Difference Between Record Producer and Catalog Item in ServiceNow
When to Use What (Practical Explanation) Many beginners assume Record Producer and Catalog Item are the same. Both appear in the Service Portal. Both accept user input. Both create records. But they serve completely different purposes. Choosing the wrong one leads to poor design and complex maintenance later. The Core Difference (In One Line) Catalog Item → Creates a service request process Record Producer → Creates a record directly in a table How Catalog Item Works 4 Catalog item follows ITSM lifecycle: REQ → RITM → Tasks → Approvals → Fulfillment It represents: “User is requesting a service” Examples: Laptop request Software access Employee onboarding This involves workflow automation. How Record Producer Works 4 Record Producer directly inserts a record into a table. No request structure. Portal Form → Script → Record Created Examples: Create Incident Report Issue HR complaint form It represents: “User is reporting something” Key Differences Table Feature Catalog Item Record P...
