning Portal - Admin Fundamentals

Available via ServiceNow Now Learning Platform(Look under "Instance Configuration" and "Update Sets")

References from Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation:

AUI Policyis the preferredno-codeapproach in ServiceNow to dynamically control themandatory, read-only, or visibilitystate of form fields based on specified conditions. Unlike Client Scripts, which require JavaScript coding, UI Policies provide aneasy-to-configure, rule-based solution.

They allow administrators tocontrol form behaviorwithout scripting.

They arefaster and more efficientthan Client Scripts.

Theyrun on the client-side, meaning changes occur dynamically as users interact with the form.

Defineconditions(e.g., "Priority is High").

Setactions(e.g., make "Due Date" mandatory, read-only, or hidden).

Apply the UI Policy to the form automatically when the condition is met.

A. UI Action→ UI Actions create buttons, links, or context menu items; they do not control form fields.

B. Client Script→ While Client Scripts can achieve similar functionality, they require JavaScript coding, making them alow-coderather than ano-codesolution.

C. UI Script→ UI Scripts are reusable JavaScript libraries, not designed for controlling form fields.

D. UI Rule→ No such feature exists in ServiceNow.

TheServiceNow platformprovides variousinterfacesfor users to interact with the system based on their role and requirements. These interfaces cater to different use cases, such as web-based, mobile, and portal-based access.

Now Mobile Apps (A) –Correct

ServiceNow providesNow Mobile applicationsfor bothiOS and Android.

These apps allow users to access self-service options, request services, check approvals, and complete tasks from mobile devices.

Apps includeNow Mobile, Field Service Mobile, and Mobile Agent.

Service Portals (D) –Correct

Service Portalsprovide auser-friendly web interfacethat allows users tosubmit requests, search for knowledge, and interact with catalog itemsin a simplified way.

Service Portals are customizable and used forself-service and customer-facing interactions.

Now Platform® User Interfaces (E) –Correct

This includes the standardUI16 (Current Web Interface), UI Builder for custom interfaces, and theClassic UIfor legacy systems.

Users can access ServiceNow throughdesktop web browsers, mobile web interfaces, and UI frameworks.

B. Agent Control Center(Incorrect)

No such predefined interface exists in ServiceNow as "Agent Control Center."

C. Back Office Dashboard(Incorrect)

This is not a standard ServiceNow interface but may be a custom-built dashboard.

F. Field Service Taskboard(Incorrect)

This is afeaturewithinField Service Management (FSM), not a platform-wide interface.

ServiceNow User Interfaces Overview:https://docs.servicenow.com/en-US/bundle/utah-platform-user-interface/page/administer/navigation-and-ui/concept/c_NavigationAndTheUserInterface.html

Now Mobile App:https://docs.servicenow.com/en-US/bundle/utah-now-mobile/page/administer/service-now-mobile/concept/now-mobile-overview.html

Types of Interfaces in ServiceNow:Incorrect Options:Official References from Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation:

InServiceNow, afilter conditionis used to definesearch criteriafor records in a table. A filter consists ofthree primary components:

Field→ The database field to be evaluated (e.g.,priority,state,assigned_to).

Operator→ Specifies how the field should be compared to a value (e.g.,is,contains,greater than).

Value→ The expected data in the field (e.g.,High,Resolved,John Doe).

Filter Condition:PriorityisHigh

Field:Priority

Operator:is

Value:High

Another Example:Stateis notResolved

Field:State

Operator:is not

Value:Resolved

Example of a Filter Condition:Why Option A is Correct?Field, Operator, and Valueare the correct components used to create a filter condition.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect?B. Condition, Operator, and Value→ Incorrect because"Condition"is a result of aField + Operator + Value, not a separate component.

C. Field, Condition, and Value→ Incorrect because"Condition"is not a direct component.

D. Variable, Field, and Value→ Incorrect becausevariablesare used in forms, not in filter conditions.

ServiceNow Docs – Creating and Applying Filtershttps://docs.servicenow.com

ServiceNow Learning – Query Builder and Conditions

ServiceNow Best Practices – Using Filters in Lists and Reports

References from Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation:

AnAccess Control rule (ACL)in ServiceNow defineswho can access dataandwhat actions they can performon that data. Each ACL consists of three primary components:

Object being secured– The specific table, field, or record that the rule applies to.

Operation– The type of action that is being secured (e.g., Read, Write, Create, Delete).

Permissions required– The conditions, roles, or scripts that determine whether access is granted.

ACLs evaluatewhether a user has permissionto access a specific table, field, or action.

