Get Catalog Variables action

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Get Catalog Variables action

    The Get Catalog Variables action in ServiceNow's Workflow Studio enables you to retrieve values of catalog variables from multiple template catalog items and variable sets within a flow. This action is essential for flows that need to access and use catalog variable data from requested items in the Service Catalog.

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    This action is available to users with the flowdesigner or admin roles and is part of the core actions in ServiceNow's Flow Designer.

    Note that the action only retrieves variable values at the time it runs. To handle changes in variable values dynamically, you must incorporate additional flow logic, such as a Wait For Condition action with a changes operator, and re-run the Get Catalog Variables action accordingly.

    Inputs

    • Submitted Request: The requested item record (from the screqitem table) for which you want to fetch catalog variable values.
    • Template Catalog Items and Variable Sets: The catalog item record (sccatitem) used to populate the catalog variables list. This input does not accept dynamic pills.
    • Catalog Variables: A selectable list (slush bucket) of catalog variables from the template catalog items and variable sets. Selected variables become data pills available in the flow for further use.

    Outputs

    The action outputs each selected catalog variable as a separate data pill in the data panel. These output pills can be used as inputs in subsequent flow steps. The data type of each output corresponds to its variable type, supporting various Service Catalog variable types.

    Practical Use Case

    For example, to get catalog variables for hardware items, a flow can trigger on a Service Catalog request and first look up the catalog item record. The flow then evaluates the category of the item to confirm it belongs to Hardware. The Get Catalog Variables action is used to retrieve specific variables from a standard laptop catalog item template. The results provide individual catalog variable values, such as strings or Booleans, which can be used for further processing in the flow.

    Select variables from multiple template catalog items and variable sets using the Get Catalog Variables action.

    Roles and availability

    Available as a Workflow Studio ServiceNow core action. Users with the flow_designer or admin role can add an action to a flow and define configuration details.
    Note:
    This action only returns the value of catalog variables at the time it was run. If you expect the action to recognize when catalog variable values change, you must build that logic into your flow. For example, use a Wait For Condition action with a changes operator to get catalog variables when a field value changes. If the field value changes, you must add the action in the flow again.

    Inputs

    Provide a value for each input that your flow needs. To add dynamic values, you can also drag and drop pills from the Data panel or select them from the pill picker.

    Submitted Request
    Data type: Record

    The requested item record from the Requested Item [sc_req_item] table for which you want to get catalog variable values.

    Template Catalog Items and Variable Sets [Catalog Items and Variable Sets]
    Data type: Record

    The Catalog Item [sc_cat_item] record you want to use to populate the catalog variables slush bucket. This input does not support any data pill values.

    Catalog Variables
    Data type: Slush Bucket

    The list of catalog variables whose values you want to get from the requested item record. Each catalog variable that you select is displayed as a data pill in the data pane. You can define flow-specific variables that are displayed in the Available list. To define flow-specific variables, see Create flow Service Catalog variables.

    Outputs

    These outputs appear in the Data panel. You can use them as inputs elsewhere in your flow.

    Catalog Variables
    Data type: Varies by catalog variable type

    The data pane displays a separate data pill for each catalog variable selected from the Catalog Variables input. For a list of supported Service Catalog types, see Supported Service Catalog variable types.

    Get catalog variables for hardware items

    Configuration of Get Catalog Variables action

    In this example, a flow runs when someone requests an item from the Service Catalog. The first flow step looks up the Catalog item record of the requested item. The If flow logic uses the category value (Sys ID) of the catalog item to determine if request is for an item in the Hardware category. The Get Catalog Variables action uses the trigger record as the Submitted Request input. The Template Catalog Items and Variable Sets input uses the variables provided in the Standard Laptop catalog item. All three available catalog variables are selected and displayed as data pills in the data pane.

    Execution details of the Get Catalog Variables action

    The flow execution details show that the Submitted Request links to a request for a standard laptop. Of the three catalog variables, the string variable is empty and the two Boolean variables are false.