Build It the Right Way: How to Update Records Using Glide Record with GlideRecordHelper

[BillMartin]

Updating records in ServiceNow is something we do all the time. But doing it in a consistent, reusable, and scalable way? That’s often overlooked.

In this article, I share a clean and modern approach to updating records using a reusable utility class called GlideRecordHelper.

Why Use GlideRecordHelper for Updates?

Rather than writing repetitive GlideRecord update logic in every Script Include, Business Rule, or Background Script, this helper abstracts that logic into a single function you can reuse across any table.

With just a few parameters, you can:

• Dynamically update records on any table

• Pass fields and values as objects

• Maintain cleaner, modular code

• Automatically log each operation using BaseLogger

This helps developers and architects write less code with more control and traceability.

Real-World Example Covered in the Video

In the YouTube demo, I walk through how to:

• Use the update() function of GlideRecordHelper

• Pass a Sys ID and an object of fields to update

• Get logging context for every operation

• Verify success or failure with structured responses

• Run the logic using Script Background

This approach is simple, effective, and most importantly—ready to scale.

Watch the Full Tutorial

I’ve shared a full working demo on YouTube so you can see this in action.

Watch the YouTube video here

This kind of pattern is perfect for any developer or architect looking to level up how they manage records in ServiceNow.

Let me know in the comments how you're using it—or what you'd like to see next: delete, read, or something more advanced?