Forms in Table Builder

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 6 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 Forms in Table Builder

    The Forms tab in Table Builder allows you to visually create, configure, and customize multiple form views for your users. Each form view defines the elements that appear when users open a form or list. While each form has a default view, you can create additional views tailored for different user groups. This capability enables more precise data input and viewing experiences across your organization.

    Show full answer Show less

    Key Features

    • Form View Selection: Easily select, add, or duplicate form views from a list or the Additional actions menu. Changes are saved to the selected view.
    • All Form Views List: Browse, search, filter, and sort through all form views to efficiently manage many views.
    • Form Layout: Design form views using sections that can be one or two columns, grouping related fields, annotations, formatters, and embedded lists.
    • Form Fields: Drag and drop available table fields onto the form editor and configure their properties to control what users see and interact with.
    • Form Annotations: Add instructional text or other annotations to guide users within the form.
    • Formatters: Add read-only elements that display additional information about the record, enhancing context without allowing edits.
    • Embedded Lists: Insert related lists directly into a form view, enabling users to see or edit related records without leaving the form. Changes to embedded list data save along with the form.
    • Navigation and Editing Tools: Utilize icons and panels for adding, moving, deleting form elements, and expanding or collapsing configuration panels to streamline form design.

    Practical Application

    With Table Builder’s Forms tab, ServiceNow customers can tailor form views to different user roles, improving data entry accuracy and user experience. The drag-and-drop interface and flexible layout options simplify form creation and customization. Embedded lists and formatters add valuable context and related data visibility directly within forms, reducing navigation and improving workflow efficiency.

    Next Steps

    • Choose or create the appropriate form views for your users via the form view list or Additional actions menu.
    • Customize form layouts by adding and arranging fields, annotations, formatters, and embedded lists to meet your data capture and display needs.
    • Use the All form views list to manage many form views efficiently with search, filter, and sorting capabilities.
    • Preview and save your forms to ensure they meet user requirements before deployment.

    On the Forms tab in Table Builder, you can visually create, configure, and customize the different form views for your users using the form editor. The views that you define contain the elements that appear when a user opens that form or list.

    Overview

    A form view defines the elements that appear to a user when the user opens a form or list. Each form has a default view, but you may want to create several different form views for different groups of users.

    In Table Builder, you can customize multiple views for a form for the different users who input data or view the form. You can also customize the default form view for everyone.

    Explore the following major areas when you configure a form or list:

    • Form view selection
    • All form views list
    • Form layout
    • Form fields
    • Form annotations
    • Formatters
    • Embedded lists

    Basic form navigation

    The Forms tab consists of the following four major areas:
    • Top navigation menu
    • Add form elements panel
    • Form editor
    • Configuration panel
    The following table contains a list of some of the other basic navigational elements within the Forms tab in Table Builder.
    Table 1. Navigational elements in the Forms tab
    Navigational element Description
    Forms additional actions list (Forms additional actions list) The Additional actions list (vertical ellipsis) on the Forms tab provides a quick way to perform any of the following actions:
    • Add a new form view
    • Duplicate the selected form view
    • Configure a related list
    • Configure a UI action
    • Navigate to a filterable, sortable list of all form views by selecting All form views. See All form views list.
    Changes to the form made in the editor are committed to the selected view.
    Note:
    The additional actions menu (vertical ellipsis) is visible only when forms are accessed throughServiceNow Studio or App Engine Studio, not throughServiceNow AI Platform.
    Form view list (View list.) Select a form view from this list or use the Additional actions menu (vertical ellipsis) to add a view. Changes to the form made in the editor are committed to the selected view.

    PDF extractor

    (PDF extractor.)

    		 If a PDF is associated with the selected data table, select this element to launch the PDF extractor tool and view the PDF. See Use a PDF to create data tables.
    Note:
    This feature is only available if your licensing entitles you to "exclusive low code capability" and you have Table Builder for App Engine installed. Contact your Solutions consultant for more information.

