Multi-tier structure (nested tiers)
Summarize
Summary of Multi-tier structure (nested tiers)
ServiceNow CPQ enables you to create complex, multi-tier configuration interfaces by nesting tiers within other tiers using a layout CSV file. This capability allows you to organize fields into structured, visually clear layouts using different tier display types such as tabs, expandable sections, and basic containers. While the Layout Wizard and layout editor do not currently support nesting tiers directly, you can modify the display type of existing tiers, including nested ones, through CSV configuration.
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Key Features
- Tier Types: The system supports two main container types—tiers and column sets—with tiers being the top-level containers.
- Tier Display Types: You can define tiers as Tabs, Expandable Sections, or Basic Containers to control how configuration fields are grouped and displayed.
- Nesting Tiers: Nest tiers within other tiers to create multi-level layouts. For example, tabs can contain expandable sections nested inside them.
- CSV Configuration: The layout CSV file defines the tier structure and display types. Nested tiers are specified using path notation (e.g., “layout/tiers/tiers”) to indicate hierarchy.
- Constraints: At any given nesting level, you cannot mix different display types. For instance, you cannot have Expandable Sections and Vertical Tabs together at the same tier level.
- Fields Outside Bottom Tiers: To display fields outside the innermost nested tier, use an intermediary BasicContainer tier. This allows a flexible layout where some fields are grouped inside nested tiers, and others remain outside but within the parent tier.
Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers
By leveraging nested tiers in CPQ layouts, you can build advanced, organized configuration interfaces that improve clarity and user experience for configuring complex products. Use the CSV layout file to precisely define multi-level tier structures adapted to your business needs. Be mindful of the restriction against mixing display types at the same tier level to ensure your configuration files are valid and render correctly.
This approach is particularly useful when you want to group related configuration fields under tabs or expandable sections and still present some general fields outside these nested groups. Although you cannot currently nest tiers via the Layout Wizard or editor, modifying the display types through CSV files remains a powerful method for creating customized, multi-tiered CPQ layouts.
Create complex, multi-tier layouts in CPQ by nesting tiers in other tiers using a layout CSV file. Define tier display types—such as tabs, expandable sections, and basic containers—to organize fields and achieve flexible, structured, and visually clear configuration interfaces.
In CPQ, there are two basic container types: tiers and column sets. This article focuses on the top-level container (tiers) and how to achieve more complex layouts by nesting different types of tiers.
The basic CSV format for a single-tier structure looks like this:
The tier definition defines the visual display of a level of tier, not just one particular tier. So in this case, all three tiers (tab1, tab2, and tab3) are defined as the Tab display type. This creates a simple structure where each tier in the CSV file appears as a tab.
However, different types of tier display types may sometimes be nested in another tier. The simplest example is a two-tier structure. Letʼs build off of our first example and nest some expandable sections in one of our tabs.
Notice how the nested tier is defined. The tier definition row path is “layout/tiers/tiers”, indicating that a tier that is below another tier in the path should be defined as an expandable section. You can then see that on rows 3 and 4, the tier “exsect1” is placed below the tier “tab1” in the path. This displays for the end-user like so:
You can extrapolate this pattern to create deeper tier structures, declaring more and more nested definitions. However, note that you cannot have multiple tier definitions at the same level. For example, the tiers in the first image shown below are valid, but the tiers in the second image are not valid, because the component display type for /layout/tiers/tiers is both ExpandableSection and VerticalTab.
Valid tiers:
Invalid tiers:
Displaying fields outside the bottom tier
A common use case of nested tiers may be to have a bottom layer nested inside a top layer tier, with some general fields displayed outside the bottom tier. This can be achieved by using an intermediary tier of the BasicContainer display type. This structure might look like this for the end user:
The layout CSV file is structured like so: