New article articles in Service Management

Dynamic template for users to fill out.

AndersBGS — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 22:46:48 GMT

In record producers for e.g. incident creation”, we often ask users to give a description of their problem. But did you know that you can provide a dynamic template for the user to fill out directly in the description and which can change dynamically based on form selection.

How to do this:

In a record producer create a catalog client script which calls a glideajax/script include:

var ga = new GlideAjax('UIMessageAjax'); ga.addParam('sysparm_name', 'getMappingForValue'); ga.addParam('sysparm_application_service', newValue); // sys_id ga.getXMLAnswer(function(response) { var answer = JSON.parse(response || '{}'); var templateKey = answer.templateKey; if (!templateKey) { g_form.setValue('description', ''); return; }

The script include will then utilize the decisiontableAPI to fetch the unique key value from sys_ui_message based on the input from the e.g. selected application on the form or whatever input you chose and whatever you have mapped in your decision table.

var appServiceSysId = this.getParameter('sysparm_application_service'); appServiceSysId = String(appServiceSysId); try { var inputs = {}; inputs['u_application'] = appServiceSysId; var dtSysId = '(SYSID of the decision table)'; var dt = new sn_dt.DecisionTableAPI(); var response = dt.getDecision(dtSysId, inputs); var result_elements = response.result_elements; var u_templateKey = result_elements.u_templatekey.getValue(); //Return value to the client script var result = { templateKey: u_templateKey }; return JSON.stringify(result);

After they key has been fetched, the template text will be fetched based on the key and inserted into the description field on the form (the actual template) for the user to fill out by another glideajax:

function fetchMessageAjax(key, variableName) { var ga = new GlideAjax('UIMessageAjax'); ga.addParam('sysparm_name', 'getMessageByKey'); ga.addParam('sysparm_key', key); ga.getXMLAnswer(function(response) { g_form.setValue(variableName, response || '');

And then by the script include:

getMessageByKey: function() { var key = (this.getParameter('sysparm_key') || '').trim(); if (!key) return ''; var gr = new GlideRecord('sys_ui_message'); gr.addQuery('sys_id', key); gr.query(); if (gr.next()) { var msg = gr.getValue('message'); // returns raw message HTML return msg;

This approach is quite handy when there is something that is nice to be informed about but not needed to have and it's scalable, as you only need to enhance your decision table and off course the message in the sys_ui_message table.

For information that is needed, I would always go for a mandatory variable.

🔍 Global search is missing from instance?

tiagomacul — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 22:27:45 GMT

Leia em português.

The global search bar is essential for the day-to-day agility of ServiceNow. When it simply doesn't appear , it can disrupt the workflow of the entire team.

This guide details how to diagnose and correct this problem using the Global Text Search settings and supplementing KB2112361 .

If I haven't been clear enough about the context of the behavior:

What is unexpected?

Notice that in the image above we don't have the global marker, but in the image below the global marker appears.

Step 1: Checking System Properties

Often, the feature is simply disabled in the global settings. To check, follow the path below as illustrated in the image:

Navigation Route:

In the main menu, click on the All tab .
In the filter field (Filter Navigator), type: global text search.
Find and click: System Properties > Global Text Search .

Key Property:

Within this screen, look for the property:

Name: glide.ui.text_search.enable
Value: Make sure it is set to true .

https://<instance>.service-now.com/now/nav/ui/classic/params/target/sys_properties_list.do%3Fsysparm_query%3Dname%253Dglide.ui.text_search.enable%26sysparm_first_row%3D1%26sysparm_view%3D

Note: If global search does not appear even with this property enabled, the system may be experiencing a cache or permission conflict.

Step 2: Other Common Causes

If the above information is correct and the magnifying glass icon still doesn't appear, check these points:

1. AI Search Configuration (Next Experience)

In recent instances, the standard search has been replaced by AI Search .

Verification: If AI Search is enabled but the search profile is not configured for your application's header, the search bar will be invisible.

2. Roles and Permissions

The global search can be restricted to specific roles.

Test: Check if the search appears for the Admin user . If it only appears for them, review the table permissions sys_search_scope.

3. Plugins Disabled

Functionality depends on the Zing or AI Search search engine . Check if the base plugins (such as the one provided com.glide.sn_zig) are active.

