Primary interfaces
Summarize
Summary of Primary interfaces
ServiceNow users primarily interact with data models via forms and lists on desktop or through mobile applications. Efficient design and configuration of these interfaces are crucial for optimal user experience and application performance.
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Forms and Lists
- Forms display details from a single record, while lists show multiple records from a table.
- Limit the number of fields on forms to improve load times and usability.
- Use form views to tailor sets of fields for different contexts.
- Organize fields into logical form sections to reduce scrolling and group related data; the most important fields should be in the top section.
- Arrange fields in a logical order, e.g., start date before end date.
- Limit default lists to seven or fewer columns; users can personalize lists to add more.
- Avoid placing reference fields as the first column in a list to prevent navigation issues caused by hyperlink behavior.
- Well-designed forms improve usability by grouping related fields and using sections, whereas poorly designed forms cause excessive scrolling and scattered information.
Mobile
- For native iOS or Android functionality (e.g., geolocation, offline access), use the ServiceNow Agent app.
- Develop mobile applications using Studio and create applets—tiles within the app that provide focused experiences.
- Include a main screen (such as a map or list) and detail screens (activity streams, related lists) in applets.
- Applets can be secured by roles and configured for offline use.
The primary way for users to interact with a data model is through forms and lists or through mobile.
Forms and lists
The standard method of accessing data in ServiceNow is through the default forms and lists. A form displays information from one record in a data table and a list displays a set of records from a table. When configuring forms and lists:
- Keep the number of fields on a form to a minimum. The more fields on a form, the longer the form takes to load resulting in a poor user experience. Use form views to create different sets of fields for different situations.
- Use form sections to logically group fields together and to keep users from scrolling. The top section of the form should contain the fields that are always needed or used, while the other form sections contain less frequently utilized fields.
- Make sure fields appear in the right order. For example, the start date field should always come right before an end date field.
- Use seven or fewer columns in a default list. Users can add more by personalizing their lists.
- Avoid using a reference field as the first item in the list view, because it is shown as hyperlinked text. Clicking on the reference field will redirect the user to the referenced record instead of the list record, resulting in a poor user experience.
This example shows a poorly designed form.
- The form has no sections. Users need to scroll through the entire form to see all the fields.
- Similar fields are not grouped together. For example, Assignment group and Assigned to are on different sides of the form.
This example shows a well-designed form.
- Fields are grouped together logically.
- The form has been broken into sections for easier viewing and data entry.
Mobile
If users will interact with the application on their mobile devices and will need native iOS or Android functionality, such as geolocation or offline access to application data, use the ServiceNow Agent app. Use Studio to create a mobile application for the application.
Self-paced training: Mobile Applications
Other resources: Mobile Resources