Table properties in Table Builder

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Table Properties in Table Builder

    Table Builder enables you to modify various properties of tables and their columns in ServiceNow, allowing for customized data management and organization. This functionality is crucial for tailoring your data structures to meet specific business needs.

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    Key Features

    • Table Column Properties:
      • Column Label: A unique identifier for each column.
      • Column Name: The corresponding database name for the column.
      • Type: Specifies the data type (e.g., String, Choice) and allows further customization like character limits or predefined choices.
      • Reference: Links to another table if the column type is Reference.
      • Max Length: Limits the number of characters that can be entered in the field.
      • Default Value: Automatically populated value for new records.
      • Display: Sets a column as the display value for the table, allowing for clearer identification of records.
    • Table Properties:
      • Change Table Label: Update the label in the General Information tab.
      • Make Table Extensible: Enable this option in the General Information tab under Advanced settings.
      • Add Record Numbers: Activate and define record number settings in the Advanced section of the General Information tab.
      • Accessible From: Specify access levels in the Access tab.
      • Application Access Controls: Set permissions for Read, Create, Update, and Delete in the Access tab.

    Key Outcomes

    By utilizing Table Builder, you can efficiently customize your tables and columns according to your organization's requirements, improving data integrity and accessibility. This customization enhances user experience and ensures that data is structured in a way that aligns with business processes.

    Various table and table column properties can be modified by using Table Builder.

    Table column properties

    The following table shows descriptions of the properties that you can modify for the columns in a data table.

    Table 1. Table column properties
    Field Description
    Column label Unique label for the column.
    Column name Database name for the column.
    Type

    Type of information that the column contains. For example, to contain plain text in the column, select String.

    Depending on the type that you select, fill in the additional fields to further define the table column. For example, if you select String, define the character limit of the string input. Or, if you select Choice, define the choices that users can choose from.

    See Field types.
    Reference Table that is associated with the column. This field applies only if the column type is Reference.
    Max length Maximum number of characters that users can enter in the field.
    Default value Value that populates the field automatically after a new record is created.
    Display

    Option to set the column as the display value for the table. A reference field shows the display value of the table to which it is referring. For example, the Opened by column of the task table refers to the user table. Because the display value of the user table is the user name, the Opened by field shows something like Beth Anglin or Joe Employee. When you select a display value, choose the table column that would act as an appropriate title for individual records.

    Only one column can act as the display value for a table.

    Table properties

    The following table shows the descriptions of the properties that you can modify for a selected data table.

    Table 2. Table properties
    Option Procedure
    Change the table label In the General information tab, update the Table label field.
    Make the table extensible
    1. In the General information tab, select Advanced.
    2. Select the Make extensible check box.
    Add record numbers
    1. In the General information tab, select Advanced.
    2. Select the Add record number check box.
    3. Define the record numbers by updating the Prefix, Starting number, and Number of digits fields.
    Accessible from
    1. Open the Access tab.
    2. In the Accessible From field, select All Application Scopes or This Application Scope Only.
    Application access controls
    1. Open the Access tab.
    2. In the Application Access Controls field, select Read, Create, Update, and/or Delete selection boxes to specify the desired level of access for the table.