Step 3: Validation in Next Experience (UX Page Properties)

If your instance uses the new interface (Polaris), global search depends on a specific page property.

Navigate to the property globalSearchDataConfigIdvia this direct link:/nav_to.do?uri=sys_ux_page_property.do?sys_id=33922957c7b32010099a308dc7c26072
https://<instance>.service-now.com/now/nav/ui/classic/params/target/sys_ux_page_property.do%3Fsys_id%3D33922957c7b32010099a308dc7c26072
In the Value field , ensure there is a valid Sys ID pointing to your page's search configuration. If this field is empty or contains an incorrect ID, the search bar will not render.

KB2112361 mentions reverting to a previous version, something that might not be available; I had the ID .

c861cea2c7022010099a308dc7c26041
6ebf8fe1531201107f03ddeeff7b122b

These IDs refer to the sys_search_context_config table.

[AIS] Next Experience Search Configuration

6ebf8fe1531201107f03ddeeff7b122b

Now Experience Search Configuration

c861cea2c7022010099a308dc7c26041

Quick Verification Summary

Where to Check	Action Needed
System Properties	`All > Global Text Search > glide.ui.text_search.enable = true`
AI Search	Confirm that the service is "Active" and has generated indexes.
User Profiles	Ensure that the user has the necessary role to view the search scope.

Official Technical Reference

For details on known bugs in specific versions, please consult the official documentation:

Access KB2112361 (ServiceNow Support)

Participate, join the communities, follow the posts:

Extracting URL Parameters in ServiceNow Using Client Scripts

Vaishnavi Lathk — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 13:56:59 GMT

In ServiceNow, URL parameters are commonly used to pass data between forms, catalog items, or during redirection between records. Extracting these parameters can be crucial in various use cases, especially when you need to pre-fill fields or control the behavior of a form based on the information passed through the URL. Understanding how to efficiently grab URL parameters in ServiceNow can significantly enhance the functionality and user experience of your applications.

Common Use Cases for Grabbing URL Parameters

URL parameters are widely used in ServiceNow for a variety of tasks. Some common use cases include:

Redirecting from an Incident Record to a Catalog Item: When redirecting from an Incident record to a Catalog Item, you may want to pass certain details, such as the Incident’s short description, caller information, or any other specific details related to the Incident. This helps create a seamless experience, allowing users to see relevant information when interacting with the catalog item.
For example, you might want to pass the short_description and caller_id as URL parameters when redirecting to a catalog item. By passing these parameters in the URL, you can pre-populate certain fields on the catalog item form.
Creating Requests from Incidents: When creating requests from incidents, it’s often necessary to pass additional information like the caller’s details, the short description of the incident, or any other relevant data to the request. These parameters can then be used to automatically fill out fields such as the “Requested For” field, which is often populated with the caller’s information.
Linking Between Custom Forms: Another common scenario is linking custom forms or tables and passing data between them. URL parameters allow for this transfer of information, making it easier to maintain context between different forms or tasks within ServiceNow.

Example of a ServiceNow URL with Parameters

Consider a URL like the following that might be used in ServiceNow

https://instanceName.service-now.com/incident.do?sys_id=-1&sysparm_query=active=true&sys_myParameter=hello

This URL contains the following parameters:

sys_id: Identifies the unique record in ServiceNow (in this case, an incident record).
sysparm_query: Specifies a query to filter records (e.g., to show only active incidents).
sys_myParameter: A custom parameter that could be used for passing any value (in this case, the value hello).

If you need to extract the value of the sys_myParameter parameter from this URL, you can use different methods depending on the context in which the script is running (such as whether it's in the global scope or the portal).

Extracting URL Parameters Using GlideURLV3 (Preferred Method)

ServiceNow provides the GlideURLV3 API to work with URLs and extract parameters efficiently. The GlideURLV3 API offers the getParam method, which simplifies extracting URL parameters. This method is commonly used in non-portal environments, such as within ServiceNow forms or custom applications.

Here’s an example of how to use the GlideURLV3 API in an onLoad client script to extract a parameter:

var url = new GlideURL(window.location.href);
var myParam = url.getParam('sys_myParameter');

In this example:

window.location.href is used to get the full URL of the current page.
The getParam method is called to extract the value of the parameter sys_myParameter.

