Understanding Tags in ServiceNow
Tags are versatile identifiers that can be attached to almost any record in ServiceNow. You can access them through list views or directly within forms, making them incredibly flexible for record management.
Why Use Tags?
Tags provide an elegant solution for identifying and grouping records. While many ServiceNow instances have implemented customizations over the years to manage record grouping, tags offer a simpler, built-in alternative. Their advantages include:
- Ability to filter records easily
- Support for reporting and scripting
- Multi-select functionality allowing multiple tags per record
- Simple text-based entry with autocomplete suggestions
Manual Tag Application
Adding tags manually is straightforward – simply type in the tag field, and autocomplete will help you select existing tags. However, what if you need to tag hundreds or thousands of records? This is where automation comes in handy.
Automating Tags
Here's how to set up automated tagging based on specific conditions:
- Navigate to System Definition > Tags
- Either open an existing tag or click New to create one
- Set Name and Viewable by Everyone for this simple example
- Add two related lists to the form layout:
- Label Entries: Shows all records currently tagged
- Conditions for Labels: Defines the automation rules
Setting Up Automation Rules
- In the Conditions for Labels related list, click New
- Fill out the following fields:
- Title: Give your rule a descriptive name
- Table: Select the table to apply the tag to
- Conditions: Define when the tag should be applied
Once configured, ServiceNow will automatically:
- Add the tag to any record meeting your conditions
- Remove the tag when records no longer meet the conditions
- Apply tags to new records that match your criteria
For example, if you set up a condition for Priority 1 incidents, the tag will automatically be added when an incident's priority is elevated to P1 and removed if the priority is lowered.
To verify your automation, simply navigate to your chosen table and filter by your tag name. The results should show all matching records based on your conditions.
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