Two Step Instruction activity

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Two Step Instruction activity

    The Two Step Instruction activity allows you to display tailored messages to end users based on the current state of the activity within a playbook. You can define distinct messages for when the activity is in progress, completed, or skipped, enhancing communication and clarity during workflow execution.

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    Key Features

    • State-Based Messaging: Configure messages for three states: initial (in progress), completed, and skipped, to provide contextual information to end users.
    • Role-Based Access: Available to users with admin, playbook.admin, or pdauthor roles, enabling them to add and configure this activity within playbooks.
    • Configurable Inputs: Set essential properties such as:
      • Label: Title displayed on the activity and playbook card.
      • Description: Information about the activity’s usage or expected outcome.
      • Run condition: Conditions that must be met for the activity or stage to run, supporting data-driven logic based on prior activities.
      • Start Rule: Define when the stage or activity starts, with options to trigger at playbook start, after specific stages or activities, or when its stage begins.
      • Start with delay: Optionally delay the start of the activity or stage by a specified duration.
      • Initial, Completed, and Skipped Messages: Customize messages shown to users depending on the activity state.
    • Advanced Inputs: Additional configuration options include assignment group and assigned user to specify responsibility for tasks related to the activity.
    • Outputs: The activity outputs a reference to the related task record, which can be used as input data for subsequent activities within the playbook.

    Practical Application for ServiceNow Customers

    This activity enables you to enhance user experience and clarity by dynamically communicating the status of tasks within your playbooks. Using the configurable start rules and conditions, you can control precisely when and how the activity runs, ensuring smooth orchestration of workflows. Assigning tasks to specific users or groups helps streamline responsibility and accountability. The ability to output the associated task record allows for seamless data integration between activities, supporting complex playbook designs.

    Display a different message to end users based on the current activity state. You can specify an initial state message, a skipped state message, and a completed state message.

    Roles and availability

    • This activity is available as a common activity. Users with the admin, playbook.admin, or pd_author can add this activity to a playbook.

    Inputs

    Open the activity properties panel and configure your activity to add values for the following inputs. If the input value varies, use the pill-picker to show where to get the value. To learn more about the pill-picker, see Dot-walking examples.
    Input Type Description
    Label String Title to display as activity and playbook card.
    Description String Information to display about activity usage or outcome.
    Run condition Condition Builder Conditions that must be met to run an activity or stage. You can use data from prior activities to build conditions.
    Note:
    Show additional options to see this field.
    Start Rule Choice Under Schedule > Start Rule, select a start rule for when your stage should start running:
    • When process starts: Your stage starts running as soon as the playbook starts.
    • After specific stages: Your stage starts running after specified stage(s) have finished running.
    Under Schedule > Start Rule, select a start rule for when your activity should start running:
    • When stage starts: Your activity starts running as soon as its stage starts running. Your stage starts running when your playbook is triggered.
    • After specific activities: Your activity starts running after specified activities have finished running.
    Start with delay True/False Option to wait for a duration of time before running an activity or stage. When enabled, this input displays the Start with delay input properties.
    Note:
    Show additional options to see this field.
    Initial Message String Message text to display to end users when the activity state is In Progress.
    Completed Message String Message text to display to end users when the activity state is Completed.
    Skipped Message String Message text to display to end users when the activity state is Skipped.

    Advanced inputs

    After configuring the required inputs for your activity, you can also choose to configure additional inputs. In the side panel, select Show additional options to display these advanced inputs. For more information, see Activity experience.
    Input Type Description
    Assignment Group Reference.Group [sys_user_group] Group responsible for completing the task associated with the activity.
    Note:
    Show additional options to see this field.
    Assigned To Reference.User [sys_user] User responsible for completing the task associated with the activity.
    Note:
    Show additional options to see this field.

    Outputs

    These outputs can provide data to other activities in your playbook. You can access this data as activity inputs when you configure your activity:
    Output Type Description
    Record Reference.Task[task] Reference to the record associated with the activity.