Configure custom skills and rules

Create and manage custom skills and rules, or instructions to control how Build Agent behaves during a session. Rules are preloaded into every session automatically. Skills are available on demand when you or the agent invokes them by name.

Before you begin

You must be on Australia Patch 5 or later to work with custom skills and rules.

Role required: admin

About this task

Both skills and rules are stored as records in the Build Agent Instruction table. Each record has a type that determines how Build Agent loads the instruction during a session.

• Use skills to provide task-specific guidance that Build Agent can use when needed. For example, internal guidelines for creating a specific type of record or handling a particular workflow pattern.
• Use rules to enforce consistent behavior every time the agent runs. For example, naming conventions, required fields, or organizational standards.

Each skill or rule instruction has an Applies To setting that controls which Build Agent sessions can use it. The coverage levels from broadest to narrowest are as follows:

Instance

Applies to all Build Agent sessions on the instance. Instance-level instructions take the highest precedence.

Application

Applies only when Build Agent is working within a record's application scope. Use application-level instructions to provide guidance specific to one scoped application.

User

Applies only to sessions for the user who created the instruction. User-level instructions are stored separately from instance and application instructions.

Note:

Check your entitlements to determine whether you have access to custom skills and rules in Build Agent.

Procedure

1. Navigate to All > App Development > ServiceNow Studio or All > App Development > ServiceNow IDE.
2. Select the Settings icon in the Build Agent chat panel.

   Figure 1. Build Agent panel with Settings icon

   

3. Select the tab for the type of instruction you're creating.
   • Select the Skills tab to create a custom skill.
   • Select the Rules tab to create a custom rule.
4. On the form, fill in the fields.

   Table 1. Build Agent create skill or rule fields

   Field	Description
   Name	Name of the instruction. Maximum 100 characters.
   Type	Defines the type of instruction. Select Skill for on-demand guidance Select Rule to apply the instruction automatically to every session
   Applies To	Controls which Build Agent sessions use the instruction. Select Instance to apply to all sessions on the instance Select Application to apply only when the session is in the record's application scope Select Me to apply the instruction only to you
   Active	Availability of the instruction for use. Selected by default.
   Description	Description of what the skill or rule does. Maximum 1,000 characters.
   Instructions for Build Agent	Instruction text that Build Agent follows. Plain text only, maximum 65,000 characters. Writing instructions in clear, structured prose helps Build Agent interpret the guidance accurately.

   Some example instructions are:

   • Rules:
     • reuse_before_create

       Check for existing artifacts before generating new ones. Before creating a table, field, business rule, script include, flow, or UI action, search the instance for something that already covers the requirement. Prefer extending an approved existing artifact over creating a near-duplicate. If a close match exists, tell me about it and wait before proceeding.

     • naming_convention

       Use our application prefix. All tables and fields you create use our approved prefix followed by the application short name. Match existing naming in the app you're working in rather than introducing a new pattern.

   • Skill:

     security_review

     Audit the app for access control and risky patterns. Review the current application and report on tables with missing or overly broad ACLs, client scripts using GlideRecord, scripts running with elevated privileges they don't need, and roles granted more broadly than the workflow requires. For each finding, give the artifact name, the risk in one sentence, and the change you recommend. don't make changes. Report only.

   Figure 2. Create instruction

   

5. Select Save.
   The new skill or rule appears in the settings panel list. The panel updates automatically to reflect the change.
6. Optional: Edit an existing instruction by selecting its Open rule record icon.
   Make changes to the instruction, then select Save.

   Figure 3. Edit instruction

   

7. Optional: Enable or disable an instruction by selecting its toggle.

   Figure 4. Toggle an instruction on or off

   

What to do next

Active rules get dynamically loaded per turn in a Build Agent session, so they're available immediately. Active skills are available immediately on demand during a session.