---
sourceDocument: Australia Public Sector
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/government-industry

 Release :

    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia Public Sector

ft:clusterId :

    - gvin

bundleId :

    - gvin

workflow :

    - Customer and Industry


---

# Using the activity stream

# Using the activity stream in Service Request Administration {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Australia  
Updated March 12, 2026  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read
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## Summary of Using the activity stream in Service Request Administration

The activity stream in Service Request Administration within the Public Sector Workspace provides a centralized communication and tracking tool for service request records.
Accessible via the contextual side panel after creating a service request, it facilitates collaboration by allowing agents to communicate with constituents and make internal notes about the work performed on a record.
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## Key Features

* **Activity Stream Access:** Open the activity stream by selecting its icon in the contextual side panel to view updates related to the current playbook activity.
* **Viewing Posts:** Agents can scroll through posts related to cases or tasks and switch between these views easily to track relevant information.
* **Adding Work Notes and Comments:** Agents can add internal work notes (private to agents) or external comments (visible to both agents and requesters) via the Compose section, enhancing transparency and record accuracy.
* **Filtering and Searching Posts:** The activity stream supports filtering by post type (e.g., work notes, attachments), specific field changes, and flagged posts marked as important. Multiple filters can be combined, and a search function is available to quickly locate posts.
* **Sorting Posts:** Posts can be sorted chronologically, either newest to oldest or vice versa, to streamline information review.
* **Expanding and Collapsing Posts:** Agents can expand all posts for detailed views or collapse them to the previous state, improving readability and navigation.

## Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

By using the activity stream, ServiceNow customers can enhance communication efficiency between agents and constituents, maintain thorough and organized records of service requests, and quickly access critical updates and historical context. The filtering and sorting capabilities allow agents to focus on relevant information, improving response times and service quality.  
You can access the activity stream in the contextual side panel in Public Sector Workspace after you create a service request record. The activity stream enables you to communicate with constituents and make internal notes about the work that is done on a record, making it easier
to relay and track the information.

## Using the activity stream {#psds-playbook-using-activity-stream__section_rcf_yr5_vvb}

You can use an activity stream to communicate with constituents and track the information on a record. The activity stream updates when the current activity in the playbook is updated.

You can access the activity stream by selecting the activity stream icon (![Activity stream icon.]()) in the contextual side panel.

## Agent tasks in the activity stream {#psds-playbook-using-activity-stream__section_x2k_nn3_rvb}

The following table lists the tasks that you can do in the activity stream.  
{#psds-playbook-using-activity-stream__table_bm1_p3k_2qb__entry__2}

| Task | Description |
|-|-|
| View posts for the case or case task | Current activity in the playbook work area that determines the information that is displayed in the activity stream. Scroll through the posts in the Activity section to view the case or task information. Select Case or Task at the top of the activity stream to switch views. |
| Add work notes or comments | In the Compose section: 1. Select the Work notes or Comments activity. 2. Add the information to the text field. 3. Select Post Work Notes or Post Comments. {#psds-playbook-using-activity-stream__ol_y55_y3k_2qb}The post is added to the Activity section. Internal work notes are private and are only visible to other agents. External comments are visible to agents and requesters. |
| Filter or search posts | Select the filter icon () at the top of the Activity section to display the filter selections: * Post types: Select the types of posts to view, such as the work notes or attachments. * Field changes: Select the fields that you want to view the posts for in only those fields. * Flagged: Enable this button to view the posts that have been flagged as important. * Filter sets: Select two or more filters in this list. {#psds-playbook-using-activity-stream__ul_zyz_4kk_2qb} Select the search icon () to search all activity posts. |
| Sort posts | Select the sort icon (![Sort icon.]()) to sort the posts by the newest to the oldest or the oldest to the newest posts. |
| Expand and collapse posts | Select the more options icon (![More options icon.]()) to expand and collapse posts: * Expand all posts: Expands the posts to view additional details. * Collapse all posts: Returns the posts to their previous state. {#psds-playbook-using-activity-stream__ul_wyr_gpk_2qb} |
[Table 1. Agent tasks]

{#psds-playbook-using-activity-stream__table_bm1_p3k_2qb}