Document template scripts

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Document Template Scripts

    Document template scripts enable customers to dynamically modify the text within HTML templates, facilitating both simple and complex tasks such as displaying HR data and executing advanced database queries. By incorporating the ${templatescript:script name} tag into the body of an HTML template, users can easily reuse scripts across multiple document templates.

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    Key Features

    • Script Integration: Users can create scripts through the Document Templates section, allowing for seamless integration into HTML templates.
    • Dynamic Content Generation: Scripts can generate tables and other content dynamically, such as the employee emergency contacts list in the Employee Profile document.
    • Localization Support: Document template scripts support language and date format adjustments based on the selected template settings.

    Key Outcomes

    By utilizing document template scripts, ServiceNow customers can:

    • Efficiently display relevant HR information tailored to specific employee needs.
    • Ensure content is formatted according to user preferences, such as language translations and date formats.
    • Create a more streamlined document generation process that enhances the overall efficiency of HR case management.

    With document template scripts, you can dynamically change the text in the body of the HTML template. Document template scripts allow you to perform simple tasks, such as displaying HR data, and complex ones, such as making advanced database queries.

    You can add a ${template_script:script name} embedded script tag to the body of the HTML template, replacing script name with the name of the script you created. This makes it easy to use the same scripts in multiple document templates. You can create a script by navigating toDocument Templates > Document Templates Script.

    Example of how to create and use a document template script in an HTML template

    1. The employee_emergency_contacts script populates the emergency contacts list in an Employee Profile document.
      (function runTemplateScript(target /*GlideRecord for target task*/ ) {
      	var getHeaderCell = function(label) {
      		return '<th style="border: 1px solid #dddddd; text-align: left; padding: 8px;">' + label + '</th>';
      	};	
      	var getDataCell = function(value) {
      		return '<td style="border: 1px solid #dddddd; text-align: left; padding: 8px;">' + value + '</td>';
      	};
      	
      	var html = '';
      	var hrTaskGr = new GlideRecord('sn_hr_core_contact');
      	hrTaskGr.addQuery('user', target.getValue('subject_person'));
      	hrTaskGr.query();
      	while(hrTaskGr.next()) {
      		html = html + '<tr>';
      		html = html + getDataCell(hrTaskGr.getDisplayValue('name'));
      		html = html + getDataCell(hrTaskGr.getDisplayValue('mobile_phone'));
      		html = html + getDataCell(hrTaskGr.getDisplayValue('relation_to_employee'));
      		html = html + '</tr>';
      	}
      	
      	if(!gs.nil(html))
      		html = '<h4>Emergency Contact Information</h4><table width="500px;"><tr>' + getHeaderCell('Name') + getHeaderCell('Mobile phone') + getHeaderCell('Relationship') + html + '</table>';
      	
      	return html;
      })(target);
    2. The employee_emergency_contacts script is called in an HTML document template by typing $ {template_script:employee_emergency_contacts} in the body of the Employee Profile HTML document template.

      A template showing fields, including a script input area that has basic editing controls.

    3. The Employee Profile HTML document template is selected on a case and the document template is generated with emergency contacts list as follows:

      The HR Case form where you can enter "Employee Profile" in the Document template field.

      A preview of the Employee Profile document.

    Example of how document template script translates text in an HTML template

    Following is an employee_emergency_contacts script that populates the emergency contacts list in an Employee Profile document.

    docTemplate in this script references to the document template record, which helps in identifying the language and date format that are selected on the document template. getDisplayValueLang is an API that helps in changing the language of dynamic tokens to the display language set in the Template language field in a document template. getByFormat is an API that helps in displaying the date in the format set in the Template date format field in a document template.

    (function runTemplateScript(target /*GlideRecord for target task*/, docTemplate /*GlideRecord for doc template*/) {
    
        //Add your code here to return the dynamic content for template
        var getHeaderCell = function(label) {
            return '<th style="border: 1px solid #dddddd; text-align: left; padding: 8px;">' + label + '</th>';
        };  
        var getDataCell = function(value) {
            return '<td style="border: 1px solid #dddddd; text-align: left; padding: 8px;">' + value + '</td>';
        };
        
        var html = '';
        var templateLang = docTemplate.getValue('language');
        var templateDateFormat = docTemplate.getValue('template_date_format');
        var hrTaskGr = new GlideRecord('sn_hr_core_contact');
        hrTaskGr.addQuery('user', target.getValue('subject_person'));
        hrTaskGr.query();
        while(hrTaskGr.next()) {
            var dob = hrTaskGr.getDisplayValue('date_of_birth');
            var grDOB = new GlideDateTime(dob);
            html = html + '<tr>';
            html = html + getDataCell(hrTaskGr.getDisplayValue('name'));
            html = html + getDataCell(hrTaskGr.getDisplayValue('mobile_phone'));
            html = html + getDataCell(hrTaskGr.getElement('relation_to_employee').getDisplayValueLang(templateLang));
            html = html + getDataCell(hrTaskGr.getElement('priority').getDisplayValueLang(templateLang));
            html = html + getDataCell(grDOB.getLocalDate().getByFormat(templateDateFormat)
            );
            html = html + '</tr>';
        }
        
        if(!gs.nil(html))
            html = '<h4>Emergency Contact Information</h4><table width="500px;"><tr>' + getHeaderCell('Name') + getHeaderCell('Mobile phone') + getHeaderCell('Relationship') + getHeaderCell('Priority') + getHeaderCell('Date of birth') + html + '</table>';
        
        return html;
    
    })(target, docTemplate);
    Following is an example of how dynamic tokens are translated in an HTML doc template.
    1. While configuring an HTML template, the template language is selected as German and date format is set to dd/MM/yyyy.The HR Case Employment Verification Letter template. It displays all the fields and the body text that is used for the letter.
    2. The HTML document template is referenced in an HR case.
    3. When the agent previews the document, generates the attachment, or initiates document tasks for participants, priority and relationship fields are translated into the German language, and dates appear in the dd/MM/yyyy format.

      The translated preview of the document template. I is translated to German.