Activity stream in Sidebar

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Activity Stream in Sidebar

    The integration of Sidebar with the activity stream allows users to create discussion links and post messages directly related to specific records. This functionality is available exclusively in the Next Experience interface, not in Core UI. When a discussion is initiated, a corresponding tile is automatically added to the activity stream, enabling easy access for users with the appropriate permissions.

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    Key Features

    • Discussion Management: Users can create and manage discussions within the Sidebar, with automatic updates reflected in the activity stream.
    • Activity Stream Integration: Messages from Sidebar discussions can be posted to the activity stream, providing a collaborative space for record-specific conversations.
    • Pinned Discussions: Users can pin discussion tiles, ensuring important conversations remain at the top of the activity stream.
    • Message Editing and Deletion: Any updates to messages posted from Sidebar discussions are automatically reflected in the activity stream, including changes to attachments.

    Key Outcomes

    By utilizing the Sidebar activity stream integration, ServiceNow customers can enhance collaboration on records, streamline communication, and maintain an organized view of discussions. This functionality ensures that vital information is readily accessible, ultimately improving workflow efficiency and record management.

    If Sidebar is integrated with the activity stream, you can create links to discussions and post discussion messages directly to the related record as an activity stream record.

    Note:
    Sidebar and discussion tiles are available only with Next Experience and not in Core UI.

    When a Sidebar discussion is created, a corresponding Sidebar discussion tile is automatically added to the activity stream. Users who have access to the record can also access the discussion from the activity stream. Sidebar users can post messages from discussions into the activity stream as Sidebar posted messages. These messages can be posted to the activity stream as editable entries that can be added and removed as necessary. For generalized information about activity streams, see Activity streams.

    When you start a Sidebar discussion, a tile corresponding to the discussion is automatically added to the activity stream.

    Table 1. Sidebar tile
    1 Sidebar discussion name, type of conversation, date/time discussion started.
    2 Profile pictures of the participants (if there are more than 5 participants, then a badge displays the number of additional participants whose profile photos can’t be seen.)
    3 Name of user who created the Sidebar discussion.
    The primary record card appears as part of the activity stream and displays the following:
    • Record ID
    • Short description
    • Type
    • State
    • Assigned to
    • Link that opens the record
    • Priority (for task-based record cards)

    Primary record card.

    Starting a discussion

    If you select Open Discussion, then the Sidebar panel opens and displays the Sidebar discussions. Customers and non-fulfiller roles don’t have access to the record don’t have access to the conversation tile, similar to work notes.


    Start a discussion.

    Posting a message

    You can select any message in the Sidebar discussion panel and post it to the activity stream. When you post a message from the Sidebar discussion to the primary records activity stream, the most important information is tied directly to the record. This enables you to access collaborative conversations from a record so that you can add yourself to the discussion and view the conversation history.


    Post a message.

    If Sidebar messages posted to the activity stream aren’t appearing, ensure Sidebar discussion and Sidebar posted message are selected in the activity stream filter.


    Check for Sidebar post types.

    Pinning a discussion tile

    To pin a discussion tile in the activity stream, select the pushpin icon to pin a discussion tile to the activity stream. Pinning a discussion tile ensures that the discussion always stays at the top of the activity stream.


    Pin a discussion tile.

    Editing or Deleting a message in Sidebar

    If you edit a message in a Sidebar discussion that was already posted to the activity stream, then any changes that you made to the message are reflected in the activity stream.

    If you posted a message with an attachment in a Sidebar discussion and the message was already posted to the activity stream, any changes made to the attachment will be reflected in the activity stream. For example, if you post a message with an attachment in a Sidebar discussion and it’s posted to the activity stream and you later delete the attachment and replace it with a different one, the activity stream displays the new attachment.

    If you delete a message in a Sidebar discussion after the original message was already posted to the activity stream, then the message is removed from the activity stream.

    Deleting a message from the activity stream

    To remove a message from the activity stream, select the More Actions menu for each chat bubble within a Sidebar discussion and then select Remove from activity stream.


    Remove a message.