Moving from Agent Workspace to Service Operations Workspace.

A Service Operations Workspace migration moves your ITSM Agent Workspace configuration into Service Operations Workspace (SOW) for ITSM. ServiceNow names SOW as the replacement for Agent Workspace. The free Migration Utility for Service Operations Workspace copies common configurations, and you rebuild the rest by hand. As of 22 October 2026, the Migration Utility release notes state that "ITSM Agent Workspace is deprecated, and is no longer supported by ServiceNow."

• Support: under ServiceNow's deprecation process (KB0867184), a deprecated application remains active but is considered custom code, and ServiceNow is no longer obligated to provide technical support, patches, or bug fixes.
• Tooling: the Migration Utility for Service Operations Workspace is free on the ServiceNow Store at version 2.3.1, and a migrated feature cannot be migrated again.
• Manual work: a ServiceNow staff walkthrough of the utility lists landing pages, workspace roles, branding, and workspace modules among features that cannot be migrated.

Agent Workspace vs Service Operations Workspace: what will agents and admins notice?

Agents moving from ITSM Agent Workspace to Service Operations Workspace get a configurable workspace with an admin-controlled contextual side panel, base-system playbooks, and the generative AI surfaces ServiceNow now brands Otto. Admins inherit a different configuration model, so the UI changes that surprise teams after upgrades apply here, and the work starts by reading the instance before you design the target.

Is ITSM Agent Workspace deprecated, and what does that mean for support?

Yes. ServiceNow's Zurich plugin changes table lists ITSM Agent Workspace and CMDB Agent Workspace as "Deprecated in Washington DC", with the instruction to install the Service Operations Workspace for ITSM application from the ServiceNow Store. The plugins stay active on instances that already run them, and ServiceNow support treats them as custom code.

The Washington DC to Zurich plugin changes name four plugin IDs: com.snc.agent_workspace.itsm, com.snc.agent_workspace.itsm.landing_page, com.snc.agent_workspace.itsm.landing_page_premium, and com.cmdb-workspace. The table marks ITSM Agent Workspace deprecated. ServiceNow's 2024 staff walkthrough repeats the status: ITSM Agent Workspace "is deprecated, and is no longer supported by ServiceNow."

What does "considered custom code" mean under ServiceNow's policy?

KB0867184, the Application/Plugin Deprecation Process (last updated May 20, 2026), defines two phases. During Planned Deprecation an application stays fully supported. Once deprecated, it "will no longer be deployed, enhanced, upgraded, improved, or supported," yet it "will remain active in the customer's instance," including through upgrades, and "will be considered custom code." ServiceNow support is then not obligated to provide technical support, maintenance patches, or bug fixes.

KB0867184 is ServiceNow's general policy and does not name Agent Workspace. ServiceNow's deprecation entries link to it, as the Xanadu deprecation entry for CSM Agent Workspace does. For an ITSM team, every Agent Workspace defect after an upgrade is yours to fix.

Does Agent Workspace still run after an upgrade?

ServiceNow's documents use different words. The plugin table says deprecated. The Zurich ATF form step docs say "Agent Workspace has been removed from the Platform" and that existing Agent Workspace tests "won't work anymore." ServiceNow has not published a removal date.

Practitioners report the cost of staying. In a May 2026 ServiceNow Community thread, a practitioner wrote that incident records stopped loading in Agent Workspace after a Zurich upgrade, and a reply said ServiceNow support declined to help because the plugin is deprecated. The thread is one practitioner report, consistent with KB0867184.

Which other Agent Workspaces are deprecated?

ServiceNow has deprecated several Agent Workspace variants besides ITSM, each with a configurable replacement. The Zurich plugin table lists Operator Workspace and CMDB Agent Workspace (Washington DC, replaced by SOW for ITOM), CSM Agent Workspace (Washington DC, replaced by CSM Configurable Workspace), and HR Agent Workspace (Xanadu, replaced by the HRSD Configurable Agent Workspace for Case Management).

