sn_atf — utility APIs

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated June 25, 2026
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    Summary of snatf — utility APIs

    Thesnatf APIoffers a set of utility methods designed for the Run UI Test Script step within ServiceNow Automated Test Framework (ATF). These utilities facilitate navigation, page evaluation, user impersonation, file uploads, and interactions with shadow DOM elements in the tested iframe context. This enables customers to create robust UI tests that interact with ServiceNow interfaces programmatically and efficiently.

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    Navigation

    • snatf.navigate(url): Navigate the iframe to a given relative or absolute URL and wait for full page load.
    • snatf.reload(): Reload the current page in the iframe.
    • snatf.goBack()/goForward(): Navigate backward or forward in the iframe’s history.
    • All navigation methods return promises that resolve after the page load event, with the screen object automatically retargeting to the new document body.
    • snatf.evaluate(fn, arg?): Run JavaScript functions inside the iframe context with optional arguments, supporting asynchronous results, similar to Playwright's page.evaluate().

    User Impersonation

    snatf.impersonate(userId) enables impersonating a user by their sysid or username for the duration of the test step. The iframe reloads automatically after impersonation, and the original session is restored after the step completes. This requires the ATF runner session to have the impersonator role. This feature allows tests to simulate different user roles securely and reliably.

    File Uploads

    • snatf.upload(source): Upload files or copy existing attachments to the current classic form. The source can be a sysattachment sysid or a File object.
    • Specialized upload methods support uploads within Workspace (uploadInWS), Service Portal (uploadInSP), and service catalog variables (uploadInSCVariable, uploadInSPVariable).
    • These methods can infer the target table and record from the current URL if not explicitly provided.
    • snatf.getAttachmentFile(sysId): Retrieves file bytes from a sysattachment record as a File object, facilitating reuse in uploads.
    • Only some upload methods return detailed file info (sysId, name, size); others return void promises.

    DOM Utilities

    • snatf.querySelector(root, selector) and querySelectorAll(root, selector) enable shadow-DOM-piercing element selection within the iframe, crossing shadow boundaries.
    • snatf.getActiveElement(root?) returns the currently focused element, including inside shadow roots and iframes.
    • snatf.waitForElementToBeRemoved(element, opts?) waits for a DOM element to be removed, resolving immediately if it’s already disconnected.
    • snatf.delay(ms) allows fixed pauses, though dynamic wait methods like waitFor or findBy are preferred.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    Using the snatf utility APIs, customers can script comprehensive UI tests that navigate ServiceNow pages, evaluate page content, impersonate users to test role-based functionality, and handle file uploads across various interfaces. The DOM utilities support reliable interaction with complex UI elements, including those within shadow DOMs. These capabilities improve test accuracy, maintenance, and automation efficiency within the ServiceNow testing ecosystem.

    The sn_atf API provides utility methods for a Run UI Test Script step: navigation, page evaluation, impersonation, file uploads, and shadow-DOM utilities.

    Navigation

    Table 1. Navigation methods
    Method Description
    sn_atf.navigate(url) Navigate the tested iframe to a URL, relative or absolute. Awaits full page load.
    sn_atf.reload() Reload the current page in the iframe.
    sn_atf.goBack() Go to the previous page in the navigation history managed by this step.
    sn_atf.goForward() Go to the next page in the navigation history.

    All navigation methods return Promises and resolve when the load event of the new page fires. The screen object automatically retargets to the new document body after navigation.

    await sn_atf.navigate('/now/nav/ui/classic/params/target/incident_list.do');
    const row = await screen.findByRole('row', { name: /INC0001234/ });
    await user.click(row);
    await screen.findByRole('heading', { name: /INC0001234/ });

    sn_atf.evaluate(fn, arg?)

    Runs fn inside the JavaScript realm of the tested iframe and returns a Promise with the result. This method mirrors the page.evaluate() contract in Playwright.

