Apply default font settings to ALL HTML fields on the platform

[Matt S6]

We would like to apply a default font face and font size to ALL HTML fields across the platform. We are aware that HTML or "rich text" fields exist in many tables. In Zurich, the default font in the TinyMCE editor is Arial, 8 point.

We would like the editor to default to Verdana, 12 pt. Not just for editing, but also for applying those settings to the content itself. ServiceNow has a KB article here https://support.servicenow.com/kb?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0717120 and there are a couple of Community posts that talk about it https://www.servicenow.com/community/developer-forum/set-the-font-size-in-html-type-field-across-pla... and https://www.servicenow.com/community/servicenow-ai-platform-forum/setting-a-default-font-and-font-si...

Unfortunately, this doesn't work for us. The first solution only alters the readability of the TinyMCE editor, but does not affect saved content. This is done via the tinymce.content_css under System UI > UI Properties.

The second solution gives the desired result, but requires the addition of a default value for EACH HTML field. This solution requires you edit the Dictionary, open the HTML field, and set a default value (e.g. <p style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;"></p>).

While this technically will work, it requires updating every single HTML field on every table we actively use. Doing this would then track as a customization, and this could cause "skipped changes" in future family upgrades (e.g. Zurich -> Australia, Australia -> Brazil, etc.) since the Dictionary entry has been altered from its out-of-the-box state.

Sure ServiceNow is designed to be customizable, but we don't want to customize for the sake of customizing. Is there not a global system property that allows you to set the default font and size for every HTML field? They default to Arial 8pt today, so surely there must be a way to make them all use Verdana 12pt instead. And then rely on customizing the default value ONLY for HTML fields that have a specific need to deviate from the default.

There are many system properties that can impact the TinyMCE editor, but setting the default font and font size for all HTML fields does not appear to be one of them.

[Maham Tahir]

Hi @Matt S6, 

Based on my search, there is no single global system property in ServiceNow that allows you to set a default font and size for all HTML fields across the entire platform.

I'd recommend to set a default value on a field-by-field basis by configuring the dictionary entry for each specific HTML field. This is the same method that you referenced as well, which is not a practical solution for applying a universal, platform-wide change. 

If you find my response helpful, mark it as helpful and accepted solution.

Regards, 

Maham Tahir.