ActivitySubscriptions API

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 16 minutes to read

    • The ActivitySubscriptions API provides endpoints to retrieve Activity entities from the Subscriptions and Activity Feed Framework.

    This API requires activation of the Subscriptions and Activity Feed Framework (com.snc.activity_subscriptions) plugin. Activate the Customer Central (com.sn_csm_customer_central) plugin to seed configuration in all required tables. For more information on customer central configuration settings, see Configure customer central.

    ActivitySubscriptions - GET /now/actsub/activities

    Retrieves activity records from the Subscriptions and Activity Feed Framework.

    No role is required to access this endpoint, but data returned is limited by user access settings.

    URL format

    Versioned URL: /api/now/{api_version}/actsub/activities

    Default URL: /api/now/actsub/activities

    Note:
    Available versions are specified in the REST API Explorer. For scripted REST APIs there is additional version information on the Scripted REST Service form.

    Supported request parameters

    Table 1. Path parameters
    Name Description
    api_version Optional. Version of the endpoint to access. For example, v1 or v2. Only specify this value to use an endpoint version other than the latest.

    Data type: String
    Table 2. Query parameters
    Name Description
    before Date/time value. The request returns only records created prior to this date and time.

    Data type: String

    Format: YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss or YYYY-MM-DD
    context Required. Sys_id of an activity context.

    Predefined activity contexts include Consumer and Contact.

    Data type: String

    Table: Activity Context [sn_actsub_activity_context]
    context_instance Required. Sys_id of an instance of the specified activity context, representing the initiator of the activities you want to retrieve. Located in the appropriate table for the activity context.

    As an example, if you set context to the sys_id of the Consumer activity context, set this parameter to the sys_id of the Consumer [csm_consumer] table record for the consumer whose activities you want to retrieve.

    Data type: String
    end_date Date/time value. The request returns only records created during the time period defined by start_date and this parameter. Must be set along with start_date.

    Data type: String

    Format: YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss or YYYY-MM-DD
    facets Comma-separated list of sys_ids of activity facet types to retrieve for the specified activity context.

    For more details on activity facets, see Create facets for activity contexts.

    Data type: String

    Default: Return all activity facet types configured for the activity context.

    Table: Activity Facet [sn_actsub_facet]
    last Index value of the first result row omitted from the response body. The result row index starts at 0, so the last row included in the response body is the one with the index last-1.

    For example, setting last=5 omits rows with index 5 and above and returns at most only the first five result rows (with index values 0 through 4). Setting stFrom=1 and last=5 skips the first result row and returns the second through fifth result rows (with index values 1 through 4).

    Data type: Number (integer)

    Default: The value of the com.snc.actsub.activities.api.fetch.limit system property (10 by default).
    record_id Sys_id of a record to use when rendering dynamic facets. Located in the appropriate table for the activity type you want to retrieve.

    For example, if you want to fetch activities for a Case record, set this parameter to the sys_id of the Case record in question.

    For more details on dynamic facets, see Create facets for activity contexts.

    Data type: String
    start_date Date/time value. The request returns only records created during the time period defined by this parameter and end_date. Must be set along with end_date.

    Data type: String

    Format: YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss or YYYY-MM-DD
    stFrom Index value of the first result row to include in the response body. The result row index starts at 0.

    For example, stFrom=2 skips the first two result rows and returns results from the third row onward.

    Data type: Number (integer)

    Default: 0
    Table 3. Request body parameters (XML or JSON)
    Name Description
    None

    Headers

    The following request and response headers apply to this HTTP action only, or apply to this action in a distinct way. For a list of general headers used in the REST API, see Supported REST API headers.

    Table 4. Request headers
    Header Description
    Accept Data format of the response body. Supported types: application/json or application/xml.

    Default: application/json
    Table 5. Response headers
    Header Description
    None

    Status codes

    The following status codes apply to this HTTP action. For a list of possible status codes used in the REST API, see REST API HTTP response codes.

    Table 6. Status codes
    Status code Description
    200 Successful. The request was successfully processed.
    400 Bad Request. A bad request type or malformed request was detected. The response body result.message parameter describes the nature of the error.
    Example error messages:
    • Make sure a valid context and context_instance are passed or Make sure a valid stream and user are passed indicates that the request lacks one or both of the context and context_instance query parameters. These parameters are required.
    • stFrom can not be greater than last indicates that the stFrom query parameter value exceeds the last query parameter value.
    • Please provide start_date and end_date indicates that the request includes only one of the start_date and end_date query parameters, which cannot be used separately.
    • start_date can not be ahead of end_date indicates that the specified start_date query parameter value occurs after the specified end_date query parameter value.
    • Provided context is not configured in the system indicates that the context query parameter value does not represent a valid activity context.
    • Make sure a valid context_instance is passed indicates that the context_instance query parameter value does not represent a valid instance of the specified activity context.
    401 Unauthorized. The user credentials are incorrect or have not been passed.
    500 Internal server error. An unexpected error occurred while processing the request. The response contains additional information about the error.

