---
sourceDocument: Brazil Enable AI
sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/intelligent-experiences

 Release :

    - brazil

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Brazil Enable AI

ft:clusterId :

    - platai

bundleId :

    - platai

workflow :

    - Platform


---

# Screen, anchor, and step properties

# Screen, anchor, and step properties in AI Desktop Actions {#ariaid-title1}

Release version: Brazil  
Updated September 10, 2026  
![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 3 minutes to read
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## Summary of Screen, anchor, and step properties in AI Desktop Actions

This guide explains the key properties of screens, anchors, and steps within AI Desktop Actions, enabling ServiceNow customers to configure and customize automated desktop workflows effectively.
Each element---screens, anchors, and steps---has distinct attributes that determine how automation interacts with user interfaces, ensuring precise execution and flexibility.
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## Screen Properties

* **Name:** Assign a unique name to each captured screen for easy identification in the Screens and Steps panel.
* **Execution order:** Define the sequence in which multiple screens are processed; screens can be reordered by dragging within the panel.

## Anchor Properties

Anchors define specific areas on a screen that automation targets. Their properties control visual matching and timing.

* **Name and Execution order:** Unique identifier and sequence of execution when multiple anchors exist.
* **Position and size:** X and Y coordinates pinpoint the anchor's top-left corner, with Width and Height defining the anchored area.
* **Image processing options:**
  * *Convert to grayscale:* Toggle to convert images to grayscale for matching.
  * *Search in Scale:* Enable scaling (100% to 150% in 10% increments) to enhance image recognition accuracy.
* **Confidence threshold:** Sets the required match accuracy, defaulting to 95% (0.95), balancing precision and flexibility.
* **Retry with scroll:** Option to scroll the view if the image is not initially found.
* **Wait for image and Max wait time:** Control whether automation waits for the image to appear and how long it waits, defaulting to waiting enabled.
* **Delay before and after:** Specify wait times before and after anchor execution to manage timing in automation flows.

## Step Properties

Steps represent actions performed within an anchor's context, each with common and specific properties to tailor behavior.

### Common Step Properties

* **Name:** Unique identifier for the step, visible in the Screens and Steps panel.
* **Execution order:** Sequence of step execution within an anchor; adjustable by dragging.
* **Type:** Defines the step action, such as Set Text, Click, Send Keys, Get Text, OCR Read Text, etc.
* **Description:** Optional text to clarify the step's purpose.
* **X and Y coordinates:** Position of the actionable point relative to the anchor area.
* **Delay before and after:** Customize pauses surrounding the step execution for reliable automation timing.

### Specific Step Properties

* **Set Text:** Choose between using a parameter value mapped from AI Agent Studio or a static text value to input data.
* **Mouse Click:** Select mouse click type including left, right, double clicks, drag, drop, scroll, and paste actions.
* **Send Keys:**
  * Option to clear existing field values before entering new text.
  * Use parameter or static text inputs.
  * Option to focus the input area via mouse click before sending keys.
* **OCR Read Text:** Define the width and height of the image area for optical character recognition to extract text.

## Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

By understanding and configuring these properties, customers can fine-tune their AI Desktop Actions to interact accurately with desktop applications, improving automation reliability and efficiency. The ability to set execution orders, customize delays, and specify input methods ensures that workflows can be adapted to various UI elements and scenarios, supporting complex automation needs.  
Learn about the properties of screens, anchors, and steps. There are multiple types of steps and each step type has distinct properties. You can update the properties to modify the behavior of the steps.

## Screen {#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__section_upq_vht_ghc}

{#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__table_ydk_d3t_ghc__entry__2}

| Property | Description |
|-|-|
| Name | Unique name for the captured screen. The updated name reflects in the Screens and steps panel. |
| Execution order | Order in which the screen is executed when multiple screens are captured. You can drag the screen at the desired order in the Screens and steps panel. |
[Table 1. Screen properties]

