Create a remote task definition in Service Exchange for Providers

task brazil Updated Sep 10, 2026 10 min read service-bridge-v2-create-remote-tasks-defs.md
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As a provider, create remote task definitions (RTD) that trigger the assignment of a remote task.

Before you begin

Role required: admin

About this task

Before you can create a remote task, you must first create an RTD. A remote task is generated based on the RTD you define. To learn more about how RTD and remote task works, see Remote tasks.

Procedure

  1. Navigate to All > Service Exchange Provider > Administration > Remote Task Definitions.

  2. Select New.

  3. On the form, fill in the fields.

Field

Description

Name

Name of the remote task definition record.

Application

This is a read-only field and is set by default based on the application scope.

State

Shows the status of the remote task definition. When you create a remote task definition, this field is set to the Draft state. Note: This field is automatically updated when you Publish, Archive, or Retire a remote task definition.

Provider table

Any task table that you select from the list. For example, you can choose a case table or an incident table.

Consumer table

Any task table that you select from the list. For example, you can choose a case table or an incident table.

Compatibility

This field is populated by default. It shows the Service Exchange version that is being used by the provider. If the consumer is using a compatible Service Exchange version, data can be synced between the provider and consumer instances. But if the consumer isn’t using a compatible version, any new remote task definitions can’t be activated until the corresponding Service Exchange version is upgraded.

Send attachments

Option to enable sending an attachment added on the parent record to the remote task.Note: When data, such as an attachment or task, is shared with another instance through Service Exchange, it becomes part of that instance’s data. Service Exchange does not delete data on remote instances; the receiving instance must handle the deletion if required.

Maintain SysID

Option that enables the system to create the new parent task on the consumer instance with the same sys_id as the parent record on the provider instance.

Short description

Brief information about this remote task definition.

Description

More detailed information about this remote task definition.

4. Select **Submit**.
  1. Open this new Remote task definition record.

  2. On the Inbound fields related list, select New.

    Starting from Service Exchange version 2.2.x, an inbound field record is created with the source and target fields set as comments. This record enables comment-to-comment mappings for your RTD.

  3. On the form, fill in the fields.

    Inbound fields receive data from the consumer instance when a remote task is created or updated.

    Note: If the inbound field values are updated, the updated information is shown in a work note on the parent record.

Field

Description

Field label

Field label that appears on the remote task form.

Field name

Field name that is used in the remote task flow and script.

Max length

Maximum length of the source field name.

Sync when

Enables you to specify when a target field on the remote task's parent record is directly updated. You can select:- Insert: Updates the target field on the remote task's parent record only when the remote task is initially inserted.

  • Insert or Update: Updates the target field on the remote task's parent record every time the remote task is updated.
  • Never: The inbound field never updates a target field on the remote task's parent record directly. For example, you can use this field for state mapping where a flow is used to convert the incoming value before updating the target field. Note: Irrespective of the option you select here, whenever an inbound field is updated, the changes are reflected in a worknote on parent record.

Application

This is a read-only field and is set by default based on the application scope.

Remote task definition

Name of the remote task definition that this inbound field maps to.

Active

This field is enabled by default.

Virtual

Option to enable virtual inbound field mapping. A virtual field is a field that is present in the target table but does not exist in the source table.When a source table doesn’t contain a field that exists on a target table, the field is configured as a virtual field. The values specified for the virtual field are passed from the source instance to the target instance. The consumer can create a remote task to sync data and update the value of the virtual field in the associated target task record.

The target field can be updated either by using the Virtual Inbound option described in the Create a transform in Service Exchange or by using the updateVirtualField API.

Source Mapping

This tab appears only when Virtual check box is selected to define a virtual field mapping.

Source table (read-only)

The Consumer table that you selected while creating the remote task definition.

Source field

Field from the source table that is sent to another ServiceNow instance.Source fields allow for Dot-walking to data in related tables, which is useful when reference data is not available between ServiceNow instances. For example, you can create multiple inbound mappings for change incidents (CIs) to include the name, class, IP address, and asset tag.

Target Mapping

This tab displays only in the following conditions:- Sync when: You select Insert or Insert or update.

  • Virtual: You select this check box to enable virtual field mapping.

