Configuring decision trees in Decision Tree Builder

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Configuring decision trees in Decision Tree Builder

    The Decision Tree Builder in ServiceNow’s Zurich release enables process owners and business analysts to create and manage decision trees visually without coding. It provides a canvas where you can diagrammatically map nodes and paths to represent troubleshooting processes, making it easier to guide agents through issue resolution.

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    Key Features

    • Access and Interface: Access the Decision Tree Builder via the "Open in Builder" button on decision tree records, offering a user-friendly drag-and-drop environment for configuration.
    • Node Types: Configure nodes as question nodes, guidance nodes, or linking nodes:
      • Question nodes allow multiple questions, with options to reorder or delete them.
      • Guidance nodes provide actionable steps for agents, either selected from existing guidances or created in Core UI, with configurable inputs using static or reused data.
      • Linking nodes connect child decision trees to the current one, enabling conditional branching across multiple decision trees.
    • Path Configuration: Define paths between nodes with conditions based on answers or other criteria. Path priority determines which path takes precedence when multiple conditions apply.
    • Input Linking: Inputs can be linked across nodes to reuse answers for conditions or guidance inputs, improving efficiency and consistency.
    • Editing and Deletion: Nodes and paths can be edited with attention to dependencies; leaf nodes can be deleted if they are not connected, while intermediate nodes cannot be deleted. Deleting question nodes after guidance nodes removes both the node and associated path.
    • Validation and Activation: Decision trees can be validated and activated with a single action to ensure correctness before deployment.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Enables no-code, visual configuration of complex troubleshooting workflows, reducing development effort and speeding up deployment.
    • Improves agent efficiency by providing clear, actionable guidance and decision pathways tailored to customer issues.
    • Supports modular design through linking nodes, allowing reuse and scalability of decision trees across processes.
    • Ensures decision tree integrity with validation and controlled editing/deletion rules, minimizing errors during configuration.

    Configure decision trees using the no-code visual Decision Tree Builder, which provides a canvas for a diagrammatic representation of nodes and their paths in a troubleshooting process.

    As a process owner or business analyst, you can configure decision tree by adding nodes, defining paths, and attaching guidances through Decision Tree Builder. For more information, see Decision tree nodes.

    You can validate and activate a decision tree with a single action. For more information, see Activate a decision tree.

    Decision Tree Builder canvas

    Decision Tree Builder with a flow chart and a side panel that has node configuration properties.

    Accessing Decision Tree Builder

    You can access the Decision Tree Builder by selecting the Open in Builder button on the decision tree record.

    Configuring question and guidance nodes

    You can configure a new node as a question node or a guidance node. When there are multiple questions in a start node or a question node, you can delete a question or change the order of the questions. For more information, see Add questions or instructions to a decision tree.

    Guidance nodes provide actions to agents to resolve or escalate a customer issue. You can either select a guidance from the list of available guidances or create a guidance in Core UI. You can then configure guidance inputs by entering static values or reuse inputs from prior nodes. For more information, see Provide actions to agents in a decision tree.

    Linking node

    You can configure a new node as a linking node to link a child decision tree to the current decision tree. This linking connects the execution of the primary decision tree to another decision tree when a specific condition is met. For more information, see Link an activated decision tree to this decision tree.

    Creating paths for the next nodes

    A path in a decision tree connects one node to another. You can configure a condition to define when the path must be taken. Selecting certain answers can be a condition for the path. The priority order for a path sets the precedence of one path over another.

    For more information, see Determine the next node displayed in a decision tree.

    Editing a node or a path

    When you edit the inputs of nodes and their paths, make sure to update the following nodes as well because they might be reusing data from these inputs.

    Deleting a node or a path

    Note the following information about deleting a node or path:
    • You can delete a leaf node if it isn’t connected to any path or a node.
    • Deleting a leaf node removes the node from the decision tree but the configuration of the path before the deleted node remains intact.
    • You can't delete an intermediate node or path.
    • When you delete the question node after a guidance node, both the question node and the path are deleted.

    Linking inputs

    You can link inputs from one node to another to reuse input values from prior nodes. You can use linked inputs to create path conditions. For more information about input mapping in the question node or guidance node, see Linking inputs in decision tree nodes.

    For more information, see Reuse answers at decision points.