Paris Features: Addition Of New Service Catalog Variables

[AbhishekGardade]

With the Paris release, a lot of new features are introduced in terms Service Catalog which includes New Variable Types, Enhancements for Variable editor, Record Producers, accessing Catalog item and Requested item.

In this post, I'll summarize New types of service Catalog Variables available with Paris release.

1. Attachment
2. Requested_For
3. Rich Text Label

1. Requested_For Variable:

• This variable is similar to reference variable. But you can only specify users from the User [sys_user] table with options to define or configure the reference qualifier.
• Default Value: The current logged-in user requesting the item is considered as the default Requested For variable value.
• Solves the problem of Mismatch of Requested For:
  • This variable helps you specify who this request can be submitted for.
  • Before this release, we were facing the issue with mapping of requested for field with variable available on catalog item.
  • From Paris release, this variable is directly mapped the Requested For field available on Request and Requested Item table.
  • As you can see in screenshot, “Requestor Name” is a Requestor_For type variable. So if we submit a request, then we will have Requestor Name value stored in field Requested For on Request and Requested Item.
• Support for Variable attributes: ref_ac_columns - Specifies the columns whose display values appear in an auto completion list in  addition to the name. Example: ref_ac_columns = user_name;email;

• Supported channels for this Variable: Now Platform, Service Portal, Now Mobile, Conversational interface in Virtual Agent, Variable editor in Agent Workspace

• Delegated request experience:
  • One of the most important feature of this variable is support of delegated requests.
  • Using the Enable also request for field of the Requested For variable, We can enable option to submit a request for other users that will generate multiple RITM’s based for users selected”.
  • The value available on Requested For variable type is copied to the Requested For field of the RITM. You need to configure this fields on RITM form if required.
  • Limitations:
    1. If two-step checkout is enabled for your instance, then the delegated request experience is not supported.
    2. This experience is not available in Now Mobile, Workspace, record producer and order guide.
    3. The Also request for field is not displayed in the wish list and cart.
• You can read the blog by @Jenny Hu : "A Day in Paris Series: Exploring Delegated Request Experience"
• Other implemented use cases cab be available in update Set attached.

2. Attachment Variable:

• This variable is useful if we want upload an attachment for a question of the item or add an attachment for a catalog item itself.
• Once the attachment is uploaded, you can also download, update, and delete the attachment from requested item and catalog task table.
• We can specify the variable attributes for restrictions for file size and various attachment extensions.
• We can upload attachment with maximum file size of 20 MB. We can change the maximum size of file to be uploaded in system property: sc.variable.attachment.default_max_size
• Support for Variable attributes:
  • allowed_extensions: It will allow to specify a list of allowed file types to be uploaded.
  • max_file_size: It will allow to specify the maximum file size in MB to be uploaded.

                

• Supported channels for this Variable: Now Platform, Service Portal, Now Mobile, Conversational interface in Virtual Agent, Variable editor in Agent Workspace

• Advantages:
  • Upload an attachment for a catalog item as a variable based on conditions.
  • Various Client-side API’s are supported. For example, setValue(), g_form.setReadOnly(), g_form.setMandatory().
  • Control its behaviour (Visibility, Read-only, Mandatory) conditionally using client-side scripts.
  • With ease, we can limit file extensions and file size which may improve performance.
  • Supported in flows,workflows and available in condition builder
• Limitations:
  • This variable is not supported in a multi-row variable set.
  • For this variable, item variable assignment is not supported in order guide.
  • As usual, a larger size can lead to performance issues as attachments are copied.
• As you can see in screenshot, ‘Upload ID Card’ is Attachment type variable. Other implemented use cases cab be available in update Set attached.

2. Rich Text Label Variable:

• As you can see in screenshot, this variable shows formatted text on a catalog item form.
• With This variable, you can format the label, add images, Video’s and links.
• We can control its visibility using g_form.setVisible() API.
• Supported channels for this Variable:
  • Supported Channels : Now Platform, Service Portal, Now Mobile, Variable editor in Agent Workspace
  • Not Supported Channels : Conversational interface in Virtual Agent
• The g_form.setValue(), g_form.setReadOnly(), and g_form.setMandatory() APIs are not supported in client scripts.
• This variable is not supported with Multi-row variable set, Condition builders and Variable summarizer.
• In below screenshot, I have tried to showcase use case of Rich Text Label type variable  

        

I have added update set which covers various Use cases implemented for these new variables. You can deploy on your PDI for testing.

For more detailed information, You can go through the Official Documentation is available here

• Official Documentation is available here : Delegated request experience
• Detailing of service catalog variables is available here : Service Catalog Variables

That's it!!!! Thanks for reading and do comment with your suggestion. and if I missed anything to add about variables.

Hope you will find it as helpful. Don't forget to Mark it Helpful, Bookmark.

Thanks,
Abhishek Gardade

Service Catalog New Variables.xml