Two Step Instruction activity

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Two Step Instruction activity

    The Two Step Instruction activity in the Yokohama release enables you to display different messages to end users based on the current state of the activity: initial (in progress), skipped, or completed. This helps communicate clear status updates within playbooks, enhancing user understanding and engagement.

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    Key Features

    • State-based Messaging: Configure distinct messages for initial, skipped, and completed states to guide end users appropriately.
    • Role Availability: Accessible to users with admin, playbook.admin, or pdauthor roles for adding to playbooks.
    • Input Configuration: Inputs include labels, descriptions, run conditions, scheduling rules, and optional delay settings—all configurable via the activity properties panel.
    • Scheduling Flexibility: Activities and stages can be triggered based on playbook start, completion of specific stages or activities, and can include start delays.
    • Advanced Inputs: Assignment group and assigned user can be specified to designate responsibility for the task associated with the activity.
    • Output Data: The activity outputs a reference to the related task record, which can be used as input in subsequent activities within the playbook.

    Practical Use for ServiceNow Customers

    By incorporating this activity into your playbooks, you can provide end users with clear, contextual messages that correspond to the activity's progress, skipped status, or completion. This improves communication and task tracking during playbook execution. The flexible scheduling and assignment options allow you to tailor the workflow to your operational needs, ensuring tasks are started and owned appropriately. Additionally, outputs from this activity can feed into downstream processes, supporting integrated and automated playbook designs.

    Display a different message to end users based on the current activity state. You can specify an initial state message, a skipped state message, and a completed state message.

    Roles and availability

    • This activity is available as a common activity. Users with the admin, playbook.admin, or pd_author can add this activity to a playbook.

    Inputs

    Open the activity properties panel and configure your activity to add values for the following inputs. If the input value varies, use the pill-picker to show where to get the value. To learn more about the pill-picker, see Dot-walking examples.
    Input Type Description
    Label String Title to display as activity and playbook card.
    Description String Information to display about activity usage or outcome.
    Run condition Condition Builder Conditions that must be met to run an activity or stage. You can use data from prior activities to build conditions.
    Note:
    Show additional options to see this field.
    Start Rule Choice Under Schedule > Start Rule, select a start rule for when your stage should start running:
    • When process starts: Your stage starts running as soon as the playbook starts.
    • After specific stages: Your stage starts running after specified stage(s) have finished running.
    Under Schedule > Start Rule, select a start rule for when your activity should start running:
    • When stage starts: Your activity starts running as soon as its stage starts running. Your stage starts running when your playbook is triggered.
    • After specific activities: Your activity starts running after specified activities have finished running.
    Start with delay True/False Option to wait for a duration of time before running an activity or stage. When enabled, this input displays the Start with delay input properties.
    Note:
    Show additional options to see this field.
    Initial Message String Message text to display to end users when the activity state is In Progress.
    Completed Message String Message text to display to end users when the activity state is Completed.
    Skipped Message String Message text to display to end users when the activity state is Skipped.

    Advanced inputs

    After configuring the required inputs for your activity, you can also choose to configure additional inputs. In the side panel, select Show additional options to display these advanced inputs. For more information, see Activity experience.
    Input Type Description
    Assignment Group Reference.Group [sys_user_group] Group responsible for completing the task associated with the activity.
    Note:
    Show additional options to see this field.
    Assigned To Reference.User [sys_user] User responsible for completing the task associated with the activity.
    Note:
    Show additional options to see this field.

    Outputs

    These outputs can provide data to other activities in your playbook. You can access this data as activity inputs when you configure your activity:
    Output Type Description
    Record Reference.Task[task] Reference to the record associated with the activity.