--- sourceDocument: Zurich Build workflows sourceDocumentLink: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/zurich/build-workflows Release : - zurich ft:locale : - en-US ft:publication_title : - Zurich Build workflows ft:clusterId : - crworkflow bundleId : - crworkflow workflow : - Creator --- # Actions # Workflow Studio actions {#ariaid-title1} * Release version: Zurich * * Updated July 31, 2025 * * ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read Summarize ![AI sparkle icon](https://servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ai-sparkle-icon) 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 Workflow Studio actions Workflow Studio actions enable ServiceNow process analysts to automate AI Platform features without coding by adding reusable operations to flows. These actions simplify tasks such as creating or updating records, sending emails, and managing approvals, helping streamline and automate business processes efficiently. Show full answer Show less Actions can be core ServiceNow actions available across all flows or application-specific actions added by activating related spokes, allowing customization and consistency in flow configurations. ## Key Features * **Action Management:** Easily search and filter actions by name or spoke, view recently used and popular actions, and access detailed action information including inputs and outputs. * **Core and Spoke Actions:** Core actions like "Create Record" and "Ask for Approval" are always available. Additional application-specific actions become available by activating spokes, enabling tailored automation for specific use cases. * **Common Actions Include:** * **Create Record / Update Record:** Create or update records dynamically on any table with field configuration. * **Approval Management:** Request approvals with configurable automatic decisions and due dates. * **Email and Attachment Handling:** Send emails, associate emails to records, manage attachments (copy, move, delete, lookup). * **Task and Catalog Item Automation:** Create catalog tasks, submit catalog item requests, and create task records from record producers. * **Flow Control:** Wait for conditions, email replies, or API messages to pause and resume flows. * **Logging and Event Handling:** Log messages and fire system events to trigger scheduled handlers. * **AI Integration:** Run AI agent actions within flows and use outputs for automation. ## Practical Use for ServiceNow Customers By leveraging Workflow Studio actions, ServiceNow customers can design automated workflows that reduce manual effort, ensure process consistency, and integrate AI capabilities without needing developer resources for scripting. Activating spokes allows you to extend functionality with application-specific actions tailored to your environment. The intuitive search and categorization features help analysts quickly find and configure actions, accelerating workflow development and deployment. These actions support common automation scenarios such as record management, approvals, notifications, and data collection, empowering your teams to build scalable, maintainable workflows that improve operational efficiency and user experience. Actions can be added to any flow, enabling process analysts to automate ServiceNow AI Platform features without having to write code. An action is a reusable operation that enables process analysts to automate ServiceNow AI Platform features without having to write code. For example, the Create Record action allows process analysts to generate records in a particular table with particular values when certain conditions occur. ServiceNow core actions like Create Record require some familiarity with ServiceNow AI Platform tables and fields. Action designers can create application-specific actions to pre-set configuration details. For example, creating a Create Incident Task action ensures that the process analyst uses the correct table and field configuration each time the action is used. You can add application-specific actions by activating the associated spoke. In Workflow Studio, a process analyst adds actions to a flow and defines the configuration options. ## Search actions {#flow-actions__section_hz4_y5w_mtb} You can use the Search Actions filter to find an action by name or spoke. As you enter data, Workflow Studio displays a list of actions and spokes that match your search criteria. Figure 1. Search Actions filter ![The Action menu displays a text box labelled Search Actions.]() ## Most Recent {#flow-actions__section_pj2_zvw_mtb} You can use the Most Recent option to display a list of the actions you recently selected. Each action displays the action name and the spoke to which it belongs underneath the name. You can use the information icon to see more information about the action such as its description, inputs, and outputs. Figure 2. Most Recent actions ## Popular {#flow-actions__section_cbr_cyw_mtb} You can use the Popular option to display a list of actions that your organization frequently uses. The system runs a scheduled job every seven days to generate the list of popular actions. ## Installed spokes {#flow-actions__section_pmj_15z_kcb} Workflow Studio displays actions for each installed spoke. You can select a spoke name to see a list of available actions for the spoke. All instances have a ServiceNow Core spoke. A ServiceNow core action is an action available to any flow regardless of the spokes installed. ServiceNow core actions cannot be viewed or edited from the Workflow Studio flow design environment. For example, the Ask for Approval action is a ServiceNow core action that allows process analysts to use ServiceNow AI Platform approvals. Workflow Studio provides a set of ServiceNow core actions to automate ServiceNow AI Platform processes. You can add application-specific actions by activating the associated spoke. You can find any custom actions you created in the spoke to which they belong. Alternatively, use the Search Actions filter to search for actions by name. * **[Add Worknote Link to Context action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/jso4EciOirbCNpvRcSySow)** Add a journal field entry containing a link to the current flow context record. Use the link to view the flow execution details of the current flow. You can add a flow context link to any record that has a journal field. * **[Ask for Approval action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/dNOK4kcgLWJ_ansxzkwyFg)** Request approval for a record. Configure a set of rules to automatically approve, reject, or cancel an approval request without having to write script. Add a due date to automatically approve, reject, or cancel when a decision has not been made by a designated time. * **[Associate Record to Email action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/CeTCtqoAin164F8UlPSr4g)** Associate a record with an Email \[sys_email\] record so that you can track which record is affected by the email. * **[Create Catalog Task action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/sgpey6H0SXbL8emEf06yPQ)** Creates a record in the Catalog Task \[sc_task\] table associated to a requested item in the Requested Items \[sc_req_item\] table. Adds the catalog task record as data to be used in the flow. * **[Create Flow Data