planning-summarization

Planning Summarization

Overview

This skill provides a structured approach to summarizing planning activities across ServiceNow's Strategic Portfolio Management module. It covers:

Aggregating demand records by status, priority, and business unit
Summarizing portfolio investment decisions and funding allocations
Generating sprint planning summaries with capacity and commitment data
Creating release planning overviews with feature readiness status
Producing executive meeting summaries with key metrics and recommendations
Consolidating program-level status for steering committee reviews

When to use: When portfolio managers, program managers, or product owners need concise summaries of planning data for governance meetings, sprint planning, release readiness reviews, or executive briefings in ServiceNow SPM.

Prerequisites

Plugins: com.snc.project (Project Portfolio Management), com.snc.sdlc.agile.2.0 (Agile Development 2.0)
Roles: demand_manager, portfolio_manager, project_manager, scrum_master, or program_manager
Access: Read access to dm_demand, pm_portfolio, pm_program, pm_project, rm_sprint, rm_story, rm_release, planned_task tables
Knowledge: Understanding of demand management lifecycle, portfolio governance processes, and agile ceremonies

Procedure

Step 1: Summarize Demand Pipeline

Query demand records to understand the intake pipeline and pending decisions.

Using MCP (Claude Code/Desktop):

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: dm_demand
  query: stateNOT IN-5,4,7^ORDERBYpriority
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,state,priority,type,business_unit,requested_by,requested_for,estimated_cost,estimated_effort,strategic_alignment,score,due_date,assignment_group
  limit: 50

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/dm_demand?sysparm_query=stateNOT IN-5,4,7^ORDERBYpriority&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,state,priority,type,business_unit,requested_by,estimated_cost,estimated_effort,strategic_alignment,score,due_date,assignment_group&sysparm_limit=50&sysparm_display_value=true

Group demands by state for a pipeline overview:

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: dm_demand
  query: state=1
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,priority,type,business_unit,estimated_cost,score
  limit: 30

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/dm_demand?sysparm_query=state=1&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,priority,type,business_unit,estimated_cost,score&sysparm_limit=30&sysparm_display_value=true

Demand states reference:

State Value	Label	Description
-5	Draft	Initial creation, incomplete
1	New	Submitted, awaiting screening
2	Screening	Under initial assessment
3	Qualified	Approved for further analysis
10	Assessment	Detailed business case review
15	Approved	Approved for funding/execution
4	Closed	Completed or rejected
7	Cancelled	Withdrawn from pipeline

Step 2: Assess Portfolio Allocation

Query the portfolio to understand investment distribution and remaining budget.

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: pm_portfolio
  query: state=2
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,state,total_budget,allocated_budget,remaining_budget,portfolio_manager,fiscal_year,strategic_theme
  limit: 10

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/pm_portfolio?sysparm_query=state=2&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,state,total_budget,allocated_budget,remaining_budget,portfolio_manager,fiscal_year,strategic_theme&sysparm_limit=10&sysparm_display_value=true

Query projects within the portfolio for allocation breakdown:

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: pm_project
  query: portfolio=[portfolio_sys_id]^stateNOT IN-5,4
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,state,phase,budget_cost,actual_cost,percent_complete,health,priority,end_date,project_manager
  limit: 30

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/pm_project?sysparm_query=portfolio=[portfolio_sys_id]^stateNOT IN-5,4&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,state,phase,budget_cost,actual_cost,percent_complete,health,priority,end_date,project_manager&sysparm_limit=30&sysparm_display_value=true

Step 3: Generate Sprint Planning Summary

For agile teams, summarize the sprint planning data including capacity and committed stories.

