ServiceNow Upgrades: Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

ServiceNow upgrades are full of potential. They bring new features, performance improvements, and critical security enhancements. But let’s be honest — they also bring stress.

I should know. I’ve been around since the Fiji release… and here we are in Yokohama. That’s a lot of change, a lot of testing, and more than a few last-minute surprises.

From business pushback to broken customizations, what should be a routine part of platform stewardship often turns into a scramble. And that’s not a reflection on the teams doing the work. It’s usually a sign of deeper friction points.

So, what makes upgrades feel harder than they should? And how can you build a smoother path forward? Let’s take a look.

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Not All Customizations Age Gracefully

Every ServiceNow team inherits a few “mystery scripts.” These deeply embedded tweaks were created to solve urgent problems years ago. They may have worked well at the time, but over the years, they start to drag. They resist new features, break with UI changes, and cause issues during upgrades.

We’ve seen this happen time and again. A team hits upgrade day and discovers a form won’t load or a workflow doesn’t fire — because of a forgotten customization built for a long-outdated version.

Before any upgrade, take a step back and assess what’s really needed. Could new, built-in features replace that workaround? Has the business outgrown a process that once needed special handling? Trimming technical debt now can make future upgrades faster, lighter, and far less risky.

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Manual Testing Can’t Keep Up

The pressure is on. Your upgrade window is approaching fast, and your team is manually running through dozens of test cases. Still, something slips through. Maybe it’s an approval that no longer triggers, or a catalog item that doesn’t submit.

That’s why even limited automated testing can make a huge difference. Focusing on high-impact workflows helps reduce post-upgrade issues and builds trust in the process.

If you haven’t already adopted ServiceNow’s Automated Test Framework (ATF), start now. ATF lets you create reusable, upgrade-safe tests directly in the platform, without needing external QA tools. It’s built for this kind of work — and even basic coverage of core workflows can save you hours of post-upgrade troubleshooting.

Encourage your ServiceNow team to start thinking ATF-first. Build a habit of automating what matters most, one flow at a time. Over time, it becomes your safety net — and a major enabler of faster, safer upgrades.

And don’t just test — track. Keep a shared defect log to capture issues during testing. This not only helps avoid rework but also reveals recurring problem areas that deserve attention in future releases.

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Integrations Get Overlooked Until It’s Too Late

Integrations often feel invisible — until they stop working. Many rely on plugins, authentication methods, or API behaviors that shift slightly between releases. If no one tests them before the upgrade, something critical can break.

Think of your instance’s ecosystem:

• Collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams or Slack
• IT operations platforms like Jira, Datadog, or Splunk
• Authentication systems like Okta or Azure AD
• Monitoring and observability dashboards
• Even spokes or custom APIs linked to HR systems or customer portals

All of these should be part of your pre-upgrade checklist.

Avoid this by keeping a simple inventory of your integrations and checking them in a non-production environment during upgrade planning. It’s a small effort that can prevent significant disruptions.

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Stakeholders Left in the Dark

You’ve scoped your upgrade, built a timeline, and scheduled a change freeze. But if business stakeholders don’t understand why their request can’t be released, frustration builds quickly.

This is where alignment matters. Let stakeholders know when the freeze is happening and why. Highlight any user-facing changes and adjust timelines collaboratively if needed.

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Clutter Slows Everything Down

Over time, every instance accumulates clutter. Retired catalog items, unused tables, and outdated scripts sit around quietly, taking up space and increasing noise during testing.

You don’t need to tackle everything at once. Build a habit of reviewing and tagging unused components for cleanup. Think of it like tidying your workspace — small, consistent efforts that keep things manageable.

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Too Much on the Team’s Plate

Most ServiceNow teams are already juggling a full workload before upgrade planning even starts. Between enhancements, incidents, integrations, reporting, and stakeholder requests, it's difficult to carve out time for structured testing or strategic learning.

At the same time, upgrades require dedicated focus. Teams need space to plan, validate, communicate, and review changes thoroughly.

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ServiceNow releases two family upgrades per year, along with monthly app updates and security patches. Staying current is no longer optional—it’s a core responsibility of owning the platform.

If your team is already stretched, increasing capacity during upgrade periods can make a big difference. Adding staff augmentation helps keep business-as-usual running while your core team handles upgrade tasks. Another smart option is to bring in experienced consultants to support your senior platform staff. This helps reduce bottlenecks, eases pressure, and ensures your upgrades don’t come at the cost of burnout.

Make learning and release review part of your team’s regular routine. Encourage everyone, not just developers, to follow release notes, store updates, and webinars. A well-informed team is more confident and far better equipped to deliver smoother, safer upgrades.

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When Planning Falls Short, So Does Adoption

One of the most common points of failure in an upgrade isn’t technical — it’s poor planning. Rushing into the upgrade without first cloning to a lower environment, skipping structured testing, or limiting business engagement can create major setbacks.

When the upgrade lands in production, users are suddenly facing unfamiliar changes. Without context or preparation, even beneficial updates can feel disruptive.

That’s why early cloning and structured user acceptance testing (UAT) are essential. Give both IT and business stakeholders time to experience the new version in a safe environment. Validate core use cases. Identify surprises. Gather feedback. Most importantly, offer the business an opportunity to sign off — not just from a functionality standpoint, but from a readiness perspective.

Equally critical is organizational change management. Don’t leave users guessing. Communicate timelines and planned outages well in advance. Share new training materials, FAQs, and feature guides. A simple “What’s New” update or short video can go a long way in improving adoption and reducing friction.

When people understand what’s coming, why it matters, and how to navigate it, upgrades stop being a disruption and start becoming an upgrade in the truest sense.

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Final Thoughts

Upgrades are a vital part of a healthy ServiceNow environment. If they feel overwhelming, it’s often because something upstream needs attention — whether that’s legacy customization, misaligned expectations, or a lack of dedicated time and capacity.

But let’s also give credit where it’s due. Upgrades today are much smoother than they used to be. Back in the days of Fiji or Geneva, even a minor upgrade could feel like a full-blown project. Now, with tools like ATF, the Upgrade Center, and a more modular platform, we have far better control, visibility, and automation.

Keeping ServiceNow updated isn’t just good hygiene — it’s the best way to ensure your platform stays secure, private, stable, and performant. It also ensures you’re making the most of your ServiceNow investment. Staying current helps you take advantage of new features, avoid underutilized subscriptions, and unlock value from capabilities you’re already paying for.

Handled well, upgrades aren’t just maintenance — they’re opportunities to modernize, improve, and align more closely with platform best practices. And the smoother your process becomes, the more strategic and scalable your ServiceNow practice will be.

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💡 Want a head start?
ServiceNow provides a comprehensive Upgrade Planning Checklist for Yokohama. It’s a useful reference for what to prepare before, during, and after your upgrade. If you are a developer, sys admin or architect, you may want to start in this Community page instead.

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✅ Need Help?

If your next upgrade is on the horizon — or you're still recovering from a complex one — we’re here to help. From planning and assessments to testing and communication or providing staff for the extra capacity you need; we can support your team at every step.

Let’s make upgrades easier. Talk to us. 

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