The snc_external user cannot post via Journal Input, but can post when using “Update” on the form.

[YichunQian]

Hello everyone,

I’m facing an issue with a user who has the snc_external role. The user is unable to post comments through the Journal Input field (e.g., Additional comments / Work notes), but is still able to update the record normally using the “Update” button on the form.

We assigned the external user both the snc_external role and an additional custom role required by our application.
For the Journal Input field ACL, we only included the custom application role and did not include snc_external, because we do not want all external users (who also have snc_external) to access or use this part of the application.

What possible solutions or workaround options are available for this situation?

[Hemanth M1]

Hi @YichunQian ,

Just to understand, is the 'Post'  button is not visible, or when you post using 'Post' is it not working?

[vaishali231]

1. Create an ACL Override for Journal Fields (Recommended)

If you want specific external users (with your custom role) to use comments:

Create a Write ACL for the journal field (example: incident.comments or your table’s journal field) with:

Script:

Make sure you create:

• Write ACL
  
  
• Create ACL
  
  

This bypasses the snc_external block for only your custom role.

2. Use a Script-Based ACL to Allow Only Your Custom Role

Another option is:

This explicitly grants access even if snc_external is present.

3. Remove snc_external (Only If This User Should Not Be Treated as External)

If the user is actually internal and should not have external restrictions, remove the snc_external role.

Not recommended if the user truly belongs to the external category.

4. Replace snc_external with a Custom “Limited External” Role

If you need restrictions but also need comment access:

• Create a custom lightweight role (example: x_app.limited_external)
  
  
• Remove snc_external
  
  
• Use your ACLs to control visibility and access
  
  

This gives you more flexibility.

5. Use a Custom UI Field + GlideAjax (Workaround Method)

If ACLs cannot be changed:

1. Hide the real Journal Input field
   
   
2. Add a custom text input
   
   
3. Use GlideAjax or Script Include to insert:
   
   

This allows comments without using the blocked Journal field UI.

Best Option

The simplest and cleanest solution is:

 Create a Write ACL override that checks for your custom application role.

This solves the issue while still keeping all other snc_external restrictions.