Variable Set with Catalog Builder

[Dipesh Kalantri]

When I create UI Policies via Catalog Builder inside a Variable Set, they appear under the Catalog Item’s UI Policy Related List (i.e., Catalog UI Policies), instead of being linked to the Variable Set.

Please suggest if this is expected behavior while working with Catalog builder and what is best practice in such cases?

Regards,

Dipesh

[akanksha1pa · Accepted solution]

The best practices are mentioned below :-

1. Create UI Policies Outside Catalog Builder

• If you want a UI Policy to be reusable across multiple Catalog Items, create it directly under the Variable Set in the standard UI (not via Catalog Builder).

• Navigate to the Variable Set record and add the UI Policy there manually.

2. Use Naming Conventions

• Clearly name your UI Policies to indicate whether they are tied to a specific Catalog Item or a Variable Set.

• Example: UI Policy - VS: Location Visibility vs. UI Policy - CI: Laptop Request

3. Avoid Duplicating Logic

• If multiple items use the same Variable Set, avoid creating duplicate UI Policies for each item.

• Instead, centralize logic in the Variable Set and reference it appropriately.

4. Use Client Scripts for Complex Logic

• If UI Policies behave inconsistently (especially with nested variables or containers), consider using Catalog Client Scripts for more control

• If my response helped please mark it correct and close the thread so that it benefits future readers.
  

[Chaitanya ILCR · Accepted solution]

Hi @Dipesh Kalantri ,

yes, having the UI policies under catalog item make sense 

if you accidentally some UI policy to variable set that will reflect in all the items 

UI policies on Variables sets should be maintained by the admins and should be configured in the traditional approach (native UI)

Please mark my answer as helpful/correct if it resolves your query.

Regards,
Chaitanya

[akanksha1pa · Accepted solution]

The best practices are mentioned below :-

1. Create UI Policies Outside Catalog Builder

• If you want a UI Policy to be reusable across multiple Catalog Items, create it directly under the Variable Set in the standard UI (not via Catalog Builder).

• Navigate to the Variable Set record and add the UI Policy there manually.

2. Use Naming Conventions

• Clearly name your UI Policies to indicate whether they are tied to a specific Catalog Item or a Variable Set.

• Example: UI Policy - VS: Location Visibility vs. UI Policy - CI: Laptop Request

3. Avoid Duplicating Logic

• If multiple items use the same Variable Set, avoid creating duplicate UI Policies for each item.

• Instead, centralize logic in the Variable Set and reference it appropriately.

4. Use Client Scripts for Complex Logic

• If UI Policies behave inconsistently (especially with nested variables or containers), consider using Catalog Client Scripts for more control

• If my response helped please mark it correct and close the thread so that it benefits future readers.
  

[Chaitanya ILCR · Accepted solution]

Hi @Dipesh Kalantri ,

yes, having the UI policies under catalog item make sense 

if you accidentally some UI policy to variable set that will reflect in all the items 

UI policies on Variables sets should be maintained by the admins and should be configured in the traditional approach (native UI)

Please mark my answer as helpful/correct if it resolves your query.

Regards,
Chaitanya

[Aniket Chavan · Accepted solution]

Hello @Dipesh Kalantri ,

Yes, this is expected OOB behavior when using the Catalog Builder. Since you're configuring the UI Policy through the Catalog Builder for a specific item, it gets associated directly with that Catalog Item, not the Variable Set.

If your intention is to apply the UI Policy at the Variable Set level (so it can be reused across multiple catalog items), it's best to switch to the standard platform view. From there, you can create the UI Policy directly within the Variable Set. This way, it will correctly appear under the Variable Set’s related list and behave as intended.

Hope this helps!

🔹 Please mark ✅ Correct if this solves your query, and 👍 Helpful if you found the response valuable.

Best regards,
Aniket Chavan
🏆 ServiceNow MVP 2025 | 🌟 ServiceNow Rising Star 2024