Configuring decision trees in Decision Tree Builder

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Configuring decision trees in Decision Tree Builder

    ServiceNow’s Decision Tree Builder offers a no-code visual canvas to create and manage decision trees used in troubleshooting processes. As a process owner or business analyst, you can design decision trees by adding various types of nodes, defining paths between them, and attaching guidances to support agents in resolving customer issues. The tool supports quick validation and activation of decision trees to streamline deployment.

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    Configuring Decision Trees

    • Access: Open Decision Tree Builder from the decision tree record via the “Open in Builder” button.
    • Node Types:
      • Question nodes: Represent questions asked in the troubleshooting flow. You can add, delete, or reorder questions within these nodes.
      • Guidance nodes: Provide agents with recommended actions or escalation steps. You can select existing guidances or create new ones in Core UI and configure inputs via static values or linked inputs from previous nodes.
      • Linking nodes: Connect a child decision tree to the current one, enabling conditional redirection during execution.
    • Paths: Define connections between nodes, specifying conditions and priority order to control flow based on answers or criteria.
    • Editing and Deleting: When modifying inputs, update dependent nodes accordingly. Leaf nodes can be deleted if unlinked, but intermediate nodes and paths cannot be deleted directly.
    • Input Linking: Reuse inputs across nodes to create consistent path conditions and streamline data entry.

    Practical Benefits

    • Create clear, visual decision trees that guide agents step-by-step through troubleshooting and issue resolution processes.
    • Reuse and link inputs to reduce redundant data entry and ensure consistency in decision logic.
    • Quickly activate validated decision trees to improve operational efficiency.
    • Use linking nodes to modularize decision trees by connecting related processes.

    Additional Resources

    For further guidance, customers can explore topics such as adding questions or instructions, providing actions to agents, linking activated decision trees, and managing validation errors. Tasks like activating or reverting decision tree versions are also supported for lifecycle management.

    Configure decision trees using the no-code visual Decision Tree Builder, which provides a canvas for a diagrammatic representation of nodes and their paths in a troubleshooting process.

    As a process owner or business analyst, you can configure decision tree by adding nodes, defining paths, and attaching guidances through Decision Tree Builder. For more information, see Decision tree nodes.

    You can validate and activate a decision tree with a single action. For more information, see Activate a decision tree.

    Decision Tree Builder canvas

    Decision Tree Builder with a flow chart and a side panel that has node configuration properties.

    Accessing Decision Tree Builder

    You can access the Decision Tree Builder by selecting the Open in Builder button on the decision tree record.

    Configuring question and guidance nodes

    You can configure a new node as a question node or a guidance node. When there are multiple questions in a start node or a question node, you can delete a question or change the order of the questions. For more information, see Add questions or instructions to a decision tree.

    Guidance nodes provide actions to agents to resolve or escalate a customer issue. You can either select a guidance from the list of available guidances or create a guidance in Core UI. You can then configure guidance inputs by entering static values or reuse inputs from prior nodes. For more information, see Provide actions to agents in a decision tree.

    Linking node

    You can configure a new node as a linking node to link a child decision tree to the current decision tree. This linking connects the execution of the primary decision tree to another decision tree when a specific condition is met. For more information, see Link an activated decision tree to this decision tree.

    Creating paths for the next nodes

    A path in a decision tree connects one node to another. You can configure a condition to define when the path must be taken. Selecting certain answers can be a condition for the path. The priority order for a path sets the precedence of one path over another.

    For more information, see Determine the next node displayed in a decision tree.

    Editing a node or a path

    When you edit the inputs of nodes and their paths, make sure to update the following nodes as well because they might be reusing data from these inputs.

    Deleting a node or a path

    Note the following information about deleting a node or path:
    • You can delete a leaf node if it isn’t connected to any path or a node.
    • Deleting a leaf node removes the node from the decision tree but the configuration of the path before the deleted node remains intact.
    • You can't delete an intermediate node or path.
    • When you delete the question node after a guidance node, both the question node and the path are deleted.

    Linking inputs

    You can link inputs from one node to another to reuse input values from prior nodes. You can use linked inputs to create path conditions. For more information about input mapping in the question node or guidance node, see Linking inputs in decision tree nodes.

    For more information, see Reuse answers at decision points.