    Response body parameters (JSON or XML)

    Name Description
    result Result object.

    Data type: Object

    
"result": {
  "activities": [Array],
  "message": "String",
  "status": Number,
  "stream": "String",
  "user": "String"
}
    result.activities Array of objects in which each object represents an activity record from the specified activity context and context instance.

    Data type: Array of Objects

    "activities": [
  {
    "activity_type_id": "String",
    "content_fields": [Array],
    "created": "String",
    "icon": "String",
    "source_table_name": "String",
    "subheader_fields": [Array],
    "subobject_sys_id": "String",
    "subobject_table_name": "String",
    "sys_id": "String",
    "title": "String"
  }
]
    result.activities.activity_type_id Sys_id of the record from the Activity Types [sn_actsub_activity_type] table that corresponds to the type of this activity record.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.content_fields Array of objects in which each object represents a field to display as content in the tile for the activity record.

    Data type: Array of Objects

    "content_fields": [
  {
    "deeplink_to_subobject": "String",
    "display_as_timeago": "String",
    "label": "String",
    "show_label": "String",
    "type": "String",
    "value": "String"
  }
]
    result.activities.content_fields.deeplink_to_subobject Flag indicating whether or not the content field displays as a hyperlink to the record for the object on which this activity was performed.
    Valid values:
    • true: The content field displays as a hyperlink to the record for the object on which this activity was performed.
    • false: The content field displays as a hyperlink to the record for the object on which this activity was performed.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.content_fields.display_as_timeago Flag indicating whether or not the content field displays in time ago format.
    Valid values:
    • true: The content field displays in time ago format.
    • false: The content field does not display in time ago format.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.content_fields.label Label for the content field.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.content_fields.show_label Flag indicating whether or not the content field label displays for content field values in the tile for this activity record.
    Valid values:
    • true: The content field label displays for content field values in the tile for this activity record.
    • false: The content field label doesn't display for content field values in the tile for this activity record.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.content_fields.type Type of the content field.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.content_fields.value Value of the content field.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.created Creation date/time for this activity record.

    Data type: String

    Format: YYYY-DD-MM hh:mm:ss
    result.activities.icon Name of the icon displayed on the tile for this activity record.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.source_table_name Name of the table in which this activity record is located.

    Determined by the Activity Source defined in the Activity Types [sn_actsub_activity_type] table for the type associated with this activity record.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.subheader_fields Array of objects in which each object represents a field displayed in the subheader of the tile for this activity record.

    Data type: Array of Objects

    "subheader_fields": [
  {
    "deeplink_to_subobject": "String",
    "display_as_timeago": "String",
    "label": "String",
    "show_label": "String",
    "type": "String",
    "value": "String"
  }
]
    result.activities.subheader_fields.deeplink_to_subobject Flag indicating whether or not the subheader field displays as a hyperlink to the record for the object on which this activity was performed.
    Valid values:
    • true: The subheader field displays as a hyperlink to the record for the object on which this activity was performed.
    • false: The subheader field doesn't display as a hyperlink to the record for the object on which this activity was performed.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.subheader_fields.display_as_timeago Flag indicating whether or not the subheader field displays in time ago format.
    Valid values:
    • true: The subheader field displays in time ago format.
    • false: The subheader field doesn't display in time ago format.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.subheader_fields.label Label for the subheader field.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.subheader_fields.show_label Flag indicating whether or not the subheader field label displays for subheader field values in the tile for this activity record.
    Valid values:
    • true: The subheader field label displays for subheader field values in the tile for this activity record.
    • false: The subheader field label doesn't display for subheader field values in the tile for this activity record.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.subheader_fields.type Type of the subheader field.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.subheader_fields.value Value of the subheader field.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.subobject_sys_id Sys_id of the record for the object on which this activity was performed. Located in the table specified in the subobject_table_name parameter value.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.subobject_table_name Name of the table containing the record for the object on which this activity was performed.

