We've recently learned that ServiceNow has a module for IT Financial Management and a suite of  tools called "ITBM", which also let you model your IT Costs directly using the data available from the ServiceNow Platform.

Other than Apptio being the premier TBM Tool, I'm just curious to know what features Apptio R12 have that ServiceNow's suite of tools cannot replicate/perform?

Also, what are the benefits of having TBM Performed in Apptio rather than in ServiceNow?

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ServiceNow ITBM:

ITBM - Enterprise IT Business Management - ServiceNow 

@Kyle Castro, my two-cent would be to schedule a demo with ServiceNow to see what their module would look like (unless you have already done so). I do remember 2 years ago that ServiceNow was entering into the TBM space, so I wouldn't be surprised that they want to compete with Apptio head-on. Sorry that I didn't really answer your question directly.

@Tony Wong - thanks for your response. I think seeing a demo other than the ones they've published would be helpful - seeing is believing, right?

For now, I'm actually hoping to get responses from folks here who've been faced with the decision to choose between Apptio and ServiceNow. In my opinion, ServiceNow's data modeling tool is pretty bare - unlike Apptio R12, which has features that make it easier for TBMs to configure their models on-the-fly.

@Kyle Castro - Our organization took a long hard look at SNOW's ITBM offering, including two demos. Aside from confusion over the licensing model which we never did get a staight answer on our primary takeaways were: (1) SNOW refers to the method of "using the data available from the ServiceNow platform" as their "prescriptive" model or what I call, the one ring to rule them all model. (The prescription being that ALL data, including your GL, resides natively in the SNOW platform.) (2) If, like us, that's not your environment there are ways of importing data from other sources, but SNOW themselves doesn't offer the professional services they themselves STRONGLY recommend organizations use for such an implementation. Instead, they use a subcontractor who has developed what SNOW referred to as a proprietary implementation method. (I used the singular term, because based on our market research and conversations w/ SNOW, only one such vendor was identified.) Further, paraphrasing SNOW's reps, they said they weren't aware of a successful non-prescriptive implementation that hadn't used professional services consultants. (3) Lastly, we found the ROM estimate to transition from Apptio to SNOW w/ the professional services support to be prohibitively expensive. I hope this helps.

P.S. As to what features Apptio R12 has that ServiceNow's suite of tools cannot replicate/perform: While they can be replicated, SNOW's ITBM doesn't offer any out-of-the-box reports. They all have to be custom built using SNOW's Performance Analytics so you'd need licenses for that in addition to ITBM and potentially others modules that we couldn't get a clear answer on. Additionally, if your allocations are anything other than simple math, javascripts have to be written to transform tables.

@Patrick Mulcare - truly appreciate your comprehensive response and shared insights here. Cheers to you! 

As far as know Service Now is going to stop the support for their financial module. Service Now started a Cooperation with Apptio.

That's what I was thinking.  I remember emailing them a couple of years back when I was at my old gig and the response was they didn't really support it any longer.

@Jenny Franklin - that's very interesting to know because a vendor had brought these modules up with us. I guess it's up to us now to find out the extent of the capabilities of these ITFM and ITBM modules.

Based on the responses so far, I feel like Apptio is still definitely the premier TBM/ITFM Tool - it's just way more flexible than having to do JavaScript to modify an IT Cost Model. Also, it sounds like you'll need more overhead to maintain ServiceNow's solutions versus a leaner team working within the TBM Studio.

@Kyle Castro and the Community over here is way cooler ;-p 

@Jenny Franklin - hahahaha I have no doubt about that  

Hope you've been doing well, Jenny

Hey @Kyle Castro, all good and hope you've been doing well, too!  Hoping we all get to see each other in Austin in November! :-)

We looked at ServiceNow's ITFM offering back in 2015, when we run the RFP that ended up us signing up with Apptio's CT module.

 I went to their annual conference, did some training and talked a lot with the ITFM product manager. He did know his financial management, for sure.

What I remember from the product is that it was very customizable - like everything else in ServiceNow. You could do just about everything and the system tried to help you map the data, in a remotely similar fashion to the new A.I. features in CT. It did have some machine learning capabilities and tried to predict what to do with new, unmapped data.

Our Controlling team found non-negotiable some features that ServiceNow's product was missing, but CT had. ServiceNow got desperate to get the deal and threw in everything for a ridiculously low price. Still, we decided for CT based on the features.

After that, something happened in ServiceNow and the PM left (or was discharged). 

At some point I thought they had some integration with CT. I remember seeing something like that at a Gartner summit, or some such conference, but it was at least 2 years ago, possibly more.