Keyboard navigation in playbook diagram view

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Keyboard navigation in playbook diagram view

    This guide explains how to efficiently use keyboard commands to navigate and configure playbooks in the diagram view within ServiceNow. It enables users to manage playbook components such as triggers, stages, and activities without relying on a mouse, enhancing accessibility and productivity.

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    Key Features

    • Navigation: Use arrow keys to move between playbook elements like start nodes, connectors, stages, and activities on the canvas.
    • Edit and Selection: Press Enter to edit the highlighted element or to perform selected actions. Use Escape to exit the current selection.
    • Creating and Editing Triggers: Use Tab to highlight the Triggers section, Enter to open it, arrow keys to select trigger types, and Spacebar to toggle checkboxes. Tab navigates form fields and Enter saves changes.
    • Editing Stages: Arrow keys highlight stages, Enter opens the stage for editing, Tab navigates fields, and Enter saves. The + sign on connectors adds new stages or activities.
    • Editing Activities: Navigate to activities within stages using arrow keys and Tab, Enter to edit, with similar form navigation and saving controls. The + sign allows adding activities, parallel paths, or decisions.
    • Adding Elements: While editing, select the + sign on connectors to add new stages, activities, parallel paths, or decisions.
    • Stage and Activity Navigation: Arrow keys move between stages and activities; Enter drills down into stages or activities for editing, and Escape exits to higher levels.

    Practical Benefits

    By mastering these keyboard commands, ServiceNow customers can streamline playbook management in diagram view, making it faster and more accessible. This is particularly useful for users who prefer keyboard navigation or require assistive technologies, ensuring efficient editing and configuration of playbook workflows without using a mouse.

    Use keyboard commands to navigate and configure playbooks in diagram view.

    Example playbook to help demonstrate how to use keyboard navigation.

    Open a playbook in diagram view and use your keyboard to edit different components of the playbook. As a general guideline, use the arrow keys to navigate between the elements on the canvas; for example, between the start node, the connector, and the stages. Use the Enter key to edit the highlighted element or to perform the selected action. Pressing the Escape key takes you out of the selected node.
    Table 1. Keyboard commands for playbook diagram
    Task or action Keyboard commands
    Create a trigger
    1. Press Tab until Triggers (Option to open Triggers.) is highlighted and then press Enter.
    2. Press Tab to highlight Add trigger.
    3. Press the arrow keys to select the trigger type and press Enter.
    4. Press Tab to navigate between the fields on the form.
    5. Press Spacebar to select or clear a check box.
    6. Save the trigger.
    Edit a trigger
    1. Press Tab until Triggers (Option to open Triggers.) is highlighted and then press Enter.
    2. Press Tab until the trigger is selected and then press Enter.
    3. Press Tab to highlight the field that you want to update.
    4. Press Spacebar to select or clear a check box.
    5. Save the trigger.
    Edit a stage
    1. Press the arrow keys to highlight the stage and then press Enter.
    2. To edit the stage details:
      1. Press Enter.
      2. Press Tab to navigate between the fields and Enter to save the changes.
    3. Select the + sign in the connector heads and press Enter to add a new stage or a new activity.
    Edit an activity
    1. Press the arrow keys to highlight the stage where you want to edit the activity and then press Enter.
    2. Press tab until the activity is highlighted and then press Enter.

      Use arrow keys to navigate between activities.

    3. To edit the activity details:
      1. Press Enter.
      2. Use the arrow keys to navigate between the tabs on the form.
      3. Press Tab to navigate between the fields on the form.
    4. Select the + sign in the connector heads and press Enter to add a new activity.
    Add an activity or a stage When you're editing a stage, select the + sign on the connector to add a new stage.

    When you’re editing an activity, select the + sign on the connector to add a new activity, parallel path, or a decision.
    Navigate between stages and activities
    • Use the arrow keys to navigate between stages.
    • Press Enter to navigate inside a stage.
    • Use the arrow keys to navigate between the activities in the stage and press Enter to edit an activity.
    • Press Esc to navigate out of the stage.