Mobile properties

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    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 Mobile properties

    Mobile properties in ServiceNow enable administrators to toggle features on or off in mobile apps without needing to upgrade the entire ServiceNow instance. These properties are managed by the ServiceNow Platform server and are delivered to mobile client apps after authentication. Mobile properties are structured as key/value pairs stored in thesyssgpropertiestable and are available starting with the San Diego release. They empower customers to control mobile app behavior dynamically, ensuring flexibility and timely feature management aligned with monthly mobile app releases.

    Show full answer Show less

    Application Scope and Precedence

    When creating mobile properties, administrators assign them to an application scope, which determines the context in which the property applies. The system uses precedence rules when multiple properties with the same name exist across scopes:

    • Global scope has highest precedence: If a property exists in the global scope, it overrides others.
    • Most recently updated property used if no global scope: If no global property exists, the system selects the property with the most recent update timestamp.

    These rules ensure consistent and predictable application of mobile properties across different app modules.

    Key Mobile Properties and Their Uses

    • clientRefresh: Controls automatic refreshing of mobile apps and can adjust the refresh scope.
    • sncexternal role attachment access: Allows external users to view, upload, and download attachments on mobile.
    • ShowDateTimeInUTC: Switches date/time field display between device local time (default) and UTC in the Now Mobile app.
    • useDeviceSettingsForDateTimeFormats: Configures mobile apps to adopt the date/time format of the user’s device.
    • mobileCardsShowSeconds, recordScreenDetailsShowSeconds, activityStreamShowSeconds: Hide seconds in date/time fields on various mobile UI components.
    • Extend embedded web sessions: Keeps mobile users logged in until the OAuth token expires.
    • EnableCameraFocusEnhancement and EnableMaxCameraResolution: Enhance barcode scanning experience on Android devices.
    • externalScanEnabled: Allows barcode scanning with external scanners while the device camera remains available.
    • Role-based attachment capabilities on Android: Combine system and mobile properties to control sharing, downloading, or viewing attachments externally based on user roles.
    • preventAppKillOnAuth: Prevents Android devices from terminating the mobile app during background login processes for smoother authentication.
    • Zero Trust Access (ZTA) banner control: Enables turning off the ZTA banner on mobile app screens where ZTA is active.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    By leveraging mobile properties, ServiceNow customers can:

    • Manage mobile app features dynamically without instance upgrades.
    • Control user experience aspects such as automatic refresh, time zone display, and attachment handling.
    • Enhance mobile security and usability with features like extended sessions and smoother authentication on Android devices.
    • Customize barcode scanning capabilities and external scanner support for mobile users.
    • Tailor mobile app behavior based on application scope and user roles to meet organizational requirements.

    This approach improves agility in deploying mobile feature updates and ensures a more responsive and secure mobile experience for end users.

    Mobile properties enable admins to turn on or turn off features in ServiceNow apps without upgrading the ServiceNow instance.

    The ServiceNow Platform server controls the features that are available on your mobile app. The server instance is released with new features for every family release. New versions of the mobile apps are released to the Apple Store and the Google Play Store every month. These monthly releases of mobile apps usually contain bug fixes but can also contain new features. These new features can be turned on or off with mobile properties.

    Mobile properties can be configured to set flags on your ServiceNow instance. These "flags" are records structured as key/value pairs in the sys_sg_properties table. They can turn on or turn off features on your mobile client apps. The ServiceNow instance sends the mobile property to mobile client apps after authentication.

    Mobile properties are available starting with the San Diego release.

    Application scope and mobile properties

    When you create a mobile property, you select the application scope for which the property is available in the Mobile Properties New record form. To change the list of available application scopes, select the globe icon (Globe icon.) on the instance banner and then select Application scope:application_scope.

    Application scope precedence

    When multiple mobile properties of the same name are defined for multiple application scopes, the system applies precedence rules to select a mobile property to use. The following scenarios use the clientRefresh mobile property as an example to show how the precedence rules work.

    Scenario 1: Global application scope always takes precedence
    If a mobile property is defined for multiple application scopes and one of those is the global application scope, then the property defined for global application scope always takes precedence. In this case, the following actions occur:
    1. The system calls for the clientRefresh property on an instance.
    2. The system finds three clientRefresh properties defined for this instance:
      Property name Application scope Updated (date and time)
      clientRefresh Global 2021-12-06 10:41:00
      clientRefresh Now Mobile 2021-12-06 10:38:41
      clientRefresh Agent Workspace 2021-12-06 10:42:06
    3. The system chooses the clientRefresh property defined for the global application scope.

    In scenario 1, the clientRefresh property defined for the global application scope takes precedence.

    Scenario 2: If the mobile property isn't defined for global application scope, then the most recently updated property takes precedence
    If a mobile property is defined for multiple application scopes but if there is no property with global application scope, then the system uses the most recently updated property. In this case, the following actions occur:
    1. The system calls for the clientRefresh property on an instance.
    2. The system finds three clientRefresh properties defined for this instance:
      Property name Application scope Updated (date and time)
      clientRefresh Now Mobile 2021-12-06 10:38:41
      clientRefresh Asset Management for mobile 2021-12-06 10:42:06
      clientRefresh Agent Workspace 2021-12-06 12:06:20
    3. The system chooses the clientRefresh property that was most recently updated.

    In scenario 2, the clientRefresh property defined for the agent workspace application scope was the most recently updated. All three mobile properties were updated on 2021-12-06. The property defined for the agent workspace application scope was updated at 12:06:20. That time is almost one and a half hours after the other two. The system chooses the clientRefresh property defined for the agent workspace application scope because it's the most recently updated clientRefresh property.