This guide walks organization administrators through moving an existing Traceless ↔ ServiceNow connection from username/password (Basic Auth) to OAuth. After you migrate, Traceless authenticates with Client ID and Client Secret from your ServiceNow Oauth Application instead of storing a ServiceNow user password.
Why migrate?
OAuth is the recommended authentication method for ServiceNow integrations:
- Access tokens are short-lived, issued and refreshed automatically
- Credentials are scoped to an application
- You no longer need to rotate or store a ServiceNow static password inside Traceless
Your day-to-day Traceless experience in ServiceNow for verification requests and sending traces stays the same. Only how Traceless connects to your instance changes.
Important: the Application Registry user still matters
OAuth does not remove the need for a ServiceNow user.
In ServiceNow’s Application Registry, every OAuth application used for this kind of connection is associated with a User. API calls Traceless makes with the OAuth token run as that user. Thus that user needs to have the correct permissions for your ServiceNow tables that are used with Traceless.
That means:
- The ServiceNow user tied to the Application Registry entry must still exist and remain active
- That user must still have the roles and permissions Traceless needs (read contacts/tickets, update work notes, etc.)
- You can keep using the same integration user you previously used for Basic Auth; associate that user with the OAuth application in the Application Registry
What changes is only how Traceless proves identity: Client ID + Client Secret (entered in Traceless) instead of username + password.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure you have:
- An active Traceless account with organization administrator permissions
- An existing ServiceNow integration already enabled for your Traceless organization
- Administrative access in ServiceNow to create or edit an Application Registry OAuth application
- The ServiceNow user that will be associated with that application (typically the same integration user you used for Basic Auth)
Step 1: Confirm the ServiceNow user
1. In ServiceNow, open the user account you previously used (or plan to use) for the Traceless integration
2. Confirm the account is active
3. Confirm it still has the permissions required for Traceless to look up ticket contacts and write ticket updates
You will associate this user with the OAuth application in the next step.
Step 2: Create or update the Application Registry entry
1. In ServiceNow, go to System OAuth → Application Registry
2. Create a new inbound application (or open an existing one used for Traceless):
- Choose the option to create an OAuth client credentials grant
3. Configure the application:
- Give it a clear name (for example, `Traceless`)
- Set or copy the Client ID
- Generate or copy the Client Secret (store this securely; you will paste it into Traceless)
- Set the User field to the ServiceNow user from Step 1
4. Save the Application Registry record
Keep the Client ID and Client Secret handy for the Traceless connect form.
Step 3: Enter OAuth credentials in Traceless
1. Log in to Traceless as an organization administrator
2. Open the dedicated ServiceNow connect page: [https://traceless.io/servicenow/connect/](https://traceless.io/servicenow/connect/)
3. Confirm or update your company information if prompted (company name, website, support phone, primary support email)
4. Under ServiceNow OAuth Credentials, enter:
- ServiceNow Instance URL — your instance host (for example, `YOURINSTANCE.service-now.com`)
- OAuth Client ID — from the Application Registry
- OAuth Client Secret — from the Application Registry
5. Click Connect
Traceless will validate the credentials by requesting an access token from your ServiceNow instance. If that succeeds, your organization is switched to OAuth for ServiceNow API calls.
Step 4: Confirmation
1. You should land on a completion page: “Thank you for choosing Traceless”
2. Please open a ServiceNow ticket and confirm Traceless still loads and can send a verification or update a note as expected
Using the Integration After Migration
Once migrated, you can continue to:
- Send identity verification requests from ServiceNow
- Automatically update tickets with verification outcomes
- Use Traceless data to send and receive data and files with your team and clients
No change is required to UI Actions, widgets, or agent workflows solely because of the auth migration.
Troubleshooting
“Could not establish connection with ServiceNow”
Common causes:
- Incorrect instance URL (use the hostname form such as `YOURINSTANCE.service-now.com`)
- Incorrect Client ID or Client Secret
- The Application Registry application is inactive or misconfigured
- The User associated with the Application Registry entry is missing, inactive, or lacks required roles
Solution: Re-check the Application Registry values and the associated user, then submit the form again at [https://traceless.io/servicenow/connect/](https://traceless.io/servicenow/connect/).
Connection succeeds but ticket lookups or updates fail
This usually means the OAuth application is valid, but the associated ServiceNow user does not have enough permissions—the same class of problem you would see with Basic Auth if the integration user’s roles were reduced.
Solution: Review roles on the Application Registry user and restore the access Traceless needs.
I still have the old username and password in mind—do I enter those in Traceless?
No. On the new connect page you enter Client ID and Client Secret only. The ServiceNow user remains configured inside ServiceNow on the Application Registry record, not as a password field in Traceless.
Additional Resources
- Setup Instructions: Use the “Setup Instructions” link on the ServiceNow connect page for the broader ServiceNow + Traceless guide: https://help.traceless.io/en/articles/5998644-using-traceless-with-service-now
- Knowledge Base: https://help.traceless.io/
- Support: Contact hello@traceless.com if you are stuck after trying the steps above
Security Notes
- Prefer OAuth over Basic Auth so Traceless does not need a long-lived ServiceNow password
- Treat Client Secret like a password; rotate it in ServiceNow if it may have been exposed, then re-enter it on `/servicenow/connect/`
- Keep the Application Registry user locked down to the minimum roles required for the integration
- You can manage or remove integrations from your organization integrations settings when needed
Removing or reconnecting
If you need to re-enter OAuth credentials (for example after rotating the Client Secret):
2. Enter the updated Client ID, Client Secret, and instance URL
3. Click Connect again
To disconnect ServiceNow from Traceless entirely, use Organization → Integrations (or Manage Your Integrations) and remove the ServiceNow connection.
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Note: You must be an organization administrator in Traceless to connect or update integrations. If you do not have those permissions, ask your Traceless organization administrator to complete this migration.