Create Task activity

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Create Task activity

    The Create Task activity in ServiceNow lets you create a task record within a playbook from previously gathered or generated data. It is a common activity accessible to users with admin, playbook.admin, or pdauthor roles, enabling seamless task creation and management as part of automated workflows.

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    Configuration Inputs

    When adding this activity to a playbook, you configure inputs via the activity properties panel. Key inputs include:

    • Label: Specifies the title displayed on the activity and playbook card.
    • Description: Provides information about the activity’s usage or expected outcome.
    • Run condition: Defines conditions under which the activity or stage runs, using data from prior activities.
    • Start Rule: Determines when the stage or activity starts, either when the process or stage starts or after specified stages or activities complete.
    • Start with delay: Optionally delays the start of the stage or activity.
    • Assigned To: Specifies the user responsible for completing the task.
    • Short Description: Summarizes the task to be completed.
    • Wait for user input: Controls whether the playbook pauses until the user manually completes or skips the activity (editable only by playbook.admin role).

    Advanced Inputs

    Additional configuration options help refine task assignment and access:

    • Assignment Group for this Process Step: Limits the group allowed to perform this playbook activity, restricting edit and read access.
    • Assigned to this Process Step: Specifies individual users allowed to perform the activity; these settings limit access to submit, view, or edit collected data.
    • Task Table: Defines the specific task table extension where the task record will be created.
    • Field values: Allows setting field values for the created task record, including specifying which fields to show after creation.
    • Wait for Task completion: If enabled, pauses the playbook until the created task is marked complete.

    Note: By default, Assignment Group and Assigned To fields map to those on the trigger record, granting access accordingly.

    Outputs

    The activity outputs useful data for downstream activities in the playbook:

    • Table: The name of the table containing the new task record.
    • Record: A reference to the task record created.

    Practical Benefits

    This activity enables ServiceNow customers to automate task creation within playbooks efficiently, ensuring tasks are assigned appropriately and playbook flow can pause for user input or task completion as needed. It improves task management, accountability, and process automation consistency across your workflows.

    Create a task record from previously gathered or generated data.

    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:
    Select 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:
    Select Show additional options to see this field.
    Assigned To Reference.User [sys_user] User responsible for completing the task associated with the activity.
    Note:
    Select Show additional options to see this field.
    Short Description String Summary of the task to complete.
    Wait for user input Choice Option to pause the playbook until the end user manually completes or skips the activity. Only users with the playbook.admin role can edit this field. By default, the activity waits for user action or data before it completes.

    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 for this Process Step Reference.Group [sys_user_group] Assignment group allowed to perform this playbook activity. If you don't set any values for Assignment Group or Assigned To, any user can read and edit the collected data. The Assignment group and Assigned to fields limit who has access to do so. To specify only individual users, use the Assigned To field. The same users do not need to be specified in both fields.
    Note:
    By default, these fields are mapped to the Assignment Group and Assigned To fields of the trigger record. This means that users assigned to work on the parent record have access to submit, view and edit the collected data by default.
    Assigned to this Process Step Reference.User [sys_user] User allowed to perform this playbook activity. If you don't set any values for Assignment Group or Assigned To, any user can read and edit the collected data. The Assignment group and Assigned to fields limit who has access to do so. To specify only individual users, use the Assigned To field. The same users do not need to be specified in both fields.
    Note:
    By default, these fields are mapped to the Assignment Group and Assigned To fields of the trigger record. This means that users assigned to work on the parent record have access to submit, view and edit the collected data by default.
    Task Table Table Name Name of the task table extension in which you want to create a task. The activity completes when this task is complete.
    Field values Choice The field that you want to add to your task.
    Add Field Template Value Field values to assign when creating the task record.
    Fields to show after creation String Comma-separated list of fields to display for a created record.
    Wait for Task completion True/False Pause the playbook until the created Task record is complete.

    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
    Table Table Name Table containing new record.
    Record Reference.Task[task] Reference to record created.