Declarative Actions in ServiceNow – The Complete Guide

[HasanM]

1. Introduction

Declarative Actions (DAs) in ServiceNow provide a low‑code way to add interactive buttons across modern “Next Experience” interfaces—like Configurable Workspace or Service Operations Workspace—without touching the UI . This guide walks through DA basics, types, setup, and use in Workspace.

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2. What Are Declarative Actions?

• Evolved from UI Actions (Core UI), built for flexible components, not just lists/forms

• Designed to work with UI Builder components: lists, forms, playbooks, catalogs, etc.

• Coexist with UI Actions; DAs do not appear in legacy Core UI, only in Next Experience interfaces .

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3. DA Types & Interface Contexts

ServiceNow supports many DA types across components :

• List, Related List, Form, Field, Attachment, Catalog Wizard, Playbook, Kanban, EVAM, etc.

• Definitions are stored in sys_declarative_action_model_definition and associated context fields in sys_declarative_action_model_field.

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4. DA Execution Methods

DAs can run via three implementation types :

1. Client Script – browser-side logic using GlideForm/GlideList.

2. Server Script – server-side operations leveraging current, action, etc.

3. UXF Client Action – dispatches a JSON payload event to be handled by UI Builder.
   UXF actions allow communication with UI Builder page handlers to perform modals, navigation, data-refresh, etc. 

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5. Key Personas

• Component Author: Defines which components can host DAs; sets available data context.

• Page Author: Creates UI Builder pages; sets up event handlers and possible payload schemas.

• Declarative Action Author: Uses Action Assignment to create new DAs aligned to the page’s capabilities .

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6. Context & Payloads

• Client-side context includes selected record IDs for lists, field values, etc. defined in model field tables .

• Payload definitions (JSON schema) allow UXF Client Actions to send structured data to page handlers .

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7. Creating a Declarative Action

7.1 Via Action Assignment (sys_declarative_action_assignment)

• Navigate via relevant modules (e.g., List Actions, Field Decorators, Action Bar Declarative Actions) .

• Select Action Model (type), Label, Conditions, Roles, and Implementation type.

7.2 Example: “Re‑Open Incident” (Server Script)

• Module: Action Bar Declarative Actions

• Conditions: state = Resolved, user has write access

• Server Script:

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  current.state = 1; // New current.update(); action.setRedirectURL(current); gs.addInfoMessage('Incident ' + current.number + ' reopened.');

• Assign the DA to the workspace via UX Action Configuration and add to Form Layout .

7.3 Example: “Add” Button on Related List (UXF Client Action)

• Module: Related List Actions

• Create Action Payload Definition (JSON with fields: label, table, parentRecordSysId, etc.) n.

• Map the payload to a page event (RECORD#OPEN_MODAL) via sys_ux_addon_event_mapping .

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8. Wiring Payload to UI Builder

• In UI Builder, map Declarative Action to a handled event:

  • Choose the Source DA and page component ID (e.g., record_page_tabs_1)

  • Link to handled event (e.g., Open Modal or Open Tab)

  • Define payload mapping using JSON template 

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9. Execution Flow Summary

1. User clicks DA button in Workspace

2. DA evaluates Client/Server/UXF action

3. UXF action dispatches JSON payload event

4. Page Author’s event handler in UI Builder reads payload and performs behavior (modal, navigation, data refresh)

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10. Best Practices

• Use conditions and roles to show DAs contextually

• Keep DAs reusable across pages

• For UXF Client Actions, ensure page has handlers and payload schemas defined by Page Author

• Configure layout and grouping via sys_ux_form_action. , sys_declarative_action_group, etc. 

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11. Reference Tables

Table Name Purpose

sys_declarative_action_assignment	Core DA record
sys_declarative_action_model_definition	DA model types
sys_declarative_action_model_field	Context data available per model
sys_declarative_action_payload_definition	JSON payload schema
sys_ux_addon_event_mapping	Maps DA to page handled event
UX layout & config tables (sys_ux_form_action, group, layout)	Control DA visibility and placement servicenow.com+2servicenow.com+2youtube.com+2youtube.com+2reddit.com+2youtube.com+2

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12. Conclusion

Declarative Actions empower admins and developers to deliver powerful, context-aware buttons and interactions within Next Experience Workspaces—without customizing UI Builder directly. By understanding DA models, implementation types, payloads, and event-handling, you can rapidly add modern UX capabilities to your environment.

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