Issues that you did not know about a multi-row variable set

[Subha V]

Use a multi-row variable set (MRVS) to capture variable data in a grid layout while submitting a catalog item request for a group of entities. 

Common scenarios for using a multi-row variable set 

A multi-row variable set is generally used when you need multiple entries for a variable in a catalog item request.   

For example, when you order a catalog item for your team, you might need multiple entries for few variables to specify each team member’s requirement. When you order shirts for your team, you will need multiple entries for variables such as size and color. 

Another example is blocking few combinations of IPs and ports via firewall, where you will need multiple entries for variables, that is, IPs and ports.  

Limitations 

Here are a few limitations for a multi-row variable set.

• You cannot include the following variable types in a multi-row variable set:
• • Break
  • Container End 
  • Container Start 
  • Container Split 
  • HTML 
  • Label 
  • List Collector 
  • Macro 
  • Macro with label 
  • UI Page 
• The Map to field functionality is not supported for variables used in a multi-row variable set. 
• Cascading functionality for variables in an order guide is not supported for a multi-row variable set. 
• A multi-row variable set is not displayed when added within a container. 
• A multi-row variable set is supported in the variable summarizer only in Service Portal. 
• You cannot add variables with read roles in a multi-row variable set. 
• When you clone a request that contains a multi-row variable set, the information that is specified in the multi-row variable set is available in all cloned requests. All UI policies and client scripts on the multi-row variable set are also cloned. 
• Set a limit to the number of rows that you can add to a multi-row variable set by using the max_rows attribute in the Variable Set attributes field. 

To know more about unsupported features in a MRVS, see the documentation. 

Known issues

Issue	Fixed in London	Fixed in Madrid	Fixed in New York	Fixed in Orlando
Requested item (RITM) form view is broken when variables are added to the set after the RITM is created.	London Patch 10	Yes	Yes	Yes
getRowCount and getRow functions do not work on MRVS when accessed from scope.	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
MRVS in a record producer won't get carried to the target record’s variable editor. It happens in two scenarios:  When you save the record producer first and then submit it later.  When you include the record producer in an order guide and then submit it later	No	No	No	Yes
The MRVS edit row is broken in portal view on task forms.	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
After an upgrade to Madrid, no images appear in the wizard shown to select the type of variable set while creating variable sets. This happens if the Exclude large attachment option is selected.	No	No	Yes	Yes
After you add an item with a MRVS to the cart, you cannot add rows when Email/URL variables are part of the MRVS.	No	No	Yes	Yes
After you add a row to MRVS, you cannot submit the item or add the item to the cart when the MRVS has Email/URL variables	No	No	Yes	Yes
Issues with special characters used in Multi-Line Text and Text variables in MRVS. Usually, the edit row functionality is affected. Mostly, console errors and setting the glide.ui.escape_all_script property to false caused these issues.  The Edit Row button does not work properly for a MRVS when any of the string field value contains "+" sign. MRVS remained mandatory even after adding a row.	No	No	Yes	Yes
Issues with special characters used in Multi-Line Text and Text variables in MRVS. Usually, the edit row functionality is affected. Mostly, console errors and setting the glide.ui.escape_all_script property to false caused these issues.  The text containing " " is not saved in multi-line text variables within MRVS.  Multi-line text variables within MRVS show up as empty/blank when editing, if the text entered for the variables contains new lines.	No	No	No	Yes
MRVS values are not available in after insert business rules.	No	No	No	Yes
Advanced Reference Qualifiers do not work in Platform for Lookup questions.	No	No	No	Yes
In a domain separated environment, when the  glide.sys.domain.use_record_domain_for_client_scripts is true,  MRVS form modal is broken.	No	No	No	Yes
Portal ticket page doesn't show MRVS data.	No	No	Yes	Yes
MRVS rows on a RITM are not in the same order that they were while ordering.	No	Madrid Patch 2	Yes	Yes
Issues existed with saving a RITM form when MRVS is present in the variable editor.  When a variable editor has a MRVS that is made read-only due to a client script or a UI policy, it prevented from saving the RITM.	No	No	New York Patch 3	Yes
The RITM form gets saved properly but the MRVS data drops all the rows in it.	No	No	New York Patch 5	Yes
There were issues with Date and Date Time variables, mostly related to the system format that is anything other than YYYY/mm/dd.  In Portal, date picked in the MRVS modal is not the same as the date on the grid view.	London Patch 4	Yes	Yes	Yes
There were issues with Date and Date Time variables, mostly related to the system format that is anything other than YYYY/mm/dd.  Date variables submitted from Portal are corrupted when viewed on RITM.	London Patch 9	Madrid Patch 4	Yes	Yes
There were issues with Date and Date Time variables, mostly related to the system format that is anything other than YYYY/mm/dd.  Date variables submitted from Service Portal are corrupted when viewed on the target record of a record producer.	London Patch 9 Hot Fix 2 and London Patch 10	Madrid Patch 6	New York Patch 1	Yes
When you press Enter on a Cat item view in Portal, it opens multi-row form modal.	No	Madrid Patch 8	Yes	Yes
When MRVS is added, after the cart items or RITMS are created, form views of such cart items and RITMS are broken.	London Patch 8	Yes	Yes	Yes
The catalog task form breaks when you click the reference icon of the requested item field.	No	Madrid Patch 7	Yes	Yes
MRVS doesn't appear in a printer-friendly view.	London Patch 5	Yes	Yes	Yes
Saving task forms with MRVS on portal will throw console errors.	No	Madrid Patch 8	Yes	Yes
Dirty form popup appears on clicking checkout in checkout modal. When MRVS is present in an order guide, you will see a dirty form warning while checking out on portal.	London Patch 10	Yes	Yes	Yes
Values are missing for MRVS when the catalog client scripts are used. When an item is ordered from Portal, this issue can be observed on RITMs.	No	No	Yes	Yes
JSONv2 processor does not return the value for multi-row variables when 'displayvariables=true' is sent.	No	No	No	Yes
The Copy UI action on a request doesn't copy MRVS.	No	No	Yes	Yes
An Item with MRVS mandatory can be submitted from portal without adding a row.	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
When you click the Add button multiple times before a modal open, it may result in adding duplicate rows and thus violate the attribute that limits the rows that can be added.	No	No	Yes	Yes
The MRVS row price doesn't get added to the total price on item in Portal	No	No	No	Yes
When the MRVS itself is not mandatory but some variables in it are mandatory, it prevents submitting the item via Service Catalog API.	No	No	Yes	Yes
The label of a MRVS is not translated on a ticket view page.	No	No	No	Yes
Viewing RITMs with MRVS will log ECMA errors.	No	No	No	Yes
There are issues on few IE browser versions while using MRVS. You won’t be able to edit data in the row once added.  The latest IE (IE 11.0.110) doesn't have the issue.	No fix required	No fix required	No fix required	No fix required

