Restricting record access

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Restricting record access

    This content explains how to restrict user access to records in ServiceNow using query business rules that run before database queries. It highlights a common use case where users can only see records they are authorized for, such as incident records limited to those with the itil role or where the user is the caller or opened by. It also contrasts this approach with Access Control Lists (ACLs) as an alternative for record restriction.

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    Key Features

    • Query Business Rule for Record Restriction: A business rule example restricts incident records so that only users with the itil role or those listed in the Caller, Opened by, or Watch list fields can access them.
    • Warning on Support and Testing: This customization is unsupported by Now Support and should be thoroughly tested before deployment. Community forums are recommended for discussions.
    • Scheduling Scripts on Weekdays: A script template is provided to execute logic only on weekdays, useful for scheduling automated tasks.
    • Date Field Setting Based on Day of Week: A script example shows how to set a date field to the upcoming Monday or the next Monday depending on the current day, demonstrating practical date manipulation.
    • Date/Time Field Validation: Instructions for creating a validation script to ensure user input matches the instance’s date/time format. The script returns an error for invalid formats and requires maintenance if the instance date/time format changes.

    Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers

    By implementing query business rules as shown, customers can enforce fine-grained record access restrictions beyond standard ACLs, improving data security and ensuring users see only relevant records. The scheduling and date-setting scripts provide templates for automating date-sensitive logic, enhancing workflow automation. The date/time validation script helps maintain data integrity by preventing incorrectly formatted user inputs.

    Customers should thoroughly test these scripts in their environments due to their unsupported status and potential impact on performance and user experience. Leveraging community forums for support and updates is recommended.

    You can use a query business rule that executes before the database query to prevent users from accessing certain records.

    Warning:
    The customization described here was developed for use in specific instances, and is not supported by Now Support. This method is provided as-is and should be tested thoroughly before implementation. Post all questions and comments regarding this customization to our community forum.

    Consider the following example from a default business rule that limits access to incident records.

    Table 1. Default business rule limits access to incident records
    Name Table When
    incident query Incident before, query

    Restricting record access

    In the following example, users are restricted from accessing incident records unless they have the itil role and are listed in the Caller or Opened by field. When self-service users open a list of incidents, they can only see the incidents they submitted.
    if (!gs.hasRole("itil")&& gs.isInteractive()) {
      var u = gs.getUserID();
      var qc = current.addQuery("caller_id", u).addOrCondition("opened_by", u).addOrCondition("watch_list","CONTAINS", u);
      gs.print("query restricted to user: " + u);}
    Note:
    You can also use access controls to restrict the records that users can see. For information, see Access Control Lists.

    Schedule script for weekdays

    Type: Business Rules/Client Scripts.

    This script schedules the script for weekdays. Insert any script where it says "Your Script Here."
    var go ='false';
    var now =new Date(); 
     
    // Correct time zone, which is by default GMT -7 
    now.setHours(now.getHours()+8);
    var day = now.getDay(); 
     
    // No go on Saturday or Sunday 
    if(day !=0&& day !=6){
     
    // (your script here)
     
    }

    Set date field according to current date

    This script sets a date field depending on the current day of the week. In this example, if the day is Monday through Wednesday, it sets the date to this coming Monday; otherwise it sets the date field to next Monday.
    function setCabDate(){
    var today = new Date();
    var thisDay = today.getDay();
    
    //returns 0 for Sunday, 1 for Monday, through 6 for Saturday.
    var thisMon = new GlideDateTime();
    thisMon.setDisplayValue(gs.beginningOfThisWeek());
    var nextMon = thisMon.getNumericValue();
    nextMon +=(1000*60*60*24*7);
     
    if((thisDay <4)&&(thisDay >0))
      //if today is Mon thru Wed (thisDay = 1, 2, or 3), set cab to this coming Monday.
      current.u_req_cab_rev_date.setDateNumericValue(thisMon.getNumericValue());
    else if((thisDay >=4)||(thisDay ==0))
      //if today is Thurs thru Sun (thisDay = 4, 5, 6, or 0), set cab to next Monday.
      current.u_req_cab_rev_date.setDateNumericValue(nextMon);
    }

    To validate the input of all date/time fields, you can use the following in a validation script (System Definition > Validation Scripts). Because the date/time format is hard coded in this script, it must match your instance's date/time format. If your instance's date/time format changes, you must update your validation script.

    Set the validation script's type to Date/Time. Then, with this validation script, if a user enters an incorrect format in a date/time field, they receive an error message.
    function validate(value){
    // empty fields are still valid dates 
    if(!value) 
        return true; 
     
    // We "should" have the global date format defined always defined. But there's always that edge case. 
    if(typeof g_user_date_time_format !=='undefined')
        return isDate(value, g_user_date_time_format); 
     
    // if we don't have that defined, we can always try guessing 
    return parseDate(value)!==null;}
    For more information, see Validation script use case - Date and time.