The same plugin table lists FSM Agent Classic Workspace (Xanadu, replaced by the Field Service Dispatcher workspace). The Xanadu deprecation summary dates CSM Agent Workspace's deprecation to Xanadu, which conflicts with the plugin table's Washington DC entry. CSM teams can apply the test for deleting a customization before rebuilding in CSM Configurable Workspace.

What license and apps does Service Operations Workspace need?

ServiceNow's license wording for Service Operations Workspace differs between its own docs pages. Zurich docs say SOW for ITSM is "included in the ITSM Professional and Enterprise license bundles." Australia setup docs say "Procure the ITSM Standard license or above." Brazil docs, updated September 10, 2026, call SOW a configurable workspace "included in ITSM Professional and Enterprise subscriptions," while the Zurich and Brazil getting started pages also say "Procure the ITSM Standard license or above." Confirm your entitlement with ServiceNow before scoping.

The Brazil Service Operations Workspace for ITSM page keeps the Professional and Enterprise wording; the Brazil getting started page, updated the same day, says ITSM Standard or above. Packaging changed in Australia: the Service Operations Workspace ITSM Applications release notes say SOW applications "are organized into ITSM and ITSM Advanced packages starting from the Australia release," and customers installing SOW 9.1 from the Store must install both. The same notes gate AI agent activity review on incident records to an ITSM Pro+ subscription.

Which ServiceNow SOW roles do agents need?

The sn_sow.sow_user role controls access to SOW for ITSM. The ServiceNow staff SOW FAQ says it "does not give any permissions within SOW", so allocate record roles separately, and notes the workspace role is embedded in itil. Xanadu added granular record-page roles such as sn_incident_read and sn_incident_write, with equivalents for request, problem, and change. Agent Workspace roles and permissions do not migrate.

What does the Migration Utility for Service Operations Workspace move?

The Migration Utility for Service Operations Workspace is a free ServiceNow Store application, scope sn_sow_migration, that copies common ITSM Agent Workspace configurations and customizations into SOW for ITSM. The Store lists version 2.3.1, released May 01, 2025, as compatible with Australia, Zurich, and Yokohama. Twelve configuration types migrate; several overwrite or only partly migrate.

ServiceNow documents the twelve types in its list of configurations and customizations that can be migrated. The exclusions come from the staff walkthrough, which says "These features are specific to ITSM Agent Workspace so cannot be migrated." ServiceNow's product docs publish no exclusions list.

Which releases does the utility support?

The Store lists version 2.3.1 as compatible with Australia, Zurich, and Yokohama, and the staff SOW FAQ says the utility "is compatible for current release -2." ServiceNow has not published a Washington DC minimum for the current version. The Australia install steps for the utility require the admin role and valid ServiceNow entitlements for the application and its associated Store applications, alongside the "Free" Store price.

Version 2.0.0 shipped in August 2024. Version 2.1.2 (November 2024) creates one update set per SOW-scoped application. Version 2.3.1 (May 2025) added ITSM child task tables and the option to remove ITSM Agent Workspace from the left navigation.

What does it overwrite or only partly migrate?

Four cases in the table need attention before a run. The Agent assist migration "overrides any pre-existing changes in SOW," so export any Agent assist tuning already done in SOW. The utility "supports MRA and interceptor declarative actions of UI Component type only." ServiceNow's docs state that "The ITEM_SELECTED and PREVIEW_RECORD actions function in the ITSM Agent Workspace but not in SOW." Search configuration migration proceeds only on the zing engine.

Can you run the migration twice or roll it back?

Each feature runs once. The Store listing says: "Once a feature has been migrated, it cannot be migrated again." Partial migration lets you move some features now and return for the rest, and the staff walkthrough says features that fail can be re-run "once you have corrected the error(s)."

No ServiceNow source documents a revert. As a precaution, take a clone or backup before each run. The staff walkthrough recommends the same: a system backup you can restore from, or a way to re-clone over your non-production instance.

