The Tokyo version of ServiceNow is focused on supply chain, HR automation

To meet the needs of businesses looking to navigate uncertain economic conditions while complying with new data regulations, ServiceNow has released the next iteration of its Now workflow automation platform, called Tokyo, with new features that focus on easing supply chain complexity and optimizing asset and human resource (HR) management.

The Tokyo launch comes just months after the company launched the previous version of the Now platform, called San Diego, which focused on personalization and automation of the work experience.

The new version, according to the company, is aimed more at CFOs and COOs looking for a return on their IT investment.

Simplifying the supply base

The release comes with a new feature called Supplier Lifecycle Management (SLM), which can read supplier names and other data from emails and spreadsheets and move them to a new window in the Now platform.

Automatically moving these supplier contacts and information, according to ServiceNow, helps businesses reduce operating costs and allows the supply chain team to focus on building a more sustainable supplier base.

SLM also offers a provider-facing interface that can be used to launch requests for the enterprise.

For users in the enterprise itself, Tokyo includes a new tool called Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) designed to automatically track and help manage the full lifecycle of physical business assets, from planning to retirement, for industries such as healthcare, financial services, trading retail, manufacturing and the public sector.

The EAM tool can enhance companies’ strategic planning capabilities as it enables easy visibility into enterprise assets, the company said, adding that EAM can also help optimize inventory levels to generate maximum performance from existing assets .

Simplifying the supply base

The Tokyo version of ServiceNow also offers features that focus on simplifying human resource management.

A new feature, Human Resources Automated Issue Resolution (ITSM), is designed to help HR teams manage issues raised by company personnel by applying natural language understanding to analyze employee requests and deliver content through the same channels used by employees. These channels can be Microsoft Teams, SMS or email, the company said, adding that ITSM understands and routes each request to a specific HR representative in case of urgent questions.

Another feature called Manager Hub is focused on employee retention. The feature, which can be accessed through the Employee Center (desktop or mobile), provides a single window for managers across the enterprise to map employee milestones and review them.

The Manager Center can be used by an enterprise to provide personalized training to all managers in the enterprise, Service Now said.

Security and sustainability

The Tokyo iteration of Now also comes with added resilience and security planning features.

The new release offers a feature called Vault, designed to protect business-critical ServiceNow applications by using controls like Agile key management and anonymization of data. It also allows enterprises to export their system and log files to ServiceNow applications at scale and in near real-time, the company said.

Another tool in Tokyo’s arsenal is the Administration Center, which allows system administrators to discover, install, and configure ServiceNow tools or features through a self-service interface. The admin center, according to the company, can take advantage of new Adoption Blueprint features, which in turn can recommend apps to administrators based on criteria like instance maturity and app rights.

To help businesses plan and manage their sustainability goals, the Tokyo edition of the Now platform comes with an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) management tool.

The tool, the company says, can track performance against goals, collect and validate audit data, and create reports that align with key ESG reporting frameworks.