Mobile experience components available in offline mode

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated June 8, 2026
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    Summary of Mobile experience components available in offline mode

    This guide outlines the support status of various mobile experience components within ServiceNow's offline mode, categorized as fully supported, partially supported, or not supported. It is designed to help ServiceNow customers understand which mobile app features function offline, the conditions required for offline operation, and any design or configuration considerations.

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    Fully Supported Components

    • Mobile Applications: Now Mobile app, Mobile Agent app, Custom apps, and Mobile Publishing can support offline mode but require explicit configuration for each screen and function to enable offline use.
    • Navigation and UI Elements: Launcher screens and navigation tabs must be set as available offline. Record UI sections show cached records, supporting use cases like My Tasks and recent records.
    • Record Screens: Related lists and activity streams work offline but are limited to cached data. List and calendar screens support up to 1000 records offline.
    • Execution Functions: Button instances are generally available offline; however, offline steps must be configured to support local database changes and sync upon reconnecting.
    • Input Forms: Input data such as descriptive elements, input values, comments, and attachments are supported offline with appropriate scripted write-back actions and local save steps configured.

    Partially Supported Components

    • Media UI Sections: Require local availability of media assets; remote assets like YouTube videos are not accessible offline.
    • Record Screen Details: Cached record data is needed; some field types like checklist and video are unsupported.
    • Map Screens: Available offline with list view support and a limit of 1000 records.
    • Input Forms: Offline forms need offline caching and enabling of consecutive outbox merges. Client scripts and dependent inputs may fail without cached reference data.
    • Data Items: Must be pre-cached with query limits; scripted conditions only apply during cache generation.
    • Mobile Cards and Execution Functions: Supported with limitations such as no video support and specific offline button visibility conditions.

    Not Supported Components

    • Analytics and KPI Dashboards: Offline use is not supported.
    • Launcher Screen Search Bar: Not available offline.
    • Chart Screens and Mobile Web Screens: Performance analytics and embedded web content are unsupported offline; alternatives include record screens with HTML content.
    • Input Forms: Signature, custom map input types, and AI summarization features are not supported offline.
    • Action Dialogs and Mobile Pop-ups: Offline usage is unsupported.
    • Chat Features: Virtual agent, chat sidebar, and ServiceNow sidebar real-time collaboration tools are unavailable offline.

    Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers

    To effectively utilize offline capabilities, customers must configure each mobile app screen and function for offline availability explicitly. Offline mode supports essential tasks such as viewing and updating cached records, submitting requests, and performing write-back actions with proper synchronization upon reconnecting. Media-rich content, advanced analytics, AI capabilities, and real-time collaboration require an online connection and will not function offline.

    Understanding these support levels enables customers to design mobile experiences that maintain critical functionality when offline, improving productivity for field agents and users in low-connectivity environments.

    Use the tables to view the various components and features that are either fully, partially or not supported in offline mode.

    The three table listed are categorized as follows:
    • Component is fully supported, and the behavior is the same for both online and offline.
    • Component is partially supported in offline with certain limitations.
    • Component is not supported in offline.

    Supported offline components

    Component Sub-component Conditions requited for offline flows to work Optional dedicated offline configuration Design considerations Use case
    Mobile application Now Mobile app, Mobile Agent app, Custom app, and Mobile Publishing Set the application to support offline mode.
    Note:
    Enabling the mobile app as offline is not sufficient, as every screen and function involved must also be configured for offline use.
    		 n/a n/a

    Mobile Agent app: Used by employees such as technicians or support agents to view, update, and complete assigned tasks, incidents, or work orders while on the go.

