Next Experience UI New Features:
Enable auto-focus on page alerts and Next Experience All Menu Editing
1) Enable auto -focus on page alerts : Automatically shifts focus to any page alert as soon as it appears.
Importance of this Feature : This feature is important because page alerts usually show important messages like errors, warnings, or confirmations that need quick action. If the alert is not automatically focused, users might miss it—especially those using screen readers or navigating with a keyboard.
Auto-focus helps by immediately bringing the alert into focus, so users notice it right away. This makes sure important messages are not overlooked and helps users respond faster.
Who will get Benefit :
- This feature is helpful for many users. People who use only a keyboard don’t have to press the tab key multiple times to find the alert, as the focus moves there automatically.
- For screen reader users, the alert is announced right away, so they don’t have to search for it.
- Overall, it helps everyone work faster and avoid mistakes by making sure important alerts are seen immediately.
Benefits based on User Access/ Roles :
Admins/Developers
- More control over alert UX
- Better consistency across Workspace
End Users
- Improved accessibility (especially keyboard navigation)
- Less missed important alerts
Key Improvements in this Feature:
In ServiceNow, alert messages have improved over time to make them more useful and user-friendly.
- Utah : alerts were simple pop-up messages that appeared on the screen.
- Washington : alerts became more consistent and better designed using the Horizon style, so they looked and behaved the same across the platform.
- Zurich : users got more control, like the ability to dismiss or close alerts when they wanted.
- Australia : accessibility was improved even more by adding auto-focus. This means the alert automatically comes into focus, making it easier to notice—especially for users who rely on keyboards or screen readers.
2) Next Experience All Menu Editing:
This feature in ServiceNow Next Experience makes it much easier to manage application menus and modules.
Earlier, you had to go into backend records (like UI16) to make changes, which was not very convenient. Now, you can do everything directly from the All menu in a simple and visual way.
You can create new menus, rename them, change their order, and manage modules—all from one place. You also don’t need to switch screens to configure things like list columns, form layouts, or actions. Everything can be edited right on the page, and you can immediately see how your changes will look.
It also allows you to set up actions and interactions for lists and forms more easily, without complex navigation. On top of that, you can create and manage data visualizations, like charts, with proper validation to make sure everything works correctly.
Overall, this makes the whole process faster, simpler, and more user-friendly, especially for admins and developers.
Key Note : Administrators can disable Next Experience All Menu Editing for their organization by setting a system user preference. When turned off, administrators use the classic UI16 configuration workflow for application menus and modules.
In ServiceNow Next Experience, the All Menu Editing feature opens inside the workspace and is designed to be easy to use. It shows a layout with two sections on the screen.
On one side, you see the application menu tree, where you can browse through menus, add new modules, or rearrange them as needed.
On the other side, there is an editor panel. This panel shows either a settings form or a live preview of the page, depending on what you select. So, you can see how things will look while you are making changes.
Another helpful part is that your changes are saved automatically as you edit, so you don’t have to worry about clicking a save button every time.
Image : Next Experience All Menu Editing UI
When you click on an application menu name in the menu list, the right side of the screen shows a page where you can edit that menu.
On this page, you’ll find a simple form that lets you update the menu’s details, like its name or other settings. Along with that, there are helpful cards that guide you to documentation or common tasks related to the menu.
Overall, it makes it easy to manage and understand what you’re editing without needing to go somewhere else.
Image : Application Menu UI
These modules can be created, configured, and edited directly within Next Experience All Menu Editing:
- Dashboard module
- List module
- New record module
- Single record module
These modules can be added to an All menu but must be edited using the classic UI16 configuration workflow:
- List of records
- URL
- Documentation link
- New record
- Run a report
- Map page
- Assessment
- Timeline page
- HTML
- Search screen
- List filter
Thanks and Regards
Gaurav Shirsat
