Get the field information for customer_contact form

[sahilkhanna]

I have retrieved the fields of the Contacts form (customer_contact) using the REST API. Below is the request and response below.

Request

{{instanceUrl}}/api/now/table/sys_ui_element?sysparm_query=sys_ui_section.view.name=ess&sys_ui_section.name=customer_contact&sysparm_fields=element

Response

{"result":[{"element":"preferred_language"},{"element":"email"},{"element":".begin_split"},{"element":"first_name"},{"element":"time_zone"},{"element":"phone"},{"element":"user_name"},{"element":"last_name"},{"element":".split"},{"element":"mobile_phone"},{"element":".end_split"},{"element":"title"},{"element":"account"},{"element":"notification"}]}

The response has 10 elements (excluding 4 split sections)

I want to get the attributes of these elements. Below is the API request and response.

Request

{{instanceUrl}}/api/now/table/sys_dictionary?sysparm_query=name=customer_contact&sysparm_fields=element,column_label

Response

{"result":[{"column_label":"Sys ID","element":"sys_id"},{"column_label":"","element":""},{"column_label":"Account","element":"account"}]}

I can get only 3 out of 10 elements, and only 1 of the 3 belongs to the result returned in the "sys_ui_element" response, i.e. "account".

How can I get all the customer_contact fields in "sys_dictionary" response? Or is there any other API/table I need to get this information from?

[sahilkhanna]

@Robbie. I understood what you said. I can now search for the missing fields in the "sys_user" table. Thank you.

{{instanceUrl}}/api/now/table/sys_dictionary?sysparm_query=name=sys_user^element=last_name&sysparm_fields=column_label,column_name,internal_type,mandatory,reference,max_length,attributes,choice,reference_key,use_reference_qualifier,default_value

I have two questions on this.

• Is there a way I can find (programmatically using the REST API) if "customer_contact" is extended/inherited from "sys_user"? I also plan to use other tables, e.g. "cn_customerservice_case", "sn_customerservice_entitlement", etc., that may extend some other tables.
• In the Contact (customer_contact) screen, I can see that "Last Name" and "Email" are mandatory fields, however, these fields are not mandatory in "sys_user". How do I deal with this? Am I invoking the API correctly?

[Robbie · Accepted solution]

No worries @sahilkhanna., glad I can help.

To answer your followup questions specifically.

There is an field/column against a table labelled 'Extends table' (Database name: 'super_class') which if populated indicates which table the current table is extended from.

Another pointer, specifically related with CSM (Customer Service Management) and other scoped applications, this is known as a scoped app and there is an available direct API's available for this table 'sn_customerservice'.

API endpoint: {instanceURL}/api/sn_customerservice/case

Re the mandatory fields on extended table. In ServiceNow threes a concept known as a 'Dictionary override' whereby for columns/fields which are inherited, you can override and control the behavior at the required table level. As you've described, it is possible to make fields mandatory on a child level which may not or are not mandatory on a parent level.

To help others (and for me to gain recognition for my efforts), please mark this response correct by clicking on Accept as Solution and/or Kudos.



Thanks, Robbie

[sahilkhanna]

@Robbie, thank you for explaining it in detail. I can retrieve the missing fields as below.

• The "super_class" of the object should be traversed upwards until the "super_class" of the root object is empty.
• Search for the field attributes in all the "super_class" in the object parent tree.

I made use of the below APIs.

{{instanceUrl}}/api/now/table/sys_db_object?sysparm_query=name=customer_contact&sysparm_fields=super_class

{{instanceUrl}}/api/now/table/sys_db_object/{{super_class_id}}?sysparm_fields=name,label

I understand that the child object (contact in our case) can mark an inherited field (email) as mandatory. While I'm able to get this field from "sys_user", I'm not sure if I can know if it is mandatory for "customer_contact" (while it is optional for "sys_user"). Is there a way I can get this from the REST API?

[Robbie]

Hi @sahilkhanna,

Glad I can help. Re how we can determine whether a field is mandatory via dictionary override via an API - hmmmm, let me think about that. I do love a brain teaser.

Whilst I think about that, can I please ask, so as to help others in the community and for me to gain recognition for my efforts, please can you Accept as Solution and/or Kudos for the original question.

Thanks, Robbie

[sahilkhanna]

@Robbie, I have accepted your answer. Please see if you can guide me on " how we can determine whether a field is mandatory via dictionary override via an API -" 😊