Get the training you need to be ServiceNow upgrade smart!

[David Giammona1]

Ready to get more from your ServiceNow upgrades? You can increase their value and manage the risk by learning how to be ServiceNow upgrade smart!

So, what do you need to be ServiceNow upgrade smart? Start with the ServiceNow Upgrade Essentials. These important skills for delivering instance changes effectively include reviewing skipped records, the Automated Test Framework (ATF), and Debug Upgrade. You can master these ServiceNow Upgrade Essentials with the help of some great on-demand courses currently available for FREE. 

In this article, I'll highlight a few of those key on-demand classes available in the ServiceNow Learning Portal right now. By taking these courses, you will learn how to: 

• Review the skipped records generated by an upgrade to incorporate new ServiceNow release features accurately and carry forward your important customizations unharmed
• Implement automated regression testing using the Automated Test Framework (ATF) to dramatically reduce the amount of manual testing required for upgrade verification
• Quickly diagnose regression test failures using the Now Platform^® Debug Upgrade feature to get your ServiceNow upgrade back on track fast

So, here they are - your ServiceNow Upgrade Essentials! Hop over and enroll in these ServiceNow Learning Portal on-demand courses. You can take them at your own pace to get ServiceNow upgrade smart today!

1) Upgrade Skipped Records

The Upgrade Skipped Records on-demand eLearning course is designed for system administrators, implementors, and application developers supporting ServiceNow upgrades. It walks you through the process of reviewing upgrade skipped records to determine their resolution. Skipped records are all the places you made customizations and the new ServiceNow release also made changes to the same records. For these record differences, you need to identify the appropriate path forward to resolve any discrepancies. The Upgrade Skipped Records course is a great guide taking you from start to finish for this important process.

2) Automated Test Framework (ATF) Fundamentals

Whether you are looking for a quick introduction to the Automated Test Framework, or ready to begin a deeper dive, the Automated Test Framework (ATF) Fundamentals on-demand eLearning series is designed to target your exact needs. ATF dramatically reduces the amount of manual testing required to verify and deliver ServiceNow instance changes quickly and effectively. Leveraging the benefits of ATF allows you to drive stronger value, lower costs, and manage the risk of your ServiceNow investment.

For some extra practice building and running automated tests, you can request a personal developer instance from the ServiceNow Developer Portal for the hands-on activities in course. There is also an accompanying micro-certification covering the material spanning the entire series. 

The Automated Test Framework (ATF) Fundamentals eLearning series is broken down into eight smaller courses. Based on your project role, you can decide how far to explore the series. You might take all eight courses, or maybe just the ATF: Overview. Check the table below for the courses in the series focused on the skillset necessary for your unique role.

Course	Application Developer (Pro-Code)	Application Developer (Low-Code)	Application Developer (No-Code)	System Administrator	Project Manager	QA Manager	QA Specialist
ATF: Overview
ATF: Enable ATF on Instance
ATF: Run Tests and Test Suites
ATF: Create Tests
ATF: Create Test Suites
ATF: Schedule Test Suites
ATF: Administration
ATF: Further Tips & Techniques

3) Using Debug Upgrade

In less than ten minutes, the Using Debug Upgrade on-demand video will show you how to leverage the power of the Now Platform® Debug Upgrade feature to quickly diagnose regression test failures after your upgrades. If you are a system administrator, implementor, or application developer supporting ServiceNow upgrades, you do not want to miss this short video!

Identifying the cause of unexpected regression testing results rapidly and efficiently requires a laser focus on what changed. That is where Debug Upgrade can help get your upgrade back on track fast. It pinpoints the relevant business logic for a specific transaction that might have caused a variance with your expected functionality. You will know right away for the test case transaction what important business logic was either customized by you or modified by the new ServiceNow release. That saves you a lot of time hunting around for what might have changed unexpectedly.

4) Upgrade Center Overview

Upgrade Center Overview introduces you to the Upgrade Center. It helps you manage the risk of family, patch, and hotfix upgrades from the Paris release forward. You can reduce complexity and efficiently prepare, manage, and monitor your upgrades all in one place. This course shows you how to leverage the Upgrade Center to:

• Preview upgrades to mitigate issues and risk by assessing impact in advance
• Review completed upgrades with a simplified one-stop experience for all upgrade related tasks
• Assign review tasks and tack progress to completion using a Visual Task Board (VTB)

With these ServiceNow Upgrade Essentials you can create a strong foundation to carry your ServiceNow instance forward into the future. Who is ServiceNow upgrade smart? You are ServiceNow upgrade smart. Onward and upward to the next release! 

[staceybailey]

Excellent courses, @David.Giammona!  Very informative and practical. 

I hadn't really looked at Debug Upgrade before seeing your article, but, after watching the video, I realize that I could have used this twice just today!

This will really save me time in future upgrades.

[Kevin17]

David, great article, however the courses are no longer available in the Learning Portal anymore.  With New York just being released, it would be great to update this article for community users! 

[David Giammona1]

Thanks, Kevin! These courses have moved to their new home in Now Learning! Same courses, same price (FREE!). All of the links in this article have been updated.

When you have a chance, check out Now Learning - cool stuff. There's a link right on the ServiceNow website Training and Certification page. Lots of new features are included to help you build and track your learning path toward ServiceNow awesomeness. 🙂 

[Craig Gruwell]

Will the update set that is part of the 'Load Update Set Into Instance' module within the Upgrade Skipped Records activity (ServiceNow Upgrade Essentials course) be updated for use with a post-Kingston release since Kingston instances are no longer available?  

[David Giammona1]

Starting Aug 25 2020, the Upgrade Skipped Records course will no longer provide hands-on activities as the changes identified by the upgrade activity are no longer identified as changes in the currently available personal developer instances.

Stay tuned for upgrade training on the new Upgrade Center in the Paris release.