Viewing the structures of tables and data sources

[Dennis Hancy]

Hello,

I am looking for some guidance on creating reports using tables and/or data sources.  As a starting point, it would be helpful to know the structure of the tables and data sources and how they relate to others.  This includes knowing the columns names as well as primary/foreign keys.  I am familiar with the ways that Toad handles this for Oracle objects, and I am hoping there are similar methods available in Servicenow.

Any help you can provide on this to get me started will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Dennis

[Amit Gujarathi]

HI @Dennis Hancy ,
I trust you are doing great.

Creating reports in ServiceNow, especially when dealing with tables and data sources, is a process that requires understanding the structure of these tables, their relationships, and how to utilize them effectively in reporting.

Understanding ServiceNow Table Structure:

1. Table Schema Map: ServiceNow provides a 'Table Schema Map' feature, which is analogous to how Toad displays Oracle objects. The Table Schema Map visually represents the fields and relationships of a table in the system. This can be accessed by navigating to "System Definition -> Table Schema" and selecting the table you're interested in.

2. Columns and Keys:

   • Column Names: Each table in ServiceNow has a set of fields (columns) like 'sys_id' (a unique identifier for each record), 'created_on', 'updated_on', etc., specific to its purpose.
   • Primary/Foreign Keys: 'sys_id' typically serves as the primary key. Foreign keys are represented through reference fields linking one table to another.

3. Data Dictionary: You can also explore the "Data Dictionary" for detailed information about the fields in each table. This is found under "System Definition -> Dictionary".

[Dennis Hancy]

Thank you @Amit Gujarathi 

That sounds exactly what I am looking for.  But I do have a follow-up question.  Where do I find "System Definition"?  If I click on All and then search for "system", I see no results.

Thank you.

Dennis

[Amit Gujarathi]

You Can write click on the form or list for the table > Configure table . It will open the table with all the fields you can open the field record from there

[Dennis Hancy]

@Amit Gujarathi , I should point out that the list of tables I am viewing is from the drop down menu on the screen to "create a report".

Is there another way to view the tables?  When I right click on a table there, it shows me the options for the browser, and not for ServiceNow.  In other words, I see "back", "reload", "save as", "print", etc.  There is no "Configure table" option available.

Thank you again.