What is a Scheduled Report?
In ServiceNow, a Scheduled Report is a type of report that is set up to execute automatically at predetermined times, eliminating the need for manual initiation. Users have the flexibility to arrange these reports to run on a daily, weekly, monthly basis, or at any other custom frequency. This functionality is especially beneficial for the automatic creation and distribution of reports, guaranteeing consistent delivery of pertinent information.
Why is this an issue?
Having too many active Scheduled Reports in a system can pose several risks and challenges. While Scheduled Reports are a valuable tool for automating data distribution and analysis, overuse or mismanagement can lead to various issues, such as:
Exporting Unprotected Data: When a scheduled report runs, it retrieves and exports data without necessarily adhering to ACL restrictions, which means it may include information that should be restricted based on user roles and permissions.
Security and Governance Concerns: In a secure and well-governed environment, it is essential to monitor and control the flow of sensitive data. If numerous scheduled reports are active exporting data it can lead to potential data breaches and compliance violations.
Green Impact: The demand for processing power and resources to run multiple reports concurrently can lead to increased server load. This, in turn, requires more energy to power and cool the servers, contributing to a higher carbon footprint.
Uncontrolled Data Sharing: Once scheduled reports are exported, users have the ability to share the data externally, outside the confines of the system, potentially reaching unintended recipients or being used inappropriately.
How do I fix it?
This issue will be highlighted whenever an active Scheduled Report is true. For those necessary active reports in your instance, you can exclude them by setting them as ignored on CODA.
However, for those excessive active reports that should not be running, follow these steps to fix them:
In the Filter Navigator, type and enter sysauto_report.list.
On list view, look for the reports that should not be running.
Set the Active column as false.