Advanced Instruction activity

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

    The Advanced Instruction activity in ServiceNow's playbooks allows you to display detailed instructions to guide end users through a playbook. It is a common activity accessible to users with admin, playbook.admin, or pdauthor roles, enabling them to add and configure it within a playbook to improve user guidance and process clarity.

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    Configuration and Inputs

    To set up this activity, you configure several inputs via the activity properties panel:

    • Label and Description: Define a title and informational text to describe the activity and its expected outcome.
    • Run Condition: Specify conditions that must be met for the activity or stage to run, using data from prior activities.
    • Start Rule: Choose when the stage or activity begins, such as immediately when the process or stage starts, or after specific stages or activities complete.
    • Start with Delay: Optionally delay activity or stage execution by a set time period.
    • Title and Description for End Users: Provide text displayed directly to end users during the activity.
    • Wait for User Input: Decide whether the playbook pauses until the end user manually completes or skips the activity; editable only by users with playbook.admin role.

    Advanced Inputs

    Additional configuration options allow further customization:

    • Assignment Group and Assigned To: Assign responsibility for completing the activity task to specific user groups or individual users.
    • Tagline and Footer: Customize header and footer text displayed to end users for enhanced communication.

    Outputs

    The activity outputs a reference to the task record associated with the activity, which can be used as input for subsequent activities within the playbook. This linkage supports smooth data flow and process integration across activities.

    Practical Benefits

    This activity empowers ServiceNow customers to create clear, actionable instructions within playbooks, improving user experience and ensuring consistent process adherence. The flexible scheduling and user input options allow you to tailor the activity flow to your operational needs, enhancing control and visibility throughout the playbook execution.

    Display detailed instructions to guide end users through your playbook.

    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.
    Title String Title displayed to end users.
    Description String Details to display in the message to end users.
    Wait for user input Choice Option to pause the playbook until the end user manually completes or skips the activity. Only users with the playbook.admin role can edit this field. By default, the activity waits for user action or data before it completes.

    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.
    Tagline String Header tagline to display to end users.
    Footer String Footer text to display to end users.
    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.