---
sourceDocument: Australia Mobile Configuration and Navigation
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/mobile

 Release :

    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia Mobile Configuration and Navigation

ft:clusterId :

    - mobile

bundleId :

    - mobile

workflow :

    - Development, Data and Analytics


---

# Reference field attributes

# Reference field attributes for input form screens in offline mode {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Australia
* 
* Updated June 8, 2026
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 2 minutes to read

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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 Reference field attributes for input form screens in offline mode

This topic explains how ServiceNow customers can configure reference fields in input form screens to function effectively in offline mode.
It focuses on setting attributes that define which data to display and how users can search and select reference data when disconnected from the network.
Proper configuration ensures a seamless offline experience by controlling cached data and search behavior on mobile devices.
Show full answer Show less  

## Key Features

* **Required Attributes:**
  * **SourceTable:** Specifies the table from which to derive the reference qualifier.
  * **SourceFieldName:** The field name in the source table that is referenced.
  * **TargetTable:** The table targeted by the reference qualifier.
* **Optional Attributes:**
  * **OfflineMobileViewId:** Defines the mobile card view used to display reference data offline, overriding the MobileViewId.
  * **EnableSearch:** Controls whether a search bar appears; set to true or false.
  * **OfflineConditions:** An encoded query to filter reference data offline, taking precedence over Conditions and supporting offline-compatible filters.
  * **SearchType:** Specifies search logic, either *startswith* or *contains* , defaulting to *startswith*.
  * **OfflineFetchScript:** A script to specify up to 1,000 Sys IDs of reference records to cache offline, enabling precise control over cached data.
  * **OfflineMaxNumRecords:** Sets the maximum number of records to cache offline per reference input, with 1,000 as the maximum.

## Practical Implementation

To optimize offline reference data, customers can create a Script Include that dynamically fetches relevant Sys IDs to cache. For example, a script can retrieve active users sharing the logged-in user's location plus the user, ensuring offline access to pertinent "Assigned To" records without caching unnecessary data.

Using this approach, the **OfflineFetchScript** attribute is set on the input field, invoking the script to return a curated list of records for offline caching. This method respects the 1,000 record cache limit while improving user experience in offline scenarios.

## Why It Matters

Configuring these attributes allows ServiceNow customers to tailor offline reference field behavior, improving performance and usability on mobile devices. By controlling cached records and search parameters, users can efficiently find and select records offline, maintaining productivity without network connectivity.  
Configure the fields that you want to use and the data you want to display in offline
mode by using various input attributes.
Note:  
You must create an input form screen before you create variables and attributes. For information about creating an input form screen, see [Configure an input form screen](https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/PVSI3Faa8_DKNk1SxKRsJQ "Configure an input parameter so that your users can see a list of records from their mobile app. To access a record from the list, a user just has to tap the record name.").

## Reference inputs {#reference-fields-offline-attributes__section_itt_mzd_15b}

Use reference inputs for inputs that reference a field on a table. These inputs work like [reference fields](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/access?context=c_ReferenceField&version=australia&pubname=australia-platform-administration&ft:locale=en-US) in the forms on your instance. You can configure your reference input with conditions, reference qualifiers, and a search option to help your users find what
they need quickly.

You can use these attributes with reference inputs.  
Note:  
All attributes are case-sensitive.
{#reference-fields-offline-attributes__table_pn1_xdt_v4b__entry__2}

| Attribute | Description |
|-|-|
| SourceTable | The source table for your reference qualifier. |
| SourceFieldName | The field name of the referenced field in the source table. |
| TargetTable | The table you want to target for your reference qualifier. |
[Table 1. Required attributes]

{#reference-fields-offline-attributes__table_pn1_xdt_v4b}

The following additional attributes are optional:
{#reference-fields-offline-attributes__table_anh_jbw_b4b__entry__2}

| Attribute | Description |
|-|-|
| OfflineMobileViewId | Define the mobile card used to display reference field data in offline mode. The OfflineMobileViewId attribute takes precedence over the MobileViewId attribute. |
| EnableSearch | Option to determine whether the search bar displays. The value must be true or false. |
| OfflineConditions | Encoded query condition used to query the reference data. The OfflineConditions attribute takes precedence over the Conditions attribute. Note: This attribute can also be used when the Conditions attribute has a condition that can't be supported in offline. |
| SearchType | Defines the query used for search. The value can be <kbd class="ph userinput">starts_with</kbd> or <kbd class="ph userinput">contains</kbd>. If this attribute is not configured, the instance uses <kbd class="ph userinput">starts_with</kbd> by default on the display label column. |
| OfflineFetchScript | Use to specify a list of Sys IDs for reference records. Using this attribute, you can define what records to cache while in offline mode. Reference fields can return many thousands of records, but only 1,000 records are supported to cache for offline mode. Use this attribute to define the specific records (1,000 or less) that you want to cache for use while offline. If this attribute is not used, then the first 1,000 records returned are cached. An example script is shown in the next section. |
| OfflineMaxNumRecords | Defines the number of records that you can cache in offline mode. The maximum number is 1000. You can set a different value for each reference input. |
[Table 2. Additional attributes]

{#reference-fields-offline-attributes__table_anh_jbw_b4b}

## OfflineFetchScript implementation example {#reference-fields-offline-attributes__section_kq5_z1g_njc}

This example shows how the system dynamically retrieves users who share the logged-in user's location for the Assigned Tofield in the input form.

1. Create a Script Include to return active users in the same location as the logged-in user, plus the user themself.

       var MobileOfflineUserFetch = Class.create(); 
       MobileOfflineUserFetch.prototype = { 
           initialize: function() {}, 
        
           getUsersByMyLocation: function() { 
               var ids = []; 
               var myId = gs.getUserID(); 
               var myLoc = gs.getUser().getLocation(); 
        
               ids.push(myId); // include myself 
        
               if (!myLoc) 
                   return ids.join(','); 
        
               var gr = new GlideRecord('sys_user'); 
               gr.addActiveQuery(); 
               gr.addQuery('location', myLoc); 
               gr.setLimit(1000); // Reference field limitation 
               gr.query(); 
        
               while (gr.next()) { 
                   ids.push(gr.getUniqueValue()); 
               } 
               return ids.join(','); 
           }, 
        
           type: 'MobileOfflineUserFetch' 
       }; 

2. Add the OfflineFetchScript input attribute to the Assigned To input field and set the value to the following:

       javascript: new MobileOfflineUserFetch().getUsersByMyLocation()

{#reference-fields-offline-attributes__ol_c44_cbg_njc}