Building GlideRecord the Right Way: A Guide for Developers and Architects

[BillMartin]

As developers and architects working on the ServiceNow platform, GlideRecord is one of the most powerful tools in your toolkit. But using it directly, repetitively, and without abstraction can lead to code that is difficult to maintain, test, and scale.

In this article, we walk through a mature and modern approach to GlideRecord by introducing a reusable GlideRecordHelper class—designed to elevate how developers interact with the ServiceNow database.

What You'll Learn:

• How to build a reusable GlideRecordHelper that supports:

  • create, read, update, delete operations

  • encoded queries, OR/AND conditions, and date range filters

  • pagination, sorting, grouping, and more

• How to create a clean Repository layer (like IncidentRepository) for table-specific logic

• How to implement centralized logging using a BaseLogger

• How to run a comprehensive test via Scripts Background

Why GlideRecordHelper Enhances GlideRecord?

This class enhances the use of GlideRecord by abstracting its repetitive logic into a centralized utility. With just a few lines of code, you can now:

✔ Dynamically handle any table
✔ Accept flexible inputs like encoded queries, filter objects, or parameter arrays
✔ Reduce technical debt by reusing logic instead of duplicating it
✔ Improve traceability through structured logging
✔ Write scalable, secure, and maintainable code

For architects, this unlocks true modular development—where GlideRecord logic becomes consistent across applications and easier to govern.

Use Cases:

• Replace repetitive GlideRecord code in Script Includes and Business Rules

• Apply clean architectural practices like the repository pattern

• Speed up development by providing a flexible base for all CRUD operations

• Build team-wide standards for how GlideRecord should be used

Watch the Live Demo:

I've recorded a full tutorial where I walk through the entire implementation—class structure, logging, reusable patterns, and real-time testing via Scripts Background.

Whether you're maintaining legacy apps or building scalable solutions, mastering GlideRecord the right way will elevate your development practices.

Let me know what you'd like to see next!