Payload Builder step

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Payload Builder Step

    The Payload Builder step facilitates action designers in creating dynamic name-value pairs in JSON and XML payloads. It is available as a Workflow Studio action step for users with theactiondesignerrole, allowing the creation of custom actions with multiple steps. Note that for JSON, this step has been deprecated and is replaced by the JSON Builder step.

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    Key Features

    • Name Value Pairs: Users can add and manage name-value pairs, where the name serves as a key in JSON and an element in XML.
    • Omit if Empty: Option to exclude name-value pairs if their values are empty or null, accessible through advanced options.
    • Output Format: Choose between JSON or XML as the format for the payload.
    • Namespace: Apply XML namespaces to elements when the output format is set to XML.
    • Include Outer Structure: Option to include a top-level container for the output, varying by format (curly braces for JSON and specified XML elements for XML).
    • Send Empty Structure: Include structural text in the payload when empty, producing valid JSON or XML structures.
    • Parent Node: Define the XML element for name-value pairs, defaulting to xml when applicable.
    • Preview: View a read-only version of the generated payload.
    • Action Error Evaluation: Configure options for error handling when the step fails, allowing for continued execution or error evaluation.

    Key Outcomes

    By utilizing the Payload Builder step, ServiceNow customers can efficiently construct dynamic payloads tailored to their workflow needs, ensuring accurate data transmission in either JSON or XML formats. This functionality is crucial for integrating various systems and automating processes, enhancing overall operational efficiency.

    Enable action designers to easily create name-value pairs in JSON and XML payloads using dynamic data.

    Roles and availability

    Available as an Workflow Studio action step. Users with the action_designer role can create a custom action with one or more action steps.
    Note:
    For JSON, this step is deprecated and replaced by the JSON Builder step.

    Fields

    Fields Description
    Name Value Pairs

    The name-value pairs to include in the payload. Click the plus icon to add name-value pairs. Drag data pills into either field to produce dynamic payloads.

    The Name becomes a key in JSON and an element in XML. For example, suppose you create this name-value pair.
    • Name: short_description
    • Value: [action]->[short_description]
    When the system formats the name-value pair as JSON:
    "short_description": "[action]->[short_description]"

    When the system formats the name-value pair as XML:

    <short_description>[action]->[short_description]</short_description>
    Omit if empty The option to exclude a name-value pair if the value is empty or null.
    Note:
    This field is only visible after clicking the down arrow to display advanced options.
    Output Format The payload file format.
    • JSON: Select to format the payload as a JSON document.
    • XML: Select to format the payload as an XML document.
    Namespace The XML namespace to apply to each element. For example, when the namespace is set to incident:
    <incident:short_description>[action]->[short_description]</incident:short_description>
    Note:
    This field is only visible when the Output Format is set to XML.
    Include Outer Structure

    The option to include or exclude a top level container appropriate to the output format. When the Output Format is JSON, curly braces contain the name-value pairs. When the Output Format is XML, a specified XML element contains the name-value pairs.

    For example, when the system formats the name-value pair as JSON:

    {
  "short_description": "[action]->[short_description]"
}

    When the system formats the name-value pair as XML:

    <xml>
  <short_description>[action]->[short_description]</short_description>
</xml>
    Send Empty Structure

    The option to send valid JSON or XML structures when the payload is empty. Enable this option to include JSON or XML structural text in the payload.

    For example, when the system formats an empty structure as JSON:
    {}

    When the system formats an empty structure as XML:

    <xml></xml>

    Disable this option to produce an empty payload.

    Empty payloads can occur when you select the Omit if empty option for every name-value pair, and all name-value pairs in the payload produce empty values.
    Parent Node The name of the XML element that contains the name-value pairs. The default parent node element is xml.
    Note:
    This field is only visible when the Output Format is set to XML and the option to Include Outer Structure is enabled.
    Preview The read-only payload the step produces.

    Action error evaluation

    If this step fails
    Data type: Choice

    Option to continue running the next step or go to error evaluation. To use the step status code or message for a custom action error condition, see Action error evaluation.