    Determined by the Table Name defined in the Activity Group [sn_actsub_subscribable_object] table for the group containing the activity type associated with this activity record.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.sys_id Sys_id of this activity record. Located in the table specified as the source_table_name response body parameter value.

    Data type: String
    result.activities.title Title that displays on the tile for this activity record.

    Data type: String
    result.hasMoreRecords Flag indicating whether or not the list of activities in the response body is truncated by the last query parameter value.
    Valid values:
    • true: The list of activities in the response body is truncated by the last query parameter value. Repeating the request with a higher last query parameter value will return additional activities for this context and context instance.
    • false: The list of activities in the response body isn't truncated by the last query parameter value. No further activities are available for this context and context instance.

    Data type: String
    result.message Error message describing the problem encountered during request processing.

    Data type: String
    result.status HTTP status code returned for request.

    Valid values: Refer to Status Codes.

    Data type: Number
    result.stream Sys_id specified in request context query parameter.

    Data type: String

    Table: Activity Context [sn_actsub_activity_context]
    result.user Sys_id specified in request context_instance query parameter. Located in the appropriate table for the activity context.

    Data type: String

    cURL request

    Request the second and third activity records for a specific Contact, limiting to data from 2020:

    curl "https://instance.servicenow.com/api/now/actsub/activities\
?context=4a6a035a73d30010e37d71ef64f6a714\
&context_instance=ddce70866f9331003b3c498f5d3ee417\
&stFrom=1&last=3\
&start_date=2020-01-01%2000:00:00&end_date=2020-12-31%2023:59:59" \
--request GET \
--header "Accept: application/json" \
--user "username:password"

    The response body includes the two requested activity records for the specified Contact:

    {
  "result": {
    "hasMoreRecords": true,
    "activities": [
      {
        "subobject_table_name": "sn_customerservice_case",
        "source_table_name": "sn_customerservice_case",
        "content_fields": [
          {
            "value": "Test",
            "show_label": "false",
            "type": "string",
            "label": "Short description",
            "display_as_timeago": "false",
            "deeplink_to_subobject": "false"
          }
        ],
        "created": "2020-05-29 18:42:16",
        "activity_type_id": "baf0aace73530010e37d71ef64f6a748",
        "title": "Lamar Wilson created case",
        "subobject_sys_id": "1687360e8d819010f87705a074e52ac9",
        "icon": "clipboard_outline",
        "sys_id": "1687360e8d819010f87705a074e52ac9",
        "subheader_fields": [
          {
            "value": "CS0001007",
            "show_label": "false",
            "type": "string",
            "label": "Number",
            "display_as_timeago": "false",
            "deeplink_to_subobject": "true"
          },
          {
            "value": "2020-05-29 18:42:16",
            "show_label": "false",
            "type": "glide_date_time",
            "label": "Created",
            "display_as_timeago": "true",
            "deeplink_to_subobject": "false"
          },
          {
            "value": "",
            "show_label": "false",
            "type": "reference",
            "label": "Assigned to",
            "display_as_timeago": "false",
            "deeplink_to_subobject": "false"
          },
          {
            "value": "Lamar Wilson",
            "show_label": "false",
            "type": "reference",
            "label": "Contact",
            "display_as_timeago": "false",
            "deeplink_to_subobject": "false"
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "subobject_table_name": "kb_knowledge",
        "source_table_name": "kb_use",
        "content_fields": [
          {
            "value": "How to Set Up a Broadband Router",
            "show_label": "false",
            "type": "string",
            "label": "Short description",
            "display_as_timeago": "false",
            "deeplink_to_subobject": "false"
          }
        ],
        "created": "2020-05-26 10:00:00",
        "activity_type_id": "4a8c329273d30010e37d71ef64f6a7c1",
        "title": "Lamar Wilson viewed knowledge article",
        "subobject_sys_id": "f855a0a89f011200550bf7b6077fcf4f",
        "icon": "document_outline",
        "sys_id": "b929dd5873941010e37d71ef64f6a719",
        "subheader_fields": [
          {
            "value": "KB0000110",
            "show_label": "false",
            "type": "string",
            "label": "Number",
            "display_as_timeago": "false",
            "deeplink_to_subobject": "true"
          },
          {
            "value": "2020-05-26 10:00:00",
            "show_label": "false",
            "type": "glide_date_time",
            "label": "Created",
            "display_as_timeago": "true",
            "deeplink_to_subobject": "false"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

    ActivitySubscriptions - GET /now/actsub/facets/{activity_context}/{context_instance}

    Retrieves facets configured for an activity context from the Subscriptions and Activity Feed Framework. Displays activity counts and data for each facet as determined by activity type, group, and context settings.

