New field Introduction in User [sys_user] Australia Release

[Gaurav Shirsat]

There are new field introduced in User [sys_user] Form.

As shown in below image we can see new column has been introduced in ServiceNow.

Sr.	Column Label	Column Name	Type
1)	Identity Type	identity_type	Choice
2)	Manager HP1	manager_hp1	Record Hierarchy Path
3)	Time sheet policy	time_sheet_policy	Reference
4)	Work agent status	agent_status	Choice

1) Identity Type :

Here we have 4 Choice with Machine [machine], AI[ai_agent] and Human[human], and one is – but value is unclassified

Identity Type in User Table (ServiceNow Australia Release)

ServiceNow introduced a new field called Identity Type in the User table.
This field helps to define what kind of user record it is.

Earlier, all records in the User table were treated the same. Now, ServiceNow distinguishes between different types of identities.

Available Options

The Identity Type field has the following choices:

• Human – For real users like employees or contractors
• Machine – For system or integration accounts
• AI – For AI-based users like bots or virtual agents
• - (unclassified) – Default value for undefined records

What is “- / unclassified”?

This option has:

• Label: -
• Value: unclassified
• Marked as Inactive = true

This means:

• It is not meant to be selected manually
• It is used internally by the system

Why is it Inactive?

The "unclassified" option is kept inactive on purpose:

• It prevents users from selecting it while creating or updating records
• It is mainly used for older records that existed before this feature was introduced
• It helps avoid issues during upgrade or data migration

When we can use it possibly?

You may see "unclassified" in these cases:

• Old user records created before the Australia release
• Records where Identity Type is not set
• Data coming from integrations without proper classification

Best Practice

For any new user record, always set the correct Identity Type:

• Use Human for real users
• Use Machine for system accounts
• Use AI for bots or automated agents

Avoid using "unclassified" for new records.

Imporatnce of this Field:

This change helps ServiceNow to:

• Better manage different types of users
• Improve security and access control
• Track usage and licenses more accurately
• Support modern use cases like AI and automation

• Manager HP1:

2)Manager HP1:

It is a system-generated column available in the User[sys_user] table. It stores the hierarchy path of a user based on their manager relationship.

In simple terms, it keeps track of the reporting structure (who reports to whom) in a structured path format, instead of just storing a single manager reference. This Record Hierarchy Path is also new type in Column Types. This is Strictly Read Only. Refer my Article https://www.linkedin.com/posts/gauravshirsat_servicenow-australiarelease-itsm-activity-7440603243275... for read only features

What is the Possible use of this Column?

• Helps ServiceNow understand the complete management chain of a user.
• Improves performance when querying things like:
• - All users under a specific manager

Organizational hierarchy

• Used internally by the platform for faster hierarchy-based queries and reporting.
• Supports features like approvals, access control, and reporting structure visibility.

Instead of checking each manager one by one, the system can directly use this path to get results quickly.

New "Record Hierarchy Path" type:

This is a special field type in ServiceNow.

• It stores a full hierarchy path (like a tree structure).
• Example (just for understanding): CEO ® Director ® Manager ® Employee
• The system saves this chain in a compact format so it can quickly identify relationships.

This type of column is not commonly visible in older releases, and its presence in the Australia

release indicates improved handling of hierarchical data.

Attributes of this Column are interesting to know, please read the explanation

1)serializer = com.glide.script.OmittedElementXMLSerializer

• This means the field is excluded when records are exported to XML.
• In simple words:

- This data is system-generated

- It doesn’t need to be moved between instances

• Keeps exports clean and avoids unnecessary data transfer

2)loader = exempt true

• This means the field is ignored during data import or load operations.
• Even if you try to import data into this column, the system will not allow it.

what is the reason we can't import data to this column:

• Because this field is automatically maintained by ServiceNow
• Manual updates could break the hierarchy logic

Important Note

• This column is not meant for manual use or updates
• It works in the background to optimize hierarchy-related operations
• Best practice: Do not modify or depend on it directly in scripts

3)Time Sheet Policy:

It refers to Time Sheet Policy Table [time_sheet_policy]. This is Column will have direct relation with ServiceNow Strategic Portfolio Management i.e. SPM

What is this field?

• It is a Reference type field.
• This means it does not store data directly, but links to another table called Time Sheet Policy.
• Each user can be associated with a specific time sheet policy record.

Why is it introduced?

This field is used to control and standardize how users fill and manage their timesheets.

Instead of applying the same rules to everyone, organizations can now:

• Assign different time sheet policies to different users
• Manage time tracking in a more flexible way

How it works

• The field points to a record in the Time Sheet Policy table
• That policy defines rules such as:
• Allowed working hours
• Submission frequency (daily/weekly)
• Restrictions or validations on time entry
• When a user logs time, the system follows the rules defined in the selected policy

Example

• User A = Assigned "Standard Policy" : Can submit weekly timesheets
• User B = Assigned "Strict Policy" : Must submit daily timesheets with validations

Key Benefit

• Provides better control over time tracking
• Helps organizations apply different rules based on roles, regions, or projects

4)Work Agent Status :

It is mainly used to show the current working state of an agent (user) in a more clear and structured way. It is Choice Field with options as off_shift, on_break, off_work, on_route, work_paused, on_site, on_shift

In simple terms, this field helps to understand what the agent is doing right now from a work perspective.

Let's understand the Background of this:

Instead of just relying on availability or login status, this field gives better visibility into the agent’s work condition. For example, it can indicate whether the agent is:

• Available to take new work
• Already handling tasks
• Busy or occupied
• Not ready to take assignments

How it is useful in future development as :

Earlier, it was not very easy to know the real-time working state of an agent. This field helps in:

• Better task assignment – Work can be routed to agents who are actually available
• Improved workload management – Avoids overloading certain agents
• More transparency – Managers can quickly see who is free and who is busy

Impact of "Work Agent Status" Column on Modules and Application:

This field is especially useful in scenarios like:

• Assignment rules
• Work distribution
• Agent dashboards
• Support or operations teams

The Work Agent Status field gives a quick and clear idea of an agent’s working condition, helping teams assign work more efficiently and manage workload better.

Thanks and Regards

Gaurav Shirsat