action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/UfWiX3~_MlzcxCt8kNq24A)** Collect data from agents interacting with a Workspace playbook. Use this data to create reusable activities for process owners using Playbooks. * **[Create Record action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/CCM0uUvAXB1Cc~rheIphjw)** Creates a record on any table. You can dynamically add and configure fields for the record. * **[Create or Update Record action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/UTTDInLz9qcf8Cfrtgtz3g)** Create or update a record in a ServiceNow table using a single operation. Update a record that exists, or create a record using the values provided. * **[Create Task action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/mypXJ2nhQNbbz_xJScTShw)** Create a task record in an extension of the Task table. After you choose the task table, you can dynamically select the fields to configure the action. Defining the Parent field associates the task to a parent record. * **[Copy Attachment action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/rMWyvbKonh3d4Mk5Fu6MMA)** Copies an attachment from the Attachments \[sys_attachment\] table to a target record. * **[Delete Attachment action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/BciQkfZdg7m6QNdh~CZmfQ)** Removes one or all attachments associated with a record and deletes the attachment record from the Attachments \[sys_attachment\] table. * **[Delete Record action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r4yRk4FKEyVcDWLl8jN4MA)** Deletes a record on any table. * **[Execute Skill action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Zf4uEKkUxHc6X2dFwsgRlw)** Run a published Now Assist skill and use the skill outputs in a flow or subflow. * **[Fire Event action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/dR3xqB99dITypbDOsxf3fQ)** Create a system event record in the Event \[sysevent\] table to be processed by a scheduled event handler. Pass event parameters using flow data. * **[Get Attachments on Record action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/YT4mpvq7a0gtu4d2zZbIMA)** Access the list and count of the attachments associated with the provided source record as data pills in a flow. Use flow logic or scripting to process each attachment in the list of the attachments that the action returns. * **[Get Catalog Variables action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/hxgAgDAVfjApt76GWGxwEQ)** Select variables from multiple template catalog items and variable sets using the Get Catalog Variables action. * **[Get Email Header action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/sAler39kE1mH~ShtQSFCKw)** Access an email header value as a data pill in a flow. * **[Get Latest Response Text From Email action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/pYRlAquqMY8nBXd6UolA1Q)** Provide the most recent reply or forward message in an e-mail chain to other actions in your flow. * **[Log action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/QM2Iw86y88g27q7JJkAfjw)** Logs a message in the Workflow Studio log table sys_flow_log. * **[Look Up Attachment action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/u8nFnnkkGL7xckh7KcDmYA)** Looks up an attachment associated with a record and returns the Attachment Sys ID as a data pill. * **[Look up email attachments action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/ufjNSvnSz~fz2etHhUomtA)** Look up files that are attached to an email so that you can perform an action on the files. * **[Look Up Record action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/sffGv4N2NGMjdTz1kHLaIg)** Look up a record from any table based on defined conditions. * **[Look Up Records action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Zx1Q6URBo2JkgE1_R0YBMQ)** Look up multiple records on any table using defined conditions. * **[Move Attachment action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/fxdLEALknB_aHf_FcHFwiA)** Associates a record from the Attachment \[sys_attachment\] table with a target record. Removes the attachment from any other associated records. * **[Move Email Attachments to Record action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/47E6xddE2lsmh8DbliCisg)** Move attachments from an email to a record so that the files are available to your users when they view the record. * **[Record Producer action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/whrXSbg~7T1wQNPmn0k7qQ)** Create a Task record from a Record Producer Catalog Item \[sc_cat_item\]. The Task record inherits values from the catalog item's variable values. * **[Send Email action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/J0D8nf6kxNWJG8Nem3VoMQ)** Send an email to specified users or groups as an action in a flow. * **[Send Notification action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Nhu7VWy4Imy7QWuporDW4w)** Send an email notification to predefined recipients with predefined content. Select or create a Notification \[sysevent_email_action\] record to configure the email notification. * **[Send SMS action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/SRrJoqf_VO13y17DgI~XuQ)** Send an email-based SMS text message to specified users or groups using your instance email server. Recipients must have an SMS device configured to receive the message. * **[SLA Percentage Timer action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/U4TKx1bu~dV0BCkK_Tg0QQ)** Identify when a task SLA record reaches a specific percentage value and perform other actions or flow logic that is based on the SLA percentage. For example, send a notification when an SLA percentage timer completes. * **[Submit Catalog Item Request action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/UlG~I_kEGwMv7IyeCnvhOQ)** Create a requested item \[sc_req_item\] on a Service Catalog Request \[sc_request\]. * **[Update Multiple Records action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/cu7tyjXGqYGZhfIf_3WrZQ)** Look up and update multiple records as a single action. Using this action removes the need to separately look up a list of records and then process the list with For Each flow logic. Set field values with a template or add and configure them using data pills. * **[Update Record action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/UAebivL_qbmqNk~kCGIp3w)** Update an existing record in a table. You can dynamically add and configure fields for the record. * **[Use an AI agent action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/uLwlQhnQq4tIhZoPkbDpyg)** Use flow data to run an AI agent and configure the expected agent output for use later in the flow. * **[Wait For Condition action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/Obde1M~x6oZE2czM4X8DiA)** Pause a flow until record values match a specific set of conditions. * **[Wait For Email Reply action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/9PcA3nDb69TPrzQp8Rs0Gw)** Pause a flow until an email reply is received to an outbound email record * **[Wait For Message action](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/GTo23jPH3uw9kw5c2k8ofQ)** Pause a flow until it receives a specific message from the flow API. Specify the string message that resumes running the flow, and optionally provide a time out value to resume the flow if no message is received after a specific amount of time.