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: rm_sprint
  query: release.product.sys_id=[product_sys_id]^state=1
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,start_date,end_date,capacity,story_points,state
  limit: 3

Query stories committed to the upcoming sprint:

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: rm_story
  query: sprint=[sprint_sys_id]^ORDERBYpriority
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,story_points,state,priority,epic,assigned_to,acceptance_criteria,blocked
  limit: 50

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/rm_story?sysparm_query=sprint=[sprint_sys_id]^ORDERBYpriority&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,story_points,state,priority,epic,assigned_to,acceptance_criteria,blocked&sysparm_limit=50&sysparm_display_value=true

Step 4: Compile Release Readiness

Query the release and its associated features for readiness assessment.

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: rm_release
  query: product.sys_id=[product_sys_id]^state!=3^ORDERBYstart_date
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,start_date,end_date,state,description
  limit: 5

Query stories in the release grouped by completion status:

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: rm_story
  query: sprint.release=[release_sys_id]
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,story_points,state,epic,sprint,blocked
  limit: 100

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/rm_story?sysparm_query=sprint.release=[release_sys_id]&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,story_points,state,epic,sprint,blocked&sysparm_limit=100&sysparm_display_value=true

Step 5: Review Program Status

For program-level planning, aggregate across constituent projects.

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: pm_project
  query: program=[program_sys_id]^stateNOT IN-5,4
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,state,phase,health,percent_complete,schedule_variance,budget_cost,actual_cost,end_date,project_manager,risk
  limit: 20

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/pm_project?sysparm_query=program=[program_sys_id]^stateNOT IN-5,4&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,state,phase,health,percent_complete,schedule_variance,budget_cost,actual_cost,end_date,project_manager,risk&sysparm_limit=20&sysparm_display_value=true

Step 6: Review Contract Dependencies

Check active contracts that impact planning timelines or resource availability.

Using MCP:

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: ast_contract
  query: stateNOT IN-5,3,4^end_date>=javascript:gs.nowDateTime()^ORDERBYend_date
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,state,vendor,start_date,end_date,contract_value,renewal_date,contract_type
  limit: 15

Using REST API:

GET /api/now/table/ast_contract?sysparm_query=stateNOT IN-5,3,4^end_date>=javascript:gs.nowDateTime()^ORDERBYend_date&sysparm_fields=sys_id,number,short_description,state,vendor,start_date,end_date,contract_value,renewal_date,contract_type&sysparm_limit=15&sysparm_display_value=true

Step 7: Assemble Executive Planning Summary

Compile all data into a structured meeting summary:

=== PLANNING MEETING SUMMARY ===
Date: 2026-03-19 | Prepared for: Portfolio Governance Board

DEMAND PIPELINE:
  Total Active Demands: 24
  New (Awaiting Screening): 8
  In Screening: 5
  Qualified: 6
  In Assessment: 3
  Approved (Awaiting Funding): 2

  Top Demands by Strategic Score:
  1. DMD0045001 - AI-Powered Customer Analytics (Score: 92, Cost: $380K)
  2. DMD0045002 - Mobile Self-Service Portal (Score: 88, Cost: $220K)
  3. DMD0045003 - Data Center Consolidation (Score: 85, Cost: $1.2M)

  Demands by Business Unit:
  - Engineering: 9 demands ($2.1M estimated)
  - Sales: 7 demands ($890K estimated)
  - Operations: 5 demands ($1.4M estimated)
  - HR: 3 demands ($340K estimated)

PORTFOLIO STATUS:
  Portfolio: FY2026 Technology Investments
  Total Budget: $12,000,000
  Allocated: $9,400,000 (78.3%)
  Remaining: $2,600,000
  Active Projects: 14
  Health: Green (9) | Yellow (3) | Red (2)

SPRINT PLANNING SUMMARY (Team Alpha):
  Sprint: Sprint 2026-04-A (Apr 1-14)
  Capacity: 40 story points
  Committed: 37 story points (92.5% utilization)
  Stories: 12 committed (8 Enhancement, 3 Defect, 1 Spike)
  Blocked Stories: 1 (STY0014523 - awaiting API access)
  Acceptance Criteria Coverage: 11 of 12 stories (91.7%)

