How to provide great answers in the Community

ServiceNow

The ServiceNow Community thrives on the knowledge and experience you share. When you answer a question, you're not just solving a problem – you're teaching others and strengthening the Community.

Here's how to make your answers as helpful as possible.

Before You Answer

Before you reply, ask yourself:

Am I answering the question being asked?
Am I moving the conversation forward toward a solution?
Can I offer personal experience or proven solutions?

If you're not sure you have the right answer, ask clarifying questions. Good follow-up questions are essential for great answers.

Craft Clear, Useful Answers

Put your solution up front. If someone's looking for working code or a direct answer, give them that first. Then add context, explanations, and the "why" behind your approach.

Be specific. Share the steps you took, the settings you changed, or the code that solved the problem – and walk through your process so others can replicate or adapt it.
Format for readability. Use code blocks for code, bullet points or numbers for steps, and images when they clarify your solution.
Call out dependencies and options. If your solution depends on a specific release version, plugin, role, or configuration, say so. If there's more than one approach, explain the pros and cons of each.
Remove sensitive information. Blur, crop, or block out sensitive or identifying information such as company data, employee names, phone numbers, email addresses, and API keys before posting screenshots.
Match the technical level. Don't oversimplify for experienced users or overwhelm beginners with jargon. Read the question carefully and respond accordingly.
Link to resources. If you consulted documentation, a video, or another Community post, make sure to include the link(s).
Know when to escalate. If the issue needs support or goes beyond what the Community can address, call it out.

Community Etiquette

Stay constructive and encouraging. People are looking for answers, not corrections. Respect differences in knowledge, experience, and access to products.
Don't post low-effort, AI-generated answers. If you use AI to help draft or edit, proofread carefully and add authentic details from your own experience. The Community depends on thoughtful, real contributions.
Follow up if needed. If you're not sure your solution worked, ask. If new information comes up, update your answer.
Don't pressure members to mark your answer as accepted or helpful. Only the question author can mark answers as accepted. Your job is to provide a solution, not manage how it's received.

Great Answers From the Community

A picture is worth a thousand words, and a good example is worth... a thousand how-to articles? Here are a few examples of excellent forum answers from Community members to illustrate the concepts outlined above: