question Re: OnChange client script not working in Community Central forum

OnChange client script not working

MonicaW — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 18:52:26 GMT

I'm trying to get an onChange client script to examine a group of fields and if ANY of them is blank (have them setup to auto-fill from a table), then I want a checkbox to evaluate to true. Here's what I have but it is not working. Any help/pointers are appreciated (I'm not an expert client scripter). Note, using the commented out else doesn't help either.

function onChange(control, oldValue, newValue, isLoading) {

if (isLoading || newValue == '') {

return;

}

g_form.setValue('record_needs_updating', 'false');

if (g_form.getValue('life_cycle_stage_as') == '' || g_form.getValue('life_cycle_stage_status_as') == '' || g_form.getValue('business_service_tier_as') == '' || g_form.getValue('change_group_as') == '' || g_form.getValue('support_group_as') == '' || g_form.getValue('business_contact_as') == '' || g_form.getValue('managed_by_as') == '' || g_form.getValue('description_as') == '' || g_form.getValue('data_classification_as') == '' || g_form.getValue('regulatory_attribute_as') == '' || g_form.getValue('vendor_as') == '' || g_form.getValue('installed_as') == '')

g_form.setValue('record_needs_updating', 'true');

// else g_form.setValue('record_needs_updating', 'false');

}

Re: OnChange client script not working

pavani_paluri — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:16:01 GMT

Hi @MonicaW ,

The logic is fine, but there are a couple of small things in ServiceNow client scripting that are tripping you up:
1. Checkbox values
In catalog/client scripts, checkboxes are stored as strings: 'true' or 'false'.
So when you call g_form.setValue('record_needs_updating', 'true'), that’s correct. Just make sure the target field really is a checkbox.

2. Script structure
Right now your if statement doesn’t have braces {} around the block, so only the first line after the if executes.
That means your g_form.setValue('record_needs_updating', 'true'); may not be running as expected.

function onChange(control, oldValue, newValue, isLoading) {
if (isLoading) {
return;
}

// Default to false
g_form.setValue('record_needs_updating', 'false');

// Check if ANY of the fields are blank
if (
g_form.getValue('life_cycle_stage_as') === '' ||
g_form.getValue('life_cycle_stage_status_as') === '' ||
g_form.getValue('business_service_tier_as') === '' ||
g_form.getValue('change_group_as') === '' ||
g_form.getValue('support_group_as') === '' ||
g_form.getValue('business_contact_as') === '' ||
g_form.getValue('managed_by_as') === '' ||
g_form.getValue('description_as') === '' ||
g_form.getValue('data_classification_as') === '' ||
g_form.getValue('regulatory_attribute_as') === '' ||
g_form.getValue('vendor_as') === '' ||
g_form.getValue('installed_as') === ''
) {
g_form.setValue('record_needs_updating', 'true');
}
}

If you want this to run whenever any of those fields changes, you’ll need to attach the same onChange script to each of them.
Alternatively, you can use an onSubmit script to check all fields at once, which is often simpler.

Mark it helpful if this helps you to understand. Accept solution if this give you the answer you're looking for

Kind Regards,

Pavani P

Re: OnChange client script not working

MonicaW — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:33:23 GMT

Hi Pavani, thank you. I replaced my script with what you gave me above in your reply and it's still not working. I'm not seeing the {} around the IF statement that you mentioned in what you provided though. Should it be right before the word IF?

Re: OnChange client script not working

Tanushree Maiti — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 03:39:57 GMT

Hi @MonicaW ,

Try this

function onChange(control, oldValue, newValue, isLoading) {

if (isLoading || newValue == '') {

return;

}

g_form.setValue('record_needs_updating', false);

g_form.setValue('record_needs_updating', true);

// else g_form.setValue('record_needs_updating', 'false');

}

Re: OnChange client script not working

Ankur Bawiskar — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 04:56:42 GMT

@MonicaW

try this

function onChange(control, oldValue, newValue, isLoading, isTemplate) { if (isLoading) { return; } var needsUpdate = !g_form.getValue('life_cycle_stage_as') || !g_form.getValue('life_cycle_stage_status_as') || !g_form.getValue('business_service_tier_as') || !g_form.getValue('change_group_as') || !g_form.getValue('support_group_as') || !g_form.getValue('business_contact_as') || !g_form.getValue('managed_by_as') || !g_form.getValue('description_as') || !g_form.getValue('data_classification_as') || !g_form.getValue('regulatory_attribute_as') || !g_form.getValue('vendor_as') || !g_form.getValue('installed_as'); g_form.setValue('record_needs_updating', needsUpdate); }

💡 If my response helped, please mark it as correct ✅ and close the thread 🔒— this helps future readers find the solution faster! 🙏

Re: OnChange client script not working

MonicaW — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:25:11 GMT

Thank you for your help. I tried it and it still fails. I'm going to go back to trying UI policies for this as I know they execute before client scripts. I had tried them earlier, but ran into an issue - but I think I've figured out what to do. I believe the reason the onchange script isn't working is because when I select the configuration item, I have it auto-populating the fields and I believe, this change is conflicting with the onchange script. Thanks again.

Re: OnChange client script not working

MonicaW — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:28:42 GMT

Hi Ankur, I went with UI policies instead but I believe your solution would have worked. I found a mis-matched variable type that was causing the issues. I didn't test your solution, but I will mark it as accepted.