Event handler generation

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated August 11, 2026
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Event handler generation

    Event handler generation in ServiceNow Otto simplifies configuring UI Builder event handlers by allowing you to use natural language descriptions instead of manually setting complex routing parameters and bindings. This feature interprets your plain language prompts, automatically identifies the correct destination pages or URLs, maps required parameters, and generates full event handler configurations for UI components.

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    This capability reduces the need for deep technical knowledge of routing structures and binding syntax, making event handler setup faster and less error-prone, especially for developers new to the platform.

    Key Features

    • Natural language input: Replace manual form-filling with plain language prompts to quickly generate event handlers.
    • Automatic parameter binding: ServiceNow Otto dynamically binds parameters from state or event payloads, enabling context-aware navigation without manual configuration.
    • Contextual sample prompts: The panel provides sample prompts tailored to your current experience’s pages and components to help you get started immediately.
    • Human review and editing: Generated configurations appear as read-only previews allowing you to review, accept, edit, or reject them before applying changes.
    • Supported event handler types:
      • Open page or URL — navigate to internal pages or external URLs, with options for parameter binding and opening in new tabs.
      • Open and close modal dialog — control modal dialogs based on natural language instructions.
      • Viewport load requested — trigger loading of specific viewports via described events.

    Practical Application for ServiceNow Customers

    When adding an event handler in UI Builder, you can describe the desired behavior in the ServiceNow Otto panel’s text field or choose a sample prompt. Otto then generates a configuration considering your current experience’s pages, parameters, and event payloads, presenting this as a preview. You can verify and modify the destination, parameter bindings, and triggers before saving.

    Dynamic binding of event payload data fields to page parameters enables navigation that adapts to the context, such as opening specific records from list components without manual setup.

    This feature streamlines event handler creation, reduces errors, and accelerates the development of interactive UI experiences.

    ServiceNow Otto event handler generation enables you to configure event handlers for UI components using natural language, eliminating the need for manual configuration of complex routing parameters and binding expressions.

    In UI Builder, event handlers define how a component responds to user interactions, such as a button select or a reference link selection. Configuring these handlers manually requires knowledge of specific parameters, page routing structures, and binding syntax — all of which can be time-consuming and error-prone, particularly for developers who are new to the platform.

    With the event handler generation, you describe the desired behavior in plain language. ServiceNow Otto interprets the prompt, identifies the correct destination page or URL, maps any required parameters, and generates a complete configuration. You review the result before applying it, and you can edit any field using the standard form controls before saving.

    Benefits

    The event handler generation provides the following benefits:

    Faster configuration
    Natural language input replaces manual form-filling, significantly reducing the time needed to set up event handlers.
    Reduced complexity
    ServiceNow Otto interprets intent and populates routing parameters, destination pages, and bindings automatically.
    Intelligent parameter binding
    ServiceNow Otto can bind page parameters dynamically from state parameters or event payloads, enabling context-aware navigation without manual binding expressions.
    Contextual sample prompts
    The ServiceNow Otto panel displays relevant sample prompts based on the pages and components available in the current experience, so you can start quickly without composing a prompt from scratch.
    Human review before applying
    Generated configurations are presented as a read-only preview before being committed. Developers can accept and edit, or reject and re-prompt, ensuring accuracy at every step.

    How ServiceNow Otto generates event handler configurations

    When you add an event handler to a component in UI Builder and open the ServiceNow Otto configuration panel, the system presents a text field where you describe the behavior you want. You can enter your own prompt or select from the sample prompts displayed.

    ServiceNow Otto processes the prompt against the available pages, parameters, and event payloads in the current experience and generates a configuration. The result is displayed as a read-only preview. You review the destination, parameter bindings, and trigger settings, then choose to accept and edit, or reject the result.

    If you accept, the configuration is applied to the component. You can continue editing individual fields using the standard form controls before selecting Add to save the handler.

    Supported event handlers

    The event handler generation supports the three most commonly used event handlers in UI Builder:

    Open page or URL

    The Open page or URL event handler navigates the user to a page when a component event triggers. The destination can be a page within the current experience or an external URL.

    For pages in the current experience, you select the target page and provide any required parameters, such as a table name or sys_id. For external URLs, you enter the full URL. Both destination types support an Open in new tab option.

    Parameters can be bound statically or dynamically from state parameters or event payload fields. Advanced mode exposes additional binding fields for route, fields, and params.

    Open and close modal dialog

    The Open and close modal dialog event handler opens or closes a modal dialog in the current experience when a component event triggers. ServiceNow Otto can configure this handler based on a natural language description of which dialog to open or close and under what conditions.

    Viewport load requested

    The Viewport load requested event handler triggers the loading of a specific viewport within the experience when a specified event triggers. ServiceNow Otto can configure this handler based on a natural language description of the target viewport and the triggering event.

    Event payloads and parameter binding

    Some component events dispatch a payload — a set of data values emitted by the source component when the event triggers. When a payload is available, ServiceNow Otto can bind destination parameters directly to payload fields, enabling fully dynamic navigation without any static values.

    For example, the Reference link clicked event on a list component dispatches the following payload fields: listTable, nativeEvent, record_id, row, sys_id, and table. ServiceNow Otto can map these fields to the corresponding parameters of a record page destination automatically, so that selecting any reference link in the list opens the correct record.

    When an event has no payload — such as the Button clicked event — parameters must be bound from state parameters or entered as static values.