What happens to client scripts, UI policies, UI actions and declarative actions?

Client scripts and UI policies sit outside the utility's twelve documented types, so each needs a manual review. In configurable workspaces such as SOW, a client script's UI Type decides where the code runs, and a UI action's "Format for Configurable Workspace" setting decides whether the action applies in configurable or legacy workspaces. Declarative actions follow their own client-side rules.

Client scripts. ServiceNow's client script UI Type reference says "Mobile / Service Portal: The script runs only in mobile, portal, or configurable workspace UIs" and "Desktop: The script runs only in the desktop Core UI." Desktop-only scripts will not fire in SOW.

UI policies. The UI policy field reference gives "Run scripts in UI type" three options: Desktop, Mobile / Service Portal, or Both. Review every scripted UI policy on ITSM tables against them.

UI actions. On the UI action form, "If cleared, the UI action applies in Legacy Workspaces." When a button still fails to appear, KB1756084 on missing SOW UI actions lists SOW or UI Builder plugins not updated after an upgrade, customized SOW script includes, and missing sys_ux_form_action, sys_ux_form_action_layout_item, or sys_ux_m2m_action_layout_item records. KB2161381 on hidden SOW buttons records the fix: "After adding the sys_ux_m2m_action_layout_item configuration, the button will show on SOW."

Declarative actions. When g_form was undefined in a workspace action assignment, a ServiceNow staff reply in a 2024 Community thread on action assignments advised: "For this use case, explore UXF client-type declarative action."

Is this a re-implementation? ServiceNow's staff SOW FAQ, last updated July 9, 2025, says that for a move from Classic UI to SOW, client-side code "may need to be refactored or reimplemented in a new way," and it calls that move "a reimplementation effort." A 2022 ServiceNow staff migration overview, written before the utility existed, said to "treat the migration as a re-implementation." The utility now automates twelve configuration types; the client-side layer still needs manual review.

How do you inventory Agent Workspace customizations before migrating to Service Operations Workspace?

Inventory every Agent Workspace customization before the utility runs, because a migrated feature cannot be migrated again and several items need manual rebuilds. For moves from Classic UI to SOW, the ServiceNow staff SOW FAQ lists identifying customizations as the first step and calls it "an ideal opportunity to review existing customizations" while reducing technical debt.

1. Count: records in each of the twelve migratable types, starting with UI actions and layouts.
2. Flag: custom ITSM tables, which need the custom table migration property.
3. Find: list and related list actions that use ITEM_SELECTED or PREVIEW_RECORD.
4. Split: related list declarative actions by type, since only MRA and interceptor UI Component actions migrate.
5. Export: Agent assist settings already tuned in SOW before the migration overrides them.
6. Sort: client scripts and scripted UI policies on ITSM tables by UI type.
7. Check: UI actions for the "Format for Configurable Workspace" setting.
8. List: landing pages, permissions, workspace roles, branding, and workspace modules for rebuild.
9. Retire: customizations with no current business owner.
10. Document: what you keep, as documentation that survives upgrade cycles.

Sizing depends on the counts. ServiceNow publishes no effort estimate for the migration, and the staff walkthrough says a utility run "may take a few minutes." The inventory, rebuilds, and testing set the timeline.

How do you run an agent workspace to service operations workspace migration safely?

To migrate Agent Workspace to Service Operations Workspace safely, run the Migration Utility for Service Operations Workspace on a non-production instance, capture the changes in update sets, review every migrated area against Agent Workspace, then promote the update sets to production. ServiceNow's docs require the admin role, the Service Operations Workspace Core scope, and matching basic auth credentials.

The Zurich migration overview carries two warnings: "Run the migration in your non-production instance," and "The logged-in admin user credentials must match the credentials used for basic authentication." The migration procedure opens with "Ensure that the scope is set to Service Operations Workspace Core."