Thesecurity rules are processed from most specific to least specific(e.g., field-level > table-level).

Permissions can be granted based onroles, conditions, or custom scriptsusing GlideSystem (gs).

A. Groups, Conditional Expressions, and Workflows(Incorrect)

ACLs do not manageworkflowsor directly control group assignments.

B. Table Schema, CRUD, and User Authentication(Incorrect)

CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) permissions are controlled by ACLs, butUser Authenticationis managed separately through login policies (LDAP, SSO, etc.).

D. security_admin(Incorrect)

security_adminis aspecial elevated rolerequired to modify security settings, but it is not what an ACL specifies.

Access Control Rules Overview:https://docs.servicenow.com/en-US/bundle/utah-platform-security/page/administer/security/concept/access-control-rules.html

Configuring ACLs in ServiceNow:https://docs.servicenow.com/en-US/bundle/utah-platform-security/page/administer/security/task/t_CreateOrModifyAnAccessControl.html

How ACLs Work in ServiceNow:Explanation of Incorrect Options:Official References from Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation:

ATransform Mapin ServiceNow is a tool used to define relationships betweenfields in an import set tableandfields in a target table. It helps map incoming data to the appropriate fields within the ServiceNow database when importing data from external sources.

Data is loadedinto anImport Set Table.

ATransform Mapis created to define how fields from the import set correspond to fields in the target table.

TheTransformation Processis executed, applying the mapping rules.

The data is stored in theTarget Tablewith any specified transformations applied.

Supportsfield mapping,scripted transformations, andcoalesce fields(for avoiding duplicate records).

Allows fordata cleansing and standardizationduring the transformation process.

Can be reused for multiple data imports.

A. Transform Schema→ No such concept exists in ServiceNow.

B. Schema Map→ Provides a visual representation of table relationships but does not define field mappings for imports.

C. Dictionary Map→ Used for mapping between dictionary definitions, not for transforming import set data.

E. Field Transformer→ Not a ServiceNow tool.

F. Import Designer→ No such module in ServiceNow.

In ServiceNow,UI Actionsare used toadd buttons, links, and context menu itemson forms and lists to enhance user interaction.

UI Actions provide interactive elementssuch asbuttons, links, and context menu optionson forms and lists.

UI Actions allow execution ofserver-side and client-side scripts, includingGlideAjax and GlideRecordcalls.

They can be configured to execute underspecific conditions, such asuser roles, field values, or record states.

Examples of UI Actions include:

Submit, Update, and Deletebuttons on forms.

Custom action buttonssuch as "Escalate Incident" or "Resolve Task".

List context menu itemssuch as "Approve" or "Reject" for workflow items.

A. UI Policies:Used fordynamically showing, hiding, or making fields mandatory, butnot for adding buttons or links.

B. UI Settings:No such module in ServiceNow.

D. UI Config:Not a valid option; UI Actions, not "UI Config," control buttons and menus.

UI Actions Overview:ServiceNow Docs

Configuring UI Actions for Forms and Lists

Why is the Correct Answer "UI Actions"?Why Not the Other Options?References from the Certified System Administrator (CSA) Official Documentation:By usingUI Actions, developers canenhance the user experienceby providing interactivebuttons and menu optionsin ServiceNow.

InServiceNow, anUpdate Setis a mechanism used tocapture customizationsmade in an instance andmove them to another instance(e.g., from development to production). However, certain elements arenot included in an Update Set by default.

Homepages (A) –Correct

Homepages are stored asuser-specific or global content, and they are not included in update sets by default.

To migrate them, you need tomanually export/importthem or use thesys_portal_page_settable.

Data (B) –Correct

Update Setsdo not include actual data, such as incident records, user records, or CMDB data.

Onlyconfiguration changes(like fields, forms, and workflows) are captured.

Data migration must be handled separately usingData Export or Integration methods.

Published Workflows (C) –Correct

Once a workflow ispublished, it is stored as a runtime instance and not automatically included in an Update Set.

To capture it, you mustmanually updatethe workflow before moving it in an Update Set.

Report Definitions (H) –Correct

Reports and their configurations are not automatically included in Update Sets.

You mustmanually include themby marking them as "Captured in Update Set."