    Form element search bar

    (Form element search.)

    		 Enter keywords here to filter the list of form elements.

    Multiple selection check box

    (Multiple field selection check box.)

    		 When you point to a form element in the Add form elements panel, you can select this option if you want to select and drag multiple fields to the form editor at once.
    Add form element icon (Add icon.) When you point to a form element or section, select this icon to add a new section or element above or below the existing element.
    Move element icon (Move element.) When you point to a form element, this icon displays on the left edge. Select this icon, and then drag the element to move it to the desired location.
    Delete form element icon (Delete form element.) When you point to a form element in the editor, you can select this icon to remove it from the form view.
    Move section arrow icon (Move section arrow.) When you select a form section, you can select the up or down arrow to move it up or down on the form view.
    Delete section icon (Delete section icon.) When you select a form section, you can select this icon to remove the section from the form view.

    Open panel icon (Open panel icon.)

    Close panel icon (Close panel icon.)

    		 Selecting the Open panel icon expands the panel to the right. Selecting the Close panel icon collapse it.

    Form view selection

    Select a form view to work with from the form view list in the form editor.
    Note:
    You can also select a form view from the Additional actions menu on the Forms tab.
    See Choose a form view in Table Builder.

    All form views list

    Select All form views from the Additional actions menu to the right of the Forms tab to browse a filterable list of form view cards (vertical ellipsis). This page allows you to create complex filtering and sorting if you have a great deal of form views to navigate.

    You have the following options for finding a desired form view if you have a large list of them.
    Table 2. All form views list
    Option Steps
    Search Type a keyword in the Search box. The list of cards will be filtered as you type.
    Sort form views Select an option from the sorting list to sort the form view cards.
    • Form name (a to z)
    • Form name (z to a)
    • Updated by (a to z)
    • Updated by (z to a)
    • Updated (recent to last) - Default option
    • Updated (last to recent)
    Filter forms by setting up filter criteria
    1. Select the filter icon (Filter forms.).
    2. Add your filter condition criteria including any AND/OR logic.
    3. To add additional conditions, select + New condition set.
    4. Select Apply.

    Form layout (sections)

    A view is composed of sections that group the data elements that you want displayed.

    You can add multiple sections and change the layout of each section into one or two columns. A section is where you can group the data elements that you want to display for a form view. These elements include form fields, annotations, formatters, and embedded lists.

    See Customize your form layout in Table Builder.

    Form fields

    When you select a table in Table Builder, the available fields are displayed in the form elements panel. You can create fields for the table or configure the fields and their properties.

    By dragging these fields into the form editor, you can then visually arrange these fields on the form view you have selected.

    See Add fields to a form layout in Table Builder.

    See Modify field properties in Table Builder form editor.

    Form annotations

    A form annotation is an additional piece of information on a form, such as a line or paragraph of text.

    For example, you may want to add instructional text for a particular section on the form. By using Table Builder, you can add a form annotation to the view that displays on-screen instructions on how a user should enter information.

    See Create form annotations in Table Builder.

    Formatters

    A Formatter is a read-only element in a form that displays additional information about the selected table record. Unlike fields, formatters are not editable.

    See Formatters.

    By using Table Builder, you can visually drag any of the displayed formatters onto the form editor and arrange them.

    See Add formatters in Table Builder.

    Embedded lists

    You can use an embedded list to display the data for a selected related list on a form. A related list shows the records in the tables that have relationships to the current record. For example, for a form view that references a Problem table, you might want to display a list of locations that are impacted by a selected problem.

    With Table Builder, you can visually drag a list from the Embedded Lists tab of the form elements panel onto the form editor, and then arrange them.

    By adding an embedded list to a form, you enable your users to view or edit the related list without needing to navigate away from the form. Changes to the data in the list are saved when the user saves the form.

    See Add embedded lists in Table Builder.