Realtime Scenario with Glide Record API

Vaishnavi Lathk
Mega Sage
Mega Sage

on ‎05-22-2022 11:23 PM

What is Glide API?

Service now Developer often using Glide API in now platform to change default behavior of the application and customize existing functionality.

Glide Classes are providing more flexibility to interacting with snow application through scripting. Using by Glide API’s we can perform some database operation instead of writing any SQL Queries

 

Each API contain lot of methods and each method perform different operations in Service now Applications

 

Types of Glide API’s

Glide API’s

Client Side 

Server Side

Glide Form

Glide Record

Glide User

Glide System

Glide Ajax

Glide Date and Time

Glide Dialog Window

Glide Aggregation

Glide List

Glide Date

Glide Menu

Glide Element

 

What is Glide Record and usage?

This is most common and important API and frequently using in now platform

Glide Record is special Java class its native java script class and mainly running from Server Side .Glide Record is used to perform CRUD operation instead of writing SQL Queries.

This API handle both rows and columns in underlining database

In service now platform directly we can’t interact with database to perform any CRUD with SQL Queries operations if we want to do this activities then we can go for Glide Record

 

Note: Always we need to test queries on a non-production instance before deploying them into production environment. An incorrectly constructed encoded query, such as including an invalid field name, produces an invalid query. When the invalid query is run, an insert (), update (), deleteRecord (), method on bad query results can result in data loss.

  1. Most Common API
  2. Running from server side
  3. Used to generate SQL Queries
  4. Perform CRUD operations

Glide Record Architecture

Instead of passing SQL Queries, we can use Java Script

 

Glide Record API Mapping

Glide Record Methods



Glide Record Methods

Query()

Insert()

addQuery()

deleteRecord()

addActiveQuery()

update ()

addEncodedQuery()

initialize ()

addInactiveQuery()

deleteMultiple ()

next()

updateMultiple()

get()

addNullQuery()

setLimit()

addNotNullQuery()

orderBy()

autoSysFields()

orderByDesc()

canCreate()

getRowNumber()

canRead()

hasNext()

canWrite()

getRowCount()

canDelete()

chooseWindow()

changes()

addjoinQuery()

Find()

getClassDisplayValue()

getAttribute()

getDisplayValue()

getElement()

getLabel()

getFields()

getLink()

getValue()

getLocaton

has Attachments()

getRecordClassName()

insertWithReferences()

getRelatedLists()

isNewRecord()

getRowNumber()

isValid()

getTableName()

isValidField()

restoreLocation()

isValidRecord()

saveLocation()

newRecord()

setAbortAction()

setDisplayValue()

setLocation

setForceUpdate()

setNewGuid()

setValue()

addFunction()

setWorkflow()

_next

_query

Practically work with these all methods

 

Glide Record Exercises

  1. How to get result(output) in Servicneow

gs.print ('Welcome to Servicnow Academy');

gs.info ('Welcome to Servicnow Academy');



Result 🡪Welcome to Servicenow Academy



  1. Write a simple program add two numbers

 

var a = 10;

var b = 20;

var c = a+b;

     gs.print (a+b);

 

Result🡪 30

 

  1. Working with query() method

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident')

//GlideRecord is main Oject and Incident is Table

inc.query (); //Query is execute in the table

while (inc.next ()) {//Loop will runs on the table

gs.print (inc.number); //Printing all incidets

}



Result🡪 Print all records numbers in Incident Table






 

  • Working with query() and addQuery() and next() and While methods

 

 

Exercise -1: Display priority -1 tickets from incident table with addQuery methods

 

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident');

inc.addQuery ('priority=1');// Add the query

inc.query (); 

while(inc.next()){ 

gs.print(inc.number);

}



Result🡪 Printing all prority-1 tickets

 

  1. Working with Multiple Queries

 

Exercise-2: Passing Multiple Queries using by same methods

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.addQuery ('active', true);          //Query 1

inc.addQuery ('priority=1');           //Query 2

inc.addQuery ('category','software');   //Query 3

inc.query (); 

while(inc.next()){ 

gs.print (inc.number);

