# 🛠️ Unlocking the Power of UI Policies in ServiceNow

[Bhavesh Patil]

*Making Forms Smarter Without Writing a Line of Script*

Hey ServiceNow Community 👋

If you've ever needed to control form field behavior based on user input, you've probably used **UI Policies**. But are you using them effectively?

In this article, I’m breaking down some important aspects of UI Policies, including UI Policy Actions, the lesser-understood "Reverse if false" option, and practical tips to make your forms more responsive and user-friendly — all without any scripting!

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## 🔍 What is a UI Policy?

A UI Policy allows you to control form elements like visibility, read-only state, and mandatory requirements — all **without using code**.

UI Policies are executed on the **client-side** and can react to field changes instantly.

Use cases include:

• Show/hide a field based on a condition
• Make fields mandatory or read-only
• Control visibility of sections or tabs

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🧩 UI Policy Actions: The Engine Behind the Logic

Every UI Policy uses UI Policy Actions to control individual fields.

You can:

> ✅Set Visible: Show or hide the field

> ✅Set Mandatory: Make the field required

> ✅Set Read-only: Lock/unlock the field

> ✅Clear field value

Each UI Policy can have multiple actions tied to it — one for each field you're targeting.

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## 🔁 What is "Reverse if False"?

This small checkbox has a **huge impact**.

> ✅ When **Reverse if false** is enabled, the UI Policy Action will **undo itself** if the condition becomes false.

### Example:

Condition: `Priority == 1`

Action: Make `urgency` field **mandatory**, with **Reverse if false checked**

**Results:**

* If Priority = 1 → Urgency becomes mandatory

* If Priority ≠ 1 → Urgency becomes **not** mandatory again

If you **don’t check Reverse if false**, the action will stay as-is even when the condition no longer applies. This often causes confusion in form behavior.

**✅ Tip:** Always evaluate if **Reverse if false** is needed — it helps prevent unnecessary scripts and ensures consistent UI behavior.

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## ⚠️ Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Even experienced developers can make these mistakes:

• ❌ Using multiple UI Policies for the same field without understanding order of execution
• ❌ Forgetting to check Reverse if false, leading to inconsistent behavior
• ❌ Applying UI Policies on fields not present on the form — they’ll silently fail
• ❌ Using Client Scripts when a UI Policy could have done the job more cleanly

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## 🧪 Real-World Example

> 🔍 **Goal:** Show the “Justification” field and make it mandatory when **Change Type = Emergency**

**Step 1: Create UI Policy**

Condition: `Change type is Emergency`

**Step 2: Add UI Policy Actions**

* Justification → Visible → ✔️ Reverse if false

* Justification → Mandatory → ✔️ Reverse if false

Done! No scripting required, and it behaves dynamically based on user selection.

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## ✅ Best Practices for UI Policies

• Group related field actions under a single UI Policy when possible
• Use "Reverse if false" to simplify toggling logic
• Combine UI Policies with Client Scripts only when necessary
• Always test in multiple form views (and mobile if applicable)

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## 🚀 Final Thoughts

UI Policies are a **no-code, high-impact** way to deliver smarter forms in ServiceNow. Whether you're building for ITSM, HR, or custom apps, understanding how to properly use UI Policy Actions and Reverse if false can dramatically improve both user experience and system performance.

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📣 **Over to you!**

Have you run into tricky UI Policy scenarios or clever uses you'd like to share?

Drop your tips or questions in the comments — let's learn together!

Mark as helpful if it added value — it truly means a lot!

[ererg]

Excellent summary

[vishvas]

Really appreciate this breakdown, tips was especially helpful! 

[ganeshbagul]

great work