Should variables carried over to the RITM be read only?

[paw2]

After submitting a request, the variables are carried over to the RITM record as editable.   Do most companies leave as editable or make read only?   What are the ramifications either way?   If best practice is to make read only, what is the best way?

[Chuck Tomasi]

Hi Patricia,

Most make them read-only as they are part of the original request, may be used as FYI for approvals, etc. and should not be changed once the process has begun. There are exceptions to every rule, of course.

The best way to make the variables read-only is with a catalog UI policy. You can have it apply only to the request item (and not to the catalog item when the user is filling it out.)

Service Catalog UI Policy - ServiceNow Wiki

[Uncle Rob]

I take a far more liberal view of what variables are and should be used for.

I tend to make variables read only via UI Policy / Script when I specifically want them read only.   Otherwise I leave them open or hidden.

On many an occasion I've used variables as a "just in time" data element.

Say we're on the 4rth step of an onboarding workflow.   This task is for someone to see if the network jack needs patching.   If yes, the workflow splits down a new path.   If not, continue forward.   What do you do in this case?   Add a new field to your sc_task table?   No.   I use a variable that will appear only on that sc_task.

[sundeep6]

If you don't want to individually set each catalog item to read-only by using Service Catalog UI Policy, and instead want all variables on a particular form (request item, SC task, etc) to be read-only for everybody after the request is submitted, the script shown at the bottom of this page works well (incl in Geneva): http://www.servicenowguru.com/scripting/business-rules-scripting/variables-form-readonly/

I've copied it below for ease of reference:

All Variables Readonly Client Script
Name: All Variables Readonly
Table: Incident, Change request, Request item, Catalog task, wherever!
Type: onLoad

function onLoad(){
      try{
            //Get the 'Variables' section
            var ve = $('variable_map').up('table');
            //Disable all elements within with a class of 'cat_item_option'
            ve.select('.cat_item_option', '.slushselectmtm', '.questionsetreference').each(function(elmt){
                  elmt.disabled = true;
            });
            //Remove any reference or calendar icons
            ve.select('img[src*=reference_list.gifx]', 'img[src*=small_calendar.gifx]').each(function(img){
                  img.hide();
            });
            //Hide list collector icons
            ve.select('img[src*=arrow]').each(function(img){
                  img.up('table').hide();
            });
      }
      catch(e){}
}

[jamesmcwhinney]

I just tried this in Helsinki against requested items (sc_req_item) but it didn't work.

Also the article mentions this workaround shouldn't be used from Calgary onwards