If you have worked with ServiceNow long enough, you have probably heard this at least once:
💬 “Can this work a bit more like Excel?”
And honestly, it’s a fair ask. Excel is intuitive, flexible, and lets users interact with data in a way that feels natural.
With the Australia release, ServiceNow takes a significant step in that direction. The enhancements in Workspace Lists and Forms are not just UI upgrades. They fundamentally improve how users interact with data, analyze it, and collaborate more effectively.
In this article, I will walk through some of the updates that stood out to me and how they create real impact for both users and developers.
🧩 Rich Text Editor in Activity Stream
The Australia release introduces a rich text editor in the Activity Stream, allowing users to format Work Notes and Comments directly.
This is a simple but powerful improvement. Instead of plain, unstructured updates, teams can now present information in a more readable and organized way.
This is where structured communication makes a real difference.
You can access this feature by clicking the formatting icon available in the Activity Stream, which opens up options like bold text, bullet points, and structured formatting.
Note: This feature is not enabled by default.
⚙️ Enable the system property:
glide.ui.journal.use_html = trueThis delivers immediate value and significantly improves the overall user experience.
🧩 Excel-like Formatting in Workspace Lists
One of the most noticeable improvements in the Australia release is how Workspace lists are starting to feel much more like Excel.
Users can now:
- Reorder columns using drag and drop
- Adjust column widths by dragging the edges
These interactions make a big difference in day-to-day usage, especially when working with large datasets.
Instead of relying on fixed layouts, users can quickly customize their view based on what matters most to them at that moment. For example, an agent can expand the Short Description field for better visibility or rearrange columns to prioritize fields like Priority or Assigned To.
This reduces dependency on admins and gives users more control over how they interact with data.
🧩 Better Context with Column Pinning and Stage Visibility
Another area where the experience improves significantly is how users maintain context while working with large lists.
Users can now pin one or more columns to the start or end of the list, ensuring that key fields like Number and Priority remain visible even while scrolling across wide datasets.
This makes it much easier to navigate without losing track of critical information.
Columns can be pinned directly from the column header menu, and users can also unpin or reset the layout as needed.
Stage details visible directly in the list view for quick progress tracking
In addition to this, stage details are now visible directly within the list view, providing instant insight into where a record stands in its lifecycle.
No need to open every record just to understand progress.
🎯 For example, while working with Request Items, a fulfiller can pin key fields like Number or Requested For while scanning through multiple records. With stage details visible directly in the list, they can quickly identify which requests are pending approval, in fulfillment, or completed, helping them prioritize work more effectively without opening each record.
This helps teams stay oriented and work more efficiently at scale.
🧩 Data Visualization and Calculations on the Fly
This is where things get even more interesting.
Beyond interaction and navigation, the Australia release also introduces lightweight data insights directly within the Workspace list view.
Users can now:
- 📊 Visualize data directly in the list
- 🧮 Perform calculations like sums and averages
Users can now quickly visualize data and perform basic calculations such as sums and averages without needing to switch to reports or dashboards. This makes it easier to get immediate insights while working on records.
Quick insights with calculations directly in the list view
Quick insights with data visualization directly in the list view
This is especially useful when quick decisions are needed. A team lead can quickly assess workload distribution or identify patterns without leaving the list view.
By bringing insights closer to where users work, ServiceNow reduces the gap between viewing data and understanding it.
🌱 Closing Thought
What I appreciate about this release is how Workspace is evolving from just a place to manage records into a space where users can interact with, understand, and act on data more efficiently.
🔁 From interaction → context → insights → collaboration
These enhancements may seem small individually, but together they create a more intuitive and productive experience for both users and developers.
These features were also covered during the Developer Passport Week live session by @Earl Duque along with @Brad Tilton and @Maria Gabriela, where they walked through the enhancements and shared additional context around the updates.
🔗 I found the session helpful to understand the direction of these changes. You can check it out here: [Workspace List & Form Upgrades]
