Saved flow triggers

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Saved Flow Triggers

    Saved flow triggers in ServiceNow allow flow authors to create reusable sets of trigger definitions that can be selected and applied across multiple application flows. This feature streamlines trigger management by enabling centralized updates and reuse, reducing the need to manually modify each flow individually.

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    Key Features

    • Reusable Triggers: Save predefined triggers that can be easily selected by flow authors without recreating from scratch.
    • Centralized Updates: Changes made to a saved trigger automatically propagate to all flows using it, simplifying maintenance.
    • Trigger Visibility and Modification Controls: Specify if flow authors can view trigger details or add conditions when using the saved trigger, with changes isolated from the original trigger.
    • Workflow Studio Integration: Access and manage saved triggers through the Workflow Studio home page, including options to publish, edit, view usage, and undo/redo changes.
    • Trigger Types: Starting with the Yokohama release, only record-based triggers are supported for saving.
    • Advanced Options: Configure user session requirements, user selection criteria, table scope, and whether flows run synchronously (foreground) or asynchronously (background).

    Practical Configuration Options

    • When to Run the Flow: Define session types (interactive or non-interactive), specify which users trigger the flow, and select applicable tables (current or extended).
    • Where to Run the Flow: Choose between running flows in the background for asynchronous processing or in the foreground for immediate user updates, with guidance on avoiding blocking user input.
    • Condition Management: Add trigger conditions and control whether flow authors can view or further customize these conditions without affecting the saved trigger.

    Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Improves efficiency by enabling flow authors to quickly select from predefined triggers.
    • Reduces maintenance overhead by centralizing trigger updates across multiple flows.
    • Provides flexibility in controlling trigger visibility and modification rights to maintain governance.
    • Supports better session and user targeting to ensure flows run only in appropriate contexts.
    • Enhances user experience by allowing flows to run asynchronously or synchronously based on business needs.

    Save a set of trigger definitions as a reusable trigger. Enable flow authors to select the saved trigger from some or all application flows. Specify whether flow authors can see the trigger details or add conditions to the trigger.

    Benefits

    Save flow triggers to gain these benefits:
    • Allow flow authors to select predefined trigger definitions without the hassle of creating a trigger.
    • Push changes to every flow that uses a saved trigger rather than having to update each flow manually.
    • Reuse trigger definitions in multiple flows.

    UI elements

    The Workflow Studio home page displays a Triggers option in the list of available components and the list of new components.

    Figure 1. Screen to create a record based trigger
    Interface for the configure the trigger with numbered callouts for specific UI elements. For a description of the UI elements, see the list in the following text.
    A Workflow Studio Create trigger tab consists of these elements:
    1. Publish and more actions
    Publish the trigger for consumption or access the More actions menu to delete the trigger, edit the trigger properties, view flows that are using the trigger, or force save your changes.
    2. View options
    View the draft version of the trigger for all latest changes or view the published trigger.
    3. Redo and undo buttons
    Redo or undo an action that you have performed while creating the trigger.
    4. Auto-save icon
    View if and when your changes are automatically saved.
    5. Trigger type & table section
    Select the trigger type and table from the available options.

    For more information about trigger types, see Workflow Studio flow trigger types.

    Note:
    Starting in the Yokohama release, only the record-based triggers are supported for saved flow triggers.
    6. Conditions section

    Specify the conditions for the trigger. Add more conditions as you need.

    You can allow flow authors to view the conditions or to view and add more conditions when they use the saved trigger in a flow. The changes don't affect the saved trigger.

    7. Advanced Options section
    Specify the user session requirements needed to start a flow in the Advanced Options section.
    When to run the flow

    Determine the type of session that can trigger the flow, whether to run the flow when triggered by certain users, and which tables can trigger the flow.

    Table 1. Interactive session drop-down menu options
    Option Description
    Only Run for Non-Interactive Session Flow that is triggered only in non-interactive sessions. See Non-interactive sessions.
    Only Run for User Interactive Session Flow that is triggered only in interactive sessions.
    Run for Both Interactive and Non-Interactive Sessions Flow that is triggered in all sessions.
    Table 2. User drop-down menu options
    Option Description
    Do not run if triggered by the following users Flow that doesn't trigger for a selected list of users. Select the Add User icon (Add User Icon) to add users to the list.
    Only run if triggered by the following users Flow that triggers only for a selected list of users. Select the Add User icon (Add User Icon) to add users to the list.
    Run for any user Flow that runs for any user.
    Table 3. Table drop-down menu options
    Option Description
    Run only on current table Flow that is triggered only for the selected table.
    Run on current and extended tables Flow that is triggered for the selected table and any extended tables.
    Where to run the flow

    Determine whether to run the flow in the background or in the current session.

    Option Description
    Run flow in background (default) Flow that runs asynchronously in the background. Use this option for flows that don't require immediate updates and to allow other system processes to run at the same time.
    Run flow in foreground Flow that runs synchronously in the current session. Use this option to provide immediate updates to an end user. For example, if a flow opens a task after the previous task closes, use this option to open the next task immediately after a user closes one.
    Note:
    Running a flow in foreground may block the current session thread and prevent user input until the flow finishes. Avoid running flows in the foreground when they contain actions that cannot be interrupted, such as actions that run script. Actions or flow logic that pause a flow will not block a session.

    You can allow the users to view and modify the advanced options when they use the saved trigger in a flow. If a user modifies the advanced options, any future changes that you make to the trigger doesn't affect the user modified options.