    Users must have the actsub_user or admin role to access this endpoint. Data returned is limited by user access settings.

    For more details on activity context facets, see Create facets for activity contexts.

    URL format

    Versioned URL: /api/now/{api_version}/actsub/facets/{activity_context}/{context_instance}

    Default URL: /api/now/actsub/facets/{activity_context}/{context_instance}

    Note:
    Available versions are specified in the REST API Explorer. For scripted REST APIs there is additional version information on the Scripted REST Service form.

    Supported request parameters

    Table 7. Path parameters
    Name Description
    activity_context Sys_id of an activity context.

    Predefined activity contexts include Consumer and Contact. Navigate to Customer Central > Customer Activity > Activity Contexts to view the full list of activity contexts defined for your instance.

    Data type: String

    Table: Activity Contexts [sn_actsub_activity_context]
    api_version Optional. Version of the endpoint to access. For example, v1 or v2. Only specify this value to use an endpoint version other than the latest.

    Data type: String
    context_instance Sys_id of an instance of the specified activity context, representing the initiator of the activities you want to retrieve facets for.

    As an example, if you set activity_context to the sys_id of the Contact activity context, you should set this parameter to the sys_id of the Contact [customer_contact] record for the contact whose activity facets you want to retrieve.

    Data type: String

    Table: In the context table specified for the activity context record in the Activity Contexts [sn_actsub_activity_context] table.
    Table 8. Query parameters
    Name Description
    end_date Date/time value. The request returns only records created during the time period defined by start_date and this parameter. Must be set along with start_date.

    Data type: String

    Format: YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss or YYYY-MM-DD
    facets Comma-separated list of sys_ids of activity facets to retrieve for the specified activity context.

    To see the activity facet types defined for an activity context, navigate to Customer Central > Customer Activity > Activity Contexts and examine the Facets related list.

    Data type: String

    Default: Return all activity facets configured for the activity context.
    get_activity_count Flag indicating whether or not to include activity counts for each facet in the response body.
    Valid values:
    • true: Include facet activity counts.
    • false: Omit facet activity counts.

    Data type: Boolean

    Default: false
    lazy_load Flag indicating whether or not to improve performance by omitting facet activity data and activity counts from the response body. This parameter takes precedence over get_activity_count.
    Valid values:
    • true: Omit facet activity data and activity counts.
    • false: Retrieve facet activity data and activity counts.

    Data type: Boolean

    Default: false
    start_date Date/time value. The request returns only records created during the time period defined by this parameter and end_date. Must be set along with end_date.

    Data type: String

    Format: YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss or YYYY-MM-DD
    Table 9. Request body parameters (XML or JSON)
    Name Description
    None

    Headers

    The following request and response headers apply to this HTTP action only, or apply to this action in a distinct way. For a list of general headers used in the REST API, see Supported REST API headers.

    Table 10. Request headers
    Header Description
    Accept Data format of the response body. Supported types: application/json or application/xml.

    Default: application/json
    Table 11. Response headers
    Header Description
    None

    Status codes

    The following status codes apply to this HTTP action. For a list of possible status codes used in the REST API, see REST API HTTP response codes.

    Table 12. Status codes
    Status code Description
    200 Successful. The request was successfully processed.
    400 Bad Request. A bad request type or malformed request was detected. The response body result.message parameter describes the nature of the error.
    Example error messages:
    • Make sure a valid activity context details are passed indicates that the activity_context path parameter value does not represent a valid activity context, the context_instance path parameter value does not represent a valid instance of the specified activity context, or both.
    • Please provide start_date and end_date indicates that the request includes only one of the start_date and end_date query parameters, which cannot be used separately.
    • start_date can not be ahead of end_date indicates that the specified start_date query parameter value occurs after the specified end_date query parameter value.
    401 Unauthorized. The user credentials are incorrect or have not been passed.
    500 Internal server error. An unexpected error occurred while processing the request. The response contains additional information about the error.

    Response body parameters (JSON or XML)

    Name Description
    result List of activity facets.

    Data type: Array of Objects

    "result": [
  {
    "activity_count": Number,
    "children": [Array],
    "facets": [Array],
    "icon": "String",
    "is_dynamic": "String",
    "message": "String",
    "name": "String",
    "status": Number
  }
]
    result.activity_count Number of activity records included in this facet (and its children, if any. Only displayed when lazy_load query parameter is false and get_activity_count query parameter is true.