[BrajeshK6466979]

This blog is one point solution to all Multi Row Variable Set related issues and will be helpful for anyone who is managing it. 

[bmsmith]

Wish i had seen this post last week before we went to NY patch 4 🙂

Having to push through patch 5 as an emergency change as the fields are clearing of mrvs when ritm's are saved

https://hi.service-now.com/kb_view.do?sysparm_article=KB0787378

[Stefan K_]

How about no documented good way of applying duplicate validation (not allowing to add duplicate + error message with it)?

[lindamc]

likewise!! I built an urgent form as a favour to a department using MRVS for the first time, this was to replace a paper order form so we could centralise processing in current covid-19 situation to allow the staff to work from home.... it was a lot of work back and forth designing the form and training their staff who had never used ServiceNow before (whilst trying to respond to lots of demands elsewhere for extra forms and services),  but I got it built and everything was working, they tested and all looked well until we went live and discovered the variables are disappearing on the RITM when we change the state, making the whole thing utterly useless.....trying desperately now to roll out Patch 5 asap to fix!

[Subha V]

Did you mean adding a validation on duplicate rows in MRVS?

[grant_higgins]

Not sure if this would be the correct location to ask this, but I'm currently trying to utilize a MRVS, and in the Service Portal the size of the modal that loads is too small. Inspecting the various html elements, I found the class that is applied is "modal-dialog modal-md", but would like to try and update this to "modal-dialog modal-lg". I just don't know where this style is located.

I've checked the SC Catalog Item widget, the CSS related to it, widget dependencies, and other similar locations but haven't found it yet. If anyone happens to know how I could adjust the size of the modal that appears in Service Portal when you click on "Add" to add a new row, I'd highly appreciate it.

[varuntayal]

Unfortunately, there is no way to change the size of this modal today. You can raise an enhancement request in idea portal for this and then we can probably make it configurable.

[grant_higgins]

Thank you for the follow-up. I'd noticed that in the platform version of the Service Catalog, that the modal that appears for MRVS is set at the modal-lg size, so was hoping I could adjust the Service Portal version. I'll submit an idea and hope for the best from there.

[varuntayal]

Hi Grant,

I went back and discussed it with the team. We felt it can be addressed immediately and therefore we are at least changing the size from md to lg in Paris release. However its not configurable as that would be a bigger change. So, for that let's hope that your IDEA gets many votes to make it through into the backlog.

For your reference- PRB1410865 addresses the size issue.

Hope it helps,

Varun

[grant_higgins]

That's great news! Thank you for looking in to it further and addressing it with your team.

For anyone reading through the comments, or for your own reference, here is a link to the idea I submitted for this:

Allow adjustment of Multi-Row Variable Set modal size and column widths

Thanks again!
Grant Higgins