Case Summarization

Overview

This skill provides a structured approach to generating comprehensive summaries of Customer Service Management (CSM) cases in ServiceNow. It helps you:

• Retrieve and consolidate all case details including contact, account, and product information
• Build a chronological timeline of interactions, activities, and communications
• Identify current resolution status and any pending actions
• Summarize related tasks, child cases, and escalation history
• Produce a concise executive summary suitable for handoffs or management review

When to use: When a CSM agent needs a quick overview of a case for shift handover, escalation review, management reporting, or returning to a case after time away.

Prerequisites

• Roles: sn_customerservice_agent, sn_customerservice_manager, or csm_admin
• Access: Read access to sn_customerservice_case, interaction, sn_customerservice_task, sys_journal_field, and sys_email tables
• Knowledge: Familiarity with CSM case lifecycle states and your organization's case categories

Procedure

Step 1: Retrieve Core Case Details

Fetch the primary case record with all relevant fields.

Using MCP (Claude Code/Desktop):

Tool: SN-Read-Record
Parameters:
  table_name: sn_customerservice_case
  sys_id: [case_sys_id]
  fields: number,short_description,description,state,priority,urgency,impact,category,subcategory,contact,account,consumer,product,asset,assigned_to,assignment_group,opened_at,opened_by,resolved_at,resolved_by,closed_at,closed_by,resolution_code,resolution_notes,escalation,severity,sla_due,business_duration,calendar_duration,reassignment_count,reopen_count,contact_type

If you only have the case number, search first:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: sn_customerservice_case
  query: number=CS0012345
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,description,state,priority,urgency,impact,category,subcategory,contact,account,consumer,product,asset,assigned_to,assignment_group,opened_at,resolved_at,closed_at,resolution_code,resolution_notes,escalation,severity,contact_type
  limit: 1

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/sn_customerservice_case?sysparm_query=number=CS0012345&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,description,state,priority,urgency,impact,category,subcategory,contact,account,consumer,product,asset,assigned_to,assignment_group,opened_at,resolved_at,closed_at,resolution_code,resolution_notes,escalation,severity,contact_type&sysparm_limit=1&sysparm_display_value=true

Step 2: Retrieve Customer and Account Context

Get the customer account and contact information to provide context.

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: customer_account
  query: sys_id=[account_sys_id]
  fields: sys_id,name,number,account_code,industry,customer,notes,street,city,state,country,phone,customer_tier
  limit: 1

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: customer_contact
  query: sys_id=[contact_sys_id]
  fields: sys_id,name,email,phone,title,account,timezone,preferred_contact_method
  limit: 1

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/customer_account/{account_sys_id}?sysparm_fields=sys_id,name,number,account_code,industry,customer_tier,phone&sysparm_display_value=true

GET /api/now/table/customer_contact/{contact_sys_id}?sysparm_fields=sys_id,name,email,phone,title,preferred_contact_method&sysparm_display_value=true

Step 3: Gather Interaction History

Retrieve all interactions (phone calls, chats, portal submissions) linked to the case.

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: interaction
  query: parent=<case_sys_id>^ORDERBYDESCopened_at
  fields: sys_id,number,type,channel,state,opened_at,closed_at,short_description,assigned_to,direction,duration
  limit: 50

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/interaction?sysparm_query=parent=<case_sys_id>^ORDERBYDESCopened_at&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,type,channel,state,opened_at,closed_at,short_description,assigned_to,direction,duration&sysparm_limit=50&sysparm_display_value=true

Step 4: Retrieve Case Activities and Work Notes

Pull journal entries (work notes, additional comments) to build the activity timeline.

