Work with the Entity View Action Mapper for UI Builder

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 4 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    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 Work with the Entity View Action Mapper for UI Builder

    The Entity View Action Mapper (EVAM) application in UI Builder enables ServiceNow customers to standardize the presentation of data sources within components, displaying them as card grids or lists. EVAM helps unify how entities such as community posts or users are shown, along with their associated actions, improving the consistency and usability of UI components.

    Show full answer Show less

    Key Features

    • Entities: Represents the data sources you want to display (e.g., users, posts).
    • Views: Defines how data appears on cards and the actions available on those cards (e.g., activating a user).
    • Actions: Specifies interactive operations linked to cards.
    • Mapping: Maps data sources to generic fields for display and connects them to actions.
    • Toggle Views: Allows end users to switch between card grid and list views within components.
    • Data Source Configuration: Supports adding EVAM data sources in UI Builder with options for immediate or event-driven evaluation, pagination control, filtering, and event handling for data fetch lifecycle events.
    • Multi-table Data Configuration: An alternative approach that offers more granular control over data presentation directly within UI Builder for users less comfortable with JSON configuration.

    Using EVAM Data Resources in UI Builder

    ServiceNow customers can add various types of EVAM data resources to pages in UI Builder, each with configurable parameters:

    • EVAM Data Resource: Composite type data source configured with EVAM definitions, pagination controls, and event handlers.
    • Fetch EVAM Data and Metadata: GraphQL-type data sources that can be evaluated immediately or upon invocation, supporting pagination and filtering.
    • Search EVAM Data Resource: Composite data source allowing full-text search with configurable filters, spell-check options, and pagination tokens.

    Each data resource includes the ability to preview the EVAM definition script in the Now Code Editor, facilitating validation and customization.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Standardizes presentation of diverse data sources across UI Builder components, improving user experience.
    • Enables flexible display options with card and list views that end users can toggle between.
    • Supports advanced data retrieval, filtering, pagination, and search directly within UI Builder.
    • Facilitates integration of actionable operations on displayed data, enhancing interactivity.
    • Offers two configuration methods—EVAM with JSON expertise or multi-table data configuration for easier UI-based setup—allowing customers to choose the best fit.

    Next Steps

    To implement EVAM in your UI Builder pages, add an EVAM data resource, configure the EVAM definitions and parameters as needed, and bind the data source to your components. Utilize event handlers to manage data fetch states and preview scripts to ensure accuracy before deployment.

    With UI Builder, you can use the Entity View Action Mapper (EVAM) application to standardize how the data sources in your components are displayed in your cards and lists.

    EVAM Overview

    Entity View Action Mapper (EVAM) is an application that standardizes how different data sources are displayed in cards and lists. UI Builder uses EVAM data sources to show information in a component as a card grid view or as a list of information. You can add a toggle to your component to let users switch between card grid and list views.

    EVAM consists of the following components:
    • Entity (data source). Associated data that you intend to display, such as a community post or a user.
    • View. How a card displays data and actions.
    • Actions. Action that it performs on the card. For example, you can activate a user into your system.
    • Map. A process that maps the data source to generic fields that are displayed on the card. You can also associate actions that trigger from the card view.

    EVAM and Multi-table data configuration

    The EVAM is an option for users who understand and are comfortable working with JSON. The multi-table data configuration option is an alternative that gives you greater control over the presentation of data, makes it easier to configure the data, and enables you to remain in UI Builder. Use the option that you prefer. For more information, see Multi-table data configuration.

    EVAM data sources

    You add EVAM data sources in UI Builder and bind them to a component.
    Figure 1. EVAM data resources
    EVAM data resources in the select a data resource modal.
    Table 1. EVAM data sources
    EVAM data source Description
    EVAM Data Resource Add an EVAM definition and other information about the data source.
    • Type: Composite.
    • When to evaluate: In the When to evaluate this data resource, select Immediately to have the EVAM data resource instance evaluated on page load or select Only when invoked to use an event handler to evaluate the EVAM data resource.
    • EVAM definition: In the EVAM Definition field, add the EVAM definition record that is associated with the data resource.
    • Page cursor: In the Page Cursor field, add a page cursor for the EVAM definition.
    • Page size: In the Page Size field, add a size for the EVAM pagination.
    • Page number: In the Page Number field, add the page number for the EVAM pagination.
    • EVAM Filter Preference: In the EVAM Filter Preference field, enter the sys_ids for the EVAM data filter.

    To add an event handler for when that data fetch is initiated, succeeded, or failed, select Events.

    In the Now Code Editor section, which is next to the Configuration pane, preview the EVAM definition script.

    Figure 2. EVAM Data Resource configuration
    EVAM Data Resource Configuration.
    Fetch EVAM Data To add an EVAM definition and other information about the data source, select Configuration.
    • Type: GRAPHQL.
    • When to evaluate: To have the EVAM data resource instance evaluated on a page load, select Immediately. To use an event handler to evaluate the EVAM data resource, select Only when invoked.
    • EVAM definition: In the EVAM Definition field, enter the EVAM definition record that is associated with the data resource.
    • Page cursor: In the Page Cursor field, enter a page cursor for the EVAM definition.
    • Page size: In the Page Size field, enter a size for the EVAM pagination.
    • Page number: In the Page Number field, enter the page number for the EVAM pagination.
    • EVAM Filter Preference: In the EVAM Filter Preference field, enter the sys_ids for the EVAM data filter.

    To add an event handler for when that data fetch is initiated, succeeded, or failed, select Events.

    Preview the EVAM definition script in the Now Code Editor to the right of the Configuration pane.

    Fetch EVAM Data source configuration.
    Fetch EVAM Metadata To select when to evaluate the EVAM data resource and add an EVAM definition, select Configuration.
    • Type: GRAPHQL.
    • When to evaluate: To have the EVAM data resource instance evaluated on a page load, select Immediately. To use an event handler to evaluate the EVAM data resource, select Only when invoked.
    • EVAM definition: In the EVAM Definition field, enter the EVAM definition record that is associated with the data resource.

    To add an event handler for when that data fetch is initiated, succeeded, or failed, select Events.

    Preview the EVAM definition script in the Now Code Editor to the right of the Configuration pane.

    Fetch EVAM Metadata configuration.
    Search EVAM Data Resource To add an EVAM definition, and other information about the data source, select Configuration.
    • Type: Composite.
    • When to evaluate: To have the EVAM data resource instance evaluated on a page load. select Immediately. To use an event handler to evaluate the EVAM data resource, select Only when invoked.
    • EVAM Config ID: In the EVAM Config ID field, add the EVAM Config ID that is associated with the data record.
    • Search Context Config ID: In the Search Context Config ID field, add the Search Context Config ID that you are searching for.
    • Search Term: In the Search Term field, add the search terms that you are searching for.
    • Facet Filters: In the Facet filters field, add any facet filters to help define your search.
    • Search Filters: In the Search Filters field, add any search filters to help define your search.
    • Disable Spell Checking: In the Disable Spell Checking field, select if you desire spell checking to be on or off during your search.
    • Pagination Token: In the Pagination Token field, enter a pagination token if needed.

    To add an event handler for when that data fetch is initiated, succeeded, or failed, select Events.

    Preview the EVAM definition script in the Now Code Editor to the right of the Configuration pane.

    Search EVAM Data resource configuration.