D. Business Rules(Captured in Update Sets)

E. Schedules(Captured in Update Sets)

F. Database changes(Captured in Update Sets)

G. Related Lists(Captured in Update Sets)

I. Scheduled Jobs(Captured in Update Sets)

J. Client Scripts(Captured in Update Sets)

K. Views(Captured in Update Sets)

ServiceNow Update Sets Overview:https://docs.servicenow.com/en-US/bundle/utah-application-development/page/build/system-update-sets/concept/c_UpdateSets.html

ServiceNow Update Set Best Practices:https://docs.servicenow.com/en-US/bundle/utah-application-development/page/build/system-update-sets/concept/update-set-best-practices.html

Items NOT Included in Update Sets (By Default):Items That ARE Included in Update Sets (By Default):Official References from Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation:

To create anew email notificationin ServiceNow for users affected bynetwork outages, you must navigate to theNotifications moduleunderSystem Notification.

Navigate to:System Notification > Email > Notifications

ClickNewto create a new notification.

Configure the notification with the following:

Name:"Network Outage Notification"

Table:Select the relevant table (e.g.,Incident, Task)

When to Send:Define the trigger (e.g., when anIncident is created or updatedwith a Network Outage category).

Who Will Receive:Specifyaffected users.

Message Content:Create the email subject and body usingdynamic fields(such as affected user’s site).

Save and test the notification.

Notifications are managed in System Notification.

TheNotifications moduleallows you to configureemail triggers, recipients, conditions, and templatesfor system alerts.

B. Administration > Notification Overview:No such module in ServiceNow.

C. System Properties > Email > Settings:This configuresemail server settings, not individual notifications.

D. User Preferences > Email > Notifications:User preferences onlyenable or disablepersonal notifications, not create new ones.

E. Click Gear > Notifications > New:The gear icondoes not provide accessto email notifications.

Creating and Managing Email Notifications in ServiceNow:ServiceNow Docs

ServiceNow Notification Configuration Guide

Steps to Create a New Notification:Why is the Correct Answer "System Notification > Email > Notifications"?Why Not the Other Options?References from the Certified System Administrator (CSA) Official Documentation:By usingSystem Notification > Email > Notifications, administrators can create a targetedemail notificationto alert users ofnetwork outageseffectively.

InServiceNow's System Import Sets, administrators canimport data from external sources(such as CSV, Excel, or databases) intoany tablewithin the platform usingTransform Maps.

ATransform Mapdefines how data from an Import Set table is mapped to fields in atarget table (destination table).

Administrators can select any tablein the system as the destination, including bothstandard and custom tables.

Thedestination table is not limitedto Task-related tables (Incident, Problem, Change, etc.).

Users can also applycoalesce rulesto determine if records should be updated or inserted during the transformation.

ServiceNowallows administrators to select any tableas the destination when setting up a Transform Map.

This includes standardITSM tables (Incident, Problem, Change, Task, Service Catalog)as well ascustom tablescreated by administrators.

There areno restrictionson which table can be a destination.

A. "The Task table is the only table that can be a destination"→Incorrect

TheTasktable is widely used, but it isnot the only tablethat can receive imported data.

B. "Only Incident, Problem, Change, Task, and Service Catalog tables can be destinations"→Incorrect

These are common ITSM tables, butany table in the systemcan be selected as a destination.

C. "Only the Incident, Problem, and Change tables can be destinations"→Incorrect

This istoo restrictivebecause other tables, including custom ones, can also be used.

Navigate to:System Import Sets > Create Transform Map

Select the Import Set Tableas thesource.

Choose any available tablein ServiceNow as thedestination.

Definefield mappingsbetween the source and target table.

Configurecoalesce rulesto update or insert records.

ServiceNow Docs: Creating and Using Transform Mapshttps://docs.servicenow.com/en-US/bundle/utah-platform-administration/page/administer/import-sets/concept/c_TransformMap.html

ServiceNow CSA Official Training Guide (Import Sets & Data Management)

Key Points About Transform Maps & Data Import:Why is "D. Any ServiceNow table" the Correct Answer?Why the Other Options Are Incorrect?How to Configure a Transform Map in ServiceNow?References from Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation:This confirms thatany ServiceNow tablecan be adestination tablefor imported data when using Transform Maps inSystem Import Sets.

InServiceNow Incident Management,work notesare used to capturetechnical and internal updatesfor an incident. These notes arestored in the Activity Logwhenever the incident is saved.

TheWork Notesfield is used forinternal communicationamong support teams.

When an incident is updated and saved,all work notesareappended to the Activity Log(a complete history of the incident).

The Activity Log provides achronological recordof all changes, includingwork notes, field updates, and system-generated messages.

Understanding Work Notes and the Activity Log:Why Option A is Correct?"All Work Notes field text is recorded in the Activity Log"– This is correct because every time an incident is saved, the Work Notesare appended to the Activity Log.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect?B. Work Notes field text is overwritten each time work is logged→ Incorrect becauseWork Notes are appended, not overwritten. Previous work notes remain visible in the Activity Log.