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: sys_journal_field
  query: element_id=<case_sys_id>^element=work_notes^ORelement=comments^ORDERBYDESCsys_created_on
  fields: sys_id,element,value,sys_created_on,sys_created_by
  limit: 100

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/sys_journal_field?sysparm_query=element_id=<case_sys_id>^element=work_notes^ORelement=comments^ORDERBYDESCsys_created_on&sysparm_fields=sys_id,element,value,sys_created_on,sys_created_by&sysparm_limit=100

Step 5: Check Related Tasks and Child Cases

Identify any child tasks or related cases.

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: sn_customerservice_task
  query: parent=<case_sys_id>^ORDERBYDESCsys_created_on
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,state,assigned_to,assignment_group,priority,opened_at,closed_at
  limit: 20

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: sn_customerservice_case
  query: parent=<case_sys_id>^ORDERBYDESCsys_created_on
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,state,priority,opened_at,closed_at
  limit: 10

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/sn_customerservice_task?sysparm_query=parent=<case_sys_id>^ORDERBYDESCsys_created_on&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,state,assigned_to,assignment_group,priority,opened_at,closed_at&sysparm_limit=20&sysparm_display_value=true

GET /api/now/table/sn_customerservice_case?sysparm_query=parent=<case_sys_id>^ORDERBYDESCsys_created_on&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,state,priority,opened_at,closed_at&sysparm_limit=10&sysparm_display_value=true

Step 6: Retrieve Email Communications

Pull email records associated with the case.

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: sys_email
  query: instance=<case_sys_id>^ORDERBYDESCsys_created_on
  fields: sys_id,subject,type,recipients,sys_created_on,sys_created_by,direct,content_type
  limit: 30

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/sys_email?sysparm_query=instance=<case_sys_id>^ORDERBYDESCsys_created_on&sysparm_fields=sys_id,subject,type,recipients,sys_created_on,sys_created_by,direct&sysparm_limit=30&sysparm_display_value=true

Step 7: Build the Case Summary

Assemble all collected data into a structured summary:

=== CASE SUMMARY ===
Case Number: CS0012345
Status: [state] | Priority: [priority] | Severity: [severity]
Opened: [opened_at] | Duration: [business_duration]

CUSTOMER CONTEXT:
Account: [account_name] (Tier: [customer_tier])
Contact: [contact_name] | [email] | [phone]
Product: [product] | Asset: [asset]
Contact Method: [contact_type]

ISSUE DESCRIPTION:
[short_description]
[description - first 500 chars]

TIMELINE: (most recent first)
[date] - [activity_type]: [summary_of_entry]
[date] - [activity_type]: [summary_of_entry]
...

INTERACTIONS: [count] total
- [date] [channel] ([direction]): [short_description] - [state]
...

RELATED TASKS: [count] total ([open_count] open, [closed_count] closed)
- [task_number]: [short_description] - [state]
...

EMAILS: [count] total ([inbound_count] inbound, [outbound_count] outbound)
- [date] [type]: [subject]
...

RESOLUTION STATUS:
State: [state]
Resolution Code: [resolution_code]
Resolution Notes: [resolution_notes]
Reassignment Count: [reassignment_count]
Reopen Count: [reopen_count]

KEY OBSERVATIONS:
- [escalation status]
- [SLA status]
- [pending items]
- [risk factors]

Tool Usage

MCP Tools Reference

Tool	When to Use
SN-NL-Search	Natural language case lookup (e.g., "find open P1 cases for Acme Corp")
SN-Query-Table	Structured queries across case, interaction, task, email tables
SN-Read-Record	Retrieve a single record by sys_id with all fields

REST API Reference

Endpoint	Method	Purpose
/api/now/table/sn_customerservice_case	GET	Query case records
/api/now/table/interaction	GET	Retrieve case interactions
/api/now/table/sn_customerservice_task	GET	Get related tasks
/api/now/table/sys_journal_field	GET	Pull work notes and comments
/api/now/table/sys_email	GET	Retrieve email communications
/api/now/table/customer_account	GET	Customer account details
/api/now/table/customer_contact	GET	Contact details

Best Practices

• Use display values: Always pass sysparm_display_value=true in REST calls to get readable names instead of sys_ids
• Limit journal entries: Work notes can be very long; summarize rather than including full text
• Check SLA status: Always note if the case is approaching or has breached SLA targets
• Identify patterns: Look for repeated reassignments or reopens as indicators of complexity
• Respect privacy: Omit sensitive personal data from summaries shared with non-authorized personnel
• Note escalation history: Highlight any escalation changes and the reasons behind them

Troubleshooting

"Case not found"

Cause: Case number format incorrect or case is in a different scope Solution: Verify the prefix (CS vs CSM vs other) and check if the case exists in a different application scope. Try searching with numberLIKECS001234.

"No interactions found"

Cause: Interactions may be linked via a different relationship field Solution: Check the parent and document_id fields on interaction. Also query with document=sn_customerservice_case^document_id=<case_sys_id>.

"Journal entries are empty"

Cause: Journal fields are stored separately and may require explicit access Solution: Ensure your role has access to sys_journal_field. Try the case REST API with sysparm_fields=work_notes,comments which returns journal directly.

"Cannot read customer account"

Cause: Account record is in a restricted scope or has ACL restrictions Solution: Verify you have the customer_account_read or sn_customerservice_agent role.

Examples

Example 1: Open Case Summary for Shift Handover

Scenario: Agent needs a quick summary of case CS0056789 before taking over from a colleague.

Step 1 - Get case:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: sn_customerservice_case
  query: number=CS0056789
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,state,priority,category,contact,account,assigned_to,assignment_group,opened_at,escalation
  limit: 1

Step 2 - Get recent work notes:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: sys_journal_field
  query: element_id=<sys_id>^element=work_notes^ORDERBYDESCsys_created_on
  fields: value,sys_created_on,sys_created_by
  limit: 10

Output Summary:

CASE CS0056789 - SHIFT HANDOVER SUMMARY
Status: In Progress | Priority: P2 | Escalation: Normal
Customer: Acme Corp (Tier: Gold) | Contact: Jane Smith
Issue: Unable to process returns through online portal
Opened: 2026-03-15 09:30 | Age: 4 days

RECENT ACTIVITY:
- Mar 18: Agent reviewed portal logs, identified session timeout issue
- Mar 17: Customer provided browser details and screenshots
- Mar 16: Initial triage, assigned to Portal Support team
- Mar 15: Case created via phone interaction

PENDING: Awaiting fix deployment for session timeout bug (DEF0034521)

Example 2: Escalated Case Executive Summary

Scenario: Manager requests a summary of all P1 escalated cases for a key account.

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: sn_customerservice_case
  query: account=<account_sys_id>^priority=1^escalation!=0^stateNOT IN6,7
  fields: number,short_description,state,priority,escalation,assigned_to,opened_at,sla_due
  limit: 10

Output:

ESCALATED P1 CASES - GLOBEX CORPORATION
Total: 3 active P1 cases

1. CS0045001 - Production API gateway returning 503 errors
   State: In Progress | Escalated: Level 2 | SLA Due: Mar 19 14:00
   Owner: David Chen (Platform Support)

2. CS0045123 - Batch processing failure affecting invoicing
   State: Awaiting Info | Escalated: Level 1 | SLA Due: Mar 20 09:00
   Owner: Sarah Kim (Data Services)

3. CS0045200 - SSO authentication failing intermittently
   State: In Progress | Escalated: Level 3 | SLA Due: Mar 19 10:00
   Owner: Mike Johnson (Identity Team)

RISK: CS0045200 is at Level 3 escalation with SLA due in 2 hours.

Related Skills

• csm/resolution-notes - Generate resolution documentation for case closure
• csm/sentiment-analysis - Analyze customer sentiment across case communications
• csm/activity-response - Generate contextual responses for case activities
• itsm/incident-lifecycle - Related incident management processes
• reporting/sla-analysis - SLA tracking and reporting