You may recall in my previous article Custom Tables: Where and when to build, I mentioned that Knowledge Article Templates are another type of custom table in the Now Platform. However, they're part of a broader solution to maximise the impact of Knowledge Management. In this article, we'll deep dive into their purpose, usage, and how they fit into the Custom Table family.
Custom Table Disclaimer
The creation and usage of custom tables is directly tied to ServiceNow subscription entitlements. The articles I've written in relation to custom tables are based on the ServiceNow Custom Table Guide, which is available via the Legal Schedules -> Entitlement Supplements page. I strongly recommend seeking guidance from the ServiceNow Accounts team as licensing rules, entitlement SKUs, and specific limits can change over time. At the time of writing, this version became effective October 17, 2025.
What are Knowledge Article Template Tables?
A Knowledge Article Template (KAT) is a foundational architectural tool within ServiceNow's Knowledge Management module. In essence, it acts as a blueprint or a standardised scaffold for creating knowledge articles. Instead of requiring every author to build an article from scratch (which can lead to inconsistent formatting, missing sections, and varying levels of detail), a KAT provides a pre-defined structure. It dictates the required components, such as Symptoms, Root Cause, Resolution Steps, or Prerequisites. By enforcing this template, the platform ensures that every article published on a specific topic (e.g., Network Connectivity Issues vs. User Account Resets) contains the same critical information in the expected order, making the knowledge content predictable and highly usable for end-users and support agents alike.
How are Knowledge Article Templates used?
Mechanically, the KAT operates by guiding the authoring experience. When an agent or technical writer selects a specific template (e.g., a "Troubleshooting Guide" template), the article editor automatically populates the document with pre-formatted sections and required fields. The process goes like this:
- Selection: The user chooses the appropriate KAT based on the content type (e.g., Incident Resolution vs. Policy Update).
- Scaffolding: The template loads, providing all necessary headings, placeholders, and formatting rules.
- Authoring: The author fills in the specific details under each mandated section, ensuring no critical piece of information is missed.
- Publication: Once complete, the article retains the standardized structure, making it instantly readable and actionable for anyone searching the knowledge base.
When and why to use Knowledge Article Templates
Knowledge Article Templates are necessary whenever an organisation needs to scale its knowledge content while maintaining a high standard of quality and consistency. You should implement KATs when:
- Standardisation is Paramount: If your support teams handle diverse types of issues—from simple password resets to complex system integrations—a template ensures that the resolution steps are always presented in the same logical order, regardless of who wrote the article.
- Training New Authors: For large organisations with high turnover or new knowledge contributors, templates drastically reduce the learning curve and the risk of publishing incomplete articles.
- Complex Content Types: When dealing with highly technical subjects that require multiple data points (e.g., a guide requiring both code snippets and physical hardware steps), the template ensures all necessary sections are included for completeness.
Example KAT - Known Error articleThe Exempt Status: A Licensing Consideration
From an architectural and compliance standpoint, KATs are designed to support system flexibility without consuming core resources. Crucially, they fall under the category of Exempt Tables, as per the ServiceNow Custom Table Guide. This means that while they facilitate the creation of structured content (a function vital for operational efficiency), they do not count against your overall Custom Table usage limit or require specific entitlements. This exemption status is granted because the functionality (standardising knowledge dissemination) is deemed essential to maintaining system health and compliance within the platform, allowing organisations to build robust Knowledge Bases without incurring additional licensing costs associated with custom data storage.
In summary, Knowledge Article Templates are far more than just formatting tools; they are a critical governance mechanism for your entire knowledge base. They provide the necessary structural flexibility to manage complex information types accurately and consistently. By adopting KATs, organisations can ensure that their valuable institutional knowledge is not only retained but also presented in a manner that guarantees maximum usability, speed of resolution, and adherence to best practice standards across all departments.
