ServiceNow – Opening Reports in a Specific List View
Issue:
When clicking on a report element (bar, score, pie segment, etc.), the resulting list view always opens in the default view instead of a custom view enforced by a View Rule.
Root Cause:
ServiceNow report drilldowns open lists via a URL like:
incident_list.do?sysparm_query=state=1
Because there is no “sysparm_view” parameter in the URL, the system defaults to either the user’s preferred view or the global “Default” view. View Rules are not enforced for report drilldowns.
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✅ Solution Options
Option A: Add a View Parameter in the Report URL (Recommended)
1. Edit the report.
2. Scroll to the Drilldown section.
3. Change Drilldown Destination → “Detailed URL”.
4. Set the URL to include your desired view, for example:
incident_list.do?sysparm_query=active=true&sysparm_view=My_Custom_View
This ensures all users who click the report element will see the same custom view.
Example:
task_list.do?sysparm_query=assignment_group=Hardware&sysparm_view=Custom_View
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Option B: Use a Client Script or UI Policy (Conditional Redirect)
If you can’t modify the report, create a list-level client script to redirect users to your desired view:
function onLoad() {
var currentView = g_list.getViewName();
if (currentView != 'my_custom_view') {
var url = new GlideURL(window.location.href);
url.addParam('sysparm_view', 'my_custom_view');
window.location.href = url.getURL();
}
}
Note: This approach is more complex and should be tested carefully.
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Option C: Combine with View Rule
If you already have a View Rule in place, you can still add “sysparm_view” in the report’s drilldown URL to ensure the rule is applied consistently.
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Option 😧 Modify Default View (System-Wide)
If your custom view should always be the default view for all users:
1. Navigate to System UI → Views.
2. Update the table’s “Default” view to your custom view.
Note: This change applies globally and affects all list views for that table.
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⚠️ View Rule Limitations
- View Rules do not trigger when navigating from reports or dashboards.
- They only apply when opening a list or record directly.
- Adding sysparm_view explicitly in the URL ensures consistency.
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Example Use Case
Dashboard with Score report for open incidents by priority:
Clicking on “High Priority” should open the list view “High_Priority_View.”
Drilldown URL:
incident_list.do?sysparm_query=priority=1^active=true&sysparm_view=High_Priority_View
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✅ Summary of Methods
| Method | Works for Reports | Enforced for All | Notes |
|--------|-------------------|-----------------|-------|
| Add sysparm_view in Drilldown URL | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | Best & simplest |
| View Rule | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (for direct navigation only) | Not triggered by reports |
| Change Default View | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | Global impact |
| Client Script Redirect | ✅ Yes | ⚠️ Possible | Use only if report cannot be modified |
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✅ Final Recommendation
Reports and dashboards always open the default list view unless explicitly overridden. To enforce a specific view for everyone:
**Add “&sysparm_view=YourViewName” to the report’s Drilldown URL.**
This is the cleanest, most maintainable way to control report drilldown views across all users.
