What changes are considered as Customisation ??

[ZebaT]

Hi all,

I understand scripts, new table , custom fields, new ui action etc.. is considered customisation.

Does changing form layout or list is also considered customisation?

Also do customisation has any draw backs as such?

Thanks,

Zeba

[Ankur Bawiskar · Accepted solution]

@ZebaT 

this article explains well

Customization vs configuration | FAQ and guidelines 

ServiceNow Configuration vs Customization 

💡 If my response helped, please mark it as correct ✅ and close the thread 🔒— this helps future readers find the solution faster! 🙏

[OlaN · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Yes changing the form or list layout also classifies as a customization.

These are not that severe though since they don't introduce any new logic, and are easily reverted back to OOB.

One drawback of modifying them is of course when SN decides to introduce new fields/features that are shown in the OOB form/list. They will not be shown in your customized view, and needs to be added manually, or your changes reverted back to OOB.

[Shahanshah Khan · Accepted solution]

Does changing form layout or list is also considered customization? 

Mostly, these changes are considered as configurations. However, as you are changing the default layout it can be considered as low impact customizations. 

Also do customization has any draw backs as such?
Yes, of course there are meaningful impacts of customizations. That's why it's always recommended to use OOB functionalities / be close to OOB and avoid customizations if you can. It impacts during Suppose, you modified any baseline script as per your requirement. You will have to track it somewhere in a customization tracker so that you can take care of that during upgrades.  If you have many customizations your upgrade, you are going to face a lot of issues during upgrades.
 

[PrashantLearnIT · Accepted solution]

Hi @ZebaT 

One of the best explanations provided by ServiceNow in ServiceNow Docs below:

Customization vs configuration

[Dr Atul G- LNG · Accepted solution]

Hi @ZebaT 

As a BPC, I come across these discussions multiple times. You can refer to the links shared by the other members below as well. However, it also depends on the organization. If you consider or rely on SN inputs, then yes—new table creation and new fields are generally treated as pure customizations.

I would suggest reviewing the resources shared below; you’ll find some useful decks that can help you understand this better, along with the links already provided.

Best Practices | ServiceNow

https://developer.servicenow.com/blog.do?p=/post/configuration-vs-customization/