    Data type: Number
    result.children Array of objects in which each object represents an activity record (if this is a dynamic facet) or a child facet (if this is a static facet).

    Data type: Array of Objects

    
"children": [
  {
    "activity_count": Number
    "facet": "String",
    "icon": "String",
    "title": "String"
  }
]
    result.children.activity_count Number of activity records included in this child facet (and its children, if any). Only displayed when the lazy_load query parameter is false and the get_activity_count query parameter is true.

    Data type: Number
    result.children.created Creation date/time for this activity record.

    Data type: String

    Format: YYYY-MM-DD hh:mm:ss
    result.children.facet Sys_id of this child facet record.

    Data type: String

    Table: Activity Facet [sn_actsub_facet]
    result.children.icon Name of the icon associated with this child facet.

    Data type: String
    result.children.sys_id Sys_id of this activity record. Located in the appropriate table for the parent facet type.

    As an example, an activity record included in the Cases facet has a sys_id located in the Case [sn_customerservice_case] table.

    Data type: String
    result.children.metadata Array of objects in which each object includes activity record data for a facet field configured in the Activity Facet [sn_actsub_facet] table record for this facet type.

    Data type: Array of Objects

    
"metadata": [
  {
    "key": "String",
    "label": "String",
    "type": "String",
    "value": "String"
  }
]
    result.children.metadata.key Name of this facet field.

    Data type: String
    result.children.metadata.label Label of this facet field.

    Data type: String
    result.children.metadata.type Type of this facet field.

    Data type: String
    result.children.metadata.value Value of this facet field.

    Data type: String
    result.children.title Name of this activity record or child facet.

    Data type: String
    result.facets List of sys_ids associated with this facet record. For a dynamic facet, this array contains the sys_id of the facet itself. For a static facet, it instead contains the sys_ids of all facets which are children of the facet.

    Data type: Array

    
"facets": [
  "510d7e2e73570010e37d71ef64f6a70d",
  "bc9bfaaa73570010e37d71ef64f6a771"
]

    Table: Activity Facet [sn_actsub_facet]
    result.icon Name of the icon associated with this facet.

    Data type: String
    result.is_dynamic Flag indicating whether or not this facet is a dynamic facet. This value determines the type of information included in the children response body parameter.
    Possible values:
    • true: This is a dynamic facet. The children response body parameter value contains activity record details, and the facets parameter contains the dynamic facet sys_id.
    • false: This is a static facet (a facet group). The children response body parameter value contains child facets, and the facets parameter contains the sys_ids of these child facets.

    Data type: Boolean
    result.message Error message describing problem encountered during request processing.

    Data type: String
    result.name Name of the facet or facet group.

    Data type: String
    result.status HTTP status code returned for request.

    Possible values: See the Status Code table.

    Data type: Number

    cURL request

    Retrieve Chat, Phone, and Knowledge articles facets and activity counts for a Contact:

    curl "https://instance.servicenow.com/api/now/actsub/facets/4a6a035a73d30010e37d71ef64f6a714/ddce70866f9331003b3c498f5d3ee417\
?get_activity_count=true\
&facets=510d7e2e73570010e37d71ef64f6a70d,bc9bfaaa73570010e37d71ef64f6a771,c72d7e2e73570010e37d71ef64f6a7b8" \
--request GET \
--header "Accept: application/json" \
--user "username:password"

    The response body includes the three requested facets as children of their facet groups, with activity counts displayed:

    {
  "result": [
    {
      "is_dynamic": false,
      "name": "Interactions",
      "activity_count": 4.0,
      "facets": [
        "510d7e2e73570010e37d71ef64f6a70d",
        "bc9bfaaa73570010e37d71ef64f6a771"
      ],
      "children": [
        {
          "facet": "510d7e2e73570010e37d71ef64f6a70d",
          "icon": "chat_outline",
          "activity_count": 2.0,
          "title": "Chat"
        },
        {
          "facet": "bc9bfaaa73570010e37d71ef64f6a771",
          "icon": "phone_outline",
          "activity_count": 2.0,
          "title": "Phone"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "is_dynamic": false,
      "name": "Portal Activity",
      "activity_count": 5.0,
      "facets": [
        "c72d7e2e73570010e37d71ef64f6a7b8"
      ],
      "children": [
        {
          "facet": "c72d7e2e73570010e37d71ef64f6a7b8",
          "icon": "document_outline",
          "activity_count": 5.0,
          "title": "Knowledge articles"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}