ConfigBot for ServiceNow – Content Debugging

Troubleshooting why a Knowledge Article or Catalog Item is not accessible in the ServiceNow Service Portal can be time-consuming because access can be affected by multiple configurations and permission rules. 

With the ConfigBot ServiceNow Content Debugging module, you can quickly investigate the possible causes and identify exactly what is preventing access. 

For Knowledge Articles, ConfigBot can check: 

• Whether the Knowledge Article is active and published 
• Whether the Knowledge Base is accessible to the user 
• Whether the user satisfies the configured Can Read criteria 
• Whether the user satisfies the Can Contribute criteria 
• Whether the required User Criteria are met 
• Whether the Knowledge Category is active and accessible 
• Whether the article is within its valid publication and expiration dates 
• Whether any role, group, or permission requirement is restricting access 

For Catalog Items, ConfigBot can investigate: 

• Whether the Catalog Item is active 
• Whether the item is available in the required Service Catalog 
• Whether the Catalog and Catalog Category are active 
• Whether the user satisfies the configured Available For User Criteria 
• Whether the user is restricted by Not Available For User Criteria 

Instead of manually reviewing multiple ServiceNow configurations, ConfigBot Content Debugging analyzes these access conditions in one place and helps identify the exact reason why a Knowledge Article or Catalog Item is unavailable to a user. 

The following article explains how to use the Content Debugging module in ConfigBot to analyze associated operations in the Content Debugging module. 

Step 1: Log in to ConfigBot 

Enter your username and password on the login page, then click Submit to access your ConfigBot portal. 

Step 2: Access the Content Debugging Module 

From the ConfigBot dashboard, navigate to the Robotics, and click on the Content Debugging module tile to open it. 

Step 3: Create a New Iteration 

Click the Add New Iteration button 

• Enter the Iteration Number 
• Select the Workspace or ADD NEW Workspace 
• Enter the Host Address 
• Choose the Instance Type 
• Enter your Company ID and Username 
• Add a Short Description 

After filling in all details, click Submit to create your iteration. 

Step 4: Generate Workbook (Initial Execution) 

Once the iteration is created, click on the Hamburger Menu and select Generate Workbook. 

In the pop-up window: 

• Enter your ServiceNow password 
• Add any execution notes
• Select Workbook IntelliSense (to only backfill the data) 
• Click Confirm and Start to process execution 

This step prepares the workbook with the basic configuration setup. 

Step 5: Configure Data in Workbook 

Once status shows complete click on sheet icon to open generated workbook 

Navigate to the desired Sheet. (Debug Knowledge Article or Debug Catalog Item) 

Here you can see Debug Knowledge Article sheet, with successfully backfilled data from instance 

Fill the sheet with required data:

• In Column C “User ID” - provide the desired user ID 
• In Column D “Knowledge Article” - Select the desired Knowledge article you want to verify access on 
• In Column B “Processing Status” - Set the state as pending 

Step 6: Start Configuration 

Once your configuration data is set: 

• Return to your iteration in ConfigBot. 
• Click on the Hamburger Menu and select Request Reprocess. 

Click on the Hamburger Menu again and this time select Start Configuration. 

In the pop-up window: 

• Enter your ServiceNow password 
• Add any notes 
• Select the Debug Knowledge Article checkbox as we only fill out the Debug Knowledge Article sheet. 
•  Click Confirm and Start to execute 

Step 7: Monitor the Progress: 

Once the execution Complete, proceed to review your results. 

 Open the workbook, here you can see the data of the articles we selected is backfilled. 

You can also see some columns become Yes and No. 

• Column with “Yes” in cells, show users exist in the read and contribute criteria of knowledge base or knowledge article. 
• Column with “No” in cells, shows the user does not exist in the read and contributes criteria of knowledge base or knowledge article. 

Compare (Compare Configuration Between Two Instances): 

Step 1 – Generate Workbooks from two Instances 

Ensure that you have two workbooks generated and automated from different ServiceNow instances (as indicated by their Host Address and Company ID) 

Note: The user and the knowledge article or catalog item associated with that user should be the same. 

Step 2 – Start Execution (Compare) 

Click on the hamburger menu icon and select “Request Reprocess” 

Click on the hamburger menu icon again and this time select “Compare iteration” 

In the pop-up window 

• Select the iteration you want to compare against. 
• Add any execution notes
• Click Confirm and Start to begin the comparison process. 

Once the status shows complete, open the workbook and navigate to each sheet to see the changes 

You can notice highlights across multiple tabs: 

• Red Highlights – Indicate differences between the two iterations. 
• Green Highlights – Indicate matching values across both workbooks. 

These color-coded results allow you to instantly identify what has changed or remained consistent between the two ServiceNow instances. 

Navigate to the “Compare Summary” Sheet 

This screen provides a quick and reliable way to validate data consistency between environments. Instead of manually inspecting records, you can visualize differences and matches in a structured tabular form.  

Thank You! 

Updated on: 09/09/2026