ServiceNow Terms and Definitions

arshanapalli · ‎01-26-2018

ServiceNow Terms and Definitions

Prepared this document so that new beginners can know ServiceNow basic terms, table names, and definitions.

Data Model:

1. Table

sys_db_object

Tables available to store instance data. Each table stores a collection of records. Each row corresponds to a single record, and each column corresponds to a field. Applications use tables and records to manage data and processes.

2. Table Column

sys_dictionary

Controls to specify the properties of database tables and columns such as data type, length, and default value

3. Many To Many Definition

sys_m2m

Many-to-many relationship between two tables for allowing one table to be a related list of another

4. Relationship

sys_relationship

Controls to create a relationship between two data tables, which are required to display related lists

Forms & UI:

5. Form

sys_ui_form

Controls to specify what fields to show on a form for a particular view or user

6. List Layout

sys_ui_list

Controls to specify what columns to show on a list for a particular view or user

7. List Control

sys_ui_list_control

Controls to specify which list features are available such as displaying the New and Edit buttons

8. Related List

sys_ui_related_list

Related lists display records in another table that have a relationship to the current record. Users can view and modify information in related lists using standard list controls.

9. Style

sys_ui_style

Controls to specify the CSS styling of a particular field

10. Context Menu

sys_ui_context_menu

Controls to create a custom link in a list or form's contextual menu to perform a particular action

11. View Rule

sysrule_view

Controls to automatically set the Form View based on record field values

12. UI Page

sys_ui_page

Custom Jelly-based HTML pages available to the system

13. Schedule Page

cmn_schedule_page

Script-based controls for generating calendars and timelines

14. Timeline Page

cmn_timeline_page

Record changes that occur between two predefined dates

15. Map Page

cmn_map_page

Geographical maps to associate with records in the database

16. Template

sys_template

Controls to pre-populate particular forms with record data

17. UI Macro

sys_ui_macro

Custom Jelly-based user interface elements available for lists, forms, and pages

18. UI Formatter

sys_ui_formatter

Controls to specify what custom user interface to display on a particular form

19. Embedded Help

sys_embedded_help_content

Provides targeted help content to a user in a UI page, based on their role. Embedded Help Content appears in the right sidebar when the user clicks the help icon.

20. Guided Tour

sys_embedded_tour_guide

Provides a way to demonstrate to users how to use a feature or perform a task in the platform. You create a set of tour steps with callouts that point to appropriate UI elements, and provide the description or instruction to proceed. You select a specific event as a trigger in each step to advance to the next step.

Server Development:

21. Business Rule

sys_script

Business logic to execute in response to an operation against a particular database record. These business rules may take declarative actions or include arbitrary scripting.

22. Script Include

sys_script_include

Server-side JavaScript classes available to the system

23. UI Action

sys_ui_action

Controls to create a custom button or link on lists or forms to perform a particular action

24. Data Policy

sys_data_policy2

Rules to enforce data integrity and policy

25. Processor

sys_processor

HTTP endpoints available to perform arbitrary scripting actions

26. Scheduled Script Execution

sysauto_script

Scripts available to the system to run on a schedule without needing a user transaction

27. Event Registration

sysevent_register

Controls for registering events and associating them with a table

28. Script Action

sysevent_script_action

Custom scripts to run when the system receives a registered system event

29. Fix Script

sys_script_fix

Scripts to fix data, schema, or settings during an upgrade

Client Development:

30. Client Script

sys_script_client

Client-side JavaScript for running business logic on forms when certain browser events occur

31. UI Policy

sys_ui_policy

Controls to specify what fields are visible and editable on a form based on its current content

32. UI Script

sys_ui_script

UI scripts provide a way to package client-side JavaScript into a reusable form, similar to how script includes store server-side JavaScript. Administrators can create UI scripts and run them from client scripts and other client-side script objects and from HTML code.

