UI Layouts

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of UI Layouts

    UI Layouts define the properties and components used to render activities as cards within the Playbook Experience in ServiceNow. When creating an activity definition, selecting an appropriate UI Layout determines the sections and fields available for configuration, directly influencing how the activity appears and behaves during runtime.

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    The Zurich release of Playbooks includes several default UI Layouts in your instance: Create Record, Questionnaire, Instructional, Knowledge, List, Record, Record generator, and Guided Decision (the latter requires specific subscriptions).

    Key Features

    • Create Record: Includes sections such as Associated Record, Record Details, Form, Attachments, and Features. This layout supports configuring record creation with detailed fields like Tagline, Icon, Pending State, SLA, Checklist, and automation flags.
    • Questionnaire: Similar to Create Record but tailored for questionnaire-style activities, including form views and attachment handling.
    • Instructional: Focuses on providing instructional content with fields for Tagline, Icon, Description, and automation status.
    • Knowledge: Designed for knowledge-based activities, featuring Knowledge Table and Knowledge Record fields along with associated record information.
    • List: Enables listing records with configurables like List Title, Table, Query, UI View, Columns, and Row Count.
    • Record: Provides a detailed record view with form, attachments, and feature controls similar to Create Record.
    • Record generator: Creates a record during runtime and redirects users to it. Configurable sections include Template Fields, Process Definition Scoped Name, Associated Table, and Form View.
    • Guided Decision: Available with App Engine or Customer Service Management subscriptions, supports decision tree executions and related tasks.

    Practical Application

    Choosing the correct UI Layout when defining an activity is crucial for configuring the user experience in Playbooks. Each layout offers specific sections that enable you to tailor the activity's data display, attachments, forms, and automation features to meet your business needs.

    For example, the Create Record layout is ideal for activities that involve record creation with detailed metadata and automation, while the Record generator layout is suited for activities that create a record and immediately open it for the user.

    In Workflow Studio, these configurations are managed on the UI Layouts tab, and changes are reflected during playbook runtime, ensuring a consistent and tailored experience for end-users.

    A UI Layout describes what properties and components to use when an activity renders as a card in a Playbook Experience.

    When creating an activity definition, you must select an UI Layout to associate your activity definition with. Playbooks come with the following UI Layouts that are available in your instance by default:
    • Create Record
    • Questionnaire
    • Instructional
    • Knowledge
    • List
    • Record
    • Record generator
    Depending on the UI Layout associated with the activity, different sections and fields appear under the activity definition's Activity Experience. These sections and fields let you set up the activity data that renders during the runtime Playbook Experience.
    Note:
    All UI Layouts, except for Record generator, display an Associated Record section. For information on how to set up or edit the Associated Record section in an activity definition, see Create an activity definition.

    Create Record

    If you choose the Create Record UI Layout, the following sections appear in the Activity Experience section for your activity definition:

    Associated Record
    Displays the following fields:
    • Associated table
    • Associated record
    • Experience Status Table
    • Experience Status Record
    Details
    Displays the following fields:
    • Tagline
    • Icon
    • Title
    • Description
    • Pending State Title
    • Pending State Description
    • Record fields
    • Footer
    Form
    Displays the following fields:
    • Form View
    • Form fields
    • Template Fields
    Attachments
    Displays the following fields:
    • Attachment source
    • Attachments read only
    Features
    Displays the following fields:
    • Show SLA
    • Show Checklist
    • Is Automated
    The Create Record activity that comes with the application uses this UI Layout.
    Figure 1. In an activity definition
    In Workflow Studio, the fields are configured on the UI Layouts tab of the side panel:
    Figure 2. In Workflow Studio
    In a running playbook, your configurations are reflected:
    Figure 3. In a running playbook

    Questionnaire

    If you choose the Questionnaire UI Layout, the following sections appear in the Activity Experience section for your activity definition:

    Associated Record
    Displays the following fields:
    • Associated table
    • Associated record
    • Experience Status Table
    • Experience Status Record
    Details
    Displays the following fields:
    • Tagline
    • Icon
    • Title
    • Description
    • Pending State Title
    • Pending State Description
    • Record fields
    • Footer
    Form
    Displays the following fields:
    • Form View
    • Form fields
    Attachments
    Displays the following fields:
    • Attachment source
    • Attachments read only
    Features
    Displays the following fields:
    • Show SLA
    • Show Checklist
    • Is Automated

    Instructional

    If you choose the Instructional UI Layout, the following sections appear in the Activity Experience section for your activity definition:

    Associated Record
    Displays the following fields:
    • Associated table
    • Associated record
    • Experience Status Table
    • Experience Status Record
    Details
    Displays the following fields:
    • Tagline
    • Icon
    • Title
    • Description
    • Footer
    Features
    Displays the following field: Is Automated

    Knowledge

    If you choose the Knowledge UI Layout, the following sections appear in the Activity Experience section for your activity definition:

    Associated Record
    Displays the following fields:
    • Associated table
    • Associated record
    • Experience Status Table
    • Experience Status Record
    Knowledge
    Displays the following fields:
    • Knowledge Table
    • Knowledge Record
    Details
    Displays the following fields:
    • Title
    • Footer
    Features
    Displays the following field: Is Automated

    List

    If you choose the List UI Layout, the following sections appear in the Activity Experience section for your activity definition:

    Associated Record
    Displays the following fields:
    • Associated table
    • Associated record
    • Experience Status Table
    • Experience Status Record
    Details
    Displays the following fields:
    • Tagline
    • Icon
    • Title
    • Description
    • Record fields
    List Details
    Displays the following fields:
    • List Title
    • Table
    • List Query
    • UI View
    • Columns
    • Max Columns
    • Row Count
    Features
    Displays the following field: Is Automated

    Record

    If you choose the Record UI Layout, the following sections appear in the Activity Experience section for your activity definition:

    Associated Record
    Displays the following fields:
    • Associated table
    • Associated record
    • Experience Status Table
    • Experience Status Record
    Details
    Displays the following fields:
    • Tagline
    • Icon
    • Title
    • Description
    • Pending State Title
    • Pending State Description
    • Record fields
    • Footer
    Form
    Displays the following fields:
    • Form View
    • Form fields
    Attachments
    Displays the following fields:
    • Attachment source
    • Attachments read only
    Features
    Displays the following fields:
    • Show SLA
    • Show Checklist
    • Is Automated

    Record generator

    Activities with a Record generator UI Layout create a record during runtime, and redirect users to the record. For example, in this activity, after an agent selects the Continue button, a record is created and they are taken to that new record.
    Record generator activity during runtime
    If you choose the Record generator UI Layout, the following sections appear in the Activity Experience section for your activity definition:
    • Template Fields
    • Process Definition Scoped Name
    • Associated Table
    • Form View

    Guided Decision

    Note:
    The Guided Decision UI Layout is available with a subscription to App Engine or Customer Service Management (CSM). For more information on how to enable this activity for use in Playbooks, see Activate Playbooks for Customer Service Management (CSM).
    If you choose the Guided Decision UI Layout, the following fields appear in the Activity Experience section for your activity definition:
    • Decision Tree Execution
    • Decision Tree