The sequence: install the utility, configure basic auth, and create the update set. Choose partial or complete migration, select features, confirm, and wait for the run. If a previous migration task is partially complete, the procedure page offers "Continue migration" to resume. After each run, view the migration details, work through the post-migration review for every migrated area, and promote update sets only after the test pass below.

How do you test the migrated workspace?

Test the migrated Service Operations Workspace with ATF plus manual side-by-side checks. Zurich added ATF steps for configurable workspace pages and Australia added a Run UI Test Script step, but contextual sidebars are not yet testable and existing Agent Workspace tests no longer work, so manual review stays in the plan.

The Washington DC to Zurich ATF release notes say "ATF now supports testing the Next Experience UI (limited to forms and UI actions)" and add "Declarative Action Visibility" and "Click a Declarative Action" steps. The Zurich ATF release notes add Page Inspector authoring on Configurable Workspace pages. The Zurich Page Inspector test guide adds a Configurable Workspace test step category with an Open Workspace Page step. The Australia ATF release notes add Run UI Test Script.

Gaps remain. ServiceNow's October 2025 Developer Advocate post says "Contextual sidebars are not yet supported" and lists dashboard and analytics components as unsupported. The Zurich form step docs say tab navigation is not supported in any workspace. A 2025 ServiceNow staff ATF post found that "Related List steps don't work in Configurable Workspaces" and used a Custom UI step instead.

• Server-side regression: run the ATF regression suite before and after the migration in sub-production.
• Workspace UI: new Configurable Workspace tests for forms, UI actions, and declarative actions.
• Manual review: side panel, related lists, tabs, and landing pages, compared against Agent Workspace.

Teams with thin coverage can follow ATF practices that scale test coverage and use AI to cut ATF test creation time.

How do you pilot and cut over agents?

Pilot Service Operations Workspace with a subset of agent groups while the rest stay on Agent Workspace, then cut over once the pilot signs off. ServiceNow's staff FAQ says Agent Workspace "can continue to coexist with it until you are ready to switch over," and the deprecation status argues for a short overlap.

Plan pilot access around roles: sn_sow.sow_user controls access and is embedded in itil, so ITIL users can already open SOW. In a 2022 Community thread on limiting SOW visibility, a ServiceNow staff reply cited known problem PRB1582544, "User Criteria does not seem to work when used within an Audience."

Three tools handle cutover. Utility version 2.3.1 can remove ITSM Agent Workspace from the left navigation. The SOW for ITSM Store release notes let admins redirect fulfiller users or groups from Classic (UI16) module menus to SOW. In Brazil, Simplified ITSM configuration redirects admins to the Service Operations Workspace Admin Center for advanced ITSM workflows.

The ServiceNow SOW landing page is a manual rebuild, because landing pages and their permissions are on the staff list of features that cannot be migrated. Build Service Operations Workspace training for ServiceNow agents around the comparison table above, then staff the first weeks after cutover as hypercare after go-live.

Which AI features need Service Operations Workspace?

Now Assist for ITSM, now branded ServiceNow Otto for ITSM, is configured for SOW for ITSM and Core UI, and ServiceNow's docs do not list ITSM Agent Workspace as a supported interface. ServiceNow does not document generative AI features for ITSM in Agent Workspace, so the workspace decision is also an AI decision for ITSM teams planning Otto adoption.

ServiceNow's Now Assist for ITSM overview configures skills so agents can use the "generative AI capabilities in Service Operations Workspace for ITSM and in Core UI." ServiceNow announced ServiceNow Otto on 5 May 2026 as an AI experience that "combines the intelligence of Now Assist, Moveworks, and AI Experience," to be "rolled out across all products in the year ahead." CIO.com's Otto coverage quotes Nenshad Bardoliwalla, ServiceNow's group VP of AI products: "the era of sidecar AI is over."