C. Impact is calculated by adding Priority and Urgency→ Incorrect becauseImpact, Urgency, and Priorityare independent fields, thoughPriorityis determined based onImpact + Urgencyvia business rules.

D. Additional Comments are cleared and recorded in Work Notes→ Incorrect becauseAdditional Comments(for customer-facing communication) andWork Notes(for internal teams) areseparate fields. Additional Comments are not cleared upon save.

ServiceNow Docs – Incident Management: Work Notes and Activity Loghttps://docs.servicenow.com

ServiceNow Learning – Understanding the Incident Activity Stream

ServiceNow Best Practices – Internal vs. External Communication in Incidents

References from Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation:

InServiceNow Flow Designer, adata pillrepresentsvariables, record fields, or outputs from previous stepsthat can be used dynamically in the flow.

Data pillsallow flow designers to referencerecord datawithout manually specifying table fields.

Dragging a data pillonto a flow step ensures that the correct values areautomatically mappedfrom the referenced record.

This is the recommended method for using record datawithin a flow.

Why is Option D Correct?

Why Are the Other Options Incorrect?A. Drag the table icon onto the flow definition

IncorrectbecauseFlow Designer does not use table iconsfor referencing records.

Instead, it utilizesdata pills and actionsto retrieve and manipulate record data.

B. Use the condition builder to specify the desired values

Incorrectbecause thecondition builderis used fordecision logic(e.g., If-Else conditions), not for referencing record data.

C. Specify the source table on the data pill related list

Incorrectbecause youcannot manually specifya table in a data pill.

Data pills areautomatically createdwhen an action retrieves data from a record.

E. Add the table reference using the slush bucket

Incorrectbecauseslush bucketsare used in ServiceNow for selecting multiple items (e.g., roles, groups),not for referencing record data in a flow.

ServiceNow Flow Designer - Using Data Pills

ServiceNow Flow Designer - Best Practices for Record Referencing

ServiceNow ITSM - Automating Workflows with Flow Designer

References to Official Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation:

AReference fieldin ServiceNow allows you tolook up values from another table, effectively creating a relationship between two tables. When a user selects a value in a reference field, they are selecting a record from the referenced table.

Stores asys_id(unique identifier) of a record from another table.

Displays a user-friendly label from the referenced record.

Allowsdot-walking, enabling access to related fields from the referenced table.

Incident Table (source table)→ Contains a"Caller"field that references theUser Table(sys_user).

TheCallerfield allows users to select a user from theUser Table.

B. Verity→ Not a valid field type in ServiceNow.

C. Options→ Options are typically used in choice lists, not for referencing another table.

D. Selections→ No such field type exists in ServiceNow.

E. Dot Walk→ Dot-walking is afeaturethat allows accessing related fields but is not a field type itself.

F. Lookup→ While "Lookup Select Box" exists, it functions differently by filtering choices rather than directly referencing another table.

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:

TheServiceNow Virtual Agentis an AI-powered chatbot that assists userswithin a messaging interface(such as Microsoft Teams, Slack, or Service Portal). It helpsautomate resolutions and guide usersthrough common IT and HR issues.

Incident Auto-ResolutionallowsVirtual Agenttoautomatically detect, intercept, and resolve incidentsbefore they reach a human agent.

It appliesmachine learning (ML) and predefined rulesto determine whether a ticketcan be resolved through automation.

If an issuematches a known solution, the Virtual Agentprovides the resolution stepsto the user.

If self-resolution fails, the ticket isescalated to an agent.

It is anofficial feature in ServiceNow Virtual Agent.

It allows the chatbot tointercept incidentsand attempt resolution before escalation.

B. Ticket Resolver→Incorrect

"Ticket Resolver" isnot an official ServiceNow feature.

C. Virtual Agent Helper→Incorrect

No feature called "Virtual Agent Helper" exists in ServiceNow.

D. Web Intelligence→Incorrect

Web Intelligenceisnot related to ServiceNow Virtual Agent.

What is Incident Auto-Resolution?Why is "A. Incident Auto-Resolution" the Correct Answer?Why the Other Options Are Incorrect?

ServiceNow Docs: Virtual Agent & Incident Auto-Resolutionhttps://docs.servicenow.com/en-US/bundle/utah-virtual-agent/page/administer/virtual-agent/concept/incident-auto-resolution.html

References from Certified System Administrator (CSA) Documentation:This confirms that"Incident Auto-Resolution" is the correct answer, as it allowsVirtual Agent to intercept and resolve submitted incidents automatically.