AbhishekGardade
Tera Sage

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.

                find_real_file.png

  • 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  

        find_real_file.png

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

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

10 Comments
Bhavana Ramesh1
Tera Contributor

Nice one!!!

Mark Roethof
Tera Patron

Hi Abhishek,

Looks interesting. Have to dig in to the Rich Text Label. The Attachment variable unfortunately is not there yet... contains two major bugs 😞

The Request for variable, I can't find this on my PDI?! Do you have some additional info on this? About the variable itself perhaps, maybe it's just missing on my upgraded PDI (also don't see it as actual type, the other two I see as new types with value 32 and 33). Or did you have to install a plugin or something?

Kind regards,
Mark

AbhishekGardade
Tera Sage

Hello @Mark Roethof,

It seems upgrade issue with your PDI. No need of activating any plugins. I have requested a new instance with Paris release and upgraded another instance from Orlando to Paris. I didn't find any issues as of now. You can see below variables with paris..

find_real_file.png

To solve this issue, you can export choices values from another paris PDI and import on your instance or connect with support team .

Thanks,
Abhishek Gardade

Mark Roethof
Tera Patron

Ah I see:

find_real_file.png

I'll try to make an export. Hopefully, this is the only piece missing on my upgraded instance.

Kind regards,
Mark

Ajay_Chavan
Kilo Sage

Nice Article

JennyHu
Tera Guru

Great overview! Thanks for the mention @Abhishek Gardade! 🙂

AbhishekGardade
Tera Sage

Is your got resolved ? If yes, How you fixed that?

JC S_
Mega Guru

Hi @Mark Roethof what are the 2 major bugs you experienced for the Attachment variable?

Franziska Wolf
Kilo Contributor

Hi @Abhishek Gardade thanks for this nice overview.

I created a request with the Rich Text Label Variable. Do you know how i can use this for multi language? our system is english + german.

As known for other languages, you have to switch the language to enter the text for the other language.

But with this variable its different:

When i'm on english mode and enter the english text in this new variable, then switch to german and enter the german text in this variable, then switch back to english i see the german text.

This is a really nice feature, but when i can't use it for multiple language it's not so helpful.

Jamsheer1
Tera Guru

If you are still looking for answers then Changing the type of the rich_text field on item_option_new from "HTML" to "Translated HTML" would resolve the issue in Paris version. Apparently in Quebec I could see this type is already defined as "Translated HTML".


Refer below KB: Support and Troubleshooting - Rich Text Label Variable on a catalog item is not being translated (se...