{#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__table_ydk_d3t_ghc}

## Anchor {#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__section_nw2_fjt_ghc}

{#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__table_hfv_fjt_ghc__entry__2}

| Property | Description |
|-|-|
| Name | Unique name of the added anchor. The updated name reflects in the Screens and steps panel. |
| Execution order | Order in which the anchor is executed when multiple anchors are added. |
| X | Location of the top-left corner of the anchor on the screen along the X-axis. |
| Y | Location of the top-left corner of the anchor on the screen along the Y-axis. |
| Width | Width of the area highlighted as anchor. |
| Height | Height of the area highlighted as anchor. |
| Convert to grayscale | Option to convert the captured screen as a grayscale image. The default value is False. |
| Search in Scale | Option to specify whether the component scales the target image before trying to match the source image. The scaling is done in an increment of 10% each between 100% and 150%. The default value is False. |
| Confidence threshold | Specifies the accuracy in matching the image captured before the component performs a step. The value of 1 defines a 100% match while 0.5 defines 50% match. The default value is 0.95 or 95% match. |
| Retry with scroll | Option to scroll the target image before trying to match the source image. |
| Wait for image | Option to specify if the automation must wait for the image to appear on the screen. The default value is True. |
| Max wait time | Number of seconds to wait for the image or application to appear on the screen. |
| Delay before | Delay in number of seconds before the anchor is executed. The automation waits until the specified time elapses before executing the anchor. |
| Delay after | Delay in number of seconds after the anchor is executed. The automation will wait until the specified time elapses before executing the next anchor. |
[Table 2. Anchor properties]

{#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__table_hfv_fjt_ghc}

## Step {#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__actionset-click}

Common properties for steps

:   The following properties apply to all steps - Set Text, Click, Mouse Click, Send Keys, Get Text, Get Table, and OCR Read Text.

    {#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__table_fwq_zj5_ghc__entry__2}

    | Property | Description |
    |-|-|
    | Name | Unique name of the step. The updated name reflects in the Screens and steps panel. |
    | Execution order | Order in which this step is executed when multiple steps are set up. This order is assigned when you add a step from the anchor. You can drag the step under its anchor at the desired order in the Screens and Steps panel. |
    | Type | Type of the step, such as Set Text, Get Text, Mouse Click. |
    | Description | Helpful description of this step. |
    | X | Location of the green plus icon ![]() along the X-axis relative to the anchor. |
    | Y | Location of the green plus icon ![]() along the Y-axis relative to the anchor. |
    | Delay before | Delay in seconds before the action is executed. |
    | Delay after | Delay in seconds after the action is executed. |
    [Table 3. Common properties]

    {#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__table_fwq_zj5_ghc}

Set Text
:
    {#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__table_l1r_54s_rsb__entry__2}

    | Property | Description |
    |-|-|
    | Use parameter | Option to supply the value from a Desktop action parameter record mapped in AI Agent Studio. When selected, the Static value field is not used. |
    | Static value | The text to enter in the field when Use parameter is not selected. |
    [Table 4. Set Text properties]

    {#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__table_l1r_54s_rsb}

Mouse Click
:
    {#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__table_qyf_lk5_ghc__entry__2}

    | Property | Description |
    |-|-|
    | Mouse click type | Type of mouse click action to set for this step: * Left click * Left double click * Middle click * Right click * Right double click * Move * Drag * Drop * Scroll down * Scroll up * Paste {#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__ul_mxj_rk5_ghc} |
    [Table 5. Mouse Click properties]

    {#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__table_qyf_lk5_ghc}

Send Keys
:
    {#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__table_bdj_1l5_ghc__entry__2}

    | Property | Description |
    |-|-|
    | Clear existing value | Option to specify if the step clears the existing value on a field before setting the text. |
    | Use parameter | Option to supply the value from a Desktop action parameter record mapped in AI Agent Studio. When selected, the Static value field is not used. |
    | Static value | The text to enter in the field when Use parameter is not selected. |
    | Focus with mouse click | Option to use the mouse click to focus on the area in the application where the mouse inputs are passed. |
    [Table 6. Send Keys properties]

    {#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__table_bdj_1l5_ghc}

OCR Read Text
:
    {#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__table_vhw_fq5_ghc__entry__2}

    | Property | Description |
    |-|-|
    | Width | Width of the area in image to recognize and get the text. |
    | Height | Height of the area in image to recognize and get the text. |
    [Table 7. OCR Read Text properties]

    {#screen-anchor-and-action-properties-ad__table_vhw_fq5_ghc}