--- sourceDocument: Brazil Employee Service Management sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/employee-service-management Release : - brazil ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Brazil Employee Service Management ft:clusterId : - emplsm bundleId : - emplsm workflow : - Employee --- # Advanced Portal Navigation # Advanced Portal Navigation {#ariaid-title1} Release version: Brazil Updated September 10, 2026 ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) Summarized using AI This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. ## Summary of Advanced Portal Navigation Advanced Portal Navigation (APN) in ServiceNow's Brazil release empowers you to design and configure an intuitive navigation system within your service portals. It enhances information architecture and simplifies topic discovery, allowing you to tailor navigation menus based on employee needs and content priorities. APN replaces traditional taxonomy and menu item management for root-level navigation control, providing a streamlined and flexible approach to menu configuration. Show full answer Show less ## Key Features * **Primary Navigation Control:** Configure and control the design and display of the primary navigation bar, managing root topics and menu items directly within APN. * **Hierarchy Synchronization:** Use single-click sync to update the entire navigation hierarchy efficiently, avoiding manual level-by-level updates. * **Navigation Options:** Choose between two navigation styles: * **Top Navigation:** Supports up to four levels of hierarchy with a mega-menu style, ideal for complex menu structures. * **Simplified Side Navigation:** A two-level, icon-driven left-hand menu designed for simpler, faster browsing with reduced visual complexity. * **Mega Menu Configuration:** Create mixed hierarchies combining SP menu items, APN menu items, and topics with flexible layouts, including standard and expanded views, root item positioning, and interactive modal windows. * **Accessibility Support:** Includes external link support, tooltips, and screen reader compatibility to ensure accessible navigation experiences. * **Guided Tour:** Provides an interactive feature explainer to help administrators understand and configure APN effectively. ## Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers * Deliver simplified and customized navigation experiences that improve employee content discovery and reduce clicks to reach relevant information. * Leverage the base system information architecture or tailor navigation structures using taxonomy and SP menu items to align with business needs. * Manage and synchronize navigation hierarchies quickly and efficiently, saving administrative time and effort. * Activate and configure APN after upgrade to ensure enhanced navigation capabilities are enabled in Employee Center and Employee Center Pro portals. Advanced Portal Navigation (APN) helps you design and configure an intuitive navigation for better information architecture and topic discovery. You can manage the topics and service portal menu items based on employee needs. Use the enhanced navigation experience that helps you with better content discovery. Using the advanced portal navigation, you can design the primary navigation menu and configure the navigation setup based on employee needs and content priorities. You can manage topics, SP menu items, and a mix of both. Note: When you enable Advanced portal navigation, you can manage the root-level topics and menu items from this table itself and not from the taxonomy or the SP menu items. Here's a quick summary of what you can do: * Configure and control the design and display of the primary navigation bar. * Sync across the hierarchy to fetch the menu items, root topics, and child topics. * Simplify taxonomy updates by enabling single-click sync across all APN hierarchy levels, replacing manual level-by-level sync. * Use the base system information architecture or customize based on your business needs. {#adv-portal-navigation-overview__ul_cr3_jsz_1wb} Note: Only the active portal record and its menu items are shown in the navigation.Use the guided tour that provides a feature explainer to help understand what APN is and how you can configure it. ## Top navigation and side navigation {#adv-portal-navigation-overview__section_obw_wgz_k3c} Create an APN record and select one of the following navigation options. * Top navigation: Supports up to four levels of hierarchy and surfaces a broad set of topics and quick links directly at the top of the portal, helping employees to navigate to deeper levels. This navigation is the existing mega‑menu in the header that supports deeper and more complex hierarchies. For more information, see [Configure advanced portal navigation](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/QeLgAvhGB42Ivr67juSe7A "Advanced Portal Navigation (APN) helps you design and configure an intuitive navigation for better information architecture and topic discovery."). * Simplified or side navigation: Use the new layout for simple visual access, iconography, and quick access to key destinations, helping employees browse topics with less effort and reduced visual complexity. Side navigation in Employee Center is a new left‑hand, icon‑driven, two‑level menu meant to simplify browsing. For more information, see [Configure simplified left navigation](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/BQxLbM_PCdigyZVqbtFpSg "Simplified navigation helps use an intuitive navigation for better information architecture and topic discovery."). {#adv-portal-navigation-overview__ul_uxs_fhz_k3c}Both options help define and navigate to root and subtopics, assign icons, and enable faster access. ## Advanced portal navigation benefits {#adv-portal-navigation-overview__section_rsy_lrh_yyb} You can offer a simplified navigation to the content. * Use the base system structure for better discovery and consumption. * Customize the design and structure based on your preferences using the taxonomy or SP portal menu. * Navigate to the right content with minimal clicks. * View the topics and menu items on the primary navigation bar. * Consume the display preferences for the root-level topics or menu items that are custom-served to suit your needs. {#adv-portal-navigation-overview__ul_nzz_3lh_yyb} Note: External link and mega menu are supported for accessibility. Fields include a tooltip icon and screen readers read the tooltip. ## Mega menu configuration {#adv-portal-navigation-overview__section_mwh_5vh_yyb} Admins can manage the information architecture and navigation. You can configure the mega menu to show a mixed hierarchy of SP menu items, APN menu items, and topics with flexible layout options. Create a mixed hierarchy and enable a consumer-grade browse experience. For more information, see [Mega menu configuration](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/1doKZuivVY20RCFJkgvKIQ "The mega menu helps you navigate to a topic and its child topics. The taxonomy you associate with the employee center portal record determines the mega menu and its menu items. By default, the topics and child topics you create in the taxonomy are displayed as mega menu items."). * Organize the content into standard layout and expanded layouts. * Configure the root items position to the left or the right. * Invoke an interactive modal window from the mega menu. * Sync the hierarchy to fetch the menu items, root topics, and child topics. {#adv-portal-navigation-overview__ul_d2p_xvh_yyb} Note: By default, the APN record for EC and EC Pro is inactive for existing customers. When you upgrade to the latest release, ensure you activate the APN record.