Check box

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated January 20, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Check box Variable

    The check box variable in ServiceNow allows you to enable or disable options by selecting or clearing the box. It is commonly used to capture user consent or agreement, such as requiring users to select an "I agree" check box on forms.

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    Key Features

    • Mandatory Selection: You can make a check box mandatory by selecting the Selection Required option. If users try to submit a form without selecting it, an alert prompts them to make a selection.
    • Group of Check Boxes: Consecutive check box variables form a group sorted by order. To assign a custom label to the group, add a label variable at the start, which acts as the group label. Without it, the group defaults to an "Options" label.
    • Group Mandatory Behavior: If any check box in the group is mandatory, the entire group becomes mandatory, indicated by an asterisk () next to the group label. At least one box in the group must be selected.
    • Visibility Rules: Hiding the group label hides the entire group. The group remains mandatory if at least one check box is visible and unselected. The last unselected check box in a mandatory group cannot be hidden.
    • Service Portal Specifics: To enforce mandatory selection for a group, at least one check box variable must be marked mandatory. Setting the label as mandatory does not affect the group’s mandatory status.
    • Catalog Builder Behavior: Two or more consecutive check boxes create a virtual container grouping them. Only check box variables can be included in the group, and new check box variables added immediately after the group join it automatically.
    • Pricing Configuration: Under Type Specifications, you can set prices for check box variables in different currencies and pricing models including Calculated, Fixed, and Multiple.

    Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers

    Use check box variables to efficiently collect user acknowledgments or preferences. Grouping check boxes helps organize related options and enforce selection rules across the group. Properly configuring mandatory settings ensures compliance with form requirements and improves user experience by displaying clear validation messages.

    In Service Portal and Catalog Builder, understanding how check boxes group and behave helps you design intuitive forms that align with business rules. Pricing configurations allow you to associate costs with options users select, supporting catalog item management.

    The check box variable lets you enable and disable options by selecting and clearing it.

    To make a check box mandatory, select the Selection Required option when you create the variable. For example, use this option to require users to select the I agree check box for an agreement form. If users try to submit the agreement form without selecting the check box, an alert message is displayed to tell users that they must select the check box.

    A group of check box variables is created when you create consecutive check box variables. These check box variables are sorted by their order within the group. If you want to define a custom label for the group of check boxes, create a label variable at the start of the consecutive check box variables. The label is then considered a part of this group and acts a label of the group. If there is no custom label, check boxes are grouped under an Options label by the application.

    In a group of check box variables:
    • If any check box variable in the group is mandatory, the entire group becomes mandatory irrespective of the visibility of the mandatory check box variable. An asterisk (*) is then displayed next to the group label and you must select at least one of these check boxes.
    • Hiding the label hides the entire group.
    • If all other check box variables of a mandatory check box group are hidden and not selected, the following scenarios are applicable:
      • The group remains mandatory as long as there is one check box in the group that is visible and not selected.
      • The last check box of this group cannot be hidden if it is not selected.

    In Service Portal, to make a group of check box variables mandatory, set at least one of the check box variables as mandatory. While defining the label for a group of check boxes, setting a label mandatory does not make the group of check box variables mandatory.

    In catalog builder, the following scenarios are applicable:
    • If there are two consecutive check boxes, then a virtual container is created for a group of check boxes. Only check box variable types can be added inside the group
    • Even if a check box variable is added immediately after a group of check boxes, it is automatically added to the group.
    Under the Type Specifications tab, you can specify the price in different currency types. Also, you can configure the price in the following pricing models:
    • Calculated
    • Fixed
    • Multiple
    For information on the pricing models, see Price fields .
    Figure 1. Example: check box variable
    A check box variable