Can anyone tell me this

[Abdul]

Can anyone tell me why REQ satisfaction survey does not give me the short description but Incident displays the short description.

[danmjunqueira]

This behavior typically happens due to how the Satisfaction Survey is configured in relation to the table it references (in this case, sc_request vs. incident). Here's a breakdown of what’s likely happening and how to address it:

Why Incident Surveys Show Short Description, but REQ (sc_request) Does Not:
1. Survey Table Configuration
The incident table has a native short_description field.

The sc_request table, however, does not have a short_description field directly — only the sc_req_item (RITM) or the related catalog item may have a name or description.

So, when a survey is sent from a REQ, there's no native short description to pull — unless you map it manually.

Solution / Best Practice
Option 1: Customize the Survey Description for REQ
Update your survey configuration to display a different field or custom label when the context is a Request.

Go to Survey > Surveys and find your survey.

Check the table it's associated with — if it's sc_request, update the display field.

You can use Dot-walking to pull the short description from a related RITM:

Example: request_item.short_description or requested_for info.

Note: A REQ may not have a direct short description, but it will usually be related to at least one sc_req_item, which does.

Option 2: Create a Display Field on REQ Table
Add a field (e.g., u_summary) on sc_request and populate it via Business Rule or Flow Designer:

When the REQ is created, copy the short description of the first associated RITM.

This will give you a field to display in the survey context.

The survey renderer pulls the display_value of the referenced record. If that value doesn’t include a short description, nothing will appear.

Ensure that the display field for the REQ record is meaningful or adjusted accordingly.

[Abdul]

Hi @danmjunqueira This is the survey 

i cannot find the associated table. And the below is the trigger condition 

Where should i update the display field?

Btw the REQ has Short Description value.

[danmjunqueira]

Thanks for the detailed screenshots.

I believe Based on what you’ve shared, here's the clarification and solution:

Issue Summary
You are using a survey linked to the sc_request table, triggered when the request state is "Closed Complete".

The survey sends correctly, but the survey UI does not display the short_description field, even though the REQ record has a value for it.

You want to display the short description (or another meaningful field) in the Survey response or notification view.

Why This Happens
By default, the Survey response UI or notifications use the display value of the record it’s associated with (in this case, a record from sc_request).

However:

The sc_request table does not have a display field configured by default.

ServiceNow will fall back to the record number (e.g., REQ0009034) if no display field is defined.

My proposed Solution to you is Set a Display Field for sc_request
Step 1: Update the Dictionary
Navigate to System Definition > Dictionary

Filter by:

Table: sc_request

Column name: short_description

Open the record for short_description on the sc_request table

Check the box: Display

(This marks it as the default field shown in related records, surveys, reference fields, etc.)

Save

You may need to reload the form or re-test the survey trigger to see the update reflected.

also you can Use Another Field as Display
If you prefer to use a different field, like description, just follow the same process for that field.

What Will Change
In the survey assignment record

In any notifications tied to the survey

In the survey response interface

You’ll now see the actual short description (or whichever field you selected) instead of just the REQ number.