Workflow drawing canvas keyboard commands

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Workflow Drawing Canvas Keyboard Commands

    This guide provides keyboard shortcuts to efficiently navigate and operate the Workflow Editor canvas in ServiceNow. These commands enable users to select menu options, modify activities, create connections, and manage workflows without relying on a mouse, enhancing accessibility and productivity.

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    Key Features

    • Select Workflow Actions: Use Tab to highlight the context menu, Enter to open it, and arrow keys to choose commands like Validate or Publish Workflow.
    • Set Workflow Properties: Navigate with Tab to the properties icon and press Enter to open and modify general workflow settings.
    • Navigate Between Activities: Use Tab or arrow keys to move focus between activity boxes. Navigation usually proceeds row-by-row but may vary with workflow complexity.
    • Edit Activities: Select an activity box with Enter to enter Edit mode. Inside, use Tab to access elements like Activity Properties, Title, Conditions, and Node context menus. Note that full editing is only possible on checked-out workflows; published workflows allow limited access.
    • Add Conditions and Connections: Within an activity box, access Condition Properties to define conditions. Use Node conditional context menus to link activities or delete connections.
    • Add Core or Custom Activities: Use Node conditional port options to add new core or custom activities from the Workflow Activity Definitions.
    • Move Activity Boxes: Select the box and use arrow keys to reposition it. Hold Shift with arrow keys to move one pixel at a time for precise placement.
    • Validate and Run Workflows: Navigate to the appropriate icons and press Enter to validate or run workflows. Note that running is disabled for workflows tied to database tables and runs automatically on table events.
    • Close Canvas and Publish Workflows: Use Tab to reach the close button or context menu, then Enter and arrow keys to close or publish the workflow.
    • Jump to Top: After tabbing through all activities, pressing Enter on the "Jump to Top" option returns focus to the top of the canvas.

    Practical Benefits

    These keyboard commands empower ServiceNow users to manage workflows more efficiently, especially in scenarios where mouse use is limited or for users who prefer keyboard navigation. They facilitate faster editing, validation, and deployment of workflows, ensuring smoother workflow lifecycle management.

    Use keyboard commands to navigate and operate the Workflow Editor canvas.


    Workflow Editor Drawing Canvas - Tab Sequences / Elements
    Task or Action Keyboard Commands
    Select Workflow Actions menu command (for example, Validate Workflow or Publish Workflow)
    1. Press Tab until the context menu () is highlighted.
    2. Press Enter to open the context menu.
    3. Use the down arrow key to move to the command, then press Enter to select it.
    Set general workflow properties
    1. Press Tab until Information icon is highlighted.
    2. Press Enter to open Workflow Properties.
    Navigate from activity box to activity box. Simply press Tab or use the arrow keys (right, left, up and down) to navigate from activity to activity within the workflow.
    Note:
    Depending on the complexity and number of activity boxes in the workflow, the sequence of navigation is not always predictable. Depending on how you are navigating within the workflow, the navigation sequence is generally (but not always) row-by-row, and focus is usually placed on the nearest activity box.
    Modify a selected activity.
    1. Navigate to the activity box, then press Enter to select it and place it in Edit mode. When you select an activity box, it appears as highlighted.
    2. Once in Edit mode, use Tab to move around within the activity box to change or access elements such as:
      • Activity Properties ()
      • Title
      • Node context menu
      • Delete Node ()
      • Condition Properties ()
      • Node conditional context menu ()
      • Node conditional port options ()
      Note:
      All elements in a selected activity are only accessible when working with a checked out workflow. When working with a published workflow, you can only access its activity properties and title,
    3. Press Enter to select an element, or press Esc to escape an element without making changes.
    Add a condition to an activity.
    1. Within an activity box, select Condition Properties icon to access Condition Properties.
    2. In Condition Properties, specify the conditions for the activity.
    Create a connection from a condition on one activity to the next activity that follows
    1. Within an activity box, select Node conditional context menu ().
    2. Select Link to... to create a connection to the next activity box that follows, or select Delete to delete an existing connection.
    Add a core or custom activity
    1. Within an activity box, select Node conditional port options ().
    2. Select Add Core Activity to access Workflow Activity Definitions to add a new core activity, or select Add Custom Activity to add a custom activity to the workflow.
    Move an activity box
    1. Press Tab to navigate to the activity box, enter press Enter to select it.
    2. Use the arrow keys to move the activity box. To move the activity box one pixel at a time, press Shift while using the arrow keys.
    Validate a workflow
    1. Press Tab until Validate icon is highlighted.
    2. Press Enter to validate the workflow.

    You can also select Validate from the Workflow Actions menu.
    Run a workflow
    1. Press Tab until Run icon is highlighted.
    2. Press Enter to run the workflow.
    Note:
    If the workflow is tied to a database table, this function is disabled. The workflow runs when the proper table conditions are activated (for example, insertion of a new record into the table).
    Close workflow drawing canvas
    1. Press Tab until Close icon (on the right side of the tab that contains the name of the workflow) appears.
    2. Press Enter to close the canvas.
    Publish a workflow
    1. Press Tab until the context menu () is highlighted.
    2. Press Enter to open the context menu.
    3. Use the down arrow key to move to the Publish command, then press Enter to select it.
    Jump to Top After tabbing through the entire workflow, The Jump to top button appears at the bottom of the listing. Press Enter to jump to the top of the Workflow drawing canvas.