The Model Context Protocol defines a standard method of communication between large language models (LLMs) and external systems, such as a ServiceNow instance. AI applications connect to an external system from an MCP client, such as an AI agent, using an MCP server. The server tells the client which external resources it can access and how to access them. Then, from an MCP client, users can request information from the server and automate functionality using the available tools and data that the server returns. For general information about the Model Context Protocol and MCP servers, see the Model Context Protocol documentation on the Model Context Protocol website.
With MCP Server Console, you can create MCP servers on an instance and configure the tools that they expose or use a preconfigured Quickstart Server. You can create tools from Now Assist skills or use the tools installed with our Quickstart Model Context Protocol Server. Then any LLM or AI agent (such as Moveworks, Microsoft Copilot, or Claude) can call an MCP server from its MCP client using OAuth 2.0 authentication and get a list of available tools. With these tools, users can prompt the server for information from the instance, such as a list of recently closed incidents or case summaries. You can also use the ServiceNow Model Context Protocol Client application as an MCP client.
MCP Server Console benefits
|
Benefit |
Feature |
Users |
|
Integrate with any AI application and MCP client using a standard protocol. |
AI administrator |
|
|
Configure which tools and fields are exposed to MCP clients |
AI administrator |
|
|
Securely access functionality from a ServiceNow instance in any external employee experience. |
AI administrator |
Quickstart Server tools
MCP Server Console includes a preconfigured Quickstart Server to help you get started learning about MCP servers and connecting MCP clients to a ServiceNow instance. The Quickstart Server includes tools for looking up and summarizing incident and case records.Tools define what data an MCP server exposes to clients and are based on Now Assist skills.
|
Name |
Description |
|
Case summarization |
Get a summary of details in a case record generated by Now Assist. |
|
Incident summarization |
Get a summary of details in an incident record generated by Now Assist. |
|
Look up Case Records |
Look up case records to enable summarizing them with the Case Summarization tool. |
|
Look up Incident Records |
Look up incident records to enable summarizing them with Incident summarization tool. |
New
Per-tool role requirements: Administrators can now require a specific role on an individual tool, configured in MCP Server Console and enforced at both tool discovery and tool invocation, so a tool that a user is not entitled to use is neither listed to them nor callable by them.
Independent tool activation: Authorized users can activate and deactivate tools on a server, and individual tools, independently of one another.
Improved
The Monitoring dashboard has been rebuilt on the current interface, including a proper empty state when no data is available yet.
Tool record pages load faster, removing the one-to-two second delay on opening a tool.
The console has been remediated for WCAG accessibility, covering heading structure on tool detail and app creation pages, accessible names on category selection controls, colour contrast in Coral Dark mode, and layout integrity at 200% zoom.
Interface strings across the console are now fully localizable, replacing hardcoded text in server creation, tool creation, OAuth setup, and navigation breadcrumbs.
Fixed
Tool annotations (readOnlyHint, destructiveHint, idempotentHint, openWorldHint) are now returned correctly by the MCP Tools API. Previously these hints were lost in transit, causing MCP clients to miscategorize tools.
Out-of-box tool definitions can no longer be modified in place by a tools administrator, closing a path that bypassed the required clone-first governance flow.
REST API tools created through the classic interface no longer save a null JSONPath, which previously caused a 500 error on invocation.
Cloning a tool with Create Alike now copies input values and resolver table fields to the new tool.
Server URLs created inside scoped applications are now allowlisted correctly, unblocking third-party identity provider configurations.
The tools dropdown no longer lists APIs from outside the intended scope.
Selecting a server or tool from the Monitoring section no longer returns "Record not found".
MCP Apps invocation within AI clients has been corrected.
AI Native SKUs of any tier or ProPlus are required to use the MCP Server Console.