Target table (read-only)

The Provider table that you selected while creating the remote task definition.

Target field

Field from the target table that is sent to another ServiceNow instance.Note: If you're defining a virtual field mapping, the field you select in the target table is not present in the source table.

8. Select **Submit**.
  1. On the Outbound fields related list, Select New.

    Starting from Service Exchange version 2.2.x, an outbound field record is created with the source and target fields set as comments. This record enables comment-to-comment mappings for your RTD.

  2. On the form, fill in the fields.

    Outbound fields send data to the consumer instance when a remote task is created or updated.

Field

Description

Field label

Name of the field label that appears on the remote task form.

Field name

Field name that is used in the remote task flow and script.

Max length

Maximum length of the field name.

Sync when suggestion

Enables you (the provider) to suggest to the consumer when a target field on the remote task's parent record should be directly updated. The consumer can change this setting before activating the definition- Insert: Updates the target field on the remote task's parent record only when the remote task is initially inserted.

  • Insert or Update: Updates the target field on the remote task's parent record every time the remote task is updated.
  • Never: The inbound field never updates a target field on the remote task's parent record directly. For example, you can use this field for state mapping where a flow is used to convert the incoming value before updating the target field.

Application

This is a read-only field and is set by default based on the application scope.

Remote task definition

Name of the remote task definition that this outbound field belongs to.

Active

This field is enabled by default.

Virtual

Select this check box to enable virtual inbound field mapping. A virtual field is a field that is present in the target table but does not exist in the source table.

When a source table doesn’t contain a field that exists on a target table, the field is configured as a virtual field. The values specified for the virtual field are passed from the source instance to the target instance.

The target field can be updated either by using the Virtual Outbound option described in the Create a transform in Service Exchange or by using the updateVirtualField API.

Sync pre-existing entries

Option to enable synchronization of all existing comments to the target task when a connection is established. If enabled, any comments made prior to the connection gets included in the sync process when a remote task is created.Note: This feature is available from Service Exchange version 2.2.x.

Source Mapping

This tab appears only when Virtual check box is selected to define a virtual field mapping.

Source table (read-only)

The Provider table that you selected while creating the remote task definition.

Source field

Field from the source table that is sent to another ServiceNow instance.Source fields allow for Dot-walking to data in related tables, which is useful when reference data is not available between ServiceNow instances. For example, you can create multiple inbound mappings for change incidents (CIs) to include the name, class, IP address, and asset tag.

Note: From Service Exchange version 2.2.x, you can create

Target Mapping

This tab displays only in the following conditions:- Sync when: You select Insert or Insert or update.

  • Virtual: You select this check box to enable virtual field mapping.

Target table

The Consumer table that you selected while creating the remote task definition. This is a read-only field.

Target field

Field from the target table that is sent to another ServiceNow instance.Note: If you're defining a virtual field mapping, the field you select in the target table is not present in the source table.

11. Select **Submit**.
  1. On the Consumer criteria related list, select New.

  2. On the form, fill in the fields.

    Consumer criteria enable you to manage which consumers can use these remote task definitions.

    Field Description
    Consumer condition Customer company or account that you want this remote task definition to be entitled to.
    Remote task definition Name of this remote task definition record. This name is auto-filled.

    For more details on consumer criteria, see Creating entitlements in Service Exchange for Providers.

  3. On the Transforms related list, select New to add new transform inline.

    Enables you to manage which transforms are linked to any specific RTD.

    Field Description
    Transform Transform record linked to this remote task definition.
    Identity Reference to the RTD's identity record, not its sys_id. Keeps the link valid across RTD revisions, so a republished RTD doesn't need to be re-linked.
  4. Select Publish.

    Remote task variables are automatically created when you publish a remote task definition. These variables are the data variables for the inbound fields displayed and can be accessed on the remote tasks.

Result

A remote task definition record is created on your instance. This record is also synchronized with your customer's instance and is now pending activation on your consumer's instance. If the Auto activate remote task definition field has been enabled by the consumer, the remote task definition is automatically activated on your consumer's instance.

What to do next

You can create multiple configuration revisions of this published remote task definition. For details on how to create a configuration revision, see Create configuration revisions. You can also perform the following operations:

Related topics

Remote tasks

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