This approach is simple and works seamlessly in non-portal environments, where GlideURLV3 is fully supported.

Handling URL Parameters in the ServiceNow Portal (Legacy Approach)

While GlideURLV3 works well in ServiceNow forms and custom applications, it is not supported within the ServiceNow portal framework. In portal pages, you’ll need to use a more traditional JavaScript method to extract parameters from the URL. This can be done using the native window.location object and regular expressions.

Here’s an example of how to retrieve a parameter from the URL using legacy JavaScript methods in a portal:

function getParameterByName(name) {
    var url = window.location.href;
    name = name.replace(/[\[\]]/g, '\\$&'); // Escape any special characters
    var regex = new RegExp('[?&]' + name + '(=([^&#]*)|&|#|$)');
    var results = regex.exec(url);
    if (!results) return null; // If parameter not found
    if (!results[2]) return ''; // If parameter is empty
    return decodeURIComponent(results[2].replace(/\+/g, ' ')); // Decode and return the parameter value
}
var myParam = getParameterByName('sys_myParameter');

In this example:

The getParameterByName function uses a regular expression to search for a parameter in the URL query string.
If the parameter is found, it is decoded (to handle URL-encoded characters) and returned.

This method works in portal pages where the GlideURLV3 API is not available, allowing you to extract URL parameters even in the portal context.

Key Considerations for URL Parameter Extraction

When working with URL parameters in ServiceNow, there are a few important points to keep in mind:

Parameter Encoding and Decoding: URL parameters may contain special characters (such as spaces or non-ASCII characters) that need to be properly encoded and decoded. Make sure to use decodeURIComponent() in your scripts to handle the decoding of these characters.
Parameter Names: Ensure that you use the correct parameter names when trying to retrieve them from the URL. Inconsistent naming or typos in the parameter names can cause the script to fail or return incorrect results.
Scope Considerations: The GlideURLV3 API works well in non-portal environments (such as custom forms and applications), but if you are working within the ServiceNow portal, you’ll need to rely on the legacy JavaScript methods described above.
Security Implications: When passing sensitive information via URL parameters, be mindful of security considerations. URL parameters are visible in browser address bars and may be captured in logs or history, so avoid passing sensitive data like passwords or confidential user information in URLs.

Conclusion

Grabbing URL parameters in ServiceNow is a powerful technique that can be used to pre-fill fields, pass context between records, and enhance the user experience by providing seamless transitions between forms or catalog items. By leveraging the GlideURLV3 API for non-portal environments and using legacy JavaScript methods for the ServiceNow portal, you can ensure that your ServiceNow applications are flexible and robust, with easy access to URL parameters whenever necessary.

Understanding how to work with URL parameters is a key skill for any ServiceNow developer, and mastering these techniques can help you build more dynamic and user-friendly applications.

Key Takeaways:

ServiceNow URL Parameters: Essential for passing data between forms, catalog items, and records.
GlideURLV3 API: The preferred method for URL parameter extraction in non-portal environments.
Legacy JavaScript Methods: Required for extracting URL parameters in ServiceNow portals.
Security: Always be cautious when passing sensitive data through URL parameters.

By understanding these techniques and methods, you can effectively manage URL parameters within your ServiceNow instance and improve the overall functionality and user experience of your applications.

#ServiceNowCommunity #ServiceNowDeveloper #ServiceNow

Regards,

Vaishnavi Lathkar

How to add Digital Signature in PDF through Script

Community Alums — Wed, 24 Aug 2022 04:52:46 GMT

In the attach document we will see how we can create and add signature in PDF file.

Use case:

We need to create an UI Action on which, one pop-up will ask you to sign, after signature submission, one pdf file will auto-generate where information of record and sign will be there.

Required Capabilities:

To achieve this, we used below ServiceNow platform capabilities:

ServiceNow PDF Generation API
UI Action
UI Page
Script Include
UI Script

Please find the attach PDF.

Thanks

GlideRecord Vs GlideRecordSecure Live Demo

Omender Singh — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 12:04:03 GMT

Hello Everyone,

I have demonstrated the difference between GlideRecord Vs GlideRecordSecure in the below video.

Have a look & share your feedback - Click Here

Hit Helpful, if helpful.