33. Assignment Data Lookup

dl_u_assignment

Rules for assigning incidents based on certain value combinations

34. Priority Data Lookup

dl_u_priority

Rules for setting incident priority based on certain value combinations

35. Data Lookup Definitions

dl_definition

Controls for automatically changing records values based on data lookup rules

Access Control:

36. Role

sys_user_role

Security tokens to control access to user interface elements such as menus, modules, tables, and fields

37. Public Pages

sys_public

Controls for allowing users to view a page without having to log in or pass access controls

Properties:

38. System Property

sys_properties

Controls to configure application and instance behaviors

39. System Property Category

sys_properties_category

Controls for grouping system properties into sections on a page

40. Message

sys_ui_message

Controls to specify what string to display in the user interface for a specific language

Navigation:

41. Application Menu

sys_app_application

Application menus available for the application navigator

42. Module

sys_app_module

Links available to display within application menus

43. Application Menu (Mobile)

sys_ui_application

Controls for grouping modules in the application navigator

44. Module (Mobile)

sys_ui_module

Controls for creating links to lists, UI pages, or reports in the application navigator

Notifications:

45. Notification

sysevent_email_action

Email notifications available to the system

46. Email Template

sysevent_email_template

Templates for creating email notifications

47. Inbound Email Actions

sysevent_in_email_action

Controls to specify how the system processes incoming email it receives

Service Portal:

48. Service Portal

sp_portal

49. Service Portal Page

sp_page

50. Widget

sp_widget

51. Theme

sp_theme

52. Style Sheet

sp_css

53. JS Include

sp_js_include

54. Widget Dependency

sp_dependency

Content Management:

55. Site

content_site

Group of pages that follow a set of consistent design elements such as the Employee Self-Service (ESS) portal

56. Content Link

content_link

Collection of links to internal content, attachments, or external URLs

57. Content Theme

content_theme

Group of style sheets that define the appearance of a site

58. Content Block - Detail

content_block_detail

Content blocks for showing the details of a specific record

59. Content Block - Flash

content_block_flash

Content blocks for Flash movies

60. Content Block - Header

content_block_header

Content blocks for headers

61. Content Block - IFrame

content_block_iframe

Content blocks for iFrame containers

62. Content Block - List

content_block_lists

Content blocks for a list of records

63. Content Block - Menu

content_block_menu

Content blocks for navigation menu containers

64. Content Block - Programmatic

content_block_programmatic

Content blocks for dynamically-generated script data

65. Content Block - Static

content_block_static

Content blocks for static HTML data

66. Style Sheet

content_css

Collection of CSS style sheets, organized by theme

67. Portal Page

sys_portal_page

Pages available to create CMS sites

68. Images

db_image

Image files available to the system

69. Video

db_video

Video files available to the system

70. Audio

db_audio

Service Catalog:

71. Catalog Item

sc_cat_item

Catalog items available to the Service Catalog

72. Record Producer

sc_cat_item_producer

Catalog Items to create Task records from the Service Catalog

73. Catalog

sc_catalog

Items and services end users can order from a catalog

74. Category

sc_category

Categories to organize Service Catalog Items

75. Catalog UI Policy

catalog_ui_policy

Fields to display when viewing Catalog Tasks, Catalog Items, and Requested Item Tasks

76. Variable Set

item_option_new_set

Group of variables shared between catalog items

77. Content Item

sc_cat_item_content

Service Catalog items for providing information instead of goods or services

78. Execution Plan

sc_cat_item_delivery_plan

Execution Plans defining how to procure, configure and install Catalog Items

79. Order Guide

sc_cat_item_guide

Guides to order multiple related Catalog Items as a single request

80. Catalog Client Scripts

catalog_script_client

Client-side JavaScript for running business logic on catalog items or variable sets when certain browser events occur

Reporting:

81. Report

sys_report

Controls to create, display, and publish reports

82. Metric Definition

metric_definition

Metric controls for collecting report data

83. Scheduled Email Of Report

sysauto_report

Reports to schedule for automatic generation and distribution by email

84. Chart Colors

sys_report_chart_color

Controls to define which colors a particular report uses

85. Color Definition

sys_report_color

Colors available for reports to use

86. Range

sys_report_range

Controls to define the label, color, and values included in a reported range

Inbound Integrations:

87. Data Source

sys_data_source

Data sources are used to used to import data from external sources such as a file, JDBC database, or LDAP directory service

88. Import Set Web Service

v_ws_creator

89. Scheduled Data Import

scheduled_import_set

Scheduled imports are used to schedule the import of data using data sources and can leverage transform maps

