Check box

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Check box

    The check box variable in ServiceNow enables users to select or clear options, making it useful for toggling settings or confirming agreements. It supports mandatory selection by enabling theSelection Requiredoption, which ensures users cannot submit a form without selecting the check box (e.g., agreeing to terms).

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    Key Features

    • Mandatory Check Boxes: Making a check box mandatory enforces user selection before form submission, triggering alert messages if unchecked.
    • Grouping: Consecutive check box variables automatically form a group sorted by their order. Groups can have custom labels by adding a label variable at the start.
    • Group Behavior:
      • If any check box in a group is mandatory, the entire group becomes mandatory, requiring at least one selection.
      • An asterisk () indicates the mandatory status next to the group label.
      • Hiding the group label hides the entire group of check boxes.
      • If all but one check box in a mandatory group are hidden and unselected, the last visible check box cannot be hidden if unselected.
    • Service Portal: To make a check box group mandatory, set at least one check box in the group as mandatory. Setting the label variable itself as mandatory does not enforce group mandatory behavior.
    • Catalog Builder:
      • Two or more consecutive check boxes create a virtual container grouping them.
      • Only check box variables can be added inside this group container.
      • Any check box added immediately after the group automatically joins it.
    • Pricing Configuration: Under Type Specifications, you can define prices for check boxes in multiple currencies and pricing models such as Calculated, Fixed, or Multiple.

    Practical Application for ServiceNow Customers

    This functionality is essential for creating interactive, user-friendly forms where options need clear user confirmation or selection. The grouping and mandatory features ensure data integrity and compliance (e.g., agreement acceptance). The catalog builder’s grouping behavior simplifies variable management and enforces consistent UI behavior. Pricing configurations allow for flexible cost modeling within service catalogs.

    The check box variable lets you enable and disable options by selecting and clearing it.

    To make a check box mandatory, select the Selection Required option when you create the variable. For example, use this option to require users to select the I agree check box for an agreement form. If users try to submit the agreement form without selecting the check box, an alert message is displayed to tell users that they must select the check box.

    A group of check box variables is created when you create consecutive check box variables. These check box variables are sorted by their order within the group. If you want to define a custom label for the group of check boxes, create a label variable at the start of the consecutive check box variables. The label is then considered a part of this group and acts a label of the group. If there is no custom label, check boxes are grouped under an Options label by the application.

    In a group of check box variables:
    • If any check box variable in the group is mandatory, the entire group becomes mandatory irrespective of the visibility of the mandatory check box variable. An asterisk (*) is then displayed next to the group label and you must select at least one of these check boxes.
    • Hiding the label hides the entire group.
    • If all other check box variables of a mandatory check box group are hidden and not selected, the following scenarios are applicable:
      • The group remains mandatory as long as there is one check box in the group that is visible and not selected.
      • The last check box of this group cannot be hidden if it is not selected.

    In Service Portal, to make a group of check box variables mandatory, set at least one of the check box variables as mandatory. While defining the label for a group of check boxes, setting a label mandatory does not make the group of check box variables mandatory.

    In catalog builder, the following scenarios are applicable:
    • If there are two consecutive check boxes, then a virtual container is created for a group of check boxes. Only check box variable types can be added inside the group
    • Even if a check box variable is added immediately after a group of check boxes, it is automatically added to the group.
    Under the Type Specifications tab, you can specify the price in different currency types. Also, you can configure the price in the following pricing models:
    • Calculated
    • Fixed
    • Multiple
    For information on the pricing models, see Price fields .
    Figure 1. Example: check box variable
    A check box variable