Search crawler through Service/Category/Subcategory

[kodygillen]

Our company is rolling out Service Now in December.  We will be on the Yokohama release, utilizing SOW.  I want to create a feature my Service Desk agents can use to search through the classification lists using keywords, assisting them in quickly identifying the correct classification.  I have been trying to build something utilizing Script Included, but the forms behave a bit differently because of being in the Service Operations Workspace.  Has anyone successfully created something like this?   Thanks so much!

[Marcos Gianoni]

Recommended Solution: Dynamic Reference Qualifiers and Workspace Client Scripts

This approach provides a native, high-performance way to filter the classification fields and integrates well with the SOW environment.

1. Optimize the Reference Qualifier (The Core Solution)

Instead of a generic search, use a Dynamic Reference Qualifier on the fields (Service, Category, Subcategory) to limit the choices based on what the agent types, ensuring they only see relevant options.

• Custom Script Include: Create a centralized Script Include (Client Callable) that handles the complex filtering logic.

• Logic: The script include should take the current record's details (e.g., assignment group, user type, or a keyword typed into a temporary field) and return a dynamic query string for the reference field.

  • Example: For the Category field, the script would return something like ^sys_idIN[list of relevant category sys_ids] based on the selected Service.

  • Advanced Filtering: To allow for keyword searching across the classification fields themselves (which are reference fields to the cmdb_ci_service, cmn_category, or custom tables), you can configure the reference field to display relevant columns and rely on the platform's default type-ahead search/filtering mechanism, which is already optimized.

2. Leverage Search Mapping for Auto-Population

For rapid ticket creation in the SOW, the most effective method is to allow the agents to search the knowledge base (KB) or catalog first.

• Contextual Search: Ensure Contextual Search is configured for the Incident form in SOW. When the agent types in the Short Description, relevant KB articles or Catalog Items will appear.

• Search Mapping: If the relevant KB articles or Catalog Items are associated with the correct Service/Category/Subcategory, you can use Search Mapping or a Client Script to automatically populate the classification fields on the Incident form when an agent successfully solves an issue or starts a request from a search result.

3. Service Operations Workspace (SOW) Specific Scripting

If you absolutely require a specific on-field-change custom script logic, remember the difference in SOW:

• Workspace Client Scripts: Use Workspace Client Scripts (not standard Client Scripts) for any front-end manipulation.

• Field Behavior: Since SOW is built on the Next Experience UI Framework, you must use the specific methods available for the workspace. This typically involves using the g_form object's methods, which, while similar, can behave slightly differently, as noted in the query. Test your onChange or onLoad scripts rigorously within the SOW context.

---

Effective Solution Summary

The most effective solution is to streamline the list of choices for the agent, making the correct option easy to find, rather than building a complex external search mechanism:

1. Restrict the options using Dynamic Reference Qualifiers (Script Include) so that only categories/subcategories relevant to the selected service are displayed.

2. Rely on the native platform search functionality within the reference fields, which handles keyword filtering efficiently.

3. Encourage search-first behavior by optimizing Contextual Search and mapping classifications to common issues and services.