Did You Know - Data Pill Transformations

[Kristy Merriam]

Flow Designer is one of the most powerful tools within the ServiceNow ecosystem, and it continues to evolve with each release. In this episode of “Did You Know,” I introduce you to one of my personal favorite features—data pill transformations—a tool that makes workflow automation both accessible and efficient, without the need for code.

What are Data Pill Transformations?

Data pill transformations allow you to manipulate the data within your workflow easily. Whether you’re performing simple string functions, applying math to data, or even working with arrays, you can transform data without writing a single line of code. This is a big win for those who aren’t as comfortable with JavaScript but still need to create powerful workflows.

Why is This Important?

Sure, if you love writing code, there’s still a script block available in Flow Designer. But data pill transformations open the door for non-developers and those who might want to avoid increasing technical debt. This feature empowers more people to build and manage workflows efficiently, without needing to loop in a pro developer every time they need to transform data.

Real-World Example: JSON Payload for CNC Machine

In the demo, I show how data pill transformations were used in a project in the CreatorCon Hackzone. The team needed to build a JSON payload for a CNC machine that would engrave text. Each line of text was represented by a variable (L1 through L10), and instead of writing a traditional for-loop, we used data pill transformations to pull the correct text from an array. It was simple, fast, and avoided potential future code maintenance.

Transforming Filenames for 3D Printing

In another example from the hackathon, I demonstrat how to clean up file names for a custom 3D printing spoke. Using regular expressions (regex), I replaced empty characters with underscores, trimmed the string, and converted it all to lowercase—again, without writing any code. This ensured that the file would pass through a REST step without issues.

Why Should You Use Data Pill Transformations?

Whether you’re a seasoned developer or new to Flow Designer, data pill transformations can help you:

• Avoid writing complex scripts
• Minimize technical debt
• Enable non-developers to contribute to workflow building
• Speed up your development process by using pre-built functions

Flow Designer continues to evolve with features like these that make ServiceNow an even more powerful platform for automating tasks, building apps, and transforming workflows.

If you haven’t tried out data pill transformations yet, now’s the time! Dive in and explore how this feature can make your life easier and your workflows more efficient.

If you have ideas for future episodes, be sure to reach out to me via email, LinkedIn, or the ServiceNow Developers Slack community. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks, and don’t forget to subscribe to the ServiceNow Developer Program to never miss an update!