Create Record activity

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Create Record activity

    The Create Record activity in ServiceNow playbooks allows you to pause the playbook and prompt an end user to create a record via a form view. This interactive activity requires configuration of the target table and the form view users see when creating the record. It is designed to collect user input directly within the playbook process.

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    Key Features

    • Availability: Usable by users with admin, playbook.admin, or pdauthor roles as a common activity in playbooks.
    • Configurable Inputs: Including activity label and description, run conditions, schedule start rules (e.g., when process or stage starts, or after specific stages/activities), optional start delay, target table for the new record, form view for record creation, and template fields for pre-setting field values.
    • Form View Selection: You can specify a custom form view or use the default; form views can be edited in Form Builder via Workflow Studio. It is important to create form views that show only necessary fields, focusing on required fields and those validated by business logic.
    • Outputs: Outputs include the target table name, form view used, and the sysid of the newly created record, which can be passed to subsequent activities for further automation.

    Design Considerations

    • Because this activity requires user interaction, it pauses the playbook until completion and can block dependent activities from starting. To avoid delays, design playbooks to run non-interactive activities before the Create Record activity.
    • Creating tailored form views for runtime use in playbooks improves user experience by restricting inputs to only what's necessary for record creation.

    Practical Impact for ServiceNow Customers

    This activity empowers your playbooks to collect user inputs dynamically, enabling more flexible and interactive workflows. By configuring targeted form views and leveraging outputs like the created record's sysid, you can seamlessly integrate user-driven data creation within automated processes. Proper sequencing of non-interactive and interactive activities ensures efficient playbook execution without unnecessary waiting.

    Pause the playbook and prompt the end user to create a record in a form view. Use this activity to allow the end user to create a record. This activity requires you to configure the desired table for which record to create, and the desired form view that the end user will see when creating the record.

    Roles and availability

    This activity is available as a common activity. Users with the admin, playbook.admin, or pd_author can add this activity to a playbook.

    Inputs

    Open the activity properties panel and configure your activity to add values for the following inputs. If the input value varies, use the pill-picker to show where to get the value. To learn more about the pill-picker, see .
    Input Type Description
    Label String Title to display as activity and playbook card.
    Description String Information to display about activity usage or outcome.
    Run condition Condition Builder Conditions that must be met to run an activity or stage. You can use data from prior activities to build conditions.
    Note:
    Select Show additional options to see this field.
    Start Rule Choice Under Schedule > Start Rule, select a start rule for when your stage should start running:
    • When process starts: Your stage starts running as soon as the playbook starts.
    • After specific stages: Your stage starts running after specified stage(s) have finished running.
    Under Schedule > Start Rule, select a start rule for when your activity should start running:
    • When stage starts: Your activity starts running as soon as its stage starts running. Your stage starts running when your playbook is triggered.
    • After specific activities: Your activity starts running after specified activities have finished running.
    Start with delay True/False Option to wait for a duration of time before running an activity or stage. When enabled, this input displays the Start with delay input properties.
    Note:
    Select Show additional options to see this field.
    Table Table Name Table in which to insert new record.
    Create Record View String Form view to use for record creation. If you don't provide a form view, the system uses the default view. Use the new tab button a button that opens a new tabto open and edit a form view with Form Builder in a new Workflow Studio tab.
    Note:
    Many form views are not supported in Workspace.
    Template Fields Template Value Field values to set during record creation.

    Outputs

    These outputs can provide data to other activities in your playbook. You can access this data as activity inputs when you configure your activity:
    Output Type Description
    Table Table Name Table containing new record.
    Create Record View String Form view used for record creation.
    Record Created Sys ID Unique identifier of the record that this activity created.

    Design considerations

    Create form views for activities that you want to render in a playbook during runtime.
    Use a form view to display only the fields your users need to create a record. Your view should display required fields or those fields validated by other business logic. See View Management.
    Run non-interactive activities before interactive activities
    While a Create Record activity interactively gathers data from users, it prevents the playbook from starting any dependent activities. For example, a Create Record activity would prevent starting After Previous activities, which may be in other stages. Where possible, design your playbooks to run non-interactive activities before interactive activities that could block them.