    Now Mobile app: Used by employees to submit requests, report issues, and track the status of their tickets or service requests.
    Navigation tab Launcher screen / screen The launcher screen or screen configured for the tab must be set as available offline. n/a n/a Mobile home screen, navigation to different screens.
    UI section Record UI section, icon UI section, legacy UI icon section, content UI section For the icon UI section and legacy icon UI section, the screen or function must be set as available offline. n/a Record UI section displays only cached records. My tasks, recent records, quick navigation tiles.
    Record screen Related list segment, record sections segment, activity stream segment Related records must be cached. n/a Limited to cached records. Child records, task history.
    Screen List screen, calendar screen Screen must be set as available offline. n/a Limited to 1000 records. Scheduled tasks
    Mobile cards UI rules n/a n/a n/a n/a
    Execution Function instance n/a By default, all button instance locations are available offline; a specific location can be inactive. n/a The location of the button within the screen, for example the footer area, top menu, or a specific field.
    Execution of operations on records while offline Action items such as write-back actions and write-back action steps n/a
    • An offline step must be configured to support offline local database modifications that affect button conditions, displayed list records, or similar logic.
    • If an offline step is configured, an online step must also be configured to apply local database changes to the instance once the device returns online.
    • Scripted write-back action step is not supported.
    • The offline step supports declarative configuration only and can modify only the record currently used as context by the write-back action.
    		 When a user performs an action offline, changes are marked for later sync with the instance. To confirm these changes are immediately reflected in app workflows such as list filtering and conditional button visibility, the admin must define logic for handling insert, update, or delete operations, keeping the local database consistent with the expected flow.
    Input form Data source n/a n/a n/a Enables the download of input form data for elements such as descriptive fields, input values, and values of input actions such as comments and attachments.
    Input form Input actions Scripted write-back action required. n/a n/a Add attachments, add a comment, navigate to another screen in the context of the input.
    Input form Descriptive element n/a n/a n/a Used to provide instructions to the user on how to respond to a question when completing questionnaires.
    Input form String input, number input, Boolean input, date/datetime input, barcode input n/a n/a n/a n/a
    Input form Attachment input Scripted write-back action required. n/a n/a n/a
    Input form Auto-fill inputs and input actions Dependent data cached. n/a May fail if reference data is missing. Forms pre-populated with data downloaded from the instance.
    Input form Save progress Local save write-back action step is required. n/a n/a n/a

    Partially supported offline components

    Component Sub-component Conditions requited for offline flows to work Optional dedicated offline configuration Design considerations Use case
    UI section Media UI section Media assets must be available locally.n/a n/a Remote media assets, for example YouTube videos, aren't available offline. Campaigns with banners and images.
    Record screen Details segment Record data must exist locally. n/a

    Checklist field type not supported.

    Video field type not supported.

    		 Fields that represent the record, such as description, assignment group, and attached files.
    Screen Map screen Screen must be set as available offline. n/a

    List view only is supported.

    Limited to 1000 records.

    		 Task location view.
    Screen Input forms The screen and function that triggers the form must be set as available offline. Enable merge of any consecutive outbox items. Client scripts not supported.

    Dependent inputs may fail if reference data is not cached.

    		 Create or edit records while offline.
    Screen Data item Configured for offline caching. Dedicated offline data item, pre-cached before device download.
    • Query limitations of 1000 records per screen segment.
    • Parameterized data item not supported.
    • Scripted data item conditions are evaluated only when the offline cache is generated. Once the data is downloaded and the user is offline, the script no longer runs. The app uses the pre-generated query string to filter the data as it was prepared at download time.
    		 Record data retrieval
    Screen Mobile cards n/a n/a Videos not supported. UI components used to display a compact summary of a record or information block in a visually structured way inside mobile screens. Mobile cards are commonly implemented in list screen and home tab sections.
    Execution Function Function must be set as available offline. Offline conditions for button visibility. Supported types: navigation, action item (create, update, delete record), upload attachment. Used across different screens to define the action performed when the button is tapped.
    Input form UI rules n/a n/a Client scripts not supported. n/a
    Input form Reference input n/a Specific offline attributes for the control can be configured. 1000 records can be cached. Assign a user to a task.

    Non-supported offline components

    Component Sub-component Conditions requited for offline flows to work Optional dedicated offline configuration Design considerations Use case
    UI section Analytics section n/a n/a n/a KPI dashboards
    Launcher screen Search bar n/a n/a n/a n/a
    Screen Chart screen, mobile web screen n/a n/a Performance analytics and embedded web content such as catalog items or knowledge articles aren't supported. Use a record screen with HTML content instead. n/a
    Input form Signature input type, screen input type, custom map input type n/a n/a n/a n/a
    Input form AI summarization n/a n/a AI capabilities not supported offline. AI text summarization for resolution notes.
    Action dialog Mobile pop-ups n/a n/a n/a Warning message that prompts the user to choose whether to proceed with the flow or cancel it. For example, notifying the user that their shift is about to end when they attempt to accept a task.
    Chat Virtual agent (VA) n/a n/a n/a Self-service chat for employees or customers.
    Chat Sidebar n/a n/a n/a ServiceNow Sidebar is a real-time, record-based collaboration tool that allows agents to privately chat and share knowledge with subject matter experts to quickly resolve tasks, cases, and incidents.