simple-servicenow-mcp

An MCP server that lets Claude, Cursor or any MCP client review a ServiceNow instance: upgrade readiness, missing ACLs, risky scripts and update sets. It is read-only by default, and it can also read and write records like any other ServiceNow MCP.

What it finds

Run against ServiceNow's own sn_publications plugin, as shipped on a developer instance, upgrade_readiness_review returns:

Verdict: red, 40 scripts scanned. Each finding also carries the evidence and a recommended fix. audit_acls does the same for tables that no ACL protects, and summarize_update_set flags deletes and changes to security-sensitive tables before you promote.

Quick start

1. No instance to try it on? Get a free Personal Developer Instance.

2. Add the server to your MCP client. For Claude Desktop or Cursor:

   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "servicenow": {
         "command": "uvx",
         "args": ["simple-servicenow-mcp"],
         "env": {
           "SN_INSTANCE_URL": "https://your-instance.service-now.com",
           "SN_USERNAME": "your-user",
           "SN_PASSWORD": "your-password"
         }
       }
     }
   }
   

   For Claude Code:

   claude mcp add servicenow \
     -e SN_INSTANCE_URL=https://your-instance.service-now.com \
     -e SN_USERNAME=your-user -e SN_PASSWORD=your-password \
     -- uvx simple-servicenow-mcp
   

3. Restart the client and ask a question.

The server starts read-only; add --read-write to args to let it change records. Beyond a PDI, use a dedicated low-privilege user or OAuth browser login (SSO and MFA work): see Authentication. VS Code, Docker and other setups are in Configuration.

Ask things like

• "Is the x_acme_hr scope ready for the next upgrade? What would block it?"
• "Which tables in x_acme_hr have no ACLs of their own?"
• "Review the 'Sprint 42' update set before we promote it."
• "Triage INC0010047 and suggest the next step."
• "Audit the Hardware catalog items for UX problems."

What's included

Set SN_TOOL_PACKAGES=all for everything. There are also prompts for multi-step reviews (upgrade readiness, update-set promotion, incident blast radius, cross-instance drift, knowledge gaps) and resources for instance info, health, table schema and app scope. Details are in the Tool reference.

Safety

• Read-only by default. Tools that change data refuse until you start the server with --read-write.
• Deletes need confirmation. Without confirm=true, delete_record and delete_attachment only return a preview.
• Writes are checked. Field names are validated against the table's schema, including inherited fields, before anything is sent.
• Every tool is annotated as read, write or destructive, so clients can ask before running the risky ones.

Documentation

• Configuration: install, client setup, environment variables, tool packages, multiple instances, transports
• Authentication: basic, OAuth client credentials, browser login with SSO
• Tool reference: every tool, prompt and resource
• Contributing · Security policy · Changelog

License

MIT. Built on the MCP Python SDK.