CIS-ITSM · ● Active · Professional · ServiceNow
Exam facts
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost | $300 USD |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Questions | 60 |
| Passing | 70% |
| Format | Multiple choice |
| Delivery | SkillJar (ServiceNow testing platform) |
| Languages | English |
| Valid | 3 years |
| Renewal | Retake exam or pass higher-level cert (CTA, CMA) |
| Prerequisites | CSA (Certified System Administrator) — must be current |
| Released | 2020 (renewed 2024–2025 curriculum) |
| Retiring | N/A |
Vendor source — ServiceNow Certifications ↗
Official exam guide — CIS-ITSM Exam Guide ↗
Exam objectives — ServiceNow Now Learning Curriculum ↗
About
The CIS-ITSM is ServiceNow's professional-level certification validating practical implementation expertise across all core ITSM module domains. Candidates demonstrate mastery of incident, problem, change, request, knowledge, and configuration management within the ServiceNow platform. Released in 2020 and updated through 2024, this credential targets architects, senior consultants, and implementation engineers who configure, customize, and deploy ITSM solutions at scale. Requires current CSA (Certified System Administrator) prerequisite — evidence of foundational platform literacy before tackling domain-specific expertise.
Domain context — ITSM
IT Service Management (ITSM) spans operational processes from request intake through knowledge capture: incident / problem / change / configuration management, service catalog, knowledge base, and SLA enforcement. ServiceNow dominates the enterprise ITSM market, making this credential especially valuable for organisations standardizing on the platform.
Read ecosystem overview — ServiceNow ↗ (file not yet created)
Topics covered
The exam blueprint weights core ITSM domains as follows:
- Incident Management (15–20%) — Incident creation, classification, routing, escalation, resolution tracking, and closure
- Problem Management (10–15%) — Problem investigation, root-cause analysis, Known Error database, workaround management
- Change Management (15–20%) — Change request workflow, approval gates, CAB (Change Advisory Board), implementation, testing, rollback
- Knowledge Management (10–15%) — Knowledge article authoring, categorisation, search optimisation, feedback loops
- Request Management / Service Catalog (15–20%) — Service catalog design, item configuration, cart functionality, fulfillment workflows
- Configuration Management (10–15%) — Configuration Item (CI) definition, relationships, CMDB maintenance, asset reconciliation
- Service Level Management (5–10%) — SLA definition, metrics, breaches, reporting
- CMDB & CI Management (5–10%) — Auto-discovery, relationship mapping, business service perspective
- Advanced workflows & integrations — Process automation, script includes, email integration, REST/SOAP API basics
Source: ServiceNow Now Learning — ITSM Learning Path ↗
Common skills at ITSM · Professional
Shared content for the ITSM domain at Professional level — not specific to this cert.
- Process mapping — Design incident-to-resolution workflows; identify hand-off points and approval gates
- CMDB modelling — Define Configuration Items, relationships, and asset hierarchies; reconcile auto-discovered data
- SLA configuration — Author service-level agreements; set conditions, metrics, breach handlers
- Workflow automation — Build multi-step approval chains; use business rules, script includes, and process flows
- Integration fundamentals — Connect ServiceNow to third-party tools via REST APIs, SOAP, email, webhooks
- Data governance — Manage change controls for process definitions; audit compliance; document configuration
- Stakeholder communication — Present ITSM roadmaps; gather requirements from IT operations, support, and business teams
Recommended courses at ITSM · Professional
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| ServiceNow (official) | CIS-ITSM Learning Path | Free (requires account) | ↗ |
| ServiceNow (official) | IT Service Management Fundamentals | Free | ↗ |
| Udemy (by ServiceNow partners) | ServiceNow ITSM Certification Prep (CIS-ITSM) | $15–$50 | [check Udemy for certified instructor] |
| Pluralsight | ServiceNow IT Service Management | $29/month | ↗ |
| A Cloud Guru | ServiceNow ITSM Basics | $29–$49/month | ↗ |
Course rule: The ServiceNow Now Learning platform (free with registration) is the official training resource and strongly recommended before exam attempt. Third-party courses supplement but do not replace the vendor curriculum.
Practice exams
| Provider | Title | Cost | URL |
|---|---|---|---|
| ServiceNow (official) | Now Learning Practice Exams — CIS-ITSM | Free (included in learning path) | ↗ |
| Whizlabs | ServiceNow ITSM Practice Tests | $20–$30 | ↗ |
| MeasureUp | ServiceNow Exam Prep (if available for ITSM) | $40–$60 | [check MeasureUp catalog] |
Note: The official Now Learning platform includes built-in practice exams and knowledge checks throughout the learning path — these are essential and free. Third-party vendors offer supplemental practice; verify they are current to the 2024+ curriculum before purchase.
Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | Year | ISBN | URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ServiceNow IT Service Management: A Practical Implementation Guide | Mark Johnson, David Fischer | Packt Publishing | 2021 | 978-1-83864-357-6 | ↗ |
| ServiceNow Configuration for Beginners | Anand Balani | Packt Publishing | 2022 | 978-1-80181-949-9 | ↗ |
Book availability note: ServiceNow ITSM implementation guides exist (Packt, Apress), but no dedicated "CIS-ITSM Study Guide" workbook is currently published. Recommended texts cover implementation patterns and domain workflows; combine with official Now Learning curriculum for exam prep.
Typical job titles at ITSM · Professional
ServiceNow ITSM Consultant · ServiceNow Developer (ITSM focus) · Senior ServiceNow Engineer · ITSM Solutions Architect · IT Service Management Specialist
(Job titles drawn from LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor postings that list CIS-ITSM or equivalent ServiceNow ITSM cert as required or preferred.)
Salary
| Region | Range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| USD | $95,000 – $145,000 | Glassdoor (ServiceNow ITSM Consultant) ↗ · Robert Half (ITSM roles) ↗ |
| ZAR | R850,000 – R1,400,000 p.a. | Pnet.co.za ↗ · PayScale ZA ↗ · CareerJunction ↗ |
| GBP | £65,000 – £95,000 | IT Jobs Watch ↗ · Hays Salary Guide ↗ |
| EUR | €75,000 – €120,000 (DE/NL/FR avg.) | PayScale EU ↗ |
| AUD | A$120,000 – A$170,000 | SEEK ↗ · PayScale AU ↗ |
Salary note: Ranges reflect ITSM specialist and consultant roles requiring CIS-ITSM or equivalent ServiceNow ITSM expertise. Senior consultant and architect roles command premiums (15–25% above listed ranges). Entry-level ServiceNow ITSM roles (fresh CSA holders) typically start at USD $70k–$85k before gaining CIS-ITSM certification.
Skills validated
Cert-specific — what this exam actually tests, distinct from the shared "Common skills" above.
- ServiceNow ITSM module configuration — Incident, Problem, Change, Request, Knowledge, CMDB modules
- Data model relationships — Linking CIs, incidents, problems, changes, and change tasks
- Workflow design & automation — Business rules, script includes, process flows, approval workflows
- Reporting & dashboards — Creating reports on incident trends, SLA compliance, request fulfillment
- CMDB discovery & reconciliation — Managing auto-discovered assets, CI relationships, business services
- Knowledge management lifecycle — Article creation, categorisation, search optimisation, feedback integration
- Email integration & notifications — Configuring email-to-case, outbound actions, inbound email parsing
- REST / SOAP API consumption — Building integrations with external systems (HR, asset management, ticketing)
- Multi-instance & production safety — Change promotion, quality gates, testing in staging environments
Related certifications
- Prerequisite: ServiceNow Certified System Administrator (CSA) ↗
- Stacks with: CIS-HRSD (Human Resources Service Delivery) ↗ · CIS-CSM (Customer Service Management) ↗ · CIS-ITOM (IT Operations Management) ↗
- Pathway to: Certified Technical Architect (CTA) ↗ · Certified Master Architect (CMA) ↗
- Vendor overview: ServiceNow Vendor Overview ↗ (file not yet created)
Sources
- ServiceNow Certifications portal: https://nowlearning.servicenow.com/lxp/en/now-platform-certifications
- ServiceNow Now Learning — CIS-ITSM Learning Path: https://nowlearning.servicenow.com/lxp/en/learning-paths/learning-path-cis-itsm
- Glassdoor (ServiceNow ITSM Consultant salary): https://www.glassdoor.com/
- Robert Half Salary Guide: https://www.roberthalf.com/salary-guide
- Pnet.co.za (ZAR salary data): https://www.pnet.co.za/
- IT Jobs Watch (GBP roles): https://www.itjobswatch.co.uk/
- Hays Salary Guide: https://www.hays.co.uk/salary-guide
- PayScale (global salary benchmarks): https://www.payscale.com/
- Packt Publishing — ServiceNow ITSM titles: https://www.packtpub.com/
Last verified: 2026-05-01
Parent ecosystem: ServiceNow Platform — in development
Parent domain: ITSM (IT Service Management) — in development
Vendor overview: ServiceNow — in development