90. Scripted REST API

sys_ws_definition

Scripted REST APIs are used to create custom inbound REST APIs

91. Scripted Web Service

sys_web_service

Scripted SOAP Web Services are used to create custom inbound SOAP Web Services

92. Table Transform Map

sys_transform_map

Transform maps are used to transform data from an import set's temporary staging table to a target table

Outbound Integrations:

93. Export Definition

sys_export_definition

Export Definitions are used to define the data that will be included in an Export Set

94. Export Set

sys_export_set

Controls for exporting data to an external source

95. Export Target

sys_export_target

Export Targets specify the target file on a MID server that Export Set data will be written to

96. REST Message

sys_rest_message

REST messages are used to make outbound HTTP requests to REST APIs

97. Scheduled Data Export

scheduled_data_export

Scheduled Exports are used to specify a schedule when Export Sets will be run. A single export can be scheduled or regular intervals can be scheduled with support for including only delta records

98. SOAP Message

sys_soap_message

SOAP messages are used to make outbound HTTP requests to SOAP Web Services

Workflow:

99. Workflow

wf_workflow

Controls for automating multi-step processes with a sequence of activities

100. Workflow Schedule

wf_workflow_schedule

Controls to automatically run a workflow on a schedule

Schedules:

101. Schedule

cmn_schedule

Schedule during which Changes may be performed

102. Blackout Schedule

cmn_schedule_blackout

Schedule during which Changes are prohibited from being performed

103. Maintenance Schedule

cmn_schedule_maintenance

Schedule during which maintenance may be performed on specific CIs

104. Risk Conditions

risk_conditions

Rick conditions for change requests

105. Relative Duration

cmn_relative_duration

Scheduling options for calculating a target time or duration

MID Server:

106. MID Server Script Include

ecc_agent_script_include

Script Includes available to MID servers

107. MID Server Script File

ecc_agent_script_file

Script files available to MID Servers

108. MID Server Property

ecc_agent_property

Properties to configure a MID server

109. MID Server Capability

ecc_agent_capability

Functions available to a specific MID server IP address range

110. MID Server Capability Value Test

ecc_agent_capability_value_test

Values a MID Server uses to search for similar devices

111. MID Server IP Range

ecc_agent_ip_range

112. MID Server Application

ecc_agent_application

Les1 · ‎03-28-2019

Arshanapalli - thank you. This kind of "good to know information for new Admins" content is appreciated! I found this page looking for elaboration on dl_u_assignment - and though what is here is brief, at least it is something and is helpful.

This post has over 1400 views, it should also have 1400 "Helpful" flags.

arshanapalli · ‎03-28-2019

Thanks for the appreciation @Les.

Here is some detailed explanation:

1. Do 'dl_u_assignment.LIST' in filter navigator to open the table which has list of incident rules. Each record is a defined rule by SNOW developers/Admin, that tells the incident what to do if such an incident gets created.

2. In this example, the Data Lookup Plugin assignment lookup rule automatically assigns any incident with the Category of Request and Subcategory of Password Reset to Fred Luddy.

Les1 · ‎03-28-2019

Thanks again @arshanapalli

I've have implemented my first assignment lookup rules! 🙂 Something that was elusive to me aboutAssignment Lookup Rules is that they are connected to or depend on Data Lookup Definitions!

And in my use case, the desire was to be able to override the assignment lookup rule manually:

example: for Incident tickets, an assignment rule sets the assignment group based on category/subcategory, but our users wanted to still be able to manually overwrite the assignment group so that a ticket could be passed around while retaining the category/subcategory. To fulfill, i went to the Data Lookup Definition supporting the assignment lookup rule, and turned off the Run On Update - i dont know if this was the best way to fulfill, but it worked.

https://docs.servicenow.com/administer/field_administration/reference/r_DataLookupDefinitionsFields....

Data Lookup Definitions are segregated in the navigation from Assignment Lookup Rules, so it can be elusive to know they are connected.

thanks!

Alex A_ · ‎04-29-2025

I have been looking for this for a long time 🙂 wish there was a section like this in the Learning Portal and part of the CSA course material.