How to config/disable the bulk update from HR Agent Workspace

[odorcik]

Hello everyone,

I have a question regarding the Bulk Edit (Edit selected) functionality available in list views within the HR Agent Workspace.

I’m having some difficulty understanding how this feature works in the background. Specifically:

• How ServiceNow determines which fields are available when multiple HR cases are selected and the Edit button is used.

• Why some fields that are normally read-only appear as editable in the bulk edit modal.

• Why certain reference fields do not behave as expected during bulk updates.

My main goal is to understand whether it is possible to:

• Restrict the bulk edit functionality so that only specific fields are available for update (instead of all fields shown to the user), or

• Completely disable the bulk edit option for the HR Agent Workspace, if field-level control is not supported.

I have already checked UI Actions and classic list configurations, but since this is a Workspace (Now Experience), I couldn’t find a clear, documented way to control this behavior.
 

Any guidance, documentation, or best practices would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance, and I hope you’re all doing well.

[Matthew_13]

Unfortunately this is expected behavior in HR Agent Workspace and it differs from classic lists.

Bulk Edit in Workspace is metadata- and ACL-driven, not controlled by classic list layouts or UI Actions. ServiceNow evaluates which fields are writable at the server level (dictionary + ACLs), so fields that are read-only on the form due to UI Policies or client logic can still appear editable in the bulk edit modal. Reference fields can also behave differently because bulk updates bypass client-side logic and qualifiers.

At this time, there is no supported way to limit Bulk Edit to only specific fields in HR Agent Workspace.

Your supported options are:

• Enforce restrictions via ACLs or Data Policies (affects all update paths), or

• Disable Bulk Edit entirely for HR cases in the workspace if stricter control is required.

@odorcik - Please give a Thumbs up as well as Accepted Solution if you find Helpful!

[odorcik]

@Matthew_13

Sorry for the delay, I was out.

Do you know how to completely disable the Bulk Edit option for HR Cases in the workspace?

I investigated and looked through UI Builder, but I didn’t find anything that would allow disabling it.
Regarding ACLs, I found some edit_list operation ACLs, but the option still appears on the form. I believe this is happening because users still have access to update fields on the table, which ends up granting permission to Bulk Edit.

Would the best approach in this case be to restrict and modify all ACLs for this table?

[Matthew_13 · Accepted solution]

Bulk Edit in a workspace is controlled by workspace experience settings, not by the regular form ACLs. The system shows the option whenever users have update rights because it assumes bulk edit should inherit those permissions. That is why the edit_list ACLs you checked did not remove the menu item.

My recommended approaches are:

• Open the HR workspace configuration in UI Builder and go to the Action Bar / Context Menu actions for the HR Case table. The Bulk Edit action lives there. Setting its visibility to false or removing it from that workspace will stop the option from appearing for ITIL and HR agents while keeping their normal update ability.

• Some instances also expose it under Workspace Experience → Contextual Actions. Disabling Bulk Edit for the specific table in that area has the same effect.

Reworking every ACL for the HR Case table would not be the best first step I would say. That can restrict normal field edits break list editing and create extra work during your Zurich upgrade and Now assist rollout. The issue is more not that ACLs are wrong; it is that Bulk Edit is a UI feature added by the workspace.

So basically handle it at the workspace action level, and leave ACL changes as a last resort. 🙂

@odorcik - Please mark Accepted Solution and Thumbs Up if you find Helpful!!