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Cover approvals while you are away, set up in ServiceNow
For managers and approvers going on leave who want a ServiceNow delegation set up correctly, by asking their AI assistant.
On this page
Connector
Connect ServiceNow, pick your AI tool and paste the prompt.
The problem
Leave cover that sends approvals nowhere
Before someone goes on leave, their approvals and assignments should go to a colleague. Set up carelessly, approvals go to an inactive account, overlap an existing delegation, or people assume existing incidents will move when they will not.
Without PopdockAI
- Create the delegation without checking the delegate
- Overlap an existing delegation
- Assume open incidents will move too
- Find stalled approvals on return
With PopdockAI
- Both people are checked as single active users
- Overlapping delegations stop the job
- Pending approvals and open incidents the delegate will see are counted
- Created after you confirm the dates and flags, then read back
The prompt
Use this prompt
Copy it into any AI tool connected to PopdockAI. Swap the values in braces for your own.
**Objective:** Delegate `{user-name}`'s approvals and assignments to `{delegate-name}` from `{starts}` to `{ends}`.
**Step 1: Check both people**
Call `servicenow-get-user` with name `{user-name}`, then with name `{delegate-name}`. Both must exist, be unique and be active. An inactive delegate would silently swallow the approvals.
**Step 2: Check for overlap**
Call `servicenow-get-delegate` with user `{user-name}`, starts.to `{ends}` and ends.from `{starts}`. If a delegation already covers the period, show it and stop; this tool set cannot edit an existing delegation safely.
**Step 3: Show what will be covered**
Call `servicenow-get-approval` with approver `{user-name}` and state Requested, and `servicenow-get-incident` with assigned-to `{user-name}` in states New and In Progress. Tell the user how many approvals and incidents the delegate will see. Note that delegation covers new notifications and approvals; it does not reassign existing incidents.
**Step 4: Confirm**
Show: user, delegate, starts, ends, approvals true, assignments true, notifications false, invitations false. Ask for an explicit yes and allow the user to change the flags.
**Step 5: Write once**
Call `servicenow-add-delegate` once with user `{user-name}`, delegate `{delegate-name}`, starts `{starts}`, ends `{ends}` and the confirmed flags.
**Step 6: Verify**
Call `servicenow-get-delegate` with user `{user-name}` and report the delegation as stored.
**Rules & Guidelines:**
* The only write tool this prompt may call is `servicenow-add-delegate`, once, after confirmation. Do not call `servicenow-update-delegate`, `servicenow-update-incident` or `servicenow-update-approval`.
**Validation:**
* If `{ends}` is not after `{starts}`, stop and ask for corrected dates.
* If `{user-name}` and `{delegate-name}` are the same person, stop.Who it's for
One answer, three teams that use it
IT managers
Arrange cover before you go
Set up your own delegation and know what your cover will see.
Delegate my ServiceNow approvals to Priya Shah from 22 December to 2 January. I am Sam Patel.
ServiceNow administrators
Set up delegations correctly
Avoid overlaps and inactive delegates when setting up cover for others.
Set up a delegation from Lee Chen to Tom Reyes for 10 to 14 November.
Team leads
Cover a team member's leave
Make sure approvals and assignments reach someone active while a colleague is away.
Jordan Lee is off next week. Delegate their approvals and assignments to Sam Patel.
How it works
What PopdockAI does when you ask
You give the user, the delegate and the dates, and your AI assistant checks the cover will work. The delegation is created only after you confirm.
01
Ask
You give the user, the delegate and the start and end dates.
02
Check
It confirms both are active and no delegation overlaps the period.
03
Confirm
You see what is covered and the dates, adjust the flags and say yes.
04
Create
It creates the delegation once and reads it back.
What PopdockAI provides
The tools behind the answer
Ready made tools for ServiceNow and one secure connection to your AI tool. No code, no exports.
servicenow-get-user
servicenow-get-delegate
servicenow-get-approval
servicenow-get-incident
servicenow-add-delegate
This report is built from Get data tools only. PopdockAI applies the row, field and parameter rules your admin sets, and every query is written to the audit trail.
The outcome
Approvals keep moving while people are away
Related use cases
More ways to put this data to work
One prompt template with infinite possibilities.
Your AI assistant adapts its approach, tone, and capabilities to match each unique context while you maintain a single, manageable workflow.
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