}



Result🡪 Print all records where your Condition meet

 

  1. Working with addEncodedQuery () method

 

Exercise-3: we can use addEncodedQuery method Instead of passing multiple queries into our script 

     

 Step-1: Navigate to Incident list view and apply condition

 Step-2: Condition: active = true and priority =1 and category = software

 Step-3: Click on Run

 Step-4: Copy applied query through Copy query

 Step-5: Use this entire query into your script

Step-6: Script

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident');

inc.addEncodedQuery('active=true^category=software^priority=1');

inc.query(); 

while(inc.next()){ 

gs.print(inc.number);

}

 

Exercise-4: Encoded Query set to a variable that variable to call into code

 

var ecq = 'active=true^category=software^priority=1';

//encodedquery set to a variable

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.addEncodedQuery (ecq);

inc.query(); 

while (inc.next()){ 

gs.print (inc.number);

}



Result🡪Print all records where this meet 'active=true^category=software^priority=1';





       Working with addQuery (‘String’,’Operator’,’Value’)

Practice with these all SQL Operators for better experience

  • =
  • !=
  • >
  • >=
  • <
  • <=

Strings (must be in upper case):

  • =
  • !=
  • IN
  • NOT IN
  • STARTSWITH
  • ENDSWITH
  • CONTAINS
  • DOES NOT CONTAIN
  • INSTANCEOF

 

Exercise-5: Get Active and Priority is less than or equal to 2 

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.addActiveQuery();

inc.addQuery('priority','<=',2);

inc.query();

while(inc.next()){

  gs.print(inc.number);

}



Result🡪 Print Critical-1 and High-2 tickets

 

Exercise-7: Working with SQL operators <= and CONTAINS 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.addActiveQuery();

inc.addQuery('priority','<=',2);

inc.addQuery('short_description','CONTAINS','SAP');

inc.query();

while(inc.next()){

gs.print(inc.number + ' ' + inc.short_description);

}

 

Result🡪Print all records where our condition meet like (<=2 and CONTAINS)

 

Exercise-8: Working with IN operator and print category of Software and Hardware

 

var cat = ['software’, ‘hardware']; 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident'); 

inc.addQuery('category', 'IN', cat); 

inc.query(); 

while(inc.next()) {

gs.print(inc.getValue('number') + ' ' + inc.getValue('short_description')) ;   

  }

Result🡪 Print where category is Software ad Hardware

 

Exercise-9: Working with STARTSWITH Operator

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident'); 

inc.addQuery('category', 'STARTSWITH', 'net'); 

inc.query(); 

while(inc.next()) {

gs.print(inc.number);

  }

 

  1. Working with addActiveQuery () method

Exercise-10: Instead of use active=true this method directly we can use addActiveQuery 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.addActiveQuery ();// instead if passing active = true

inc.addQuery ('priority',1);

inc.query ();

while (inc.next ()){

  gs.info (inc.number);

}

 Result🡪 Print all records where condition is equal to active is true and priority-1

 

  1. Working with addInactiveQuery () method

Exercise-10: Instead of use active=false this method directly we can use addInactiveQuery 

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident');

inc.addInactiveQuery (); //Opposite of active query 

inc.addQuery ('priority=1');

inc.query ();

while (inc.next ()) {

  gs.print (inc.number);

}

 

Result🡪 Print only inactive Records like Incident state is Closed

 

  1. Working with getEncodedQuery () method

Exercise-11: getEncodedQuery from our code

 

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident');

inc.addEncodedQuery ('active=true^category=software^priority=1');

inc.query(); 

while (inc.next ()) { 

gs.print (inc.getEncodedQuery ());

}

 

Example: 2

Result🡪 Print our encodedQuery

  1. Working with orderBy () method

      Exercise-12: Display all records in order wise (Assending) it depends on field values

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.addQuery('priority=1');

inc.addQuery('category=software');

inc.orderBy('short_description');

inc.query();

while(inc.next()){

gs.print(inc.number + ' ' + inc.short_description);

