--- sourceDocument: Yokohama Build or modify applications sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/yokohama/application-development Release : - yokohama ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Yokohama Build or modify applications ft:clusterId : - cadev bundleId : - cadev workflow : - Development, Data, and Analytics --- # Build form and business logic # Build form and business logic {#ariaid-title1} * Release version: Yokohama * * Updated January 30, 2025 * * ![](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 Build form and business logic Building form and business logic in ServiceNow involves designing how users interact with forms and defining rules that manage data behavior. This includesform logic, which controls what users can see and do on forms, andbusiness logic, which governs data operations during creation, reading, updating, and deletion (CRUD). Show full answer Show less ServiceNow encourages customers to leverage **low-code and no-code tools** like Flow Designer, Virtual Agent, and UI Policies to implement logic wherever possible, enabling easier debugging, upgrading, and maintenance. ## Best Practices for Scripting and Modifications * **Assess the necessity** of scripting before implementation---ensure the logic is critical and cannot be met with configuration options. * **Prefer no-code solutions** such as Flow Designer actions, Scripted REST APIs, script includes for scoped apps, and Service Portal widget customizations only when required. * **Avoid copying and deactivating baseline artifacts.** Instead, modify artifacts directly to maintain upgradeability and visibility, as the ServiceNow Upgrade Engine tracks version history and highlights skipped upgrades. * **Stay informed on platform enhancements** by reviewing release notes, certifications, and success playbooks to leverage new no-code features and best practices. ## Form Logic Form logic controls field visibility, read-only status, and mandatory requirements to tailor user experience and improve productivity. Proper use ensures users interact only with relevant data fields based on context. ## Business Rules and Flow Designer * **Business rules** run server-side during CRUD operations to enforce data integrity and automate backend processes. * **Flow Designer** offers a consolidated AI-powered environment for process automation using natural language, enabling process owners to automate approvals, notifications, tasks, and record operations without coding. The next step in designing an application is to build logic. Logic includes form logic (what people can and cannot see/use on a form) and business logic (rules that govern what happens to data when it is entered). ## Agentic AI {#build-form-and-business-logic__section_pdy_tlc_h2c} Create applications with help from agentic AI. For more information, see [Use agentic AI to build and edit applications](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/c02JqktGYDBjRV8Yj~IRvQ "Use agentic AI to help create and edit applications. Agentic AI can also summarize what an app does and help you generate code."). ## Scripting and modifications {#build-form-and-business-logic__section_w1p_vx2_5xb} Before writing any code, be aware of the impact on upgrades and the adoption of new ServiceNow features. Particular care should be taken when modifying baseline artifacts and processes. Consider the following before scripting: * Assess the requirement. Is the logic critical to the functioning of the app? * Determine if ServiceNow can be configured to fulfill the requirement without code. * Leverage options, such as Flow Designer, Virtual Agent, and UI Policies to take advantage of platform capabilities without writing code. * Low and no-code approaches to logic are easier to debug and upgrade. {#build-form-and-business-logic__ul_onf_wx2_5xb} Examples of when scripting is appropriate: * Building Flow Designer actions * Creating a Scripted REST API * Creating logic for scoped applications in Script Includes * Customizing and creating widgets for Service Portal {#build-form-and-business-logic__ul_pnf_wx2_5xb} Evaluate the business requirement and consider a no-code route before using a scripted solution. Be aware of ServiceNow enhancements. For example, in the orlando release, Virtual Agent conversations have more no-code options than London. Read release notes and other publications. Get certified and stay current with your certifications. To better understand when to customize, review the [Innovate at Scale Success Playbook](https://www.servicenow.com/success/playbook/innovate-at-scale.html) on the [Customer Success Center](https://www.servicenow.com/success.html). ## Modifying default behavior {#build-form-and-business-logic__section_jtv_wx2_5xb} In the past, one of the strategies used was to copy the artifact to update and to deactivate the original. The copy/deactivate approach is no longer recommended due to the following issues: * Developers cannot tell if a deactivated artifact was upgraded without research. * Two files, the original and the copy, need to be maintained. Maintenance doubles each time a customization is made. * With each release, the customized record becomes older. * Customers do not receive the enhancements included in a new release. * A new release may rely on the original record being updated. * Developers may make more changes to compensate for the original record being inactive. {#build-form-and-business-logic__ul_wjz_xx2_5xb} {#build-form-and-business-logic__ul_vjz_xx2_5xb} A script where only the Active flag is changed will be updated, but the script does not appear on the skipped list. With the copy and deactivate strategy, a developer has less visibility into customizations and cannot easily assess or revert to the baseline version. Rather than copying and deactivating the original artifact, edit the artifact directly. The ServiceNow Upgrade Engine will add the latest version to the version history and report that the artifact was skipped. Developers can see a new version is available with the upgrade. * **[Form logic](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/NJmJUz0F9jFkoqRhu2MLWg)** Controlling what users see when they visit a form can increase productivity and responsiveness. For example, users should only see fields that are useful to them. Users may only need to see certain fields based on what is configured on the form. Apply form logic to control what is visible, read-only, and mandatory on a form. * **[Business rules and script includes](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/x5mqIyljzdXFezdxDB~Sfw)** Business rules are server-side actions that can be run during CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations on instance records. * **[Flow Designer](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/81WqoFvf4zkZUZh~gVpK0g)** Flow Designer is a ServiceNow AI Platform feature that enables rich process automation capabilities in a consolidated design environment. Flow Designer enables process owners to use natural language to automate approvals, tasks, notifications, and record operations without having to code.