CSA Study: KB record and Tabs

[sme4hire]

Ok, I'm looking for some clarification specifically for the CSA exam. One of the practice questions comes up as the following: "On the knowledge base record, which tab would you use to define which users are not able to write articles to the knowledge base?"  Answer options: 

A. Can Contribute 

B. Cannot Author

C. Can Read

D. Can Write

E. Can Author

After working through my Xanadu PDI and the documentation from the SN Doc site, it seems to me that 'B" would be the correct answer based on: 

."Cannot Author "

On a Knowledge Base record in ServiceNow, the Cannot Author tab is where I defined user criteria for people who should not be able to contribute/(i.e.,write) articles, even if they otherwise meet authoring permissions.

• Can Read → who can view the KB.

• Can Contribute (sometimes labeled "Can Author") → who can create/edit articles.

• Cannot Author → explicitly excludes certain users/groups from contributing.

the challenge I am having is that I'm seeing prior responses and getting other feedback that the answer for the CSA is "A. Can Contribute ". The issue I have is that when I review the tabs I found that the "Cannot Author" tab is specifically designed to restrict users from writing or authoring articles in the knowledge
base. The "Can Read" tab, on the other hand, only allows users to read the articles without making any changes.  Can anyone with some experience please validate? Semper FI

[sme4hire]

I think you might have missed the idea that this is within the Knowledge Based 'record' itself. When I I go to my PDI, open a knowledge based record I see the following Tabs under 'Related Links;

So here is my take on this after finding important data: 

B. Cannot Author

In the PDI we see these tabs:

-Can Read

-Can Contribute

-Cannot Contribute

(plus Article Templates, Featured Content, Categories, etc.)

👉 Notice: there is no “Can Author” tab in your instance. Instead, “Can Contribute” + “Cannot Contribute” together define who can or cannot write to the KB.

🔎 Breaking It Down

Can Read → who can view the KB.

Can Contribute → users/roles who can create, edit, and publish articles.

Cannot Contribute → explicitly excludes users/roles from contributing, even if they otherwise have access.

IMPORTANT!!!!! That last one (“Cannot Contribute”) is what ServiceNow uses instead of a “Cannot Author” option.

[Bhuvan]

@sme4hire 

If 'Cannot Contribute' is an option, that would be the answer. But given the answers, answer would be C.

If you give a user only 'Can Read' option, they cannot create articles.

https://www.servicenow.com/docs/bundle/zurich-servicenow-platform/page/product/knowledge-management/...

If this helped to answer your query, please mark it helpful & accept the solution.

Thanks,

Bhuvan

[Bhuvan]

@sme4hire 

Thanks for marking the answer as helpful. If it helped to answer your query, please accept the solution.

Thanks,

Bhuvan

[Nikhil Bajaj9]

Hi @sme4hire ,

The answer shuld be C. Can Read - as people who are given only read access will not be able to write. Simple 🙂

If my answer helepd you, please mark it -solution accepted. 

Regards,

Nikhil Bajaj