RELEASE READINESS - Release 2.4:
  Target Date: 2026-04-30
  Total Stories: 48
  Complete: 31 (64.6%)
  In Progress: 10 (20.8%)
  Not Started: 7 (14.6%)
  Story Points: 189 total, 121 completed
  Risk: MEDIUM - 7 stories unstarted with 6 weeks remaining

KEY DECISIONS NEEDED:
  1. Approve DMD0045001 (AI Analytics) - $380K, aligns with Strategy Theme A
  2. Determine go/no-go for Release 2.4 on April 30
  3. Reallocate $150K from completed PRJ0010038 to underfunded PRJ0010055

RECOMMENDATIONS:
  1. [APPROVE] DMD0045001 - Highest strategic score, budget available
  2. [DEFER] DMD0045003 - $1.2M exceeds remaining budget, defer to Q3
  3. [ESCALATE] 2 Red projects require executive intervention
  4. [PLAN] Schedule Release 2.4 go/no-go review for April 15

Tool Usage

MCP Tools Reference

Tool	When to Use
`SN-Query-Table`	Query bounded demand, project, sprint, story, release, and contract fields; calculate summaries locally
`SN-Get-Record`	Retrieve a single portfolio, program, or project record
`SN-Natural-Language-Search`	Natural language search for planning items (e.g., "find approved demands for engineering")

REST API Reference

Endpoint	Method	Purpose
`/api/now/table/dm_demand`	GET	Query demand pipeline and intake records
`/api/now/table/pm_portfolio`	GET	Portfolio budget and investment data
`/api/now/table/pm_program`	GET	Program-level status aggregation
`/api/now/table/pm_project`	GET	Project status and financial data
`/api/now/table/rm_sprint`	GET	Sprint planning and capacity data
`/api/now/table/rm_story`	GET	Story commitment and completion status
`/api/now/table/rm_release`	GET	Release planning and readiness data
`/api/now/table/ast_contract`	GET	Contract timelines and dependencies
`/api/now/table/planned_task`	GET	Planned task data for schedule analysis

Best Practices

Prepare Before Meetings: Generate summaries at least 1 hour before governance meetings to allow review time
Include Decision Points: Every summary should clearly state what decisions are needed from the audience
Show Trends: Compare current metrics against the previous period to highlight improvements or deterioration
Use Strategic Alignment Scores: When presenting demands, always include strategic alignment to guide prioritization
Separate Facts from Recommendations: Clearly distinguish data-driven observations from subjective recommendations
Limit Scope per Summary: Focus on one planning context (portfolio, program, sprint, or release) per summary to avoid information overload
Track Decisions: Record meeting outcomes as updates on demand or project records for audit trail
Validate Budget Data: Cross-check portfolio budget figures against finance systems before presenting to executives

Troubleshooting

"Demand records not showing expected fields"

Cause: Custom demand forms may have different field names or additional fields Solution: Query sys_dictionary with name=dm_demand to discover the actual field names in your instance. Check for custom fields prefixed with u_.

"Portfolio budget does not match project sum"

Cause: Not all projects may be linked to the portfolio, or some projects span multiple portfolios Solution: Verify each project's portfolio field. Also check for demands approved but not yet converted to projects.

"Sprint capacity shows zero"

Cause: Capacity may need to be manually set or calculated from team member availability Solution: Check the sprint record's capacity field. If blank, calculate from team availability: number of team members multiplied by average velocity per person.

"Release stories count is incomplete"

Cause: Stories may be linked to sprints in the release but not directly to the release itself Solution: Query stories via sprint.release=[release_sys_id] rather than a direct release field on the story.

Examples

Example 1: Quarterly Portfolio Review Summary

Scenario: Prepare a summary for the Q2 portfolio governance board meeting.

