Screen fields
Summarize
Summary of Screen fields
Screen fields in ServiceNow enhance the usability and presentation of form screens by allowing users to view and interact with various types of content directly on the form. They provide flexible options to display attachments, checklist items, images, videos, text, and more, improving user experience and data accessibility.
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Screen Field Types
When configuring a details screen, each selected field creates a Screen Field record that can be modified to change its type, affecting how information is displayed. Key screen field types include:
- Text: Displays text from any current record field, with an option to show the value without a label.
- Percentage: Shows decimal values as percentages (e.g., 0.35 as 35%), also with a value-only display option.
- Image: Displays images sourced from image fields or attachments; users can preview full images by tapping.
- Attachment: Lists all record attachments with options for users to rename or delete them.
- Video: Embeds externally hosted videos linked from record fields; videos open in a new window upon play.
- File: Previews PDF files from attachments directly on the form, allowing scrolling and zooming in a preview screen.
- HTML: Renders HTML content from fields containing HTML code.
- Checklist: Displays checklist items linked to a record, enabling users to mark items complete or incomplete.
- Date: Shows date or date/time values formatted per instance settings, with an option to hide labels and support for action functions to change values.
- Stage: Displays read-only approval or completion status for requested items, catalog items, or other records configured with workflows, reflecting defined stage names and statuses.
Practical Use for ServiceNow Customers
By adding and customizing screen fields, ServiceNow customers can tailor record screens to present information more intuitively, facilitate user actions (such as managing attachments and checklist items), and embed rich media content like images and videos. This leads to better user engagement and efficiency in completing tasks within forms.
Additional Information
- Screen fields are created automatically when selecting fields on details screens but can be modified to change display types.
- The "Value only" option for some field types allows a cleaner form display by hiding labels.
- Video screen fields require externally hosted videos and provide an embedded playback experience.
- Stage fields reflect workflow-driven statuses and are particularly useful for tracking approvals and completion stages on catalog and requested item forms.
Screen fields improve the usability of your form screens. With screen fields, your users can view and edit attachments, view and complete checklist items, or display a field without a label.
When configuring a details screen, you select fields to display on your form. When you save the details screen, the instance creates a Screen Field [sys_sg_screen_field] each selected field. You can modify these records to change the screen field type. Change the screen field type to change how your information is presented, and improve the appearance and usability of the screen for your users.
Screen field types
| Text
Use a text screen field to display text on your form. This text can come from any field on the current record. The text field type has a Value only option, which displays the field without a label. In this example, the Description field is shown without a label. |
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| Percentage
Use a percentage screen field to display a percentage value on your form. This value comes from a field on the current record. Percentages are determined by using a decimal value. For example, a value of 0.35 displays in a percentage field as 35%. This field type has a Value only option, which displays the field without a label. |
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| Image
Use an image screen field to display an image on your form. The value for this field comes from an image field or field that contains the sys_ID of an image in the Attachment [sys_attachment] table. Users can tap an image to open a preview screen to display the full image. |
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| Attachment
Use an attachment screen field to display all the attachments of a record. Buttons to rename or delete attachments display automatically for your users. Users can tap a button to modify attachments. |
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| Video
Use a video screen field so that your users can watch a video in your form. The video screen field gets its value from a field on your current record and contains a link to a video. The video must be externally hosted. Users can see the video in a new window when they tap Play Video. |
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| File
Use a file screen field to display a PDF file
within your form. The PDF displays as a preview on your form. Users can tap the
preview ( |
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| HTML
Use an HTML screen field to display HTML content within your form. The HTML screen field can get its value from an HTML field in your current record or a string field that contains an HTML code. |
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| Checklist
Use checklist screen fields to display all the checklist items that are associated with a record. Users can tap individual checklist items to mark them as complete or incomplete. |
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| Date
Use a date screen field to display a date value on your form. This value comes from a date or date/time field on the current record. Dates are displayed in the format that are defined by your instance. This field type has aValue only option, which displays the value of the field without the field label. If the field is configured with an action function, users can change the values of these fields. For more information, see Configure an action function. |
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| Stage
Use stage fields to display a read-only
approval or completion status of requested items and services. Stage fields are
displayed under the following conditions:
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) icon to open it in a preview screen where they can scroll and zoom on
the PDF document. The file screen field gets its value from a field on the
current record. The value must be the sys_ID of an attachment [sys_attachment]
record on your instance that contains a PDF file.