The rename reached ITSM in August 2026. The Now Assist for ITSM store release notes for versions 15.1.4, 16.0.6, and 17.0.5 say the "Now Assist, Moveworks, and 'AI Experience' branding has been renamed to ServiceNow Otto." Our guide to how ServiceNow merged Moveworks and Now Assist covers the naming, and the same shift affects Virtual Agent's move to LLM topics.

The Incident assist agentic workflow page describes a workflow that opens in the Otto panel with the incident in context, from SOW or Core UI. The same page says that starting with the Australia Patch 2, the Incident assist skill "has been deprecated, moved to the Archive section, and is no longer available for use."

What changes in Zurich, Australia and Brazil affect workspaces?

Zurich removed the List, List - Simple, List - Related, and Condition Builder components from UI Builder, according to the Zurich workspace release notes. Australia deprecated the legacy UI11 and UI15 interfaces, per the Australia deprecation notes, and added an SOW option to hide the contextual side panel for specific table and tab combinations. Brazil reached early availability on September 24, 2026, with general availability listed as Q4 2026 in the ServiceNow release notes.

Frequently asked questions.

Is Agent Workspace deprecated in ServiceNow?

Yes, for ITSM. ServiceNow's Zurich plugin table lists ITSM Agent Workspace as "Deprecated in Washington DC," and the utility version history says it "is deprecated, and is no longer supported by ServiceNow." Under KB0867184, a deprecated plugin stays active but is considered custom code. CSM Agent Workspace, HR Agent Workspace, and Operator Workspace are deprecated too.

Is the Migration Utility for Service Operations Workspace free?

The ServiceNow Store listing for the utility shows pricing as "Free," with scope sn_sow_migration and version 2.3.1. ServiceNow's install docs still require valid ServiceNow entitlements for the application and all its associated Store applications, so confirm entitlements before installing on a non-production instance.

Does the utility require Washington DC or later?

ServiceNow has not published a Washington DC minimum. The Store lists version 2.3.1, released May 01, 2025, as compatible with Australia, Zurich, and Yokohama, and the staff SOW FAQ says the utility "is compatible for current release -2." Check the Store listing for your family release before planning.

Can Agent Workspace and Service Operations Workspace run side by side?

Yes, for a pilot. A ServiceNow staff FAQ says Agent Workspace can coexist with SOW until you switch over. The deprecated status argues for a short overlap, and the Australia migration overview routes teams through the utility on non-production first.

Can Now Assist run in ITSM Agent Workspace?

ServiceNow's Now Assist for ITSM docs configure generative AI for Service Operations Workspace for ITSM and Core UI, and ITSM Agent Workspace is not listed. The ServiceNow Otto product page describes Otto as unifying Now Assist, Moveworks, and AI Experience into one assistant, so ITSM teams that want Otto features plan on SOW or Core UI.

How long does a migration from ITSM Agent Workspace to SOW take?

ServiceNow publishes no effort estimate. The utility run itself "may take a few minutes," according to the ServiceNow staff walkthrough. The timeline comes from the inventory: client scripts, actions that need rebuilding, landing pages, roles, and testing. Size the project from the customization count per configuration type.

Which ServiceNow license includes Service Operations Workspace?

ServiceNow's own pages disagree. The Zurich and Brazil SOW for ITSM landing pages include it in ITSM Professional and Enterprise. The getting started pages, including the Australia setup page, say ITSM Standard or above. Confirm entitlement with ServiceNow for your contract.

How does Echelon handle a workspace migration?

Echelon reads the ServiceNow instance before it builds, then builds, tests, and documents changes in sub-production behind approval gates. For an agent workspace to service operations workspace migration, the inventory above comes from the instance itself, and every rebuilt UI action, client script, and landing page reaches production only after a person approves it.

The method follows the discovery, design and build sequence Echelon uses for CSM migrations, and Echelon's agents connect to development or sub-production environments for build work, with production connections read-only. To see how Echelon handles a migration from ITSM Agent Workspace, book a scoping call.