}

Result🡪 Print all incidents order wise depends on Short Description

 

  1. Working with orderByDesc () method

Exercise-12: Display all records in order wise (Descending) it depends on field values

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.addQuery('priority=1');

inc.addQuery('category=software');

inc.orderByDesc('short_description');

inc.query();

while(inc.next()){

gs.print(inc.number + ' ' + inc.short_description);

}

 

      Result🡪Print all records in descending order (short_description)

  1. Working with setLimit () method

     Exercise-13: Display limited records from specified table

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.addQuery('priority=1');

inc.orderByDesc('short_description');

inc.setLimit(10);

inc.query();

while(inc.next()){

gs.print(inc.number + ' ' + inc.short_description);

}

 

      Result🡪 Print only latest 10 records created from given table

 

  1. Working with get () Method

       Exercise-14: Get record sys_id depends on INC number or Get incident record number depends on sys_id 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.get('number','INC0009005');

gs.print(inc.sys_id);

 

Result🡪 Print sys_id related to incident number

 

Example-2

Result🡪 Print Incident number related to sys_id

 

  1. 15. Working with chooseWindow () method

Exercise-15: Display records between two numbers

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.addQuery('priority=1');

inc.addActiveQuery();

inc.chooseWindow(3,7)//include first value exclued secod value

inc.query()

while(inc.next()){

  gs.print(inc.number);;

}

Result🡪 Print records from number 3 to 7 (4 records) first number included and second number excluded

 

  1. Working with getRowCount () method

Exercise-16: Display all records from particular table (Incident)

 

  var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

  inc.query()

  gs.print(inc.getRowCount());

 

Result🡪 Print number of records in particular table

 

Example-2: Display all active users in our sys_user tables

var inc = new GlideRecord('sys_user');

inc.addQuery('active=true');

inc.query();

gs.print ('Active users are:' + inc.getRowCount ());

Result🡪 Print number of record in table

 

  1. Working getTableName () method

        Exercise-17: This method is used to get glide record table name

var inc = new GlideRecord ('change_request');

gs.print (inc.getTableName ());

 

Result🡪 Display current table name from glide record

  1. Working getValue () method

       Exercise-18: Get value of particular field in the table

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.addQuery('active=true');

inc.query();

while(inc.next()){

  gs.print(inc.getValue('short_description'));

}

 

Result🡪 Print the value of field from particular table

  1. Working getDisplayValue () method 
  2. Print display value instead of actual value 

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.addQuery ('priority=1')

inc.query ();

while (inc.next ()){

gs.print (inc.priority.getDisplayValue ());

}

 

 Result🡪 Print display value of respective field

 

  1. Working hasNext () method  

        Exercise-19: This method will returns true if iterator have more elements.

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident');

inc.query ();

gs.print (inc.hasNext ());

 

Result🡪 Print Boolean value (True)

21. Working with getUniqueValue () method 

      Exercise-20: Gets the uniue key of the record, which is usually the sys_id unless otherwise specified.

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.query();

inc.next();

var uniqvalue = inc.getUniqueValue();

gs.print(uniqvalue);

 

  1. 22. Working with setValue () method

       Exercise-22: This method is used to sets the value of the specific field with the specified value.

 

  var attriName = 'category'; 

  var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident'); 

  inc.initialize ();

  inc.setValue(attriName,'network');

  inc.setValue('short_description','Critical VPN Issue');

  inc.insert();

  gs.print ('Category is ' + inc.category + ' and ' + 'issue is: ' + inc.short_description);

 

Result🡪 Create a new record and Set a value into category field 

 

  1. 23. Working with getElement () method

  Exercise-23: This is used to get the specified column of the current record.

 

var elementName = 'short_description'

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.initialize();

inc.setValue (elementName,'I am facing VPN Problem');

inc.insert ();

gs.print(inc.getElement('short_description'));

 

Result🡪 Print current record column value

  1. 24. Working with getRecordClassName () method

        Exercise-24: Retrieves the class name for the current record.

