Configuring the Recommended Actions application

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Configuring the Recommended Actions application

    The Recommended Actions application enables ServiceNow administrators to configure context-aware suggested actions for agents based on specific records. This helps agents efficiently address customer issues by providing relevant guidance, decision flows, or field value suggestions tailored to the record they are working on.

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    Key Features

    • Contexts: Define the tables (e.g., Case table) for which recommendations apply, ensuring that actions shown are record-specific.
    • Context Inputs: Optionally associate additional entities beyond the primary table to dynamically update recommendations as the context changes.
    • Rules: Create condition-based rules within a context to control when and to whom recommended actions appear, including role-based access controls.
    • Recommendations: Suggest specific actions within rules, choosing from three types:
      • Guidance: Informational actions or suggestions, such as linking knowledge articles or creating work orders.
      • Guided Decision Trees: Multi-step processes that guide agents through questions and answers to reach a resolution.
      • Field Recommendations: Suggestions for field values, like assigning the correct assignment group based on case description.
    • Resource Generators: Support data inputs for guidances and field recommendations, excluding decision trees.
    • Arbitration Parameters: Configure how frequently recommendations appear and prioritize them, ensuring agents receive the most critical guidance first.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    By configuring the Recommended Actions application, admins can tailor agent workflows to improve efficiency and accuracy in resolving customer issues. The contextual and conditional setup ensures agents receive timely, relevant suggestions, reducing resolution times and improving customer satisfaction. Role-based controls and prioritization parameters allow for precise management of what actions are recommended and when, aligning with organizational processes and priorities.

    As an admin, configure the Recommended Actions application to display relevant actions to your agents based on a record context.

    Recommended actions

    You can configure recommended actions by following these steps.
    Table 1. Steps to configure Recommended actions
    Step Description
    Create a context A context enables agents to see recommendations for records from a specific table, such as the Case table.
    Create a context input A context input enables you to associate entities beyond just the context table with a context ensuring that recommendations are updated dynamically as the context evolves.
    Note:
    This step is not mandatory.
    Create a rule for a context

    A rule is a set of conditions that applies to a context and determines when a recommended action appears.

    When you create a rule:
    • Select conditions that apply to the context table.
    • Select the roles that have access to the recommended actions.
    Note:
    New rules can only be created from within a context.
    Create a recommendation for a rule

    A recommendation is a way to suggest an action to an agent.

    Create a recommendation by selecting one of the recommendation types available on the New Recommendation screen:
    • Guidance
    • Guided decision tree
    • Field recommendation
    Note:
    New recommendations can only be created from within a rule.

    Action types

    With the Recommended Actions application, you can create the following types of actions for agents to take.
    Table 2. Action types in the Recommended actions application
    Action type Description
    Guidance

    An action that an agent can take or information that they can share. For example, a guidance can recommend that an agent can view and attach a knowledge article to a case or create a work order.
    Guided decision tree A guided flow to follow. A decision tree is a multi-step process that includes a series of questions and answers and results in guidance.
    Field recommendation A recommended value to use for a field. For example, this type of action can recommend the assignment group based on the text in the case short description.
    For more information, see Creating guidance and field recommendation in Recommended Actions.

    Resource generators

    Configure resource generators to provide information that you can use as inputs to actions such as guidances and field recommendations. Configuration of decision trees don’t require resource generators. For more information, see Create a resource generator in Recommended Actions.

    Arbitration parameters

    Configure arbitration parameters to determine the frequency of issues or the priority order of the recommended actions so that agents get the guidance that they must help resolve customer issues. For more information, see Configure the arbitration parameters in Recommended Actions.