Update Record activity

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Update Record activity

    The Update Record activity in ServiceNow enables you to update a record with specified field values within a playbook. This activity is accessible to users with admin, playbook.admin, or pdauthor roles and can be added as a common activity to streamline record updates during process automation.

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    Key Features

    • Configurable Inputs: Customize the activity by setting inputs such as Label (title), Description, Run Conditions (using prior activity data), and Start Rules for both stages and activities (e.g., start when the process starts or after specific stages/activities).
    • Timing Control: Optionally delay the start of the activity or stage.
    • Record Identification: Specify the target Table and Reference to the record to update, alongside the Fields Template to define which fields to change.
    • User Interaction: Choose to wait for user input before completing the activity, allowing manual completion or skipping; this setting is editable only by playbook.admin users.
    • Advanced Inputs: Assign the task to specific groups or users, and configure which fields to show after the record is updated.
    • Outputs: Provides updated record information such as the Table name and Record Document ID, which can be used as inputs in subsequent activities within the playbook.

    Design Considerations

    • Form Views: Create tailored form views displaying only necessary fields to simplify user data entry and ensure required fields or fields validated by business logic are shown.
    • Activity Sequencing: To avoid blocking dependent activities, run non-interactive Update Record activities before interactive ones that require user input. Interactive activities can pause the playbook and delay subsequent stages or activities.

    This activity empowers ServiceNow customers to automate and control record updates efficiently within playbooks, supporting both automatic and user-driven workflows while ensuring proper sequencing and visibility.

    Update a record with the field values you specify.

    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.
    Table Table Name Table containing the record to update.
    Record Reference Reference to the record you want to update.
    Fields Template Value Field values to change during record update.
    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 Reference.Group [sys_user_group] Group responsible for completing the task associated with the activity.
    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.
    Fields to show after update String Comma-separated list of fields to display for an updated record.

    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 updated record.
    Record Document ID Reference to record updated.

    Design considerations

    Create form views for activities that you want to render in a playbook
    Use a form view to display only the fields your users need to update a record. Your view should display required fields or those fields validated by other business logic. See View Management.
    Run non-interactive activities before interactive activities
    If an Update Record activity interactively gathers data from users, it prevents the playbook from starting any dependent activities. For example, an Update Record activity would prevent starting After Previous activities, which may be in other stages. Where possible, design your playbooks to run non-interactive activities before interactive activities that could block them.