    // Read a value from the iframe's context
    const title = await sn_atf.evaluate(() => document.title);
    
    // Pass an argument into the iframe context
    const attr = await sn_atf.evaluate((sel) => document.querySelector(sel)?.dataset.state, '[data-testid="status"]');

    The function is serialized through .toString() and evaluated in the iframe, so it can't close over variables from the test script scope. Pass data through the arg parameter instead.

    fn can return a plain value or a Promise. When it returns a Promise, evaluate awaits it.

    sn_atf.impersonate(userId)

    Impersonates a user for the remainder of the step. Accepts a sys_id or user_name. The iframe reloads automatically after impersonation succeeds, and the original session is always restored when the step ends, whether the step passes, fails, or times out.

    await sn_atf.impersonate('fred.luddy');
    // Or by sys_id:
    await sn_atf.impersonate('6816f79cc0a8016401c5a33be04be441');
    
    // Now interact as that user
    const btn = await screen.findByRole('button', { name: 'Create Incident' });
    expect(btn).toBeEnabled();

    Impersonation requires the ATF runner session to have the impersonator role.

    File uploads

    Table 2. File upload methods
    Method Signature Description
    sn_atf.upload(source) upload(sysId | File) Upload to the current classic ServiceNow form. Pass a sys_attachment sys_id to copy server-side, with no bytes transferred, or pass a File object to upload through REST.
    sn_atf.uploadInWS(source, table?, sysId?) uploadInWS(sysId | File, tableName?, recordSysId?) Upload to a Workspace record. table and sysId are inferred from the current URL when omitted.
    sn_atf.uploadInSP(source, table?, sysId?) uploadInSP(sysId | File, tableName?, recordSysId?) Upload to a Service Portal form record. table and sysId are read from the URL query parameters when omitted.
    sn_atf.uploadInSCVariable(source, variableName) uploadInSCVariable(sysId | File, variableName) Upload to a service catalog attachment variable in the classic catalog. variableName is the column name, for example 'proof_of_id'.
    sn_atf.uploadInSPVariable(source, variableName, opts?) uploadInSPVariable(sysId | File, variableName, { timeout? }) Upload to a Service Portal catalog attachment variable. variableName is the column name without the sp_formfield_ prefix.

    sn_atf.upload() returns Promise<void>, not Promise<{ sysId, name, size }>. Only uploadInWS, uploadInSP, uploadInSCVariable, and uploadInSPVariable return { sysId, name, size }.

    // Copy an existing attachment to the current form (no bytes transferred)
    await sn_atf.upload('a1b2c3d4e5f67890a1b2c3d4e5f67890');
    
    // Upload a File retrieved from another attachment
    const file = await sn_atf.getAttachmentFile('a1b2c3d4e5f67890a1b2c3d4e5f67890');
    await sn_atf.uploadInWS(file);

    sn_atf.getAttachmentFile(sysId)

    Fetches the bytes of a sys_attachment record through the REST API and returns a Promise<File> with the correct name and content type. Use this method to read an attachment from one record and upload it to another.

    const file = await sn_atf.getAttachmentFile('a1b2c3d4e5f67890a1b2c3d4e5f67890');
    await sn_atf.upload(file);

    DOM utilities

    Table 3. DOM utility methods
    Method Description
    sn_atf.querySelector(root, selector) Shadow-DOM-piercing querySelector. Finds the first element that matches selector under root, crossing shadow boundaries.
    sn_atf.querySelectorAll(root, selector) Shadow-DOM-piercing querySelectorAll. Returns all matching elements.
    sn_atf.getActiveElement(root?) Returns the currently focused element, piercing shadow roots and iframes.
    sn_atf.waitForElementToBeRemoved(element, opts?) Waits until element is removed from the DOM. Resolves immediately if the element is already disconnected.
    sn_atf.delay(ms) Returns a Promise that resolves after ms milliseconds. Prefer waitFor or findBy* for dynamic waits, and use delay only when a fixed pause is unavoidable.