Why are sys_ids appended to Catalog Item names in multi-level pivot table reports?

[SiddeswaraJ]

I'm creating a report using a multi-level pivot table in ServiceNow, where I'm grouping by Catalog Item. I've noticed that for catalog items with duplicate names (but different records), ServiceNow appends the sys_id to the name in the report output—for example: Laptop (Standard) 1234567890abcdef1234567890abcdef.

This makes the report less readable for end users. I understand the system is likely doing this to distinguish between duplicate names, I need to Know is it an OOB thing, if It is  OOB feature Is there any kb article on this.

Thanks.

[Cheikh Ahmadou · Accepted solution]

When you use a multi-level pivot table and group by a reference field (like Catalog Item), it is resolved to the display value (e.g., Laptop (Standard)). But if multiple records have the same display value, ServiceNow appends the sys_id to the label like this. 

This is done to:

• Prevent duplicate keys in the report rows

• Ensure data grouping is unique

• Avoid ambiguity in visualizations

Yes, it is not a bug, it is OOTB, and there’s no direct configuration to suppress this in the pivot UI itself.

I did not see no official KB article that clearly documents it.

If you want a cleaner label, I would propose, these workarounds:

1. Create a Custom Field with Unique Labels

• Add a field like u_report_label on the Catalog Item

• Populate it with name + [Location/Type/Owner] or anything unique

• Group the pivot by u_report_label instead of the reference

2. Use a Database View 

• Create a view that joins catalog item with more context (like category)

• Create a calculated field to display as Laptop (Standard) - UK or similar