--- sourceDocument: Brazil ServiceNow AI Platform user interface sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/platform-user-interface Release : - brazil ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Brazil ServiceNow AI Platform user interface ft:clusterId : - platux bundleId : - platux workflow : - Platform --- # Context-sensitive help # Context-sensitive help {#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 Context-sensitive help Context-sensitive help in ServiceNow enhances the standard help link by directing users to targeted help information tailored to the specific list, form, or record they are viewing. Instead of always opening the generic welcome page, this feature allows administrators to configure help topics that provide relevant guidance directly related to the current context within the platform. Show full answer Show less Users access context-sensitive help by clicking the help icon, whose location varies depending on the user interface version (for example, in Core UI it is found in the header bar). If no context-specific help is defined, users see the default welcome page and can search or browse the index for assistance. ## Key Features * **Base URL Configuration:** Administrators can set a base URL for an external help system using the `help.base.default` system property, enabling multiple help contexts to link to a centralized external help resource instead of the default ServiceNow help system. * **Custom Help Contexts:** Organizations can create custom help contexts linked to lists, forms, or records. These contexts can override the default help content and point to internal knowledge bases or other documentation relevant to customized ServiceNow components. * **Flexible URL Handling:** When defining help contexts, URLs without an absolute path are appended to the base URL, while absolute URLs override the base URL setting, allowing linking to multiple external servers. * **Context Types and Prioritization:** Help contexts can be defined by type---Form, List, or Record---and associated with specific tables. When multiple contexts exist, prioritization controls which help content is presented to the user. * **System Properties for Management:** Key properties like `glide.help.default.page`, `help.base.default`, and `help.base.servicenow` govern the default and custom help URLs, enabling administrators to configure and manage the behavior of context-sensitive help centrally. ## Key Outcomes * Users receive targeted, relevant help content directly related to their current task or record, improving efficiency and reducing the need to search through generic documentation. * Administrators can tailor help resources to reflect customizations and organizational knowledge, enhancing user adoption and support. * The flexibility to link to multiple external help systems or internal knowledge bases allows organizations to centralize or distribute help content as needed. * By leveraging context types and prioritization, organizations ensure the most appropriate help content is presented, avoiding confusion and improving user experience. By default, the help link available in the product opens the welcome page of the help system, allowing you to enter search criteria for the information you want to find. With context-sensitive help, you can set a base URL for an external help system. The context-sensitive system properties define the base URLs for the default and custom help systems. The ServiceNow system provides several preconfigured help contexts connected to this link that display the exact information you need for the current list, form, or record. You can define your own help topics and configure them to appear when you click the help icon in a ServiceNow record. Users click the help icon to open the default help pages provided in the base system. For any page that does not have context-sensitive help defined, the instance displays the help system welcome page. Users can use the search feature or the index to find the correct help topic. The location of the help icon depends on the user interface version you are using. ## Core UI {#c_ContextSensitiveHelp__section_ivh_b5w_j1b} Click the help icon in the right corner of the header bar and select Search Product Documentation from the menu. Figure 1. Context help access in Core UI Alternatively, administrators can create custom context-sensitive help to suit the needs of their organizations. Create a help context that links the help icon to a topic describing a list, form, or specific record. You may initially want to set a base URL to direct to a help system other than the default ServiceNow help system. ## Set base URLs {#c_ContextSensitiveHelp__section_jrc_45w_j1b} To create numerous help contexts that direct to a single server other than the ServiceNow help system, enter the base URL in the help.base.default property. Figure 2. Base URL for custom help contexts On the Help Context form, when the ServiceNow Product Documentation check box is cleared and you enter a value in the URL or page name field that does not contain the string `://`, that value is appended to the base URL defined by help.base.default property. Note: When the ServiceNow Product Documentation check box is cleared and the URL or page name field contains an absolute URL (distinguished by the string `://` in the value), the value in the help.base.default property is ignored. This allows you to create help contexts that link to several different servers. ## Context-sensitive help properties {#c_ContextSensitiveHelp__section_v2p_yx2_n1b} To access the context-sensitive help properties, navigate to sys_properties.list and filter by Name. You can edit a property value from the list or by opening the property record. {#c_ContextSensitiveHelp__table_rt3_cy2_n1b__entry__3} | Property Name | Description | Default Value | |-|-|-| | glide.help.default.page | The default URL the help icon directs to when no help context is specified. This is the base URL of the ServiceNow help system and opens to the welcome page. Do not change this value. | http://servicenow.com/docs/ | | help.base.default | The base URL for custom help contexts in which the ServiceNow Product Documentation check box is cleared, and an absolute URL is not specified. When the base URL is set, the system creates the address of a help conext record by appending the target page or file name to the base URL. Custom help contexts using this base URL overwrite the help provided by default in your instance for the same table. For details, see [set base URLs](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/l1mEwG9UL~7KYJc759tl3g "By default, the help link available in the product opens the welcome page of the help system, allowing you to enter search criteria for the information you want to find. With context-sensitive help, you can set a base URL for an external help system. The context-sensitive system properties define the base URLs for the default and custom help systems."). | http://servicenow.com/docs/?context= | | help.base.servicenow | The base URL for help contexts in which the ServiceNow Wiki check box is selected. This is the base URL for the help provided in your instance by default. Do not change this value. For details, see [Create a new help context](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Ku7A1yGpCyShB_PeYiV5NA "You can create new help contexts to supplement or replace the default help contexts. For example, if your organization has heavily customized a form, you might create a new help context for that form. The customized help context could link to more relevant information, such as a company knowledge base article."). | http://servicenow.com/docs/?context= | [ ] {#c_ContextSensitiveHelp__table_rt3_cy2_n1b} * **[Create a new help context](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Ku7A1yGpCyShB_PeYiV5NA)** You can create new help contexts to supplement or replace the default help contexts. For example, if your organization has heavily customized a form, you might create a new help context for that form. The customized help context could link to more relevant information, such as a company knowledge base article. * **[Help context types and prioritization](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Jd9iFpCfME3sy0AiY3vQbQ)** You can create a help context with the type Form, List, or Record, and link it to a particular table in your ServiceNow instance. If you have multiple help contexts, prioritization determines which help contexts apply to what a user views.