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('change_request'); 

var grcn = inc.getRecordClassName ();

gs.info (grcn);



Result🡪 Print record class name (Table Name)





  1. Working with initialize () and insert () method

 Exercise-25: These methods are used to Inserts a new record using the field values that have been set for the current record

 

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident');

inc.initialize (); //Compose incident form

inc.category = 'network'; // set field values

inc.short_description = 'Firewall Issue';

inc.priorty = 1;

inc.insert (); // create new record

gs.print (inc.number);// print new record incident number



Result🡪 Create new record and print new record number

 

  1. Working with isNewRecord () and newRecord () method

Exercise-26: Checks if the current record is a new record that has not yet been inserted into the database.

 

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident'); 

inc.newRecord (); 

gs.info (inc.isNewRecord());



Result🡪 Return boolion value true or false (value is True)

  1. Working with isValid () method

       Exercise-27: Define the current table exist or not. If table exist display true not exist display false 

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident');

gs.print (inc.isValid ());

 

        Result🡪 True

Example: 2 

var inc = new GlideRecord ('srinivas');

gs.print (inc.isValid ());



Result🡪 False

 

  1. Working with isValidField () method

      Exercise-27: Determines if the specified field is defined in the current table. If Field exist in current record display true not exist display false

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident'); 

gs.print (inc.isValidField (‘category’);



Result🡪 Boolion value is True





  1. Working with getLink() and getProperty() method

Exercise-29: Retrieves a link to the current record.

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.addActiveQuery();

inc.addQuery('category','software');

inc.addQuery('priority=1');

inc.query();

while(inc.next()){

gs.print(gs.getProperty('glide.servlet.uri') + inc.getLink(false));  

}



Result🡪 Return the link of record

 

Example: 2 Return first record Link from query




  1. Working with isValidRecord () method

Exercise-29: Determines if a record was actually returned by the query/get record operation.

 

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident');

inc.get ('number','INC0010012 ');

gs.print (inc.number + ' exists:' + inc.isValidRecord ());



Result🡪 Display boolion value either true or false, True

 

  1. Working with newRecord () method

Exercise-30: Creates a new GlideRecord record, sets the default values for the fields, and assigns a unique ID to the record.

 

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident');

inc.newRecord ();

inc.short_description = 'Creting new record';

inc.category = 'software';

inc.insert ();

gs.print (inc.number);

 

Result🡪 Create new record and print



  1. Working with addNullQuery () method

      Exercise-30: display all records where the value of the specified field is null.

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.addNullQuery ('short_description')

inc.query ();

while (inc.next ()) {

gs.print (inc.number)

}



Result🡪 Print all records where the specific field value is Null

 

  1. Working with addNotNullQuery () method

      Exercise-30: Opposite of addNullQuery methods display all records where the value of the specified field is not null.

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.addNotNullQuery ('short_description')

inc.query ();

while (inc.next ()) {

gs.print (inc.number)

}

 

Result🡪 Print all records where the specific field value is not null

  1. Working with update () method single record

      Exercise-32: Update specific record from table

 

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident');

inc.get ('number','INC0000057');

inc.setValue ('state', 2);

inc.update ();

 

Result🡪 update record as expected

 

33. Working with updateMultiple () method multiple record

 

Exercise-33: Updates multiple records in a stated query with a specified set of changes from respected table.

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.addQuery ('category', 'hardware');

inc.setValue('category',  'software');

inc.updateMultiple ();



Result🡪 Update multiple records as expected

Exercise: 2

34. Working with deleteRecord () method single record

Exercise-33: This method is used to delete single record from table

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.get ('number','INC0010013');// need to delete this record

inc.deleteRecord ();



Result🡪 Delete single record as expected

 

35. Working with deleteMultiple () method multiple record

 

Exercise-35: Deletes multiple records that satisfy the query condition.

