Decision Tables
Summarize
Summary of Decision Tables
Decision tables enable you to separate decision logic from code by establishing and managing decision rules. They are particularly useful for outcomes dependent on multiple factors, providing a more organized and readable format than scripting. For an enhanced experience, consider using Workflow Studio for decision table creation.
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Key Features
- Decision Table Records: Represent individual decisions, allowing you to define the table for your answers and manage related lists for decision inputs and decisions.
- Decision Input Records: Capture various input types (e.g., strings, true/false) necessary for decision-making, each with a specified type and optional default value.
- Decision Records: Define conditions based on decision inputs, allowing selection of an answer record from the associated table.
- Answer Records: Represent outcomes derived from different input values, which can reference any defined table, enhancing flexibility in decision-making.
- Classic Environment Support: Allows development of decision answer records and their association with decisions in a traditional interface.
Key Outcomes
By utilizing decision tables, ServiceNow customers can streamline decision-making processes, improving efficiency and clarity. These tables offer a centralized location to create, view, and modify decisions, ultimately enhancing the organization and readability of decision logic within their applications.
Use decision tables to decouple decision logic from your code by creating and maintaining decision rules.
Use decisions tables to help you reach outcomes that depend on multiple factors. In these tables, each factor is a decision input. For example, if you are trying to make a decision about car insurance coverage, your inputs might include the location where the insured person lives, the age and accident history of the insured person, the car make, the car model, and the car year. This logic can save time and present a more organized, readable format than using a script. Decision tables provide a single point where you can create, view, and modify decisions.
To interact with Decision Tables in script, use the DecisionTableAPI - Scoped, Global.
Components of a decision
- Decision Table [sys_decision] records
- Decision table records represent a single decision. In this record, you specify which table you want to use for your answers. This record also contains related lists where you can create your decision inputs and decisions.
- Decision inputs [sys_decision_input] records
- Decision input records represent your inputs that are used to obtain answers in a decision. These inputs can include a variety of types, including strings, references, true/false inputs, and dates. Each decision input has a specified input type and can be assigned a default value.
- Decision [sys_decision_question] records
- Each decision record represents a decision that is based on your inputs. Use the condition builder on the decision record form to create a condition that is based on the inputs for this decision. Then, you can select an answer record for this decision. The answer record can be any record from the table that you have defined in the Decision Table record. You can select the same answer record for more than one decision.
- Answer [sys_decision_multi_result_element] records
- Answer records represent answers that are reached using different decision input values. Answers records can be records on any table, but you need to choose the table when creating your Decision Table record. You could, for example, use the sys_choice table to use existing choice records. From the example about insurance coverage, you could create a table where each record contains details about the levels of insurance coverage.