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: pm_portfolio
  query: short_descriptionLIKEFY2026^state=2
  fields: sys_id,number,short_description,total_budget,allocated_budget,remaining_budget,portfolio_manager
  limit: 5

Output:

Q2 2026 PORTFOLIO REVIEW
Portfolio: FY2026 Technology Investments

INVESTMENT SUMMARY:
  Total Budget: $12.0M | Allocated: $9.4M | Available: $2.6M
  Projects Active: 14 | Completing This Quarter: 3 | Starting: 2

QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS:
  - 3 projects on track for Q2 completion (PRJ0010038, PRJ0010041, PRJ0010044)
  - 2 new projects approved from demand pipeline (DMD0045005, DMD0045008)
  - Net budget savings of $340K from completed projects

DEMAND BACKLOG:
  - 5 qualified demands awaiting funding ($1.8M total estimated cost)
  - 2 high-priority demands can be funded from remaining budget

PROPOSED Q2 ACTIONS:
  1. Fund DMD0045001 AI Analytics ($380K from available budget)
  2. Defer DMD0045003 Data Center Consolidation to FY2027 planning
  3. Reallocate $340K savings to PRJ0010055 API Gateway (currently underfunded)

Example 2: Sprint Planning Pre-Read

Tool: SN-Query-Table
Parameters:
  table_name: rm_story
  query: sprint.short_description=Sprint 2026-04-A^product.sys_id=[product_sys_id]
  fields: number,short_description,story_points,state,priority,assigned_to,blocked,acceptance_criteria
  limit: 30

Output:

SPRINT PLANNING PRE-READ
Sprint: 2026-04-A (Apr 1-14) | Team: Alpha
Velocity (3-sprint avg): 34 pts | Capacity: 40 pts

PROPOSED COMMITMENT (37 pts):
  P1 - Must Have:
    STY0014520 - Payment retry logic (8 pts, assigned: Dev A)
    STY0014521 - Invoice PDF generation (5 pts, assigned: Dev B)
    STY0014522 - Email notification templates (3 pts, assigned: Dev C)

  P2 - Should Have:
    STY0014523 - Third-party API integration (8 pts, BLOCKED - awaiting access)
    STY0014524 - Dashboard widget for sales (5 pts, assigned: Dev A)
    STY0014525 - Bulk export functionality (3 pts, assigned: Dev D)

  P3 - Nice to Have:
    STY0014526 - UI polish for settings page (2 pts, assigned: Dev C)
    STY0014527 - Logging improvements (3 pts, assigned: Dev B)

RISKS:
  - STY0014523 blocked on vendor API credentials (escalated Mar 15)
  - Dev D at 80% capacity due to support rotation

READINESS CHECKLIST:
  [YES] All P1 stories have acceptance criteria
  [YES] No unresolved dependencies for P1 stories
  [NO]  STY0014523 still blocked - may need to swap with backlog item
  [YES] Team capacity confirmed with all members

Related Skills

spm/agile-story-generation - Generate user stories from requirements
spm/acceptance-criteria - Write acceptance criteria for stories
spm/project-insights - Project health and performance metrics
spm/feedback-summarization - Retrospective and feedback analysis
reporting/executive-dashboard - Build executive dashboards

About this skill

Overview

Prerequisites

Procedure

Step 1: Summarize Demand Pipeline

Step 2: Assess Portfolio Allocation

Step 3: Generate Sprint Planning Summary

Step 4: Compile Release Readiness

Step 5: Review Program Status

Step 6: Review Contract Dependencies

Step 7: Assemble Executive Planning Summary

Tool Usage

MCP Tools Reference

REST API Reference

Best Practices

Troubleshooting

"Demand records not showing expected fields"

"Portfolio budget does not match project sum"

"Sprint capacity shows zero"

"Release stories count is incomplete"

Examples

Example 1: Quarterly Portfolio Review Summary

Example 2: Sprint Planning Pre-Read

Related Skills