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

inc.addQuery('priority', 4);

inc.query ();

inc.deleteMultiple ();

Result🡪 Delete multiple records as expected

 

36. Working with canCreate () method 

Exercise-36: Determines if the Access Control Rules, which include the user's roles, permit create new records in this table.

 

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident');

gs.print (inc.canCreate ());



Result🡪True (user have permission to create incident record)

 

37. Working with canRead () method 

Exercise-36: Determines if the Access Control Rules, which include the user's roles, permit reading records in this table.

 

var inc = new GlideRecord('incident');

gs.print (inc.canRead ());

 

Result🡪True (user have permission to read incident record)

 

38. Working with canWrite () method  

Exercise-37: Determines if the Access Control Rules, which include the user's roles, permit editing records in this table.

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident');

gs.print (inc.canWrite ());

 

Result🡪True (user have permission to write incident record)

 

39. Working with canDelete () method 

 

Exercise-38: Determines if the Access Control Rules, which include the user's roles, permit deleting records in this table.

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident');

gs.print (inc.canDelete ());



Result🡪True (user have permission to delete incident record)

 

  1. Working with autoSysFields () and setWorkflow () methods

Enables or disables the update to the fields, this is often used for manually updating field values on a record while leaving historical information unchanged.

 

sys_updated_by

sys_updated

sys_updated_on     

sys_mod_count

sys_created_by

sys_created_on



Note: autoSysFields method is not working on scoped application.

 

Note: setWorkflow (false) not run any other business rule

Exercise-40: Update multiple records without update any system fields

 

var inc = new GlideRecord ('incident');

inc.addQuery ('state', 1);

inc.query ();

while (inc.next ()) {

inc.autoSysFields (false);

inc.setWorkflow (false);

inc.setValue ('state', 2);

inc.update ();

}

 

Result🡪 Updating records without update system fields

  1. Working with addJoinQuery () methods

Exercise-40: Find problems that have an incident attached. This example returns problems that have associated incidents.

 

var prob = new GlideRecord('problem');

prob.addJoinQuery('incident', 'opened_by', 'caller_id');

prob.query();

while(prob.next()){

 gs.print(prob.number);

}

 

Result🡪 Display all problem records associated incident 

 

  1. Working with getGlideObject () and getNumericValue () and setAbortAction methods

 

Exercise-41: This is method is used to cancel current action when condition is false

 

if ((!current.u_date1.nil()) && (!current.u_date2.nil())) {

var start = current.u_date1.getGlideObject().getNumericValue();

var end = current.u_date2.getGlideObject().getNumericValue();

if (start > end) {

gs.addInfoMessage('start must be before end');

current.u_date1.setError('start must be before end');

current.setAbortAction(true);

}

}



Mark the article as helpful if you found this useful

Regards,

Vaishnavi

  • 7,970 Views
Comments
taylor13
Tera Contributor
‎05-24-2022 04:36 AM

Great Stuff! Thank you so much for sharing

0 Helpfuls
Vaishnavi Lathk
Mega Sage
Mega Sage
‎05-24-2022 04:59 AM

Happy to help you 🙂

Davinder Singh
Tera Explorer
‎01-27-2024 05:33 PM

Thank you

0 Helpfuls
SUHEL AKTHER Md
Tera Contributor
‎02-06-2025 12:08 PM

Amazing. Thank you very much😊 

0 Helpfuls
BillMartin
Mega Sage
‎05-31-2025 07:08 AM

I created this playlist to help you master GlideRecord the right way. GlideRecord is ServiceNow’s powerful API for performing database operations but writing functional code is just the beginning.

In this series, I walk you through how to build scalable, maintainable, and secure GlideRecord logic using object-oriented principles and proven software design patterns. The goal is not just to make things work, but to design solutions that are clean, reusable, and ready for growth.

 

Watch it here: TechTalk with Bill – Build It the Right Way 

 

 

Let’s move beyond shortcuts and start building ServiceNow solutions the right way.

0 Helpfuls
Version history
Last update:
‎05-22-2022 11:23 PM
Updated by:
Mega Sage