Previous field value not available in Notification on CMDB table (cmdb_ci_business_app)

SunilkumarP1632 · ‎01-13-2026

Hi Team,

I am working on a notification requirement for Business Applications (cmdb_ci_business_app) where an email should be sent when the Operational Status changes, including both FROM and TO values.

Configuration details:

Table: cmdb_ci_business_app

Notification trigger:

Send when: Record Updated

Inserted: Unchecked

Condition: Operational status changes

Email content:

Previous Status: ${previous.operational_status}
Current Status: ${operational_status}

Observed behavior:

Notification triggers correctly on update

Current status value is populated

Previous status value is blank, even though the field value is clearly changing

preview

Expected behavior (example)

If a Business Application has:

Operational Status = Operational

And it is updated to:

Operational Status = Non-Operational

Then the notification email should contain:

Previous Status: Operational
Current Status: Non-Operational

please help me here how to fix this

Ankur Bawiskar · ‎01-13-2026

@SunilkumarP1632

you can't use Previous object in notification body directly

Other way

-> after update BR on cmdb_ci_business_app, Condition: Operational status changes

Script:

(function executeRule(current, previous /*null when async*/) {

    var oldStatus = previous.operational_status.getDisplayValue();
    var newStatus = current.operational_status.getDisplayValue();
  
    var param1 = "Previous Status: " + oldStatus + "<br/>" + "Current Status: " + newStatus;

    // Trigger the event, passing the data
    gs.eventQueue('your_event_name', current, param1, current.assigned_to); // Create 'your_event_name' in System Policy > Events

})(current, previous);

-> create event on that table and use that in BR script

-> also create notification on your table and make it trigger on your Event

-> Event parm2 contains recipient - True and this is the recipient to whom email will be sent

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View solution in original post

DrewW · ‎01-13-2026

Previous does not exist in the way you are using it. You are going to have to use a mail script. If that does not work out a business rule and using gs.eventQueue or a flow are your next options.

SunilkumarP1632 · ‎01-13-2026

@DrewW -

could you please help me with flow or business rule .

DrewW · ‎01-13-2026

A google or Bing search on

"servicenow use gs.eventqueue to trigger a notification"

will get you all the instructions you need to use a business rule to get this done.

Dhanraj B · ‎01-13-2026

I think you won't be able to fetch the previous value directly in email body. You can write a business rule in CMDB Business Application table, when the operational status changes fire an event.

gs.eventQueue("event_name",current,previous.operational_status,null);

Then, change the notification trigger to "Event is fired". After that, you have to create an email script something like below.

(function runMailScript(current, template, email, email_action, event) {
    template.print(event.parm1);
})(current, template, email, email_action, event);

In your email body, call your mail script - ${mail_script:your_mail_script_name}. I believe this will help you to get the previous state.